Ultimate Upside Comparison: Draymond Green
Safe Upside Comparison: Trevor Ariza
Position: Small Forward
Age: 19 (7/17/1997)
Height, Weight, Wingspan: 6’7.75″, 232 pounds, 7’2.25″
2016-17 Slash Line: .557/.311/.563
2016-17 Season Averages: 25.1 MPG, 11.1 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 1.4 APG, 1.3 BPG, 1.3 SPG, 0.9 3PM
The Miami Heat have a winning culture that holds the players in the locker room accountable in every sense of the word. Players are held to a high standard on the defensive end of the floor, and are required to meet strict standards with their physical fitness.
Knowing how hard Erik Spoelstra and Pat Riley push their players, gambling on an upside player is a risk worth taking—a risk that takes Miami to OG Anunoby.
There’s a chance that Anunoby will miss the entirety of the 2017-18 NBA regular season as he recovers from the knee injury he suffered in 2016-17. That’s a risk worth taking for Miami, which is expected to be a major player in free agency.
Once Anunoby gets back to 100 percent, the Heat can explore his positional versatility as a potentially elite defender in every sense of the word.
The upside comparison has been made to Kawhi Leonard on multiple occasions, but a better example may be Draymond Green. While Anunoby could potentially lock players down on a Leonard-like level, he has the versatility to defend almost every position.
Anunoby could—and should—be selected in the Top 10 of the 2017 NBA Draft, but if he falls to No. 14, he, Hassan Whiteside, and Justise Winslow could anchor Miami’s future.
The New York Knicks should view Anunoby as a viable option, as well.