'Second Draft' Candidates to Consider
Whether on draft night or in trades this July, there are a few young guys who are out of sight and out of mind that we would prioritize acquiring into a new home
A popular conversation that’s tangentially related to the NBA Draft is the idea of a “second draft”. That’s a popular term that has been coined in online circles to describe the notion of rerouting a young prospect to a team where the opportunity may be different and, as a result, lead to a better outcome for the player and team.
Second draft searches are really about holding onto hope from a player you liked years ago through the draft cycle and believing that, if only we were able to get our hands on him, we could salvage something from him. But there need be some set of criteria for what constitutes a second draft and what is simply targeting a young player in free agency or trade.
A few qualifiers to put on our criteria:
Still on their rookie contract
Still under the age of 24
Have underperformed or are not regularly in the rotation
We’ve got a list of a few guys who would make sense as targets this summer for teams to consider when constructing deals and offers around the league. Consider this the short list of four guys we’d go to our general manager to and make the case for getting them on a buy-low deal.
Usman Garuba, Houston Rockets
Man, that frontcourt is looking tight, isn’t it?
We’re mere days away from the Rockets, in all likelihood, adding a generational talent to their frontcourt. They already have Alperen Sengun there. Christian Wood is a bigger contract on the books. A year into the careers of Sengun and Garuba, we’ve yet to see what the pair looks like together. Usman, stashed down in Rio Grande Valley on a G-League championship team, could quickly be surpassed by selections made both at 3 and at 17.
A year ago, we were the biggest fans of Garuba, holding him inside our top-ten thanks to his amazing defensive IQ, motor, switchability and upside as a catch-and-shoot big or short roll passer. The right team can really include him in their offense while seeing their defense take off to the next level.
While not making any impact as a rookie is disappointing, it’s far too early to sell on Garuba. His natural traits are clear, and he was quietly really productive down in the G-League for the type of player he is: he shot 59% from the field, pulled in 9.3 rebounds in only 24 minutes per game, and averaged 2.7 stocks per game.
Garuba’s impact will be on the defensive end. Houston knew that when drafting him. He can be efficient in a low-volume role on offense, and we still have little doubt he can do it at an NBA level. Now could be the perfect buy-low opportunity for another franchise that needs a frontcourt defensive whiz.
Malachi Flynn, Toronto Raptors
Flynn went from logging 928 minutes as a rookie to 537 as a second-year guy. His minutes per game went down, the inconsistent trust from head coach Nick Nurse was a frequent topic amongst Raptors beat writers, and at times the uncertain nature of his role seemed to wear on Flynn.
A new home may be the right way to optimize both parties. The Raptors would get the opportunity to sell high on a guy who is still widely regarded in many circles around the league. Another team could get a valuable backup point guard who can really score it.
As Masai Ujiri builds out his roster, we also saw the Raptors prioritize more wings in the postseason, playing lineups that literally didn’t even have a guard in them.
If that’s the case, and we know Flynn doesn’t have a major role in Toronto, sell now. He’s another former first-round draft grade that we’d love to see in a new spot.
RJ Hampton, Orlando Magic
Jalen Suggs, Cole Anthony, Markelle Fultz, RJ Hampton.
That’s a lot of ball-dominant guys to get reps for. Hampton, by virtue of talent and contract, is low in the pecking order in Orlando. They’re a team that desperately needs shooting, could reformat their roster with the number one selection, and are likely to make some sort of move this summer.
Hampton would be a nice acquisition for someone else patient enough to develop him as a guard. We’ve long been fans of his in more of that PNR-based role, as we wrote about earlier this year in a longform piece on his development and fit in Orlando.
Necessity is the mother of invention, and Hampton has reinvented his game to stay on the floor in Orlando. But it’s not an optimal spot for him, and with two years left on his rookie deal, we’d love to see him be used as a trade piece the Magic use to better round out their roster.
Theo Maledon, Oklahoma City Thunder
With similar constraints to Hampton, Theo Maledon is getting pushed out of a developmental opportunity. The Thunder drafted Josh Giddey top-six last year, giving them a backcourt tandem of the future between he and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. The rapid ascent of rookie Tre Mann last year also squeezed minutes from Maledon, a guy who started for them two years ago.
Efficiency hasn’t been on his side offensively, but there’s plenty to still like and invest in about Theo’s patient game. He can become a really good backup PG with the right minutes, system and seasoning. He’s one of those throw-ins in any sort of deal with the Thunder that I’d be begging my general manager to make.