Rui is a tough player to figure out. He’s got every tool a modern NBA team craves. He has elite size, a huge wingspan, explosive first step, and every skills you could ask for on offense. The question is, can he put it all together. Hachimura would be a huge upgrade on offense over Marvin Williams and would pair nicely with Kemba if the Hornets can retain him. A lineup with Monk, Bridges, and Hachimura is a lot more athletic and skilled than anything Charlotte has run out since J-Rich was running the floor.
I don’t believe the Lakers will keep this pick. There’s no way they can wait for players to develop while they have an aging LeBron. That said, if they do hang onto this selection they should go for Bol. They can’t afford to keep depending on McGee and Chandler to anchor this team. Bol can run the floor, swat everything, and shoot the deep ball. He’s a really nice fit on this squad if they’re willing to let him develop.
If Thibs were still running things, drafting this Taj Gibson clone would be a no-brainer. Even with new leadership, I think the value here is too good to pass up. KAT will do a lot of great things, but he’s going to play away from the paint and as a result, the Wolves need a junk yard dog who can pick up every miss and put it back. Clarke is a stretch armstrong prototype on a pogo stick. He’s never going to be an all star, but he’s going to be a consistent starter on competitive teams.