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The question of how valuable a high-impact defensive commodity is relative to offensive weapons may not get a firm rejoinder, with medical concerns potentially confounding the answer.
Willie Cauley-Stein, who has fluctuated up and down draft boards all year long, was set to stand as an interesting test case at the 2015 NBA Draft on Thursday.
Likely to be the best defensive player from the draft and a potential All-Defense stalwart, Cauley-Stein's limited offensive game has depressed his value in some cases, with his draft range starting perhaps as high as No. 4. In a draft with fairly clear tiers, he stands as the only top-15 talent who seems to be permeating multiple tiers with regularity.
But it's not just questions about his offense that have caused his stock to fluctuate, according to a report from DraftExpress. Teams are also concerned about an injury Cauley-Stein suffered in last year's NCAA tournament, which cost him the Elite Eight, Final Four, and NCAA championship game. The stress fracture in his left ankle required a pin to be inserted, and some teams believe "some maintenance" needs to be done to determine if the injury has completely healed.
"Willie is not stressing about where he goes in this draft," Cauley-Stein's agent, Rich Kleiman, told DraftExpress. "And teams that have done their research know that there is nothing to be concerned about."
In part because of that injury, Cauley-Stein returned to Kentucky for a junior season and didn't appear to be hampered, helping lead the Wildcats to the Final Four with his versatile defense.
That performance made him a likely lottery pick, and the Indiana Pacers are believed to be his floor at No. 11. The injury worries may be just enough to see him slide there. The New York Knicks and Sacramento Kings, among others, have been rumored to be interested, but may be scared off in the top six.
