2026 NBA draft thread

[F Gump]

Siakam is one of the better, more underrated high-post iso players in the league. Since Johnson isn't bringing those skills to the table, even on a rookie level, I'd say .......

Are we sure that's a reliable way to look at this comparison? 

To me the question about Johnson becoming Siakam should not be about comparing Johnson when he's drafted to what Siakam is right now, but rather how Johnson looks compared to the player TOR drafted. I would wager that Rookie Siakam probably didn't bring those "underrated high-post iso skills" to the table either when drafted.

I don't really have a good way to assess exactly what Siakam was on his draft day, but I find this comment about him back then: 
[When Siakam was drafted], "he was primarily an energy player who scored on put-backs, transition plays, and hustle. He lacked a polished jump shot and a diverse half-court offensive game."
I do think it's informative that PS was drafted 27th. To be sure, some of that draft slot flowed from him being 22 on draft day, but I have to think that if there was an expectation he had the potential to become anywhere near what he has become, he would have been drafted much higher.