3) Potential busts for the Chicago Bulls to avoid: Aleksej Pokusevski
One of the rather unknown prospects in this draft class, that could easily fall among the lottery picks, is the towering seven-footer and forward Aleksej Pokusevski. This 18-year-old 7-foot and 200 pound big man could play anywhere between the two and the four if he starts to fill out his frame in the near future.
Pokusevski played a bit with the EuroLeague team in Greece Olympiacos. In 12 games played with Olympiacos during the 2019-20 season, Pokusevski averaged 9.9 points per game, 7.3 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.7 blocks, and 1.2 steals. He shot 40.0 percent from the field, 32.1 percent from beyond the arc, and 78.3 percent from the free-throw line.
While the facilitating ability and overall court vision of Pokusevski are some of his major drawing points for NBA scouts, his game still has a long way to go. The skill set in that regard might not translate the quickest from the second highest division of basketball in Greece to the NBA. Whatever team lands him in this draft needs to be patient with his development.
A problem area for the lack in strength in Pokusevski’s frame and his overall lack of physicality is on the defensive end of the floor. He’s a smart defender by all indications from his time playing overseas in Europe, but his role could be limited early in his NBA career.
Pokusevski could become a pure playmaker in the NBA, given his facilitating and shot creating abilities. His offensive arsenal could be vast, and his defensive ceiling is high if he can fill out his frame. But we’re pretty much working off of potential only for Pokusevski in this draft class.