Power Forward – Marquese Chriss
Projection – 11.8 points / 5.9 rebounds / 1.0 assists / .5 steals
Granted I am somewhat basing these low numbers on his poor showing in Summer League, but there is no getting around that very few people will impressed with Marquese Chriss’ performance in Las Vegas. Not only did he not dominate the way many – including myself – believed that he would, but he showed very little improvement in either his maturity of his control as (for a time) his rate of complaining and overall his personal foul numbers were once again atrocious.
To be fair to him, two specific positives can still be quickly expanded upon about his maturity that does lighten up expectations some: he is only 20-years-old and will be so all season. Granted he is still extremely young with a lot on his plate as a professional, but each day he ages is a day closer to the point in his life that he get’s it, and we can never predict exactly when that will happen. Secondly, after Earl Watson called him out for his complaining on live television, during the game, literally as one example occurred (and Watson presumably discussed it with him behind closed doors), the complaining did curtail significantly. It is possible that that moment may have been a catalyst in his career and come time for the stats to count and the games to matter he will have a better attitude on the court. It is just not something that can be expected of him just yet.
Overall, while most of his projected numbers are somewhat improved, he is just as raw of a young player as Dragan Bender is, and only growth and maturity through the advancement of time will eventually push his numbers up to levels that make fans blush with excitement.