Conclusion
There’s a pretty solid chance George Lucas is available when the Suns pick 44th, and just going off pre-draft ranking, he fits right in with that number. De Paula is the 40th ranked prospect on Draft Express, although he is a tad bit lower on a couple of other sites.
Obviously, second round picks do occasionally work out and become solid players, but it isn’t incredibly often that this happens. So personally, I’m always behind the swing-for-the-fences pick once you get past the first 10 or so picks in the second round. And that’s exactly what de Paula is.
In a recent article, Basketball Insiders’ Alex Kennedy likened the risk and reward of a guy like de Paula to Bruno Caboclo, who was selected by the Toronto Raptors with the 20th pick in the 2014 NBA Draft.
Since that time, Caboclo has struggled to find time on the court, playing about 23 minutes total last year, but that doesn’t mean the pick didn’t make a splash when it happened. If you don’t remember, check out the video (start at the 2-minute mark if you don’t feel like watching it all):
“The Brazilian Kevin Durant.”
Who knows for sure with these guys anyway? Maybe George de Paula can be the Brazilian Rajon Rondo.
Next: Myles Turner: Phoenix Suns 2015 Draft Profile