In this NBA draft, Lydon gives the Spurs some frontcourt depth with a smooth three-point shot and solid athletic tools. Those alone virtually guarantee his success in San Antonio’s long-withstanding basketball machine. At 6-10, Lydon’s thin build might hinder his defensive success at the power forward spot, but he has the mobility to fill in as a small forward when needed as well, providing some solid versatility to a Spurs rotation that could certainly benefit from some outside of Kawhi Leonard.
There are times when Lydon lets it fly from well beyond the three-point line and it still looks good coming out of his hand. He has the type of perimeter mobility and quick, concise jumper that translates extremely well in the pick-and-pop, while also allowing him to make cuts off the ball and work well in the a Spurs offense that relies heavily on constant movement throughout.
There have been some knocks on Lydon’s aggressiveness on offense, with his passivity at times limiting his success. And, while that’s a definite concern at the colleigate level, I don’t foresee it being an issue when entering a more limited role at the next level — especially under the guidance of somebody like Gregg Popovich. A player who shoots well, likes to move the ball, and doesn’t force things is the prototype for success in his ever-successful system.
This gives San Antonio another solid talent to cultivate behind the scenes, with the likes of Dejounte Murray and Nikola Milutinov joining him as recent draft picks with real futures in the rotation some time down the road.