Detroit Pistons #DraftDreams: Furkan Aldemir

Info

Measurables: 6-foot-9, 220 pounds, 20-year-old PF/C from Turkey
Key Stats: 8.4 points, 6.7 rebounds, .9 blocks in 20 minutes per game while shooting 61 percent in Turkish league
Projected: Second round

Why I’m intrigued by this guy

This year’s draft isn’t loaded with international prospects, but there are a lot of guys in the second round like Aldemir who are big, young and unknown. Whoever the Pistons take with the second of their two second rounders is probably a longshot to make next year’s roster anyway. It might make more sense to look at a raw international player who will stay overseas for a couple years and potentially develop. Plus, Pistons fans would definitely love to have a guy called ‘Mr. Rebound.’

Pros for the Pistons

Aldemir is a banger who likes to stay around the basket and according to scouts, is a good rebounder. That’s exactly the type of player the Pistons (and just about every team) could use. At just 20-years-old, there’s also a good chance that Aldemir can add some bulk to his frame.

Cons for the Pistons

If Aldemir doesn’t get stronger, he’s probably a longshot to play meaningful minutes in the NBA. Most scouting reports describe him as a player who likes to be in the paint and around the basket fighting for the ball. At 220 pounds, it’s just not realistic to expect that that would end well for him in the NBA without getting significantly stronger. Still though, whoever the Pistons use that late second round pick on will have an uphill battle to make a roster that could be crowded if Jason Maxiell exercises his option, Vernon Macklin is re-signed, Kyle Singler comes over from Spain and Ben Wallace decides to play another year. It makes a lot of sense to take and stash a foreign player or a college player willing to go overseas.

What others are saying

Chad Ford:

"Aldemir is one of the best rebounders in the Euroleague, but the rest of his game still needs a lot of work. He’s undersized for his position, isn’t an elite athlete and isn’t a great scorer inside or outside. But rebounding does seem to translate at the next level and that alone could make him a late first or second round pick."

Euro Hopes:

"He is a rebound specialist. Has great positions on defense but specially on offense to grab rebounds. Boxes out very well, and uses his big wingspan to catch a lot. Using his skills he also blocks many shots. He is a good defender, over center and power-forwards also. Has mobility, being smart. On ofense he knows how to move without ball. Very dangerous receiving the ball inside the paint, using his wingspan to dunk o score lay-ups easy. On transition he runs very well fastbreak, and also backwards recovering on defense."

European Prospects:

"Aldemir has still a lot of parts in his game where has to progress. So far, he has no outside game at all. We do not speak about a lacking jump shot around the paint but he feels not very comfortable when getting the ball out of position. He showed some problems to execute well a hand off situation where the guard did not pick up the ball and he had to play the dribble entry from outside. In the paint, his shooting touch is looking good but it would help him if he could come up with a bit more explosiveness on his finishes as he often prefers the layup to the dunk when he has a defender in front of him."

What is the best thing Furkan Aldemir does for his team?

Sam Meyerkopf (follow him on Twitter) is the co-creator of EuroLeague Adventures:

Furkan Aldemir had a breakthrough year in Europe and turned himself into a potential rotation post player in the NBA. He’s a below the rim big man who will earn his first few salaries off of his rebounding prowess and solid roll game off of pick and rolls. His offensive game stays within seven feet of the basket, which means he doesn’t really have a jumper and doesn’t create much, if any, offense for himself. But that’s not what Aldemir is here for. He keeps his nose around the basket where driving perimeter players can dump it off to him for strong finishes or he’ll attack the offensive glass where he was one of the best in the Euroleague this year.

This season he played almost exclusively center for his Turkish club Galatasaray, averaging 6.6 points and 4.8 rebounds in just 17 minutes a game of Euroleague play. At 6’9″ he’s not quite tall enough for center in the NBA and doesn’t really have quick enough feet to be a power forward. But with power forwards continually extending further outside the line, I’ll give up a couple inches and put Aldemir in the middle of the paint.

Defensively Aldemir isn’t going to send many shots flying into the bleachers but he can hold his position in the post fairly well. Really athletic bigs or stretch fours that step away from the rim could give him trouble. His counter is that he plays with such toughness and scrappiness that he’ll be able to overcome some of these disadvantages. He’s not afraid to be rugged in the post, and his ability to gobble up rebounds will keep him on the court.