But Tatum as 19 years old is already an extremely talented and versatile offensive player, and he's got 3-4 years to catch up with Saric's age. That's 3-4 years of NBA experience and tutelage on top of the talent he already has.
Which is essentially meaningless. How old you are does not guarantee anything about the type of player you're going to be.
I've always been one of the biggest arguers against the whole "age is everything" argument. It's silly, and age along means nothing.
However
When you already have an incredibly versatile skill set AND you already have a near NBA ready body, AND you are known for having an excellent work ethic and for being highly coachable AND you are only 19 years old - then that is far from meaningless.
Of course nobody is ever a surefire star - even Lebron COULD have been a bust. Until a guy plays NBA minutes, you just don't know. But Tatum is one of the most talented and versatile players to come out of the draft in quite some time, he's got excellent intangibles, and he his youth means that he has plenty of time to develop all of those areas he's already proficient in (which is pretty much everywhere).
It's had to It's hard to see his floor being any lower then Trevor Ariza (as an absolute worst case), and his upside is in the realm of Paul George / Gordon Hayward - maybe higher.
Trevor Ariza is a top calibre defender....comparison doesnt work
George is a higher level athlete
Hayward a better shooter...
Why not be real... Jabari Parker or Tobias Harris are better comparisons
Jabari Parker's biggest criticism coming out of College was his completely and utter lack of athleticism and defensive upside. Similar case for Carmelo.
Athleticism and defensive upside has been continuously listed as a strengths for Tatum in just about every scouting report I've seen. Tatum has length, lateral mobility, leaping ability, and a solid frame (potential to add bulk) and high intangibles, meaning he has the potential to be a very good defender. He's doesn't quite get it yet but shows flashes - and at 19 years of age very few players do "get it" defensively. Athletically the general consensus is pretty much always the same - he is a very good athlete, he's just not an elite/explosive athlete (e.g. Wiggins / Brown). That's a very strong contrast to what Parker and Melo were in their college days.
Not that I can see why you'd bring those guys up as negatives anyway - Parker and Melo are both WORLDS above Aaron Gordon and Dario Saric.
I also don't see your argument that Hayward is a better shooter. Hayward shot over 40% from three in his first college year at Buter, and 29% from three in his second college year. In his first 4 seasons in the NBA he shot 47%, 34%, 41%, 30%. That's 6 straight seasons in which his outside shot was wildly inconsistent and (for the most part) was all over the place.
Tatum has only played one college season, and he shot a very respectable 34% from three along with 50% on two's and 85% on free throws. Not sure how you determine that Hayward was a better shooter...
As for the George comparison - Tatum's college stats this season are actually VERY similar to Geroge's stats in his final college year. In fact they are so similar it's almost uncanny. Also similar builds, similar height and similar length. Not much to separate the two at all.
Here are the NBADraft.net reports on Paul George at draft time:
Strengths: Paul has some very appealing aspects to his game that could translate nicely to the next level ... a 6'8 small forward with a long wingspan and unlimited NBA range, he has a quick release and does not need much room to let it fly ... His athleticism and ability to run the floor make him dynamic in transition, resulting in big time dunks that can spark his team ... He attempted exactly 132 free throws in both his freshman and sophomore years, however he hit 28 more his sophomore year (a 70% to 91% jump)... Impressive vision and passing skills, which is not usually the case for a perimeter forward (3 assists per game) ... Rebounds well for a small forward at over 7 per game ... Defensively his athleticism contributes to over 2 steals and almost a block per game, illustrating his ability to anticipate and make a play on the ball ...
Weaknesses: George's biggest weakness is his inability to create for himself, and his poor shooting percentage when pulling up off the dribble ... Lacks a great handle which limits his overall game, as practically all of his baskets come from spotting up, good position down low, or in transition ... Tends to get too trigger happy from behind the arc, rushing long shots as opposed to letting the play develop and waiting for a better option ... He needs to not always settle for the long ball, and use his strong body and basketball skillset to be a little more creative in regards to getting easier opportunities and getting to the line ... At times he can be sloppy with the ball, throwing unreasonable passes while looking as if his head is not fully in the game... Defensively, he tends to lose focus when playing on the ball, but with the right coaching staff and the opportunity to play on a bigger stage, that problem is likely fixable ... Playing a weak schedule on a small stage makes it difficult to project how he would fare against stiffer competition ...
Note the defensive criticisms? Similar to Tatum's criticisms.
However the criticisms about him struggling to handle the ball and his inability to create offence - they are not problems for Tatum.
Some more:
Jonathan Wasserman 5/5/10
Strengths: Has great length and athleticism ... Smooth player, makes plays look effortless ... He has good court vision and is an excellent passer ... His length combined with his release point make his jump shot difficult to contest ... Can finish around the basket with finesse or power and can do so with either hand ... Outstanding three point shooter, shot 44.7 percent from behind the arc as a freshman ... His greatest strength may be his ability to play the game with maturity and understanding of someone well beyond his years ... Allows the game come to him, does not force plays and rarely takes bad shots ... He's a good rebounder because of his length and timing, and should be even better as he adds weight to his frame ... Led Fresno State as a freshman with six double-doubles ... His wingspan and basketball IQ allow him to disrupt the game on the defensive end of the court ... Has a tremendous basketball frame with huge wingspan and the ability to put a lot of weight on his wide shoulders ... He averaged 1.7 steals and 1.0 block per game last season in the Western Athletic Conference.
Weaknesses: Listed at 6'7" 185, he'll need to add weight in order to absorb contact at the NBA level ... His first step and overall game is smooth rather than explosive, although strength should help him to become more explosive ... Has a tendency to play vertical, looks stiff at times on the court ... Good shooting percentages, but may need to speed up the release on his jump shot at the next level ... At times he can be unselfish to a fault ... Forty percent of his offensive attempts as a freshman were from the three point line, needs to become more adept at putting the ball on the floor ... Playing at Fresno State, there will be some criticism about his level of competition ..
Needs to add weight....first step and overall game smooth rather than explosive...sounds a lot like how Tatum has been described thus far.
I think these two guys may have had more in common in their college days then you may realise.
Poll
Topic: Proposal 2017 Nets pick (if 3-4 position) - for Gordon or Saric? (Read 25239 times)