Every team could use a 6’10” knockdown shooter.
The Cleveland Cavaliers have two late second-round picks in the upcoming NBA Draft. They are also able to sign undrafted free agents once the selection ends. That is where they could target Steve Settle III.
Who is Steve Settle III?
A 6’10” wing who shot 41.6% from three on 3.6 attempts per game seems almost too good to be true. Technically it isn’t. Settle did this last season for Temple while averaging 12.6 points, 6.2 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and one steal per game. The issue is he’s only one month younger than five-year NBA veteran Isaac Okoro (24 years old), and he doesn’t have good weight or strength for his size.
Both of these things mean that he doesn’t project to have a ton of upside and is limited positionally despite his height. That doesn’t mean that a team shouldn’t take a flyer on him. It just explains why someone with his length and shooting ability could go undrafted.
Where is Settle expected to go in the draft?
Settle isn’t expected to be drafted. ESPN has him ranked as the 99th prospect in this draft. He’s someone that Cleveland could target as an undrafted free agent.
What do the experts say about Settle?
Maxwell Baumbach of No Ceilings:
There are fair reasons to doubt Settle’s NBA chances. He’s an older prospect who has never been offensively dominant at the college level, and he’s further away body-wise than you’d like to see. Still, I wonder if his length and feel could lead to a more favorable translation than one might expect. Settle’s always been a confident shooter for his size, and he’s always made plays on defense. His development as a passer this year makes it easier to envision him sliding into a low-maintenance role professionally. At a certain point in the team building process, two-way slots and Exhibit-10s have to be given to guys who have some imperfections. Settle’s height and the value of his skill set make him an E-10 flier I’d be happy to take. How he fares throughout the remainder of the season and during the pre-draft process could see him slide up or down from there.
How could Settle help the Cavs?
Every team can use length and shooting. Those two attributes work great in every single lineup. From that perspective, it isn’t difficult to talk yourself into taking a flyer on Settle III.
But just having those two things doesn’t mean he’s guaranteed to be a rotation player. The shooting he displayed last season was by far a career high (he shot 30.8% and 30.3% from three the previous two seasons). Whether or not that shooting carries over to the professional game will determine whether he can ever become an NBA player.