Draft Discussion Part 3

[SC923]

For me its clearly Tatum over Isaac and it really comes down to the major difference in shot creation. Every contender needs multiple guys who can get baskets one on one and in isos. Right now we have Booker but Tj, Bender and Chriss all seem to be guys who will do the majority of their scoring off ball. Isaac scares me in that I see very little potential as a one on one scorer meanwhile its Tatums main selling point. Plus I see Tatum growing into a plus defender.

[Qwigglez]

After watching this video

Spoiler:

Watch on YouTube

you can really see the potential of Chriss. This is from 2014 BTW. I didn't see anything special in Ball to be honest, he must've done a lot of improving since. Though he did show a willingness to pass the ball. You can see who is part of the Ball family and Lavar must've been hyping his kids for a while since they got "Big Ballers" shirts back then too.

[Qwigglez]

If you guys haven't checked out the latest BSoTS article, it goes over the potential of a Booker/Tatum offense.
http://www.brightsideofthesun.com/2017/6/15/15794910/devin-booker-jayson-tatum-nba-draft-can-transform-the-phoenix-suns-offense

Basically everything I've been advocating in choosing Tatum and more. Pretty much solidifies my vote that the Suns should take Tatum and not think twice. Sure, Isaac could be the player everyone wonders why x many teams passed on him, or he could be the player that everyone wondered why the Suns chose him 4th overall.

How about this link too?

http://www.nba.com/sixers/news/prospect-profile-jayson-tatum

Throughout the season, Tatum displayed effective defensive tools. With Duke relying on a man-defense heavy scheme, opponents, according to Synergy Sports calculations, managed to deposit just 32.2 percent of their shots taken against Tatum, and were held to 0.72 points per possession.

Perhaps if Isaac is gone and Tatum is available for the Magic, The Magic could be just fine with drafting Tatum. So you guys might want to take Tatum.

I think Tatum on the Magic would be great too.
Probably grasping at straws here but in that article it says Tatum's dad said he was best friends with Larry Hughes. I wonder if Hughes mentored Tatum at all.

[Zelaznyrules]

Ball is so perfect for this team. If we added Ball and Collins I don't know what I'd do.

I have been holding out on my opinion, so I don't jinx us. I don't ever seem to guess right, when is comes to the draft. Although I was very pleased with last years draft as well as the pick for Booker the year before.

However I would love to see us get Ball in this draft as well as another big. I really do not care if it is Collins or Markkanen.

We need to start playing the right way. If Bledsoe is moved and we end up Ball and Ulis being our two PG's next season I think we will finally be headed in the right direction. If Alex Len is gone and replaced by either Collins or Markkanen our front court will be dramatically improved, especially in the future.

Now that I jinxed this scenario. Please make it happen.

Couldn't agree more about playing the right way. One of the most frustrating things over the last few seasons has been the hero ball and complete lack of ball movement. There is nothing wrong with a moderate amount of ISO ball. We just have absolutely no balance. We need to start putting the right pieces together.

It wouldn't look so imbalanced if players such as Knight, Tucker, Chandler and Len could make a wide open shot when given the ball. Other than with Brandon and the M's before, we really didn't play much "hero ball" until later in the shot clock when options had dwindled because wide open basketball players wouldn't or couldn't shoot.

[carey]

Ha. The Ringer cited Gambo's report on Jackson: https://theringer.com/2017-nba-draft-josh-jackson-top-three-promise-7e839c0567c9

[jredsaz]

Looking at the new mocks with a lot of my favorite 2nd rounders (particularly the big men) jumping into the 1st, I think taking Evans in round 2 may make a lot of sense if the top 3 are Fultz, Ball, and Jackson. Take Isaac or Tatum at 4. Trade Bledsoe for a 2nd lottery pick. Draft Lauri or Collins. Evans in the 2nd.

Then Knight starts at PG and maybe redeems his value, Ulis is the primary backup, and Evans 3rd string. If you can then move Knight, you promote both.

Yeah, in a mock simulation offseason I took Jawun Evans at 32. His pick n roll game is supposed to be great. I don't know if I'd trade Bledsoe yet, but it would give you more time to consider that. If he was traded I would give Ulis the chance to start first. And I am also sure other point guards would be available for trade or in FA if we wanted a vet there to play some minutes (whether a vet or younger guy). I wish Evans had a little more size though.

My buddy is a huge KU fan, watches every single jayhawks game. Obviously a huge fan of JJ. But he mentioned Evans the other day out if the blue as a player he really likes. Actually compared him to CP3 in the way he worked pick and rolls in the half court. Said he plays with amazing pace.

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[nymets1]

For me its clearly Tatum over Isaac and it really comes down to the major difference in shot creation. Every contender needs multiple guys who can get baskets one on one and in isos. Right now we have Booker but Tj, Bender and Chriss all seem to be guys who will do the majority of their scoring off ball. Isaac scares me in that I see very little potential as a one on one scorer meanwhile its Tatums main selling point. Plus I see Tatum growing into a plus defender.

If Tatum played like a plus defender to go along with his offensive game, its a WRAP. Tatum would be top 3 player in this whole draft, perhaps best player from this draft. We should be fine whether its Tatum or Isaac thats falls to us at 6 but I give the edge to Tatum. If its Isaac that falls to us, Than we draft the guy out of FSU and maybe we can lock up a local guy on our team in Isaac long term.

[Kerrsed]

Regarding the Lakers:

If the Lakers really offered a salary dump of Deng and #2 in exchange for #4, then LOOK OUT! That means that they are clearing cap space for a new big 3. Perhaps CP3 this year, #4 for PG3, and someone else next year. How crazy would it be if CP3 and PG3 wind up in LA this summer and the Lakers make the playoffs this year? McDonough would be saved from that horrible BK trade.

I just doubt that the Lakers front office has the brain power to pull this (see last paragraph) off. Although...worth mentioning...Jeanie and Magic would be like a lame duck president. That would be perfect for GM LeBron. Bron Bron and CP3 could pull the strings with Jeanie and Magic being empty suits.

See, to me, the Lakers have a good opportunity to finally unite the Super Friends.

Lebron is interested in LA, and said he would be willing to take less money to make it happen. Im sure the Lakers could find a way to land CP3. They fill him in on the plan and he opts out of his player option for the season and signs with them. That would be one player down and 2 or 3 to go.

Melo would be easy to obtain from the Knicks as well. Jackson doesnt want him anymore and they are pretty much willing to just dump him, but he has the final say due to his no-trade clause. Melo says yes to LA.

So that gives them CP3 and Melo. Lakers could trade a few of their players, along with their draft pick to land PG13 a year early.

CP3/PG13/????/Melo/Moz

That leaves a hole for them to nab LeBron the year after, then exceed the cap to re-sign PG13 and Melo to somewhat more affordable contracts.

Superfriends United!

Most likely wont happen, but could very easily happen if Magic knows how to GM.

[Tysons Elbow]

I have been holding out on my opinion, so I don't jinx us. I don't ever seem to guess right, when is comes to the draft. Although I was very pleased with last years draft as well as the pick for Booker the year before.

However I would love to see us get Ball in this draft as well as another big. I really do not care if it is Collins or Markkanen.

We need to start playing the right way. If Bledsoe is moved and we end up Ball and Ulis being our two PG's next season I think we will finally be headed in the right direction. If Alex Len is gone and replaced by either Collins or Markkanen our front court will be dramatically improved, especially in the future.

Now that I jinxed this scenario. Please make it happen.

Couldn't agree more about playing the right way. One of the most frustrating things over the last few seasons has been the hero ball and complete lack of ball movement. There is nothing wrong with a moderate amount of ISO ball. We just have absolutely no balance. We need to start putting the right pieces together.

It wouldn't look so imbalanced if players such as Knight, Tucker, Chandler and Len could make a wide open shot when given the ball. Other than with Brandon and the M's before, we really didn't play much "hero ball" until later in the shot clock when options had dwindled because wide open basketball players wouldn't or couldn't shoot.

Agreed on the wide open shots. As far as the hero ball goes - I was referring to the last few seasons as a whole. It has gotten better as of this season. Overall - we need to play better. We need more talent. On offense, I think it starts with ball movement. We have 2 guys who's passing games stand out. Bender and Ulis. Bender is still such an unknown and Ulis, as much as I love his game, is probably not a long term starter. One of our core starters needs to be able to set the others up proficiently. We don't have that. Booker is decent at it. But that's not his strength. Just as stated above, IMO, Ball is just what this team needs. With the point guard pedigree that PHX is used to, I'm surprised more people don't agree. Regardless of who his daddy is.


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[JMac1]

For me its clearly Tatum over Isaac and it really comes down to the major difference in shot creation. Every contender needs multiple guys who can get baskets one on one and in isos. Right now we have Booker but Tj, Bender and Chriss all seem to be guys who will do the majority of their scoring off ball. Isaac scares me in that I see very little potential as a one on one scorer meanwhile its Tatums main selling point. Plus I see Tatum growing into a plus defender.

Mmm..... if Tatum has defense similar to Isaac then you are correct...... Tatum is more valuable. I would like to see him guarding quick guards, like I did with Issac; that would help a lot.

[JMac1]

If you guys haven't checked out the latest BSoTS article, it goes over the potential of a Booker/Tatum offense.
http://www.brightsideofthesun.com/2017/6/15/15794910/devin-booker-jayson-tatum-nba-draft-can-transform-the-phoenix-suns-offense

Basically everything I've been advocating in choosing Tatum and more. Pretty much solidifies my vote that the Suns should take Tatum and not think twice. Sure, Isaac could be the player everyone wonders why x many teams passed on him, or he could be the player that everyone wondered why the Suns chose him 4th overall.

How about this link too?

http://www.nba.com/sixers/news/prospect-profile-jayson-tatum

Throughout the season, Tatum displayed effective defensive tools. With Duke relying on a man-defense heavy scheme, opponents, according to Synergy Sports calculations, managed to deposit just 32.2 percent of their shots taken against Tatum, and were held to 0.72 points per possession.

Perhaps if Isaac is gone and Tatum is available for the Magic, The Magic could be just fine with drafting Tatum. So you guys might want to take Tatum.

I think Tatum on the Magic would be great too.
Probably grasping at straws here but in that article it says Tatum's dad said he was best friends with Larry Hughes. I wonder if Hughes mentored Tatum at all.

I guarantee you Hughes had an impact on Chriss if that is the case.

[Zelaznyrules]

Couldn't agree more about playing the right way. One of the most frustrating things over the last few seasons has been the hero ball and complete lack of ball movement. There is nothing wrong with a moderate amount of ISO ball. We just have absolutely no balance. We need to start putting the right pieces together.

It wouldn't look so imbalanced if players such as Knight, Tucker, Chandler and Len could make a wide open shot when given the ball. Other than with Brandon and the M's before, we really didn't play much "hero ball" until later in the shot clock when options had dwindled because wide open basketball players wouldn't or couldn't shoot.

Agreed on the wide open shots. As far as the hero ball goes - I was referring to the last few seasons as a whole. It has gotten better as of this season. Overall - we need to play better. We need more talent. On offense, I think it starts with ball movement. We have 2 guys who's passing games stand out. Bender and Ulis. Bender is still such an unknown and Ulis, as much as I love his game, is probably not a long term starter. One of our core starters needs to be able to set the others up proficiently. We don't have that. Booker is decent at it. But that's not his strength. Just as stated above, IMO, Ball is just what this team needs. With the point guard pedigree that PHX is used to, I'm surprised more people don't agree. Regardless of who his daddy is.

I agree with much of this except I'm not convinced that Ulis can't a solid starter in this league. I don't think he's anywhere near the player he will become nor is he anywhere close to the physical specimen he can be once he fully matures. He will always be short but he sees the court well enough to not be overly hampered by that, it's just a case of him filling out some IMO.

[chaplin1]

Regarding the Lakers:

If the Lakers really offered a salary dump of Deng and #2 in exchange for #4, then LOOK OUT! That means that they are clearing cap space for a new big 3. Perhaps CP3 this year, #4 for PG3, and someone else next year. How crazy would it be if CP3 and PG3 wind up in LA this summer and the Lakers make the playoffs this year? McDonough would be saved from that horrible BK trade.

I just doubt that the Lakers front office has the brain power to pull this (see last paragraph) off. Although...worth mentioning...Jeanie and Magic would be like a lame duck president. That would be perfect for GM LeBron. Bron Bron and CP3 could pull the strings with Jeanie and Magic being empty suits.

See, to me, the Lakers have a good opportunity to finally unite the Super Friends.

Lebron is interested in LA, and said he would be willing to take less money to make it happen. Im sure the Lakers could find a way to land CP3. They fill him in on the plan and he opts out of his player option for the season and signs with them. That would be one player down and 2 or 3 to go.

Melo would be easy to obtain from the Knicks as well. Jackson doesnt want him anymore and they are pretty much willing to just dump him, but he has the final say due to his no-trade clause. Melo says yes to LA.

So that gives them CP3 and Melo. Lakers could trade a few of their players, along with their draft pick to land PG13 a year early.

CP3/PG13/????/Melo/Moz

That leaves a hole for them to nab LeBron the year after, then exceed the cap to re-sign PG13 and Melo to somewhat more affordable contracts.

Superfriends United!

Most likely wont happen, but could very easily happen if Magic knows how to GM.

Couldn't this be applied to any team, since none of the main players in this scenario are actually on the Lakers RIGHT NOW?

[Sreister]

Regarding the Lakers:

If the Lakers really offered a salary dump of Deng and #2 in exchange for #4, then LOOK OUT! That means that they are clearing cap space for a new big 3. Perhaps CP3 this year, #4 for PG3, and someone else next year. How crazy would it be if CP3 and PG3 wind up in LA this summer and the Lakers make the playoffs this year? McDonough would be saved from that horrible BK trade.

I just doubt that the Lakers front office has the brain power to pull this (see last paragraph) off. Although...worth mentioning...Jeanie and Magic would be like a lame duck president. That would be perfect for GM LeBron. Bron Bron and CP3 could pull the strings with Jeanie and Magic being empty suits.

See, to me, the Lakers have a good opportunity to finally unite the Super Friends.

Lebron is interested in LA, and said he would be willing to take less money to make it happen. Im sure the Lakers could find a way to land CP3. They fill him in on the plan and he opts out of his player option for the season and signs with them. That would be one player down and 2 or 3 to go.

Melo would be easy to obtain from the Knicks as well. Jackson doesnt want him anymore and they are pretty much willing to just dump him, but he has the final say due to his no-trade clause. Melo says yes to LA.

So that gives them CP3 and Melo. Lakers could trade a few of their players, along with their draft pick to land PG13 a year early.

CP3/PG13/????/Melo/Moz

That leaves a hole for them to nab LeBron the year after, then exceed the cap to re-sign PG13 and Melo to somewhat more affordable contracts.

Superfriends United!

Most likely wont happen, but could very easily happen if Magic knows how to GM.

Couldn't this be applied to any team, since none of the main players in this scenario are actually on the Lakers RIGHT NOW?

I would say realistically, not at all. Between their cap situation and the fact that they're the LAKERS, I don't think any other team, besides maybe the Clippers, could pull this off like they could.

[Tysons Elbow]

It wouldn't look so imbalanced if players such as Knight, Tucker, Chandler and Len could make a wide open shot when given the ball. Other than with Brandon and the M's before, we really didn't play much "hero ball" until later in the shot clock when options had dwindled because wide open basketball players wouldn't or couldn't shoot.

Agreed on the wide open shots. As far as the hero ball goes - I was referring to the last few seasons as a whole. It has gotten better as of this season. Overall - we need to play better. We need more talent. On offense, I think it starts with ball movement. We have 2 guys who's passing games stand out. Bender and Ulis. Bender is still such an unknown and Ulis, as much as I love his game, is probably not a long term starter. One of our core starters needs to be able to set the others up proficiently. We don't have that. Booker is decent at it. But that's not his strength. Just as stated above, IMO, Ball is just what this team needs. With the point guard pedigree that PHX is used to, I'm surprised more people don't agree. Regardless of who his daddy is.

I agree with much of this except I'm not convinced that Ulis can't a solid starter in this league. I don't think he's anywhere near the player he will become nor is he anywhere close to the physical specimen he can be once he fully matures. He will always be short but he sees the court well enough to not be overly hampered by that, it's just a case of him filling out some IMO.

Let me follow it up by saying that I agree with you. I'm not absolutely convinced either. The fan in me wants him to be our long term option at the starting PG position. No doubt about it. (He's my starter on 2k) The skeptic in me, however, has me leery. I just wonder where the FO falls on the issue. Im thinking maybe somewhere in the middle like me. I'm sure they would love for their future all star starting point guard to already be on the team. However, if Lonzo falls to us or if a reasonable opportunity arises to trade up for him (if he is, in fact, rated that high on their board) can they afford to make that bet??


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[Kerrsed]

I would say realistically, not at all. Between their cap situation and the fact that they're the LAKERS, I don't think any other team, besides maybe the Clippers, could pull this off like they could.

Exactly. I also did one with the Clippers in the Offseason thread, with us landing Jordan.

[Qwigglez]

Regarding the Lakers:

If the Lakers really offered a salary dump of Deng and #2 in exchange for #4, then LOOK OUT! That means that they are clearing cap space for a new big 3. Perhaps CP3 this year, #4 for PG3, and someone else next year. How crazy would it be if CP3 and PG3 wind up in LA this summer and the Lakers make the playoffs this year? McDonough would be saved from that horrible BK trade.

I just doubt that the Lakers front office has the brain power to pull this (see last paragraph) off. Although...worth mentioning...Jeanie and Magic would be like a lame duck president. That would be perfect for GM LeBron. Bron Bron and CP3 could pull the strings with Jeanie and Magic being empty suits.

See, to me, the Lakers have a good opportunity to finally unite the Super Friends.

Lebron is interested in LA, and said he would be willing to take less money to make it happen. Im sure the Lakers could find a way to land CP3. They fill him in on the plan and he opts out of his player option for the season and signs with them. That would be one player down and 2 or 3 to go.

Melo would be easy to obtain from the Knicks as well. Jackson doesnt want him anymore and they are pretty much willing to just dump him, but he has the final say due to his no-trade clause. Melo says yes to LA.

So that gives them CP3 and Melo. Lakers could trade a few of their players, along with their draft pick to land PG13 a year early.

CP3/PG13/????/Melo/Moz

That leaves a hole for them to nab LeBron the year after, then exceed the cap to re-sign PG13 and Melo to somewhat more affordable contracts.

Superfriends United!

Most likely wont happen, but could very easily happen if Magic knows how to GM.

Couldn't this be applied to any team, since none of the main players in this scenario are actually on the Lakers RIGHT NOW?

We could easily trade Knight to the Nets for Trevor Booker. His contract expires after this season. Go into the 2018 off-season sitting at around 45mil in total salary. Could go after top tier free agents while still having Bledsoe, Booker, Bender, Chriss, and the No 4 pick. Or we could trade the No 4 pick along with the Miami picks for Butler and still go into the 2018 off-season with maybe 50mil in cap space.
Point is we have a lot of options, we don't necessarily have to build through the draft. We could have the super friends United plus Booker.

[Blonde]

I'd be more keen on Isaac if our offense had more ball movement/cutting to get him open looks. It seems like he'll just be another guy sitting on the perimeter. Everyone keeps calling Tatum a ball stopper and iso player but he brings more to the table than Isaac does as a passer and cutter, and might be better on the catch and shoot.

When you look at GSW, everyone always looks at the ball movement and spacing, but I think one of the keys to that is that every player can bring the ball up the court off a rebound and push it forward. I don't trust Isaac to develop into a player who can grab and go like that, while I saw Tatum do it a lot in Duke's offense.

When comparing the two, I value Tatum's ball handling, feel for the game, passing instincts, and ability to score at the FT line (at an ELITE level) above Isaac's freakish length and potential defensive versatility.

[WeekapaugGroove]

I've come around on Tatum defensively. Theres really no reason he can't be at least an above average defender. He's not a freak but he's reasonably long, he's got a good frame so shouldn't get bullied even if he slides down into the post, and while he's not lightning quick he's not some lead footed guy either. Really it will come down to desire and awareness and by all accounts he's a good hard working dude so I'll give him the benefit of the doubt on those two traits.

It's why even though I'm still a little higher on Isaac I wouldn't have any problem if the Suns took Tatum at 4. He's a good prospect.

[bwgood77]

1. Boston (from Brooklyn) — Markelle Fultz, PG, Washington. It’s been a bit more interesting than it probably should have been. It’s not often that the presumptive No. 1 pick does a workout with the team holding the top pick, but the two guys with the best shot at disrupting that pick — in this case, Josh Jackson and Lonzo Ball — decline to work out for the team. The Celtics’ best move would be to shrug and move on to the obvious decision, which is taking Fultz.

2. LA Lakers — Lonzo Ball, PG, UCLA. There’s enough smoke around the heated rumors suggesting that the Lakers had second thoughts on Ball and decided to look elsewhere to think that there’s some fire to them. But it appears that there is merely some internal questioning about whether to make Ball the pick here, and that Ball is still in the mix, along with Jackson and De’Aaron Fox. And by draft night, when the smoke clears, the bet here is that Ball is the pick.

3. Philadelphia — Josh Jackson, SF, Kansas. Of course, Ball’s fate will resonate through the top 10 of the draft, and Philadelphia would have a tough decision if Jackson is gone when they pick. Ideally, the Sixers want some wing production in this draft, and that would mean passing on Fox or Ball to go for Jayson Tatum. Instead, if everything goes according to projection, Jackson will be their man.

4. Phoenix — Jonathan Isaac, SF, Florida State. If the Suns are ready to commit to positionless basketball, Isaac is their man. He is a very athletic combo forward who would give the Suns an intriguing pairing alongside fellow youngster Marquese Chriss. With Fox, and possibly Ball, on the table, though, the Suns would have a tough choice if they went for a point guard, even if it means trading away star guard Eric Bledsoe.

5. Sacramento — De’Aaron Fox, PG, Kentucky. The Kings want a point guard, and Fox is the guy they want most. There’s been some talk that the Kings would swap the fifth and 10th picks to move up to the Sixers’ No. 3 in order to draft Fox, but the Kings would be better served keeping both picks and taking the chance that Fox is on the board here, with Dennis Smith Jr. or Frank Ntilikina as a backup plan.

6. Orlando — Dennis Smith Jr., PG, North Carolina State. The Magic could be the most interesting of the top-10 teams, with a new regime in the front office and some tough questions to answer about a roster that has not come together. Jayson Tatum makes sense here, but there’s uncertainty about whether point guard Elfrid Payton can be the guy going forward. Smith could give the Magic something they’ve desperately lacked — a consistent scorer who can run the pick-and-roll, finish at the rim and anchor the offense.

7. Minnesota — Lauri Markkanen, PF, Arizona. The Wolves are continuing their pursuit of solutions at point guard, but they do need someone who can serve as a stretch-4. If any of the "Big Three" point men slip, the Wolves would probably scoop them up. Or they could take a shot on Ntilikina or Dennis Smith Jr. But Markkanen’s value as a big shooter is pretty low-hanging fruit, and the Wolves can definitely check a box by taking him.

8. New York — Jayson Tatum, SF, Duke. Someone is going to slip out of the group of four or five top prospects, and the bet here is Tatum, a good shooter with a high basketball IQ and a smooth offensive game. He happens to play the same position as a current Knick with a smooth offensive game, but that does not matter. If he is around at eight, the Knicks should grab him and figure out their Carmelo Anthony situation later. If Tatum is not here, Malik Monk figures to get serious consideration.

9. Dallas — Frank Ntilikina, PG, France. The Mavericks need to add depth of talent all over the roster, and though they plan to pursue free-agent point guards, Ntilikina could be a long-term answer. He is raw, but he’s a 6-5 point guard who has already shown the ability to be a lockdown defensive player on the perimeter and a talented playmaker. Comparisons to Dennis Schroeder are common for him.

10. Sacramento — (from New Orleans). Malik Monk, SG, Kentucky. The only concern about Monk is that he is 6-3. If he were 6-6 and had the same ability to knock down shots, he would probably go in the top four, and even at his height, he will get considerations from teams higher than this. Consistency has also been a question mark — for example, after he had his stunning 47-point display against North Carolina in December, he followed by scoring 17 on 6-for-17 shooting against Louisville. But he was 18 for most of the season, and 18-year-old shooters are naturally inconsistent.

11. Charlotte — OG Anunoby, SF, Indiana. The Hornets could add to their stockpile of young big men here. Or they could do something novel: Take a risk, something to which this franchise has been averse for years. Anunoby is out with a torn ACL he suffered in January and will need time — maybe all of next year — to recover. But he is a tough perimeter defender who was on his way to being a lottery pick before the injury. The Hornets badly need to upgrade their defense, and Anuonby is a guy who can do that, with some patience. If not Anuonby, the Hornets could still focus on the wing with the likes of Terrance Ferguson, Donovan Mitchell or Luke Kennard.

12. Detroit — Luke Kennard, SG, Duke. Kennard has made sense for the Pistons all along, and the way he has shot the ball in workouts has helped make him go from a stretch for this team to a very solid outcome, should he still be on the board. He made 43.8 percent of his 3-pointers last year, and though he projects to be a defensive liability in the NBA, shooting is at a premium, especially in Detroit.

13. Denver — Zach Collins, C, Gonzaga. Collins played only 17.3 minutes per game for Gonzaga, but his per-40-minute stats are the reason teams have such interest: 23.2 points, 13.6 rebounds, 4.1 blocked shots and 65.2 percent shooting. He has shown flashes of range out to the 3-point line, and has potential as a high-post playmaker. Collins’ limited playing time means there are questions about his defense and conditioning, but his potential is obvious.

14. Miami — Donovan Mitchell, SG, Louisville. The Heat have a need at power forward, but they expect to address that through free agency — anyone they choose here would require time to be an NBA contributor. Mitchell is a dynamic and athletic scorer who could help the Heat brace for Dion Waiters’ free agency.

http://www.sportingnews.com/nba/news/nba-mock-draft-2017-rumors-order-projections-rankings-celtics-lakers-sixers-markelle-fultz-lonzo-ball-josh-jackson/1gaqcubaannj415d36bax2zpmt