I guess SOMEBODY has to be the first NBA-level Lithuanian guard since Sarunas Marciulionis... Kind of surprised it wasn't Jasikevicius.
Skimming podcasts this morning… Bulls want Egor… Brooklyn enamored with Jaku… All aboard the Jase train!
https://www.sbnation.com/nba/2025/6...ection-june-after-combine-withdrawal-deadline “Scoot Henderson and Shaedon Sharpe still have a long way to go, and a guard like Jase Richardson at No. 11 could add a new dimension to the backcourt. Richardson is super small after measuring at six-foot even, but he’s an elite shooter with a great feel for the game. Richardson just knows how to find soft pockets in the defense to relocate for threes, and that would be a big boost for the Portland offense that needs shooting.”
Who says Schmitz wants Egor? Who says taking Richardson over Egor is "settling"? (I wouldn't take either at 11, probably, but I can see Richardson contributing much more easily than Demin. Demin is like Toni Kukoc without the shooting, and when Kukoc came to the NBA his shooting became his contributing factor.
Defense. Jase will have a steep learning curve but he’s a dog on defense with an impressive feel. Trae would turbocharge the development of the young guys but his defense is just as bad as Ant’s—if not worse.
Well, he's a basketball junkie with the "Eye of the Tiger" even at a young age. Has more game than just shooting and is built for durability. If you want to be a contender you need superb shooting of which there Blazers are the third worst in the league. He also has a good handle.
I posted quotes from Schmitz about Egor and Givony has put out mocks with the Blazers taking him. Egor will likely take longer to contribute but he has a much higher ceiling.
Weaknesses: * Lacks elite athleticism and burst; struggles to separate consistently off the dribble. * Undersized for a two-guard; limited vertical pop and explosion at the rim. * Low three-point attempt volume raises concerns about scalability of his shooting. * Not a full-time initiator; 1.9 assists per game suggests more of a combo than pure PG. * Needs quicker release to adjust to NBA-level closeouts. * Doesn’t draw many fouls or dominate in isolation (0.786 PPP). * Role ambiguity at the next level – may fall between point and shooting guard without a clear niche.
He has an 8’3” reach - he’ll be fine Defense is more than just length (Greg Brown, Travis Outlaw, Mo Bamba) Feel and IQ are more important than anything. KD said the most difficult defender he ever faced was Tony Allen - an undersized G/F with an 8’6” reach.
You look at guys like SGA, Brunson, even Mitchell it took them a while to make that WTF jump. Clips didint have much faith SGA so they traded him, Same with Brunson bolting Dallas. Mitchell was good immediately but it took him a few years to make the next step. Id be interested in know what guys you like at 11? Maybe Ive missed it?
