03-27-2026, 12:56 PM
(03-27-2026, 10:48 AM)DanSchwartzgan Wrote: It has been a while since I read this, but I believe the 8th pick has one of the worst history of success (not positive, but something in the 6-8 range). The theory is that the very best guys are gone and it is too early to start picking role players (or single skill players you hope develop other things). So, teams take the projects who “might” put it all together and become a star in this range and often come up empty handed.
So, the multi-tool high floor guy is actually appealing to me in this range. At the very least he’s a better version of Max Christie with more POA D and on ball creation. I do think the Booker/Kentucky thing might be instructive here. I’m not saying Burries gets 25 a game on a different team. But, there may be upside that we don’t see because Arizona is so deep they don’t need him to do more.
I like Burries, I want to make that clear. A little pushback on better than Christie... It depends on the role. If Burries is playing the same role as Max is on this team, I still prefer Max. Burries is listed at 6'4 whereas Christie was "measured at 6’5.75 in shoes and a 6’8.75 wingspan at the 2022 NBA Draft Combine".
It's likely that Burries is closer to 6'3, if we look at the history of college guards getting their listed heights exaggerated. Of course that's not the end all be all, but a 6'3 shooting guard is what the NBA has been moving away from. Max is very switchable on defense because of his size and length.
IF you think Burries is a true point guard in the NBA, then comparing him to Max is irrelevant. Burries will be 21 to start the season and still needs to show much more on the "PG" side of things for me to consider him a playmaker/initiator/creator for an NBA team full time. He does some of that in college, but in a secondary/off-guard/combo-guard kind of way. That's why I think he fits the SG 'role' in the league. And he would be considered undersized.
IF you have a big PG with him in the backcourt, it wouldn't matter much. He could play mostly off-ball and some on-ball on offense and guard the POA on defense. IF we're thinking of Flagg as the future Point-Forward, I can get behind it. But I'd also want Max, or someone with his skillset, at the small Wing (SF) spot for his shooting and switchability on defense as well.