By JOSH NEWMAN
No NBA Draft prospect is garnering more buzz nine days before the event than 19-year-old Latvian big man Kristaps Porzingis.
Like any European prospect, Porzingis, who is slotted at No. 3 overall to the Philadelphia 76ers according to the latest mock draft from DraftExpress, has a buyout with one year remaining on his current deal with Sevilla of Spain’s ACB League.
According Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress, Porzingis’ buyout is €850,000, which equates to roughly $956,000. NBA teams are allowed to pay up $625,000 towards an international buyout, which will not count against the salary cap. That means Porzingis would need to make up the rest of $331,000 out of his after-tax salary.
“I don’t like being labeled soft,” Porzingis told Adrian Wojnarowski Yahoo Sports. “I’m very hungry. I love the game. I’ve got to prove to coaches and GMs that I’m not soft just because I’m from Europe. They need to see that I’m not just some skinny white guy, that I’m going to be there fighting. They’ll need to see that I’m a worker who’s going to play hard, and play tough.”
Now the question is, would the Sixers be wise in pulling the trigger on Porzingis at No. 3?
“They want immediate help, they just can’t continue to develop and look for 4-5 years in advance,” NBA scouting consultant Ryan Blake told SNY.tv on the 4 Quarters Podcast Tuesday afternoon. “Porzingis is a really good player, a power forward-center who is long, athletic, can stretch the defense, good shot-blocker. He’s actually a good defender, he can defend a few spots and use his lateral quickness.”
Blake, the son of late longtime NBA Director of Scouting Marty Blake, expressed concern over the buyout and whether or not Porzingis would come over to the NBA immediately, but those buyout figures are not considered prohibitive and he is expected to make his NBA debut this fall. If it is indeed the Sixers taking Porzingis, that would have a direct impact on the Knicks, who pick at No. 4.
The top two picks are expected to be Karl-Anthony Towns to the Minnesota Timberwolves and Jahlil Okafor to the Los Angeles Lakers. If that happens and Porzingis then goes third to the Sixers, the Knicks would be left to choose from a group of players that includes point guards D’Angelo Russell and Emmanuel Mudiay.
Russell has moved up to No. 4 on DraftExpress and would seem to fit the triangle offense. An explosive 6-foot-5 19-year-old who played in China last season, Mudiay is currently slotted at No. 7.
“If Russell is there, I don’t think he would be there by any chance,” said Blake, indicating he believes Russell to be a top-3 pick. “Mudiay does have that talent. He’s a solid-sized combo guard or point guard. He attacks the rim and really utilizes that wiry strength, that crafty handle and quickness. He’s a good board man and has a great motor.”
