Former Syracuse forward Oshae Brissett has multiple teams interested in him, but one, in particular, could really be a perfect match at the next level.
In case you haven’t heard by now, former Syracuse basketball Oshae Brissett isn’t just testing the NBA Draft waters. He’s shredding through them with the hopes of getting drafted.
After the inaugural G-League Elite Camp, Brissett was one of a handful of players who really stood out from the pack. Oshae was recognized as one of the best performers and will advance to the NBA Combine, as determined by a vote of NBA teams, per the official G-League Press Release.
According to box scores from the Elite Camp tweeted out by Jonathan Givony, Brissett was one of the top scorers.
In game one, Brissett led his team in scoring, dropping 15 points off the bench, and grabbing four rebounds with one steal.
Move on to game two, in which the Orange sophomore got the start, and added another six points on top of four more rebounds and two blocked shots. Not only did he stuff the stat sheets, but he also shot very efficiently during the two-day camp, at over 50 percent from the field, while knocking down multiple treys.
What’s more important than his stats however, is how NBA scouts wanted to see him again! Brissett was one of 10 players who will get to show off their skills in front of a bigger and more important audience, at the NBA Combine (May 15th – May 19th).
"According to Adam Zagoria of Syracuse.com, four teams have already held workouts with Brissett, including the Brooklyn Nets, Houston Rockets, Oklahoma City Thunder, and Philadelphia 76ers."
To me, two teams really jump out on this list, with one having the potential to really work out.
The Houston Rockets are a team that is in dire need of rebounding forwards. While at Syracuse, Brissett has a two-year career average of over eight rebounds per game, and at 6-foot-8, 210 pounds, he is versatile enough to rebound from the perimeter and bang down low when needed.
The only players on the Rockets who fill that need are Kenneth Faried and PJ Tucker. However, Brissett is a much better shooter and overall scorer than Faried is, and can handle the ball much better than Tucker.
While the Rockets look like a very good fit for Brissett, I believe that depending on what happens with the Philadelphia 76ers this offseason, Brissett would be a key asset to ‘The Process’.
The only true small forwards with similar skillsets to Brissett on the 76ers roster are James Ennis III and Tobias Harris.
Compared to the Rockets, Brissett probably would see a lot less playing time with these two, since Harris is a top-50 player in the entire NBA, and Ennis provides very good defense and can occasionally hit the long ball. However, that’s where it gets tricky.
There’s a very good chance that Jimmy Butler decides to sign elsewhere. To add insult to injury, Tobias Harris, JJ Redick, and Mike Scott all have contracts that end this season as well, meaning that Philly might have to choose who they pay and who they let go. In other words, the 76ers may have a big roster overhaul this offseason, leaving them with many open spots for role players.
If the 76ers do have major roster changes, I can easily see Oshae Brissett as a guy who can come in and give them quality minutes off the bench. Philly needs more rebounding to pair with Joel Embiid, and could also use some more three-point shooting. While Brissett isn’t a knockdown shooter, he can certainly develop it more – just look at Jerami Grant.
My money is on the Houston Rockets giving Brissett the most of their time, simply because they lack a versatile, rebounding forward, and Brissett would immediately fill that role. However, don’t count out the 76ers just yet either, because they could be an interesting fit as well.