As opposed to the point guard position, the wing position in the NBA is extremely scarce in regards to superstars. Are there any wings in this draft that can be a franchise cornerstone?
by Austin Peters
More often in today's NBA, players are expected to play multiple positions. The regular format of point guard, shooting guard, etc. isn't really a topic of conversation like it was before. Instead, most people classify players as guards, wings, and bigs. Wings are the guys that play on the perimeter and can play either 2 or 3. It's a crucial position that doesn't have a lot of depth in the NBA. Majority of teams usually fill those spots with specialists due to the lack of superstar power at that position.
We've already broken down who should go number one and who the best point guard prospects are in this year's draft crop. Next up in the "Draft Battles" series, we are going to take a look at who the best wings in the draft are. There are two guys in this group getting all the buzz: Justise Winslow and Stanley Johnson. Each of these guys have several similarities in their skillsets but also have things they do uniquely as well.
Best Wing in the Draft
Justise Winslow
Let's start with the guy who has gotten the most publicity due to his breakout performance at the Final Four, Justise Winslow. One thing that wings absolutely have to be able to do in the league is guard multiple positions. This is definitely the strongest part of Winslow's game. When I watched Duke's Final Four practice, I was most shocked at how big Winslow is. He has a huge chest and broad shoulders, giving him the ability to guard fours who post up. He measures out at 230 lbs. (according to Draftexpress.com), a lot bigger than most wings and even most fours. While his wingspan is an underwhelming 6'10", he still has the quickness, angles, and more importantly IQ, to be an elite wing stopper. A lot was said about Duke's stifling defense in the Final Four and I personally thought it was all because of Winslow. His ability to navigate through ball screens and switch on to just about any position 1-4 makes him a huge asset on defense.
Getting screened and then recovering to block that shot is very Kawhi-esque. You literally have to run all of your offensive actions away from him so he doesn't wreak havoc on you. Winslow ranked in the top 60 in the country at guarding the pick and roll, according to Synergy Sports (for players who guarded at least 20 pick and rolls).
Winslow exploded offensively in the NCAA tournament. Many started using James Harden comparisons for him because of his ability to get in the lane, draw fouls, and a pretty nice euro step that he has. Truth is, Winslow's game really isn't near the level that Harden's is. Winslow is great working as a third or fourth option (which is what he did at Duke), but my fear for him is that he isn't the best decision maker on the floor. He gets caught forcing it sometimes, trying to do to much.
Winslow very easily could've just given it to one of their point guards off the rebound but instead, he decided to push and take on three defenders into a bad shot. His assist/turnover ratio is just a hair over one, a number that is pretty bad for someone that is trying to be a primary ball handler or featured player in an offense. What Winslow excels at is attacking the defense off of one or two rotations, cutting off the ball, or spotting up and hitting threes (41.8% three point percentage).
This is all really interesting because if a team is drafting at the top, they are most likely looking for a franchise building block and someone that can be a number one or two option. While Winslow's game can grow into that, he isn't ready to do it now and being drafted to a team where he will be expected to be a lead guy right away could cause him to develop bad habits. A team like the Lakers makes a little bit of sense because they are going to try and sign free agents to shoulder the scoring load. The perfect fit for Winslow would be the Magic, who would need his shooting and defense. They drafted Aaron Gordon with their top five pick last year, however, so who knows if they would be willing to do that again.
Stanley Johnson
Andrew Ford of Upside and Motor did a phenomenal job breaking down Johnson's game. Winslow likes to play low to the ground and is really crafty getting to the basket. Johnson is the exact opposite. He is a one man wrecking ball. A bull in a china shop.
Johnson didn't finish very well at the rim, according to Synergy. He made just 43.8% of his shots at the rim, a putrid mark. While he has the strength and athleticism to get to the cup and finish over anybody, he gets reckless a lot of the times and does things out of control.
This decision making is also reflected in his 0.8 assist/turnover ration, a really poor number for a number one scoring option and someone who used nearly 20% of Arizona's possessions last season. This doesn't mean that Johnson should be written off for someone that isn't going to have NBA success. He has a few skills that will translate immediately and he has the potential to grow his game into something even bigger. According to Synergy, he is a 44% jump shooter, cashing 49% of his shots off the dribble. That's an insanely high mark, and NBA teams are always in need of guys who can create their own shots off the dribble.
The best thing about his game, like Winslow, is most likely his defense. He is a vicious on ball defender who doesn't give you an ounce of breathing room. He wouldn't even let this poor kid use the ball screen before he ripped it from him.
Johnson does have a tendency to get antsy. Just like on offense, he over commits at times and closes out poorly. Unlike Winslow, who relies on angles and IQ, Johnson uses his athleticism and needs to learn the nuances of defense. Watch as he closes out late on Dekker and then shows him way to much of the baseline, allowing Sam a clear driving lane to the cup.
Johnson definitely has the potential to be an elite on the ball defender, even though it might take him time to learn how to play within a team concept. Like I've said many times before, my rule of thumb is that guys usually don't learn or become comfortable until their second contract. It takes a few years to learn all of the details that rotations require of players.
Johnson definitely has that "alpha dog" in him, making him an attractive candidate for just about any team in the top ten. The Magic have nice pieces, but they also lack that one go-to guy. They probably feel Nikola Vucevic is that guy, but we still have yet to see whether he is or not. The Kings have Rudy Gay and I'm not sure the Nuggest are going to be looking for a wing, seeing as they have Danilo Gallinari, Wilson Chandler, and Will Barton who will be getting lots of minutes for them next season. Charlotte would be a great fit because he could space the floor next to Kidd-Gilchrist, but they have three ball dominant guys in Kemba Walker, Al Jefferson, and Lance Stephenson (yikes) who won't even think about passing him the ball. My personal fear is that Pat Riley is going to use his mafia tricks and Johnson is going to fall to him at ten. I just got a bad feeling about this.....
Both guys bring similar things to the table, but in completely different ways. Winslow uses his power, craftiness, and IQ. Johnson is a freak athlete who is able to dominate a game because he is faster and more athletic than anyone else on the floor. Both will fit right in with the new NBA wing types.
Winslow seems to be more under control and poised than Johnson so for that fact, I would prefer him over Johnson. But I would be lying to you if I didn't say that Johnson has the greater physical tools to grow into an All-Star. His raw athletic ability combined with his growing skill set makes him a dangerous guy to pass on. It usually is about fit with the draft, and especially in the case of these two players, where they land is going to be crucial for their future success in the league.
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