Tier 5
Floor - Back up PG
Bullseye - primary playmaker
Ceiling - Borderline all star
OFFENSE
Pass - Grade: 98
Notes: Josh Giddey may be the most advanced passer in the draft, and is without question a top 5 passer in the draft. How advanced he is as a passer, and with being one of the youngest players in the draft, is truly remarkable. He is a better passer than most veterans, and he is only 18. Giddey is an ambidextrous passer, who can make ANY pass there is. He hits cutters in stride, shooters right in the shooting pocket, and delivers picture perfect pocket passes. Giddey is also great at leading guys to certain spots, similarly to how Nash did. He's so good at putting his teammates in position to score. He's an amazing passer off the catch, bringing the ball up in transition, or in the PnR. He knows how to move and manipulate defenders at specific angles to free up passing windows for his teammates. He is a manipulator, orchestrator, and crazy versatile and accurate passer and it's a ton of fun to watch how poised and creative he is. Also sported almost a 3:1 ast/to ratio.
Dribble - Grade: 86
Notes: If Giddey is being evaluated as a point guard, his handle is alright. If he's being evaluated as a wing, his handle is very good. His best attribute when ball-handling is his elite ability to use a whole bunch of difference change of pace moves. He constantly keeps the defense guessing by accelerating and decelerating, with a bunch of hesitations and in and out dribbles as he weaves through and around the defense. Giddey is not a guy who will pull-out dribble combinations in isolation situations, but has the capability to pull out a behind the back or crossover in transition. He's a much better ball-handler in transition and going down hill rather than in the half-court.
3pt shooting - Grade: 70
Notes: Giddey has an awkward form with his elbow sticking out, and it looks a bit unnatural. Giddey is a more willing off the dribble than off the catch. Giddey shot 29% on threes with just over 3 attempts per game, so he doesn't shy away from shooting them. He shot 70% from the line this season, and projects to be a below-average three point shooter for his career. A lot of his three point attempts came from defenders going under ball screens. His shooting is a main reason why he's not in the top 5.
Mid-range shooting - Grade: 74
Notes: Giddey shoots it a little better from mid-range, and shoots from mid-range exclusively against drop coverage on ball screens. He needs to improve this shot to become a high-level player in the PnR.
Finishing - Grade: 86
Notes: Giddey is a good finisher, and he relies on his finishing ability to get the large majority of his points. He's got great touch around the rim and is great at contorting his body to finish from a wide variety of angles. Giddey also has a good floater, which is going to be very important for him in the league. Giddey is good at drawing fouls around the rim too. Giddey thrives at getting to the rim in transition, but is crafty and poised to penetrate in the half-court as well. I am concerned about his ability to get to the rim in the half-court in the NBA due to his lack of explosiveness.
Off-ball playmaking - Grade: 70
Notes: Giddey doesn't provide much off-ball, and how he'll be used off-ball in the league is a question mark and reason for concern. He is not a spot-up shooter, and doesn't provide much of anything else even though he is a pretty good cutter. Giddey is a good offensive rebounder though, and will create open shots for his teammates by tipping the ball out to them for open threes.
Offensive Summary: 87
This is about as high of an offensive rating I can give to a wing who can't really shoot and isn't a great athlete. Giddey's passing at this stage of his career is unbelievable, and how he's able to pass with both hands and manipulate defenses makes him an incredibly enticing prospect. Giddey loves playing with pace and excels when he has numbers in transition. He is great in transition, and good in the half-court with the ball in his hands. His offensive blue-print is pretty straight forward in terms of what he needs to improve upon. If he's used more off-ball than on-ball upon entering the league, he's going to struggle and be a minus out there. He needs to have the ball in his hands to be effective, and this may scare some teams. If he ever becomes a solid shooter, both of the catch and when defenders go under on ball screens, he has a very serious chance to be an all-star level player.
Defense
Engagement - Grade: 83
Notes: Giddey is active on and off the ball on defense, but can be a bit whimsical at times. He does show a desire to defend consistently.
Containment - Grade: 69
Notes: This is an area of concern for Giddey. The only thing Giddey has going for him as an on-ball defender is his length. He's got below average lateral quickness, a pretty slight frame, and poor core strength. He gets beat off the dribble regularly, particularly by guards. He's got active hands and a high IQ, and he really tries. We've seen players who aren't great athletes learn how to become at least average or even good on-ball defenders in the league, such as his fellow boomer Joe Ingles. He is not near the level Ingles is at as an on-ball defender, and this needs a lot of work.
Team Defense - Grade: 80
Notes: Giddey is a pretty solid off-ball defender. He has good timing on his rotations, is always in the right position, and causes trouble in the gap. His awareness is not quite as keen as you would think for someone with his IQ, and his fundamentals can waiver when off-ball. He can get caught ball watching at times, but that's because he is over anticipating. He makes plays in the passing lanes and should be able to be able to be an alright and possibly good off-ball defender.
Rim Protection - Grade: 75
Notes: Giddey is a good rotator and can alter shots with his length, but his lack of verticality prevents him from being a high level secondary rim protector.
Playmaking - Grade: 84
Notes: Giddey's presence in the passing lanes utilizing his length and active hands, along with his ability to rotate and bait defenders into passes allows him to get a solid amount steals and deflections. He's an effective playmaker but does not care too much about risking his defensive positioning on the man he is tasked with covering.
Versatility - Grade: 73
Notes: Despite his length and position, Giddey is restricted to guarding wings. He cannot cover guards on switches without getting beaten off the dribble regularly, and isn't strong enough to be switched onto bigs. Giddey is best used as a free safety on defense, and being assigned to guard the least effective scoring wing on the opposing team.
Defensive Rebounding - Grade: 89
Notes: Giddey is a great defensive rebounder. He got 10+ rebounds in a lot of games this season in the NBL, and averaged 8.2 rebounds per game. He has a great eye for the ball, and is good at maneuvering himself in a position to grab boards and to get out and run. Giddey's teammates helped him rebound a lot, as they wanted to Giddey to rebound the ball and run the break quickly (similar to Russ in OKC). His ability to grab the ball off the rim and then quickly run the break combined with his elite passing ability is essentially who Giddey is as a player.
Defensive Summary: 74
Notes: Giddey's defensive ceiling is probably average on-ball and good-off ball, which would narrowly make him a plus defender. He's got a long way to go before you can say that about him. He's almost certainly going to be a negative on the defensive end his first year or three, but he's scrappy and fights hard so despite his talent lapses the effort is there. He needs to improve his lateral quickness and core strength. He should be able to get to a point where he's not a liability on defense, and even though he will be out of the gate he will make up for it a bit with his deflections, steals, and rebounds.
Measurables: 86
18
6'8
205
6'8 wingspan
Functional Athleticism: 70
Solid open court quickness with the ball
Below average elevation on finishes
Lacks explosiveness on first step
Lacks core strength
Poor lateral quickness
Poor standing vertical
General Thoughts:
Giddey is another crazy unique prospect in this draft, as he's a 6'8 true point guard who plays at his own pace and was a triple double threat every night this season in the NBL. Giddey is one of the youngest players in the draft, and has truly impacted winning in a pro-league already. Giddey is also gaining the experience of playing with the Australian national team this summer. Giddey was an all-star in the NBL, and the best player on his team. With how high his IQ is at such a young age, his potential is sky high despite his shooting, defensive, and physical warts.
