The Biggest Hurdle Each Top-10 NBA Draft Pick Faces During 2016-17 Rookie Season
Every rookie enters the NBA with a specific set of challenges.
For some, the hurdles are related to their skill sets. Others have to overcome questionable athleticism or physical tools. In some cases, prospects are simply drafted into difficult situations based on roster fit.
Even the No. 1 pick is bound to run into trouble due to a well-documented hole in his game. Here's how each top-10 selection could struggle during his rookie year.
All Summer League stats accurate as of Wednesday, July 13.
Ben Simmons (Philadelphia 76ers, PG/PF)
1 of 10
Biggest hurdle: Sagging defenders daring him to shoot.
The scouting report is already out on Ben Simmons. A non-shooting threat at LSU, he's going to step on the floor opening night and see his man playing 10 feet off him in the half court.
Opponents will look to take away Simmons' driving lanes and blow-by potential by sagging back, which forces him to attempt a jumper, give the ball up or plow into traffic. The defense will take any of those three options over letting the 6'10", 240-pounder gain a step off the dribble.
Simmons will have to find ways to score when the game slows and the paint is packed. He hasn't done so through five games during summer league (except for a second-half stretch against the Chicago Bulls), where he's averaging 10 points in 28.2 minutes on just 34.2 percent shooting.
Without the confidence to stop-and-pop, spot up from three or step back in the mid-range, he relies on transition and mostly difficult one-handers off one foot.
Even though Simmons went No. 1 and will likely have a full-time role and bright green light, don't bet on a ton of 20-point games from him in 2016-17.
Brandon Ingram (Los Angeles Lakers, SF)
2 of 10
Biggest hurdle: Physical transition/consistency
With spaghetti arms and legs, Brandon Ingram, who's still 18 years old (until September), weighs in at just 196 pounds but stands 6'9". There are point guards with heavier frames.
Ingram will draw defenders like Kawhi Leonard, DeMarre Carroll, Andre Iguodala, P.J. Tucker and Jae Crowder—wings who could potentially have 30-pound advantages over the ultra-thin rookie small forward.
Finishing around the basket and separating as a shot-creator will be challenging early on, especially since Ingram's value revolves around scoring. He doesn't project as a playmaker or plus defender (at least not right away) to compensate.
If Ingram struggles to get himself clean looks, he's not likely to make an impact.
We've seen this situation already play out in summer league, where he's averaging just 8.7 points and one assist on 30.8 percent shooting. It's also worth noting he's 0-of-6 from downtown. Though he was a 41 percent three-point marksman in college, he only shot 68.2 percent from the line, which could suggest he's not as sharp as he seemed.
Jaylen Brown (Boston Celtics, SF)
3 of 10
Biggest Hurdle: Scoring/creating offense
By taking Jaylen Brown at No. 3, the Boston Celtics bet that his skills will catch up to his physical tools and athleticism.
At this stage, they're still far behind.
With a rudimentary handle, Brown struggles to create in the half court, where he leans on open lanes, line drives and drawing fouls. He's shooting an ugly 24.3 percent through four summer league games.
The Celtics certainly won't be calling any isolation plays for the rookie. The problen: He's also not a reliable shooting threat off the ball and will have trouble scoring next season without a dependable spot-up jumper or threatening one-on-one game. Considering Jae Crowder isn't known for scoring either, the team could struggle to generate offense with both on the floor for extended stretches.
Unfortunately, Crowder is locked into a full-time role at forward, meaning Brown's minutes and touches could be limited (relative to previous top-three picks).
Dragan Bender (Phoenix Suns, PF)
4 of 10
Biggest hurdle: Physical transition/scoring
Dragan Bender was never known as a scorer to begin with. Taking him at No. 4 meant buying that his versatility would come together and form a star, jack-of-all-trades big man.
In the meantime, Bender could have trouble making an impact.
Standing 7'0", he's listed at 220 pounds, the same as 6'4" point guard Kris Dunn. Bender only averaged 7.8 rebounds per 40 minutes last year overseas and isn't ready to move NBA big men under the boards.
At this stage, the Suns aren't likely to give Bender many chances to work in the post or face up and attack either. Instead, his job as a rookie will be to spread the floor and spot up from three. Without great strength, explosiveness or shot-creating ability, most of Bender's shots are bound to come from outside.
Of Bender's first 26 field-goal attempts in summer league, 16 have come from behind the arc. Though more than capable from deep, relying on three-point shooting to carry his offense won't result in consistent scoring.
Kris Dunn (Minnesota Timberwolves, PG)
5 of 10
Biggest hurdle: Decision-making/staying efficient
Kris Dunn won't have any problem putting up points and assists, but staying efficient will be another story.
Dunn was a turnover machine at Providence, where he registered a whopping 21.6 percent turnover percentage in 95 career games, per Sports-Reference.com. He has a tendency to force the issue with passes and over-dribbling.
Decision-making will be an early talking point next season when discussing his point guard development. Given the fact his jumper still lacks dependability, his field-goal percentage could suffer the way Emmanuel Mudiay's did.
Dunn will produce his first year on the job in Minnesota, and with Ricky Rubio still there, a lighter workload should benefit the rookie. But the primary focus for 2016-17 should be clear: Take care of the ball and maintain tight shot selection.
Buddy Hield (New Orleans Pelicans, SG)
6 of 10
Biggest hurdle: Consistency/role adjustment
Buddy Hield is coming off a senior year that saw him take 8.7 threes per game and register a massive 30.2 percent usage rate, per Sports-Reference.com.
The offense revolved around him, even on off days.
That won't be the case next year in New Orleans, where he won't have nearly as many touches and opportunities. Hield will have a significant role adjustment to make as a supporting shot-maker.
Between the change and the fact Hield's shot selection is jumper-heavy, remaining consistent will be a challenge. It's worth noting he's taken an incredible 41 threes in three summer-league games and only made 10 of those attempts.
Don't be surprised (or discouraged) to see the No. 6 pick go through slumps his rookie year.
Jamal Murray (Denver Nuggets, SG)
7 of 10
Biggest hurdle: Consistency/defense
Jamal Murray will come off the bench as a rookie, meaning he won't see nearly as many touches and shots as he did at Kentucky.
If he had 30 minutes a game and plays consistently drawn up for him this upcoming year, he'd likely lead the 2016 draft class in scoring. But with Emmanuel Mudiay, Gary Harris and Will Barton cemented into the Denver Nuggets rotation, Murray, a streaky scorer to begin with, will not have the chance to shoot himself out of funks.
Considering his shot selection consists mostly of long jumpers and difficult pull-ups and floaters, the funks will come.
To be effective, Murray requires a lot of shots for rhythm. He needed 25 looks to get his 29 points during summer-league game No. 3. He shot just 2-of-11 in his second contest and 5-of-12 during his debut.
Defense will be another obvious challenge, as Murray's easy to beat off the dribble and knock off track inside the arc.
Marquese Chriss (Phoenix Suns, PF)
8 of 10
Biggest hurdle: Creating offense/defense
An incredible leaper with big-play ability above the rim, Marquese Chriss won't have any trouble making highlights. Creating shots in the half court, however, will be a struggle.
Chriss lacks the strength to gain position around the basket and often catches passes on the perimeter. As of now, he isn't sharp enough to score the way NBA wings do.
The pro three-point line looks out of his range (0-of-7 in summer league), and though he's capable of knocking down pull-ups and fallaways, cleanly separating into them will be challenging.
He'll have to rely on being set up, mostly as a finisher and mid-range, spot-up shooter.
Chriss will also run into trouble at the defensive end, where he averaged 6.5 fouls per 40 minutes during college and has committed 5.3 per game through three summer-league contests. Starting NBA 4s would have their way with him next year.
Expect flashes of exciting potential, but also expect offensive inefficiency and defensive vulnerability.
Jakob Poeltl (Toronto Raptors, C)
9 of 10
Biggest hurdle: Crowded frontcourt
With Jonas Valanciunas locked in at center and the Toronto Raptors' addition of Jared Sullinger, there may not be many minutes for Jakob Poeltl in 2016-17.
He lacks the versatility to play the 4, and considering his strengths and weaknesses practically mirror Valanciunas', coach Dwane Casey may rather switch it up with a small-ball second unit.
Without the shooting range to stretch the floor and some questions concerning his ability to protect the rim (just two blocks per 40 minutes at Utah), the Raptors, a team looking to win now, won't have much use for Poeltl next season.
Thon Maker (Milwaukee Bucks, PF)
10 of 10
Biggest hurdle: Physical transition/foul trouble
At 220 pounds, Thon Maker is a skinny power forward who struggles with contact. Though we've seen flashes of the jumper, he isn't ready to offer much shooting or perimeter scoring.
Maker could be good for catch-and-finishes and putbacks, but separating around the key and finishing will be a challenge. Holding his ground down low, both as a post defender and scorer, won't come easy either.
Adjusting to the NBA whistle could take time as well, particularly after Maker committed 10 fouls in a game and a total of 23 fouls through four summer-league contests.
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