Fraschilla Sure Thinks Monte Has An NBA Future

[randomfan44]

Always surprised so many think The most important thing for MM to make the NBA is to score more.

If you had a choice for the rest of MM's ISU career between him scoring more or becoming a shut down defender, does anyone pick scoring??

Morris can command a team and that's all an NBA PG really needs to be able to do to stick on a team. Some shoot better from deep, some drive to the rim better, some pass better, some defend better. If you can't command your team then you are in the NBADL.

Morris will be fine in the NBA if he can keep his head on straight, be humble, listen and learn. Seems like fringe guys find themselves out of the league when they think they already have it figured out and don't need to be coached.

 

[HFCS]

Always surprised so many think The most important thing for MM to make the NBA is to score more.

If you had a choice for the rest of MM's ISU career between him scoring more or becoming a shut down defender, does anyone pick scoring??

Now that he's up to 15ppg shooting better FG% than any other elite PG in college basketball it's silly to think he needs to prove his scoring more.

His ball handling and passing is already above average for NBA starters.

Completely agree that defense and overall strength is clearly the area he can still improve in for a better start at an NBA career.

 

[allfourcy]

CW seems to think MM will be here next year, so I'll take his word for it.

Also, some of you are seriously underestimating the talent and skill required to play in the NBA.

Agree on the NBA jump in body size and level of competition. The CW statement was made during that early conference 3 game losing streak when nothing Monte was doing was jumping off the page. He's been making more noise lately, obviously. Sure wish he'd become one of 'those seniors' that the gurus like to point out that came back to hone their game. But been told otherwise.

 

[Shawker]

I don't know if it's been posted, but Chad Ford of ESPN has Morris at #29 in his latest mock draft. If Morris can bump up his play even a little he could be a top 20 pick.

 

[DRCHIRO]

I don't know if it's been posted, but Chad Ford of ESPN has Morris at #29 in his latest mock draft. If Morris can bump up his play even a little he could be a top 20 pick.

I'm to lazy to look, but what other PG's are in front of him? I assume Kris Dunn and Melo Trimble for sure. Anyone else?

 

[Tre4ISU]

I love the people who think he's not an NBA player and shouldn't go just because they want to be selfish and have him on the team next year.

Everyone wants him back next year but you also have to look at it from his perspective. This draft is pretty damn weak as not a lot of freshman are going to come out. All it takes is a promise from one team in the first round to make it worth it for him.

The problem isn't how good he is relative to other guys in college. The problem is that his top end isn't that of a Dunn, Trimble, and maybe even Taylor. He's small, he isn't a freak athlete and he's a good, not great 3P shooter. He's Trey Burke without the accolades at this point and Burke is probably a career backup which is completely fine but he has to weigh whether doing that a year early is worth it. I don't see him cracking the top 20 this year or next but he may have a shot next year when his usage could skyrocket and give him much more prolific numbers and exposure.

 

[SpokaneCY]

What still puzzles me is why Kane never had a legit shot. He was old for a PG in the draft but I always felt he had the intangibles and chutzpah to fit in.

Honestly at times it would be easy to be heading up an NBA draft... Never draft a Greg Oden type of guy and steer away from 16 year old Croatians.

 

[Shawker]

I'm to lazy to look, but what other PG's are in front of him? I assume Kris Dunn and Melo Trimble for sure. Anyone else?

Kris Dunn at 5 and Jamal Murray at 8 by my count. He actually has Trimble in his "next 5 out" outside of the top 30.

 

[Shawker]

What still puzzles me is why Kane never had a legit shot. He was old for a PG in the draft but I always felt he had the intangibles and chutzpah to fit in.

Honestly at times it would be easy to be heading up an NBA draft... Never draft a Greg Oden type of guy and steer away from 16 year old Croatians.

The NBA draft is like many things in society that are just finally starting to slowly change despite a lot of evidence change should have happened sooner. GM's are losing their jobs by drafting "potential" and "upside" that isn't panning out most of the time. That's fine if you're talking a consensus top 10 talent, but mid to late first round why wouldn't you draft a safer player who can be a solid bench player at worst. I don't think Kane was a 1st round talent, but in the case of Morris I would take what he brings all day outside of the lottery than taking a chance on someone super raw or a foreigner.

 

[bringmagicback]

IDk if this has always been posted, but what mock drafts have him getting drafted, havent seen one. i think he comes back if he isnt a first rounder, and he isnt a first rounder. IDK why a team would wast a first round pick on him when they could get him in the mid 2nd round.

I think of all the players cyclone fanatic has proclaimed as NBA talent, Morris is the most likely to play in the NBA

 

[NetflixAndClone]

IDk if this has always been posted, but what mock drafts have him getting drafted, havent seen one. i think he comes back if he isnt a first rounder, and he isnt a first rounder. IDK why a team would wast a first round pick on him when they could get him in the mid 2nd round.

I think of all the players cyclone fanatic has proclaimed as NBA talent, Morris is the most likely to play in the NBA

Draft express has him second round pick 4
CBS has him as the 6 best point guard in draft. (but it was an old article)
I saw earlier someone had him like the 20th pick which would be late first round.

 

[Clones8686]

It will be interesting to see what happens, that's for sure. I just can't imagine if you were pretty damn sure you were going to be taken around #20 or so and guaranteed $2.5 million over the next two years, how you could turn that down... I know you can get insurance for the next season, but that is actually pretty costly to buy, and I personally would not be able to turn down the guaranteed money, especially at that age. Like I said, will be interesting to see what happens, and I wish Monte the best, whatever he decides.

 

[bringmagicback]

Draft express has him second round pick 4
CBS has him as the 6 best point guard in draft. (but it was an old article)
I saw earlier someone had him like the 20th pick which would be late first round.

weird, I generally only watch nbadraft.net.... I agree he would be a top 6 or 7 pg just hadnt seen anyone put him on a board yet. Whoever had him as the 20th pick is high on meth.

 

[randomfan44]

The NBA draft is like many things in society that are just finally starting to slowly change despite a lot of evidence change should have happened sooner. GM's are losing their jobs by drafting "potential" and "upside" that isn't panning out most of the time. That's fine if you're talking a consensus top 10 talent, but mid to late first round why wouldn't you draft a safer player who can be a solid bench player at worst. I don't think Kane was a 1st round talent, but in the case of Morris I would take what he brings all day outside of the lottery than taking a chance on someone super raw or a foreigner.

NBA Draft picks are paid enough for GMs to be losing their jobs on bad low first round picks that don't work out. They are cheap enough that you can take a shot at filling a hole in your roster, even if the pick is a bit of a stretch.

If there is a team in that range that needs a quality backup PG with an eye to the future I could absolutely see Morris going in that range. If you look back at the quality of player going later than 20 in the draft you'll see a long list of mid tier players that Morris is every bit as good as.

 

[randomfan44]

The problem isn't how good he is relative to other guys in college. The problem is that his top end isn't that of a Dunn, Trimble, and maybe even Taylor. He's small, he isn't a freak athlete and he's a good, not great 3P shooter. He's Trey Burke without the accolades at this point and Burke is probably a career backup which is completely fine but he has to weigh whether doing that a year early is worth it. I don't see him cracking the top 20 this year or next but he may have a shot next year when his usage could skyrocket and give him much more prolific numbers and exposure.

Burke's playing 23 minutes a game and scoring 11+ a game for the Jazz. And next year's ISU roster isn't going to help his draft stock. Niang, Nader and McKay know exactly where to be for a Morris assist. Yes, he'll probably score more but I don't see his assists or assists/turnovers being nearly as good passing to a bunch of newbies and I think it's going to be a frustrating year @ISU compared to this year.

 

[hoiballin33]

Monte absolutely has an NBA future. While I would love to have him back I 100% would not blame him for leaving and striking while the iron is hot. Get paid while you have the chance. Just make sure to drop back in for some home games as a reminder of the program that boosted you to the pros.

 

[SCyclone]

Now that he's up to 15ppg shooting better FG% than any other elite PG in college basketball it's silly to think he needs to prove his scoring more.

His ball handling and passing is already above average for NBA starters.

Completely agree that defense and overall strength is clearly the area he can still improve in for a better start at an NBA career.

This. I think MM could score 30 anytime he wanted to, if he thought it was needed. But he realizes the offense goes through Niang, and facilitates accordingly.

 

[Cydkar]

It will be interesting to see what happens, that's for sure. I just can't imagine if you were pretty damn sure you were going to be taken around #20 or so and guaranteed $2.5 million over the next two years, how you could turn that down... I know you can get insurance for the next season, but that is actually pretty costly to buy, and I personally would not be able to turn down the guaranteed money, especially at that age. Like I said, will be interesting to see what happens, and I wish Monte the best, whatever he decides.

If feedback is such that he's a first-rounder he'll be gone almost for certain. The new rule allows him to make a more informed decision so that's good.

It only takes one team but a back-up PG may not be high on team's lists (I wouldn't know). Some may see him as a starter, but I'm guessing most do not. He'll be in the league eventually so even if he makes the "wrong" decision I think he will end up just fine.

 

[Wesley]

I'm to lazy to look, but what other PG's are in front of him? I assume Kris Dunn and Melo Trimble for sure. Anyone else?

Kris is looking like a powerhouse but Melo and Yogi are lately looking average.

 

[chuckd4735]

A month ago he was saying he was leaving

Link? Everything I have seen CW say points to Monte returning. Given this was when Monte wasn't playing well, but I've not seen CW say he was leaving.