Draft status: In with an agent
This is the second of two first round picks for the Utah Jazz. It comes via the Golden State Warriors who traded it as part of a deal to shed salary to acquire Andre Iguodala in 2013.
Syracuse’s Tyler Lydon would give Utah a combo forward with decent upside as a rotation player. Lydon averaged 14.6 points and 9.6 rebounds per 40 minutes as a sophomore. His most valuable offensive skill is his 3-point shooter. In two seasons with the Orange, he made 39.8 percent of his 3s on over four attempts per 40 minutes. His peripheral numbers — 80.9 percent shooting from the free throw line and a high number of attempts — suggest that he should continue to be a good shooter at the next level. He also has the ability to beat defenders in straight line drives and the athleticism to finish above the rim. Outside of that, Lydon doesn’t offer a ton offensively.
On defense, Lydon’s got decent length and lateral mobility. As a freshman, he was a terrific rim protector for Syracuse, averaging 2.4 blocks per 40 minutes on a 7.0 percent block rate. That declined a bit in his second season (1.6/4.7), but in a man-to-man scheme, he should at least be able to provide some help on the weak side.
Learn more about Tyler Lydon at The Step Back.