NBA Exec Concerned About Zach Edey, Says Teams Might Need to Run ‘Gimmicky Defenses’

Zach Edey’s defensive mobility remains a concern about the Purdue star’s game in the eyes of one NBA front-office executive.

“With Edey, the fear is with his ability to guard in space,” the executive said to ESPN’s Jeremy Woo. “When guards turn the corner on him, his ability to recover and get back into the play. You might have to commit to gimmicky defenses and station him around the basket to really take advantage of his rim-protection.”

Woo wrote how Edey’s work on offense has drawn praise. The 7’4″ center shot 62.1 percent from the field in four years with the Boilermakers and averaged 11.2 free throws per game as a senior in 2023-24. Even with limited range, he can potentially be a consistent scorer in the NBA.

However, the general questions over Edey as a defender “make him a more situational player than a full-on starter, barring unexpected improvement,” per Woo.

In his most recent mock draft, Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Wasserman projected Edey to go 17th overall to the Los Angeles Lakers.

“Rival teams believe Zach Edey could go in the lottery,” he wrote. “While there are still skeptics, it also sounds like some teams will be willing to take a chance that 7’4″ size, improved mobility and inside touch could translate to effective offensive rebounding, post scoring, rim protection and adequate enough defensive foot speed in space.”

Wasserman also compared him to longtime veteran Jonas Valančiūnas.

Because he’s a more traditional center, Edey probably has a limited ceiling in the NBA. He’s not the type of prospect you orient an entire franchise around.

But the 22-year-old also possesses a high floor thanks to his experience, size and skills around the basket. It’s easy to picture him having a long, productive career much like the one Valančiūnas has enjoyed.