Blessing in Disguise

The rumors swirling around the NBA prospects are that Drummond and Lamb are slipping in the draft.  Drummond is projected anywhere from 2nd to 10th in the draft and Lamb has been everywhere from 15th to slipping out of the first round all together.  They both have the same knock against them that they lack the motor or drive to be that elite All-Star player that would warrant a top level pick.  Even though they didn’t show that type of mentality last year for the Huskies, they have the potential to be that type of player which is why they are so enticing.   While the money is better at the top of the draft, it would probably be better for them to actually slip in the draft.


Drummond needs time to mature and work on the weak aspects of his game from getting comfortable with his back to the basket to finding a bit of range to his game.  He’ll instantly provide the defensive presence in the post and a finisher around the rim especially on the break, but he would benefit to have someone on the team as a veteran presence that can show him the amount of work it takes to make it in the league.  It would be detrimental to him to go to a team that expects him to play 30 or more minutes and give a consistent double-double performance.  He isn’t that now, but in the right environment he could be molded into an All-Star.


Lamb on the other hand needs to land in an offense that has a number one scorer already.  That way he can compliment their role.  He is best when he is getting to his spots without the ball and when teams scheme to eliminate his comfort zone, he tends to settle.  His hybrid body type is hard to pin point an exact NBA role.  If he had some more muscle, he could slide into the wing position, but he hasn’t shown the ability to be a solid rebounder.  He isn’t going to be like the scoring two guards that have entered the NBA recently and he doesn’t have the foot speed to match them.  What he does have is one of the softest touches with the ball which really shows itself in his mid-ranged game.  He would thrive in a system like the Spurs.


While the number you go at in the draft is important right away considering the dollar amount, it isn’t always the best case scenario for a long and productive career.  It tends to become more of a power ranking or ego boost for these players instead of looking at the big picture.  So if Drummond and Lamb slip and land on a more successful team, it wouldn’t be the end of the world but instead a blessing in disguise, because no matter where you get drafted everything eventually gets settled on the court.