2011 NBA Draft: 7 Best Fits for BYU's Jimmer Fredette in the Association
The 2011 NBA draft is only a couple of months away and speculation is already occurring as to who will be picked first, who will bust and who will flourish.
One of the names being tossed around a lot is that of Jimmer Fredette, the standout senior guard from Brigham Young University. In his final season with the Cougars, Fredette averaged a career high 28.9 points per game as he established himself as one of the top shooters in the nation.
While Fredette's three-point shooting is indeed electrifying, many questions remain regarding his ability to run an offense. Despite being the starting point guard for the last two seasons, Fredette only averaged 3.7 assists per game for his college career. That being said, it can be argued that he will never be more than a three-point shooter off the bench throughout his NBA career.
Fortunately for Fredette, there are teams whose offensive systems favor three-point shooting. Here are seven of those very teams that if he were part of them, Fredette could have a long and illustrious NBA career.
7) Orlando Magic
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At the end of the season, the Magic will probably lose one of their top shooters in guard Jason Richardson. If that happens, their options at shooting guard for next season would probably be as follows: Either temperamental point man Gilbert Arenas, the aging and ineffective Quentin Richardson or the injury-prone J.J. Redick.
I compared Fredette to Redick in a previous article and I'll say again right now that they're very similar players. Still, with the shooting guard uncertainty in Orlando, Fredette could provide a good spark off the bench for the team. In doing so, he would take some of the pressure off of All-Star center Dwight Howard, who has more or less carried the team for the past few seasons.
Paired with a good point guard in Jameer Nelson, Fredette could do well on an Orlando Magic team with his equally magical jump-shooting ability.
6) Utah Jazz
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The current shooting guard situation for the Utah Jazz features veteran Raja Bell and soon to be second-year player Gordon Hayward. Bell will be 35 at the start of next season, and Hayward is better suited at small forward. With Andrei Kirilenko and C.J. Miles possibly leaving, Hayward could move back to his usual position.
Don't get me wrong; Raja Bell was once a good shooting guard, but his skills are declining. By splitting time between that position and becoming a better point guard while learning from Devin Harris, Fredette could potentially become the next John Stockton (though without the amazing passing skills).
Plus, having gone to college in Utah, Fredette knows the fanbase and the community. With his strong ties to the LDS Church, the shooter from Glens Falls, NY could become a city favorite.
5) Indiana Pacers
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This season the Indiana Pacers clinched the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference despite a 37-45 record. Led by small forward Danny Granger (pictured at left), the Pacers have competed with the Chicago Bulls in both games of that playoff series, despite losing them both.
While the team is both young and talented, they need a spark to give them that extra push. Jimmer Fredette and his long-range shooting could provide that extra spark, not to mention spell Darren Collison and Paul George at both guard positions.
Needless to say, the Pacers have been without that spark since Reggie Miller retired. If Fredette is available by the time the team takes its turn, perhaps the next great Pacers guard will be selected and bring the team back into perennial contendership.
4) Phoenix Suns
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For almost a decade, the Phoenix Suns have had a reputation as a run-and-gun team. Having had Mike D'Antoni as its head coach for five seasons, Phoenix is a squad that knows how to score points. Even though D'Antoni is now in New York and Alvin Gentry has taken over, the Suns still have that reputation as they averaged 105 points a game in 2010.
Given the style of play, Fredette would be a perfect fit on this team. He wouldn't start, but he would be a force off the bench. On top of that, his skills as a point guard could tremendously improve. Why? Well, he would have a great role model in All-Star Steve Nash.
If Nash takes him under his wing, Jimmer Fredette would have an indispensable mentor on his hands. He would improve his shot selection, learn how to pass the ball effectively and play better defense. If those areas of his game improve, the sky is the limit for him in Phoenix or anywhere else.
3) Cleveland Cavaliers
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In their first year without LeBron James, the Cleveland Cavaliers were really hurting. The team finished last in the Eastern Conference with a 19-63 record and at one point endured a 26-game losing streak. They traded for Baron Davis at the deadline, but not even that could save them.
On a team that is young and in need of a leader, gambling on Jimmer Fredette could be beneficial to Cleveland. The team needs an electrifying player on the court and although his game is one-sided, there is no doubt that Fredette can be a leader in the locker room. If he can put the Cavaliers on his back the same way LeBron did, he could renew faith in both the city and their fans.
Plus, I think that he's humble enough that when free agency time comes around, he won't break the city's heart like his predecessor.
2) New York Knicks
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With Mike D'Antoni as their coach, the Knicks are of course an offense-oriented team. For Jimmer Fredette, this would be an ideal location. His talents from behind the three-point line would give the team a much needed lift off the bench, not to mention take some of the scoring pressure off of Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire.
Besides that, however, it would be sort of a homecoming for Fredette. He is from Glens Falls, about two and a half hours outside New York City. The town's population is a little over 14,000 people, so just imagine how many people would be coming to Madison Square Garden to see him play.
Most important, however, would be Fredette's adjustment to D'Antoni's system. He is a top shooter, but doesn't really pass that often. Thus, he could potentially be a Raja Bell or Leandro Barbosa-type player in D'Antoni's run-and-gun offense.
1) Denver Nuggets
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2010-2011 was certainly an interesting season for the Denver Nuggets. In one day, they went from being a team with two of the top players in the NBA to a squad full of young and basically untested players. The team has done well, but this offseason could be tumultuous.
One of the players who may be leaving Denver is talented sixth man J.R. Smith. He has changed games with his clutch three-point shooting and will be a hot commodity on the free agent market. Given the chance that he may leave and if Fredette is available by the Nuggets' turn in the draft, this could potentially be the most ideal location for the young shooting guard.
The Nuggets are coached by George Karl, well known for his high-tempo offense. The Nuggets scored 107.5 points per game this season, and there is no reason that they cannot repeat that number next year, if not go higher.
Fredette would provide the team an electrifying shooter off the bench, not to mention a guard who could spell Ty Lawson. Even if Smith does end up staying, it's good to have multiple options off the bench. Were that to happen, the Nuggets would have three top long-range shooters in Smith, Fredette and Danilo Gallinari.
Call me crazy, but that sounds like one dangerous trio. Look for the Nuggets to at least scout Fredette as draft day draws closer.
