2019 NBA Mock Draft: Will the Knicks’ big gamble pay off?

The Wizards are stuck with their trio of Otto Porter, Bradley Beal and John Wall for better or worse, at least next season. But general manager Ernie Grunfeld and his staff have made an attempt (however feeble) to change things on the margins, exchanging Kelly Oubre Jr. for Trevor Ariza and signing versatile veterans like Jeff Green and Dwight Howard in the summer. Drafting Hayes would further address the need to transition to a more modern roster for Washington.

I watched Hayes closely against Iowa State on Saturday, and the freshman was inconsistent. Shaka Smart’s inability to recruit deep, talented rosters around his bigs limits their impact but even without great guard play, Hayes’ motor allows him to impact most every play. He grabbed three offensive rebounds from the dunker’s spot on drives to the basket and post-ups and tipped a few more to teammates, getting at least a hand on just about every loose ball.

Defensively, Hayes’ rotations are already sharp. His functional length allows him to keep an eye (and a hand) on the ball-handler and big man simultaneously, making it incredibly difficult for the offense to get an easy look out of primary action. Hayes may be a better pick-and-roll defender than either Jarrett Allen or Mo Bamba in college. He is blocking 4.3 shots per 40 minutes and grabbing nearly a full steal as well.

The biggest weakness in the young big man’s game is screening. He is not a physical or aggressive screener, a problem made worse by Texas’ poor guard play. When Hayes could create open looks for his playmakers by slamming their defenders backward, he disengages too quickly, doesn’t make full contact and looks to get out of the way or catch a pass before he should. That’s a skill most young bigs learn at the NBA level but it also speaks to a larger energy issue for Hayes.

Maintaining peak energy and effort for big minutes will be the developmental focus for whichever team drafts Hayes.