Anzejs Pasecniks’ length, speed, shooting and finishing ability have all drawn interest from NBA scouts. It may lead him to become a first-round pick in the 2017 draft.
The makeup of NBA frontcourts is changing.
Post play is becoming outdated. Stretch-5s are more valuable than ever. And centers who can both finish in the pick and roll and block shots on the weakside have become hot commodities.
Latvian center Anzejs Pasecniks has a long way to go to become fully NBA ready, but with the proper development, he could eventually fill all those roles.
The 7-foot-2 center is not much of a rebounder or defender. He struggles to guard stronger players in the post, which leads many opposing coaches to attack him every time he steps on the floor. Although he has the length and agility to become a good rim protector, he has a long way to go on this end of the court.
On offense, he has a solid midrange game and he can hit from beyond the arc. But his greatest source of value arguably is his rim-running ability.
Do not let his long, lanky build fool you – his feet can move with the best of them. He sets good screens and sprints to the basket where few opponents can do anything about his finishing ability. If he gets enough space to take off, he will drop the hammer with no hesitation.
The Magic have two starting-caliber centers already in Nikola Vucevic and Bismack Biyombo. They have a starting power forward in Aaron Gordon. The 4 and 5 are not Orlando’s principal areas of need. The revamped front office would be right to feel reluctant about drafting another big man.
If a future Bismack Biyombo or Nikola Vucevic trade is in the cards, having a prospect like Pasecniks could go a long way. His raw skills fit the modern NBA even though they need more polish. It all depends on how Jeff Weltman and John Hammond envision the team’s frontcourt of the future.