Cassius Stanley's Draft Scouting Report: Pro Comparison, Updated Pacers Roster
Cassius Stanley was selected by the Indiana Pacers with the No. 54 overall pick in the 2020 NBA draft.
Bleacher Report Draft Expert Jonathan Wasserman's Scouting Report
Player: Cassius Stanley
Position: SF
Height: 6'6"
Weight: 193
Pro Comparison: Derrick Jones Jr.
Scouting Report: Cassius Stanley could be the draft's best athlete with his explosive vertical bounce. He may be able to carve out a career just using his athletic ability alone, but continuing to build on his shooting and defense will improve his chances.
Stanley, 21, had a solid season for the Blue Devils, registering 12.6 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.0 assists per game while shooting 47.4 percent from the field and 36.0 percent from three.
The Athletic's Sam Vecenie called him the "glue guy of all glue guys for Duke last season, taking on tough defensive assignments on the wing, playing with energy and making the little things happen," adding that he's also "a highlight reel waiting to happen due to his elite-level leaping ability. We're talking well over a 40-inch vertical leap."
But Stanley is a project. Vecenie called him a "work in progress as a shooter due to mechanics that will need to be adjusted." He also said that teams wanted to see "more defensive playmaking from him, taking advantage of his tools to force turnovers."
And he'll need to improve as a passer at the next level, as he projects to be a role player.
Still, adding a 6'6" wing in a league that covets them with major athleticism and defensive upside is always good value at No. 54 in the draft. Stanley won't step into Indianapolis and be a scoring threat, but if he can do the little things like he did at Duke, providing energy and grit, he'll carve out a role for himself quickly enough.
Initially, however, he's likely looking at spot minutes off the bench as he polishes his game.
Here's a look at Indiana's depth chart heading into the 2020-21 season:
Pacers Active Roster and Average Salary (Expiration Year)
Victor Oladipo, SG: $21.3M (2021)
Malcolm Brogdon, PG: $21.3M (2023)
Myles Turner, C: $20M (2023)
Domantas Sabonis, C: $18.7M (2024)
TJ Warren, SF: $11.8M (2022)
Jeremy Lamb, SG: $10.5M (2022)
Doug McDermott, SF: $7.3M (2021)
TJ McConnell, PG: $3.5M (2021)
Goga Bitadze, C: $2.9M (2023)
Aaron Holiday, PG: $2.2M (2022)
Edmond Sumner, PG: $2.1M (2022)
Cassius Stanley, SF
Justin Holiday, SG: UFA
JaKarr Sampson, SG: UFA
Alize Johnson, PF: RFA
Naz Mitrou-Long, PG: RFA
Brian Bowen, SG: RFA
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