Minnesota Timberwolves Draft Profile: Aaron Nesmith

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Aaron Nesmith of the Vanderbilt Commodores goes up for shot. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images) /

Strengths

Every NBA scout will likely say the same thing when discussing Aaron Nesmith’s strengths: the kid can shoot.

Nesmith shot a lights-out 52 percent from beyond the arc during his sophomore year on over eight attempts per game. His shot seems to be easily repeatable and the release is relatively quick. Nesmith excels at coming around screens and getting his shot off without needing to put the ball on the floor. He averaged 23 points per game with jaw-dropping shooting splits of 50/52/82 (field goal, 3-point, and free throw percentages).

Sure, his season was cut short by injury; he played just 14 games, and his shooting numbers likely would have decreased during conference play. However, the number of attempts and consistency in games played suggests that Nesmith will be an above-average shooter at a minimum.

At 6-foot-6 and 213 pounds, Aaron Nesmith has an NBA-ready body and should be able to earn minutes right off the bat for whatever franchise selects him. Nesmith uses his length to clog up passing lanes and force turnovers on the defensive end. He still has a ways to go to becoming a good on-ball defender but has the potential to be great on that end.

Overall, Nesmith profiles as the ultimate 3-and-D player at the NBA level.

Weaknesses

Despite Aaron Nesmith’s extraordinary shooting numbers, he is projected as a late-lottery pick primarily due to defensive and injury concerns.

Nesmith was a capable off-ball defender last year but struggled on the ball as a point-of-attack defender. His footwork appears slow and he often allowed guards to blow right past him and get to the rim. The footwork will need improvement in order to compete at the NBA level, but the physical profile gives reason for hope.

Part of the footwork problem for Nesmith as an on-ball defender may be attributed to his right foot injury that cut his season short. That could be a reason for optimism as a defender but it would not ease any of the injury concerns surrounding Nesmith. Any team looking to draft him will want to make sure the foot injury is fully healed without any concerns about reinjury.