2021 NBA Draft Profile: Chris Duarte
Chris Duarte will be older than a number of multi-year NBA veterans on draft night… but could he also provide an extremely valuable skillset on an affordable contract as a mid-late first round player, seamlessly plugging into an NBA lineup?
Position: Shooting guard, University of Oregon
Age: 24 (6/14/1997)
Height: 6 ft 6 in
Wingspan: 6 ft 7 in
Weight: 190 lbs.
Strickland 2021 Big Board Rank: 32
The Sales Pitch: The old adage says, “You can never have enough shooting.” Keep that in mind if Duarte is still on the board come July 29. He has a very versatile shot profile, with an ability to catch and shoot and hit dribble pull-ups as well as come off of screens and pin downs. His low usage style of play should allow him to fit seamlessly in any offense, given the fact that he’s also pretty good at cutting and moving off the ball. Add in the fact that he’s been a very healthy team defender, and you basically have all the makings of a really good role player, wrapped up in a late first/early second round package (though he’s rumored to maybe be sneaking into the late lottery conversation). It’s not farfetched to think that he could make more of a positive impact than some free agent vets that might be signed this coming offseason.
Elite Traits/Skills: Shooting, off-ball movement, finishing, transition play
The Devil’s Advocate argument: Jamal Murray, OG Anunoby, Lonzo Ball, and Miles Bridges. All promising young players. All of whom will be almost a full year younger than Duarte on draft night. For a guy that old, he still has a lot of warts in his game. He struggles to get into the paint because of his lack of advanced handle and “blow-by” speed. This also shows up in his inability to make plays for others in the half court on a consistent basis (although he did get better his senior year).
The Misconceptions: There are a few, but I’ll go with the one that says his defense will translate easily to the NBA. He showed great instincts as a team defender, and his steal and block numbers looked great. It’s reasonable to wonder, though, if that was a result of Oregon’s scheme (they played a ton of zone at times). Also, there is a lot of film out there of him getting abused by bigger and stronger players, which would negate his impact in a switch-heavy scheme. I don’t think he’ll be a liability on that end of the floor, but I’m not ready to anoint him a stopper as of yet.
Important numbers:
47.7%: His catch-and-shoot 3-point percentage
6: Where he ranked amongst players averaging more than 15 points per game in true shooting percentage
3.4%: His steal rate in both his junior and senior seasons
3.6: His amount of free throws attempted per 40 minutes
.478: His 3-point attempt rate — a very high number
24: His age on draft night
23.9%: His usage rate
Knicks Fit: A really good fit. With RJ Barrett, Julius Randle, and Mitchell Robinson in the starting lineup, it’s imperative to get as much shooting from those other two openings as possible. There is a scenario where Duarte could be a better option than Reggie Bullock from Day 1. His presence could allow RJ to play his natural position, and he’ll be able to add a different dimension to the Knicks’ offense with his off-ball movement and cutting.
