Previous Scouting Reports:
The Portland Trail Blazers have been blessed lately with hitting on incredible guards in the past few drafts. Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum headline the list. Will Barton and Allen Crabbe have shown flashes of potential for second round picks. There are a lot of questions surrounding what position the Blazers will be targeting in the draft.
If the home team goes with a guard, there is a case to be made to keep it in the family. Dorell Wright has a younger brother, Delon. The Blazers brought in Wright for a work out and he showed flashes of what he can do with the ball in his hands, running the offense. He also shot the ball well and looks to be in shape.
Wright is projected to go in the late stages of the first round, somewhere around where the Blazers are drafting. One of the best parts of the younger Wright is that he should be able to contribute very quickly for whatever team drafts him. Wright said, “My goal isn’t to just get drafted in June, but also come into the league ready to play and contribute.”
Is Wright NBA-ready? Will he contribute immediately? Read my scouting report on him and come to your own conclusion.
Scouting Report: Delon Wright
Hometown: Los Angeles, CA.
Height: 6’5.5” (w/ shoes).
Weight: 181 pounds.
Noted Measurables: 6’7.5” wingspan, 8’5.5” standing reach, 6.6% body fat, 31” max vert (all measurements from the 2015 NBA Combine).
School: University of Utah (2 seasons) City College of San Francisco (2 seasons).
Experience: 68 games, 2 years in college (2015 2nd Team Consensus All-American, 2 time 1st team All-PAC 12, 2 time PAC-12 All-Defensive Team, 2015 Bob Cousy Award) (All experience, stats, and awards from his time at Utah).
Age: 23 (April 26, 1992).
College Statistics: 15 points per game, 5.8 rebounds per game, 5.2 assists per game, 2.1 steals per game, 1.1 blocks per game, 54% field goal, 81% free throw.
Scouting Report:
Offense: Great vision at the top of the key, can distribute all over the court. Good and willing passer. Definition of pass-first point guard. Not afraid to follow shots, battle in paint, and get offensive rebounds. Creative passer. Patient and will let plays develop. Above average in pick and roll facilitating. His defense can create offense as he is good in transition. Not extremely athletic but can penetrate from the perimeter. Can get to the rim but not always most consistent at the rim against bigger competition, which may be problematic in bigger NBA. Uses floaters to combat going against larger defenders. Draws fouls and gets to line where he shoots at over 80%. Mid-range and 3-point game is too inconsistent, shoots only 30% from 3. Has trouble creating own shot from outside.
Defense: Great defender. Is a first round talent almost solely because of his defense. Long, and affects passing lanes. Averages over 2 steals a game. Good feet keep him in front of opponent. Draws charges. Long arms to disrupt outside jumpers. Never gives up on defense. In college could guard 1s and 2s. May be too slender to guard many 2s in the NBA. Bigger 2s will take Wright to the post (i.e. Wesley Matthews). Never quits on defense. Good help/team defender. Can change momentum of a game when he makes multiple defensive stops for team. Not afraid to switch onto bigger opponent, uses excellent feet to stay in front. Standing reach of almost 8 and a half feet is a huge key to his defensive dominance. Can disrupt shots all over the court.
Highlights:
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFyh5MMC7G8] [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXJkafIo-fA]NBA Comparison: Rajon Rondo – This may be a bit of a stretch. Rondo is an NBA Champion, 4 time All-Star, All-Defensive first teamer, and has led the league in assists twice. Those are incredible feats. To compare an NBA draft prospect to a player like Rondo is a bit crazy, but truth is, there really isn’t anyone in the league quite like Wright. The reason that I compare the two is because both of them share the same two features that put them above the rest, defense and passing. They can both change a game on either end of the floor. They both share some of the same deficiencies in their offensive shooting game. The reason that Rondo is who he is today is because of the cast of characters that he has had around him. In Boston, he played with three hall of famers that helped take that team to an NBA Finals. Wright’s success will have a lot to do with where he goes. Because of his offensive limitations, he is likely not going to be the first, second, or maybe even third offensive weapon on his team. If he can find himself in a place where he can be a backup point guard, or be in a talented starting lineup, Wright will be well served and could find almost instant success.
Where he would fit in Portland: Obviously with a starting point guard and franchise pillar like Damian Lillard, the Blazers aren’t looking for a starting point guard. With Steve Blake on a player option, the future of the backup point guard job in Portland may be up for grabs. Although I suspect Blake will return, there is already a challenger in Tim Frazier. Despite having those two guys on the roster the Blazers may look to the draft to bolster their bench and find a backup point guard to build with for years to come. Wright would be a good contrasting piece with Lillard. Lillard is explosive and shoot the lights out but struggles defensively; Wright struggles with his outside shot but can shut down his opponents on the defensive end of the flood. Lillard and Wright are about the same age. Wright is a good enough passer and defender to play with Lillard sliding to the 2-guard. That could add another dimension to the Blazers. A three guard lineup of Wright, Lillard, and CJ McCollum would have a good mix of shooting, explosiveness and defense. With all of the said, Wright is a 23-year-old rookie and may have a limited upside. A team in the Blazers’ situation needs to decide if they are drafting someone that immediately will contribute or someone with upside to build on. Wright is someone that, because of his size and defense, could contribute immediately to a contending team.
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