Kurucs has been flying under the radar for most of this NBA draft season, showing up in the first round conversation on a consistent basis, yet never really garnering the same coverage as names like Ntilikina and Hartenstein. At 6-8 with a long arms and a fluid offensive game, the 19-year-old projects as the type of offensive sparkplug that could earn him a spot in the league right away, albeit not likely.
At this stage in his development, the biggest knock on Kurucs boils down to his consistency. He’s shooting a respectable 32.7 percent from beyond the arc, yet could stand to improve upon that percentage given his thinner frame and still-developing offensive repertoire, especially if he wants to make an impact early on. He has a handful of dribble moves he can use to work his way into the teeth of the defense but has shown his most prominent struggles in catch-and-shoot scenarios, another hindrance for a potential transition to the league in year one.
With that said, he does have some solid bounce to his step, making smart passes out of drives and playing above the rim when capable of doing so in transition. He has all the tools needed to become a quality all-around scorer — especially given his physical tools — but hasn’t quite pieced together how to fit his skills together yet.
The Raptors, as they currently stand, are trending towards being a competitive roster over the next couple of seasons, meaning they can afford to bring Kurucs along slowly. Whether that means keeping him overseas with Barcelona or adding him to the squad on a two-way contract is yet to be seen, but the upside would be worth investing in.