NBA Draft: Which Questions Must Teams Ask Themselves Prior To The Draft?

With the 2023 NBA Draft just under four weeks away, questions still loom large for the non top-tier prospects.

Teams in the late lottery, as well as teams in the later stages of the draft, need to get ready to make a call on guys projected to go in that area, and part of that process is asking what you can live with.

No player is perfect, and some come with major question marks that won't be answered for a good long while.

As such, here are some of the questions I have about certain players going into the draft.

Do we trust Dereck Lively to become a shooter?

A video recently made the rounds on social media where Lively was seen draining corner 3-pointers like he was in the second coming of Klay Thompson. Impressive in its own right, admittedly.

However, before I'm ready to jump on the bandwagon, I can't help but be reminded of the annual Mitchell Robinson workout videos, where he's hitting step-back triples that barely kisses the iron. Yet, we've never seen that be translated into actual NBA basketball.

That doesn't mean Lively is meant to become the next Robinson, nor does it mean his new team won't invest in his shooting. But my spidey sense is tingling a bit on this one, and the lack of both minutes (700) and shots (13 from range) during Lively's one year at Duke isn't exactly helping matters.

Good form, though.

What is the growth potential of Gradey Dick?

There's no question that the Kansas freshman is one of the best shooters in the draft - if not the best. 40.3% from 3-point range and 85.4% from the foul line is incredibly encouraging for his continued rise as a shooter.

But will he develop enough off the bounce game at the pro level to separate himself from the pack of Duncan Robinsons and Joe Harrises? We don't yet know how much he offers in term of playmaking - partly due to Dajuan Harris setting everything up - and it's fair to wonder if his defense will reach the point where he'll be viewed as a 3&D wing.

The shooting should set a decent baseline trajectory, which is why he's projected to go in the middle of the first round in the first place. But teams hoping he turns into more than a spot-up guy at the NBA level might be less convinced.

What do we make of Trayce Jackson-Davis as an NBA player?

At 23, the Indiana senior is one of the oldest prospects in this class, yet he's also one of the most polished - at least on the interior. He's a tremendous inside scorer, an excellent rebounder, a surprisingly good playmaker, and he swats almost three shots per night.

That's a whole lot of something, even if he's displayed no confidence in actually shooting the ball. If TJD had a reliable jumper, we'd be talking about a no-nonsense first round selection, even despite his advanced age.

So, what is his role at the next level? Could he eventually leverage enough of his strengths into becoming a fully-fledged rotation player, or will teams constantly be forced to compensate for his lack of spacing? I might be too optimistic by leaning yes, but I can't seem to ignore the things he does do well. Yet, his specific skills doesn't exactly scream plug-and-play.

Will James Nnaji become a competent offensive player in the NBA?

The Barcelona center is built like a tank, and has quality vertical athleticism to go with it. But as of right now, he's all about putbacks, lobs, and getting set up by others.

There should be plenty of time for the 18-year-old to keep growing his game, but most players that age have showed at least an inkling of touch offensively, where Nnaji is very much raw, and often looks out of place when being asked to create anything.

Perhaps he's bound to become a rim-runner. Or perhaps he's got something brewing behind closed doors that we've yet to see. We all remember how Bam Adebayo out of nowhere showcased multiple layers we'd never seen before. I'm not betting my house on Nnaji pulling off something similar, but I'm hoping he's got something in his back pocket that surprise us all.

What is the top ceiling of Brice Sensabaugh?

I'm a huge Sensabaugh fan, but even I can wonder at times if we're looking at a future sixth man, who'll come off the bench just gunning for points, or if he'll become one of the most dangerous scorers in the world?

While I firmly believe the latter is in play, teams will have to figure out if he can carry such a burden. There's some evidence to support he can, as he scored over 20 points in five out of the six games wherein he cracked 30 minutes. Yet, does he offer enough elsewhere on the court for any coach to justify such a minutes load?

Sensabaugh's floor is high, due to the aforementioned scoring touch. He should have no problem carving out an NBA that goes well beyond a decade. But the type of contributor he'll eventually be has a wide range of outcomes, and teams have to understand that going in.

Unless noted otherwise, all stats via NBA.com, PBPStats, Cleaning the Glass or Basketball-Reference. All salary information via Spotrac. All odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook.

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