Overview
The Reasoning
A lot of people are talking about John Wall as if he is the only true prize in the draft. This is an incorrect though. If John Wall is considered the best player in the country, Turner should be considered 1B. Turner can play the SG and the SF spot, though if we draft Turner, this means the Nets will be going for a big-name PF Free Agent instead of LeBron or Wade. Not saying that is a problem, just putting it out there.
Player Comparison
You guys had this discussion in the comments of the Wes Johnson post, comparing him to Scottie Pippen and Michael Jordan (take it easy on that guys). Draft Express has his best case scenario as Brandon Roy, and I like that comparison a lot. Their games are very similar, and they both have the same type of play, no real flash, but they get the job done without question. Draft Express lists their worst case scenario as Anthony Parker. Parker is a nice player, but when you are taking someone with the second pick, you are hoping for something better than Parker.
Pros
Offensive Polish
When we talked about Derrick Favors, we talked about his potential and huge upside, but he was very raw. Evan Turner’s offensive game on the other hand is completely polished. He has a very nice handle, and can get himself the mid-range jumper almost at will at the college level. He also works well out of the pick and roll (he always seems to know when to hit the roller or when to attack the basket), which is turning into a necessity for wings in the NBA. Turner has posted two triple-doubles this year, and that just shows his ability to do just about everything on the offensive end.
Point Forward
Now, since the Nets have drafted Terrence Williams, I have been talking about the benefits of having guys who can play the forward on the defensive end, but bring the ball up on the offensive end…the point forward. Don’t let the poor play of Terrence Williams fool you, having a guy with the size of Evan Turner (6’7″ | 205 lbs.) with the ability to bring the ball up the court creates havoc for opposing defenses.
High Basketball IQ
Evan Turner seems to know the “little things” when it comes to basketball. That helps on the offensive end a little bit, but where it really helps is on the defensive end. Turner is a very good defender, and it is not just because of his size (which most certainly helps), but his has the smarts and the will to defend when it comes down to it.
Toughness
The Nets are perceived as a soft team this year. The acquisition of Kris Humphries made the team tougher, but even still this is a soft team. Evan Turner will bring a toughness to whatever team drafts him. An example of his toughness? Turner’s suffered a spine fracture earlier in the year that was supposed to have sidelined him for 2 months. He was back in less than a month.
Cons
Lack Of An Outside Shot
The one area where Turner seems to struggle is from behind the three point line. He is 7-28 from the three point line which is good for 25%. Turner seems to know this limitation, which is why he attempts so many three pointers, but we have seen first hand what not having a shot can do to you (Terrence Williams). If Evan Turner can develop an outside shot (which is going to be hard as the three point line will move back for him next year), that shooting threat will allow him to get into the lane easier (because defenders will close out on him worried about the shot).
