Vonleh is a 20-year-old big body with less than 1500 minutes played in his entire career. He already features excellent footwork, solid rebounding, and passable defense, with the clear physical tools to get better. Vonleh's measurements at the
NBA draft combine were off the chart, putting up a 7-foot-4 wingspan to go against his 6-foot-9 frame. Unsurprisingly, Vonleh has always been an adept rebounder, particularly on the offensive glass.
The young big has already shown flashes of a capable jumpshot, shooting 45 percent in his career from 10-16 feet out. With clean shot mechanics, he can be expected to extend his range out to near the 3-point line as he matures.
In fact, I see Vonleh developing into a lesser version of one of Portland's rumored targets: Al Horford. The real issue is that even if this is an accurate comparison, it's not going to bear fruit next year. So that said, it's clear that Portland's primary focus should be an immediate upgrade in the frontcourt. After a surprising season which saw a second round playoff series and a 55-win pace after the All-Star break, Portland's window may not be wide open, but it's slightly cracked. A big name center joining the team would possibly push that window wide open.
