Draft prospect Ben Saraf's draft stock has plummeted due to some disappointing performances. After being projected to go 12th in our last mock draft, I will keep him in the teens, but instead of going to the Houston Rockets, I have him going to the Dallas Mavericks. Given the tire fire that the Mavericks have been since trading Luka Doncic, they can afford to take a chance on a boom or bust prospect.
Part of Saraf's issues is that his shooting numbers are middling at best, with him hitting 51.2% on 2-point field goals, 26.8% on threes, and 70.8% on free throws.
That is good enough for 51% true shooting, well below NBA standards. Despite his excellent size at 6-5, he struggles defensively, and that isn't likely to change playing against much better athletes than he currently does now. To his credit, he is a talented passer, with his size combined with impressive court vision making him even better, but turnovers have begun to become a problem for him.
He will have to rein that in to become an NBA-caliber player. Saraf does do a good job of getting into the paint, where he has reliably been able to knock down pull-ups and floaters.
And while he may not have the explosiveness that other point guards have, he effectively utilizes pump fakes and hesitation dribbles to throw defenders off balance. If he can become an effective 3-point shooter and cut down on turnovers, then there is enough there for him to be a good player, but his play of late reflects his lowered draft stock.
South Carolina's Collin Murray-Bolyes ranks as one of the most intriguing prospects in this draft class for several reasons. For one, he is only 6'7 in shoes but plays power forward, and he isn't much of a floor spacer.
Instead, he excels as a mid-range attacking defender in space to bully his way to the rim or score off face-ups in the post. His offensive game is somewhat similar to Minnesota Timberwolves star Julius Randle, but his game differs in several key ways. His efficiency is better, with him shooting nearly 60% from the field, an outlandish number.
Murray-Bolyes is also a good and versatile defender who can guard away from the basket and is like a tree trunk in the post. Despite his size and lack of rim protection, he is a good rebounder, making it easier for him to play the four in the NBA.
15 years ago, players like Murray-Bolyes probably would have gone in the second round given size concerns, but depending on his exact combine measurements, he probably wouldn't be that much smaller than many fours in the NBA. How his offensive game will translate to the NBA is a question mark without a 3-pointer, but if any team could maximize his unique gifts, it's the Hawks.