The San Antonio Spurs doubled down on front-court depth after choosing Jayden Quaintance with the twentieth general decide. They traded up into the primary spherical, buying the twenty sixth decide from the Denver Nuggets for the thirty fifth decide and two future second-rounders. With that decide, the Spurs took Tarris Reed Jr., a senior large man from UConn.
Reed is a large 6-foot-11, 263-pound middle with a 9-foot-2 standing attain. He was one among UConn’s greatest gamers on the group’s run to the NCAA Championship sport this season, averaging 14.7 factors, 9 rebounds, and a couple of blocks. Reed made the All-NCAA Match group final season, placing up large numbers towards powerhouses like Duke, Michigan State, and Illinois in March.
Reed fills quite a lot of San Antonio’s wants as a giant man. He’s a robust rebounder with an enormous body that can permit him to carry his personal with different bodily bigs within the NBA. Reed combines his power, body, and instincts to gobble up boards on each ends. He snatched 3.2 offensive rebounds per sport as a senior at UConn, largely along with his capability to clear the paint with power. That ability ought to translate to the following stage.
He’s considerably of a throwback middle along with his capability to attain on the low block. He’s arduous to maneuver round within the paint, and he used spin strikes and drop steps on the block to pin his defender behind him and create area. He’s not an above-the-rim finisher who’s going to soar for dunks; as a substitute, he makes use of his dimension and power to clear area beneath the basket to place the ball in.
It’s unlikely Reed can be requested to submit up a lot within the NBA, however he may play nicely within the Spurs’ offensive system as a screener and hand-off hub. UConn is understood for its artistic use of massive males as playmakers, and Reed confirmed potential as a passer, averaging 2.3 assists per sport this season.
Defensively, Reed ought to be a strong rim protector, thanks in most half to his power. He’s going to be a tough participant to drive by means of. He’s a keen assist defender, averaging 2 blocks in his senior season. Opponents shot simply 56.2% on the rim towards him final 12 months. He’s received large arms that may poke the ball free or seize steals as they arrive to him. He’s going to do most of his greatest defensive work across the basket, however has sufficient quickness and size to not look utterly misplaced towards stretch large males on the perimeter.
The query with Reed in his first three seasons got here all the way down to his motor. He didn’t begin for the Huskies in his junior season, partly due to his inconsistency. He responded nicely to these considerations as a senior, arguably the very best participant on a successful group. He’ll want his motor to run sizzling within the NBA to make up for a few of his deficiencies as a defender. He’s not glorious positionally, fouls an excessive amount of, and isn’t an important vertical athlete.
It’s additionally truthful to query whether or not Reed will have the ability to bully his technique to the rim towards taller and stronger NBA gamers. He struggled within the NCAA Championship sport towards a 7-foot-3 large man, Aday Mara. He’s going to be an under-the-rim scorer who depends on his contact and power. It stays to be seen if that ability will translate to the following stage.
Don’t anticipate Reed to be a flooring spacer on the subsequent stage. He didn’t take any three-pointers in his senior season, and solely made one in his four-year collegiate profession. He was a 58.2% free-throw shooter over the course of his profession. His launch doesn’t look horrible, however he struggled to transform on his bounce shot.
San Antonio wants extra playable guys of their entrance courtroom. Reed may step onto an NBA courtroom tomorrow and compete on the glass and within the paint. After their large man depth was uncovered within the playoffs, it is sensible that the entrance workplace needed so as to add a couple of imposing gamers within the paint. With Quaintance probably set to overlook a while because of harm, Reed provides them a participant who ought to have the ability to contribute as a 3rd large man in his rookie season.
Reed probably received’t be something greater than a strong bench large man within the NBA. He received’t have the ability to play subsequent to Victor Wembanyama because of his incapacity to protect on the perimeter or area the ground, however he’ll give the Spurs some muscle to again up their star.
