Powerful and poised, the playmaking prowess of PJ Washington propelled him to a pleasant professional debut.

Washington was a top-six prospect on our TBW 2019 Draft Board because of his ready-made physicality, ability to defend the 4 or the 5, strong passing chops and shooting upside. He went back to Kentucky for a sophomore season to improve his overall skill.

That decision paid off both in where Washington got drafted, but also how he was primed to make an instant impact.

Washington already possesses hints of being elite in one specific area: He's a fantastic passing big. As a sturdy defender and reliable shooter, his overall skill level will support the development of an elite trait and turn in him into a very valuable player.
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Give him the ball in nearly any functional area and Washington can get his teammates open.

Eight NBA teams will not be joining their counterparts in "The Disney Bubble" as the league reboots. Their offseason has already begun.

As these franchises go forward, attention shifts to wholistic changes, themes and building blocks. Young players with the ability to become a foundation are the most pivotal to develop, and the marriage between a logical plan and sticking to it is crucial for a successful union.

Cam Reddish's overall numbers from his initial pro season were fairly pedestrian. The Atlanta Hawks' rookie swingman averaged 10.5 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1.5 assists with 33.2 percent shooting from deep. His negative assist to turnover rate and putrid 42.8 percent shooting from inside the arch were further demerits.

A month-by-month breakout of Reddish's season show that he was starting to really figure it out, however, so much so that in the ten games after the All-Star Break, he averaged 16.4 points on 50 percent shooting and 38.9 percent from 3.
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It's that performance that will be expected of the former Duke Blue Devil moving forward. It's also why Reddish isn't the type of player who can be judged solely by his overall numbers.

Basketball's imminent return has brought focus onto the 22 franchises entering the Disney bubble. But for the eight who do not travel to Orlando, the formal debriefing can already begin.

As they both peek back and gaze forward, attention gets paid to wholistic changes, themes and foundational building blocks. Young players with the ability to become a franchise foundation are the most pivotal to develop, and the marriage between a logical plan and sticking to it is crucial for a successful union.

With the ghost of John Beilein firmly behind them, the Cleveland Cavaliers actually finished their season on a high note, going 4-3 before the COVID interruption. New head coach JB Bickerstaff simplified their offensive approach and instilled confidence in the young backcourt.

The Cavs beat both the Miami Heat and Philadelphia 76ers over that time, were tied with the Indiana Pacers after the third quarter and played the Toronto Raptors and Oklahoma City Thunder neck-and-neck prior to the All-Star Break. There were glimpses of this team turning the corner, and they went 4-4 after acquiring Andre Drummond.
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A large part of that improvement is due to the advances made by Darius Garland, the Cavs' top pick in 2019 after playing only five games at Vanderbilt.