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Paul Reed could be a steal for the Toronto Raptors in this year’s draft

By Mark Birdsell

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - DECEMBER 21: Paul Reed #4 of the DePaul Blue Demons looks on during the game against the Northwestern Wildcats at Wintrust Arena on December 21, 2019 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images)
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - DECEMBER 21: Paul Reed #4 of the DePaul Blue Demons looks on during the game against the Northwestern Wildcats at Wintrust Arena on December 21, 2019 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images) /
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Who is Paul Reed?

Reed is one of the more intriguing big men in this year’s draft. He is a junior. Reed is an older prospect, having just turned 21 in June. He is also one of the more versatile players out there.

Reed has good size for a forward. He is 6-foot-9 with a 7-foot-2 wingspan. Reed has very similar measurements to Pascal Siakam (6-foot-9.5 and 7-foot-3.25, respectively). Much like Siakam, Reed has an intriguing combination of length and athleticism. He is also just scratching the surface of his potential.

Before heading to DePaul, Reed was a 6-foot-5, three-star recruit from Orlando. Since then, Reed has grown four inches, added strength, and transitioned from a wing player to power forward.

Reed played sparingly as a freshman. As a sophomore, Reed moved into the starting lineup. He averaged 12.3 points, 8.5 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game. Reed also shot 40 percent from three-point range. Reed was named Big East Most Improved Player in 2019.

This season Reed improved his game even further. He averaged 15.1 points, 10.7 rebounds, 2.6 blocks and 1.9 steals per game. According to Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report, Reed is the only player with more than 70 blocks and 50 steals this season.

Since 2001, only two high-major players have averaged two blocks and two steals per game. Nerlens Noel did it as a freshman at Kentucky.  Matisse Thybulle did it last year, as a senior at Washington. Reed came within 0.1 steals per game of joining that list.

Reed is one of the best defensive players in college basketball. He can guard multiple positions. Reed can switch onto guards on the perimeter. He is also capable of holding his own in the post.

Reed can contribute in a number of different areas. He is good at running the floor. Reed is a strong rebounder. He is a vertical lob threat and an above-average shot blocker.

One area where Reed needs to improve is on the offensive end. Reed is a decent ball-handler, especially for a big man. He is capable of securing a rebound and leading the fast break. But like a lot of young players, Reed could look to tighten up his handle.

He also has a bit of an awkward jump shot. Reed has a hitch on his release. An NBA shooting coach should be able to help improve his form.

Reed’s shot isn’t completely broken. He shot 33 percent from three-point range during his college career (on 103 attempts). Reed also shot 73.9 percent at the free-throw line, which is generally viewed as a strong indicator of a player’s potential success as a shooter.

Talent evaluators are all over the board in terms of where Reed fits in this year’s draft. ESPN and Sports Illustrated have him being taken in the mid to late second round. Other sites are higher on Reed and view him as a borderline first-round pick.

Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer has Reed at no. 33 on his big board. Chad Ford said Reed could be selected anywhere between 13 and 35 and could be one the sleepers of this year’s draft. CBS also identified Reed as a sleeper that could end up being taken in the first round.

The person who seems the highest on Reed is former Memphis Grizzlies executive and current writer for The Athletic, John Hollinger. Hollinger has Reed in his top 20. He said Reed is the most underrated player in this year’s draft and might be the best defender.

One of the reasons teams might not be higher on Reed is DePaul finished at the bottom of the Big East Conference. Reed is older than most first-round prospects. Teams tend to avoid using first-round picks on older players due to perceived lack of upside. However, that is not entirely fair in Reed’s case.

As Hollinger has pointed out, Reed has many similarities to Memphis forward Precious Achiuwa.

Achiuwa is generally regarded as a mid-to-late first-round pick in this year’s draft. He averaged 15.8 points, 10.8 rebounds, 1.9 blocks, and 1.1 steals per game for Memphis this season. Achiuwa has comparable measurements at 6-foot-9 with a 7-foot-2.25 wingspan. However, despite being a freshman, Achiuwa is only three months younger than Reed.

Reed has good instincts. He is capable of scoring in a variety of ways, both in transition and in the half-court. Reed also projects as a high-level defender. Taking someone like Reed towards the end of the first round or even early in the second-round could end up being a steal.