Sonics Rising - 2015 SB Nation Mock NBA DraftThe sane voice of the Sonics' return to Seattlehttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/51481/sonicsrising-fav.png2015-06-23T14:00:03-07:00http://www.sonicsrising.com/rss/stream/85865462015-06-23T14:00:03-07:002015-06-23T14:00:03-07:00Silver Screen & Roll gets 30th pick, selects...
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<figcaption>Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p><span>After trying to capitalize on a surprisingly effective Finals performance and unload David Lee's expiring contract in order to make more room for <span>Draymond Green</span>, the <a href="https://www.goldenstateofmind.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Warriors</a> have decided to trade their pick to the LA <a href="https://www.silverscreenandroll.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Lakers</a> for #34 and a 2017 second rounder.<br></span></p>
<h4>The Los Angeles Lakers select point guard <span>Delon Wright</span> from the University of Utah</h4>
<p dir="ltr"><b>Lucas: </b>The Lakers walk away today with a trio of young talented guards, as they now have <span>Jordan Clarkson</span>, Delon Wright and Rashad Vaughn. Wright is an incredibly gifted defender, as he averaged 2.4 steals per game last season. It will take time, but I believe that in a few years Wright will be one of the best one ball defenders, particularly on point guards in the NBA. At 6’6" he has great height for the point guard position, but he also possesses a great feel of the game, he is a natural at running the pick and roll and is a very good at finding open shooters wherever the are on the floor. Wright and Okafor should make for a great pairing, and Lakers fans should expect him to challenge Clarkson for the starting point guard position within the next 2-3 years.</p>
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<p><b>Dontae:</b> The Lakers are sneakily building a very underrated group of guards. As Lucas mentioned, the Clarkson, Vaughn, Wright trio has a real good shot at being a very effective rotation, if the Lakers don’t deal them away for a star at moments notice.</p>
<p>Wright has a very crafty style of play on offense, able to get where he wants to on the floor in a variety of situations and circumstances. His size aids in this as he can get passes all over the floor this way. He can guard both guard positions, with great hands and tremendous anticipation going for steals. He does have some glaring issues.</p>
<p>For one, he can’t shoot to save his life (30 percent from three in two season), and he doesn’t finish at the rim (though he does get to the free throw line quite a bit). Still, this is a solid pick next to Vaughn and Clarkson, they have the makings of a interesting group…..or they can end up like the Portland Trailblazers former potential bench stars trio of <span>Allen Crabbe</span>, <span>CJ McCollum</span>, and <span>Will Barton</span>.</p>
<p><b>Kevin:</b> Another young guard? Is the age of Kobe already done despite the LA Faithful saying it will never die… Just got a text to go to Temecula.</p>
<p>Anyway, Wright is a solid defender and with his length will create a lot of havoc in the lanes. He’s got a sweet first step, but once he gets to the rim he has a hard time finishing the shot, especially against bigger bodies.</p>
<p><span>He’s got decent handles and probably can play point on the NBA level in a pinch, would be a lot more trustworthy with the ball than Swaggy P because you never know when that dude is going to do a pull-up 74 footer just to impress some people. </span></p>
<p><b>Taylor: </b>Is the <span>Jordan Clarkson</span> experiment over? I thought he was a building block for the future. Maybe he still is and this is a depth move, but I could see Wright eclipsing Clarkson for the starting position in time.</p>
<p>I think the Lakers made a good move here, as I had Wright in the early 20s on my big board. Only using a 2017 second rounder to move up and get him gives them a tall, long point guard who can both score the ball and set up his teammates. He isn't your prototypical new school point guard who relies on athleticism, he's more clever and keeps his opponents off balance with a variety of moves and a slick handle. He has a strong ability to get to the rim and either finish or draw fouls and shoots free throws at an 84% clip.</p>
https://www.sonicsrising.com/2015/6/23/8834629/sb-nation-mock-draft-los-angeles-lakers-delon-wrightTaylor MadeLucas ShannonInfomantaeKevin Nesgoda2015-06-23T13:30:02-07:002015-06-23T13:30:02-07:00With the 29th pick, Blog a Bull selects...
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<h4>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.blogabull.com/">Chicago Bulls</a> have selected <span>Rakeem Christmas</span> from Syracuse with the 29th pick</h4>
<p dir="ltr"><b>Lucas:</b> Rakeem Christmas at 29 is a complete surprise to me. Personally, I don’t view Christmas as a first round pick. He does possess an impressive 7’5" wingspan, and is a talented rim protector, and a very athletic finishes, capable of throwing down some impressive dunks. However, Christmas’s motor has always been a question, and the fact that he hasn’t show consistent effort and also the fact that he lacks any sort of meaningful back to the basket game is reason enough for me to say believe he isn’t worth a first round pick.</p>
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<p><span><b>Dontae:</b> Christmas is a 23 year old, one year wonder. Before his senior year at Syracuse, Christmas was nowhere to be found. That’s a red flag to me. At the end of the first round, the best teams make shrewd and calculated moves with an eye on underrated players than can develop or overseas prospects that they can bring over in a few years (see the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.poundingtherock.com/">San Antonio Spurs</a>). This was not one of those moves. Christmas is a second round pick in every sense of the word. He’s athletic, long, and can block shots. He’s also undersized, gets beat up in the post, and has a questionable work ethic. This is a wasted pick.<br class="kix-line-break"><br class="kix-line-break"><b>Kevin: </b>The Bulls could have gotten something a lot better here. If they were going to reach this far here might as well have grabbed Maryland’s <span>Dez Wells</span>. Wells would have been a better fit and addressed more of a position of need here.</span></p>
<p><b>Taylor: </b>Christmas isn't even the best <i>Orange </i>player available. I would take <span>Chris McCullough</span> over him. <span>Jarell Martin</span> or <span>Jonathan Holmes</span> also would have been better picks. Hell, I might even take a gamble on <span>Cliff Alexander</span> here. I just don't get this one. Apparently he impressed at the Combine with his mid-range jumper, but to me he's a <span>DeAndre Jordan</span> light.</p>
https://www.sonicsrising.com/2015/6/23/8834469/sb-nation-mock-draft-chicago-bulls-rakeem-christmasTaylor MadeInfomantaeKevin NesgodaLucas Shannon2015-06-23T13:00:03-07:002015-06-23T13:00:03-07:00With the 28th pick, Celtics Blog selects...
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<h4><span>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.celticsblog.com/">Boston Celtics</a> select <span>Christian Wood</span> from UNLV with the 28th pick</span></h4>
<p dir="ltr"><b>Lucas:</b> The Celtics are smart to take a gamble and select Wood with their 28th pick, as he has oodles of potential. At 6’11" and a 7’3" wingspan, Woods has a great frame and the length to become a NBA quality power forward. He averaged 15.5 points and 9.8 rebounds last season, and also recorded 2.6 blocks per game. Wood combines impressive athleticism with a nice looking shooting stroke, (though it seems he has yet to figure out his three point shot, as he only knocked down 27.8% of his long balls last season) and can also get up and down the court very quickly. At 220 pounds, Woods will need to put on a serious amount of weight if he is ever going to be able defend NBA power forwards and become at the very least a decent defender. The concerns about his motor are a concern, but the Celtics aren’t expecting him to become a star,and is worth the risk.</p>
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<p><span><b>Dontae:</b> Looking at Wood is like looking at <span>John Henson</span>, long, lanky, full of potential, and a nightmare to project. He has a solid face up game, blocks shots like all over the place, and will get absolutely destroyed in the post in the NBA. The Celtics picked a player full of potential, which is a great value pick here. He could be a Brandon Wright or Henson, and he also could be out of the league in three years. With a bit of work, he should be solid rotation piece.</span></p>
<p><b>Taylor: </b>I thought Wood would go before Vaughn. Shows what I know. Wood is a long, lean power forward who may have some trouble guarding bigger, stronger guys on the block. However, in today's NBA, he could become that coveted stretch-4 if he improves his jump shot. He gets a lot of rebounds despite his slender frame, mostly because of his athleticism. He's a high-energy guy who can jump up for put back dunks. I don't know how good of a fit Boston is, since I think Wood would fair better in a more free-flowing, fast break offense.</p>
<p><b>Kevin</b>: Not sure the skills are there for him to become a stretch-4 in the league. If you shoot under 28% from the college three on just over three shots a game from range you have issues that might not be able to be fixed. He does attack the rim well, he finishes extremely well at the rim, has a sweet touch on the eight footer, but his range maxes out at about 12-15 right now.</p>
<p>He's long, he rebounds and blocks shots. A lot of things that the Celts need.</p>
https://www.sonicsrising.com/2015/6/23/8834189/sb-nation-mock-draft-boston-celtics-christian-woodTaylor MadeInfomantaeLucas ShannonKevin Nesgoda2015-06-23T12:30:02-07:002015-06-23T12:30:02-07:00With the 27th pick, Silver Screen & Roll selects...
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<figcaption>Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<h4 style="margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span><b>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.silverscreenandroll.com/">Los Angeles Lakers</a> select <span>Rashad Vaughn</span> from UNLV</b></span></h4>
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<p><b>From Silver Screen and Roll: </b><span>Vaughn's a player the Lakers took a look at during the pre-draft workout process and fills out many needs. He's one of the youngest players in the draft at 18 but has great size to play shooting guard at the NBA level. His potential as a physical, athletic defender is really the cherry on top for why LA singled him out. He shot 38.3 percent from deep in college and proved capable of hitting from NBA-three range. The Lakers desperately need help on the perimeter offensively, and Vaughn is an intriguing prospect to work with.</span></p>
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<p style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" dir="ltr"><span><b>Kevin:</b></span><span> I like Vaughn’s game for the most part. He’s got an NBA body at the age of 18, he’s a confident shooter and he’s a decent defender.<br><br></span></p>
<p><b style="line-height: 1.38;">Lucas:</b><span> </span><span> Vaughn is the type of prospect NBA front offices tend to fall in love with, standing at 6’5" with a 6’7" wingspan, Vaughn has the prototypical size and length for the shooting guard position, and at just 18 years old, he practically oozes potential. Vaughn didn’t jump up the board as I expected him to do because of his age, but that is just fine with the Lakers, as they pick a very nice prospect in Vaughn. he is an above average three point shooter, as he knocked down 38.3% of his shots from deep during his lone season for the Runnin’ Rebels. He also showed the ability to fill up the stat sheet, as he averaged 17.8 points per game. His assist to turnover ratio (1.6 assists to 2.2 turnovers per game) is concerning, even for a shooting guard, but one should expect that to improve as he matures. He will also need to make considerable improvements on the defensive end, luckily for him, the Lakers are in no position to make the playoffs next year (sorry, Lakers fans) which should allow them to take their time and develop him properly.</span></p>
<p><b style="line-height: 1.38;">Dontae:</b><b style="line-height: 1.38;"> </b><span>A respectable pick. Vaughn is the type of player that he doesn’t "wow" you with his game, but you look up after a few minutes and all of a sudden he has 20 points. Vaughn can score. Off the dribble, curling around screens, at the basket, in contact, in isolations, Vaughn can score. He’s a solid defender with ok size (6’5", 6’7"wingspan) that won’t lock anyone down, but he will make them work for their opportunities (think along the lines of a <span>Danny Green</span> or a <span>Klay Thompson</span>).</span></p>
<p><span>Vaughn has the <span>Lou Williams</span>, <span>Jamal Crawford</span> mentality that the Lakers should utilize well off the bench for years to come.</span></p>
<p><b>Taylor: </b>Vaughn is the second youngest player in this draft and has a tendency to play like he's Skip To My Lou down at Rucker Park. He can be a little too flashy at times and I'm not sure LA is the best spot for him. Can Kobe keep him in line? <span>Nick Young</span> says no, but I'm not sure anyone could keep Swaggy P in line.</p>
<p>Vaughn is a solid scorer, though, and his length gives him the ability to be a great defender if he can get his head into it. His biggest weaknesses are his free throw shooting and his basketball IQ, but if he can stay focused he has the potential.</p>
<p><b>Kevin</b>: Who wouldn't be entertained by him and Swaggy P on the court at the same time? I do think he develops into a decent overall role player in the league, but starting off with this Laker team is not the place to do it.</p>
https://www.sonicsrising.com/2015/6/23/8833795/sb-nation-mock-draft-los-angeles-lakers-rashad-vaughnTaylor MadeKevin NesgodaInfomantaeLucas Shannon2015-06-23T12:00:03-07:002015-06-23T12:00:03-07:00With the 26th pick, Pounding the Rock selects...
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<h4><span>With the 26th pick of the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/nba-draft">NBA draft</a>, the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.poundingtherock.com/">San Antonio Spurs</a> select Nikola Milutinov of Partizan Belgrade in the Basketball League of Serbia. </span></h4>
<p><b>From Pounding the Rock: </b>He's huge and moves well for a seven footer. Can catch and finish. In a couple of years he could become a decent low usage, high efficiency guy who can play solid defense.</p>
<p><span>Tyler Zeller</span> is a good comparison. A poor man´s Mozgov is the best case scenario. He's big but not too strong, skilled but not a go-to guy on offense or an anchor on defense. Probably tops out at third big but if he adds muscle, he could be a very good reserve, think <span>Kosta Koufos</span>.</p>
<p><b>Taylor: </b>Of course they do.</p>
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<p><b>Kevin:</b> This is such a Spurs type pick. I didn’t have him in my top 50 for draft picks mostly because I thought he’d be a year or two out from joining whatever team drafted him in the NBA. He’s got a nose for the ball in the rebounding area of the gym. He’s also very smooth for a man his size. He flows like a guard and can handle the ball decently well for a big.</p>
<p>He doesn’t need plays run from him and he has a nose for being in the right position at the right time. He’s got a high basketball IQ and I’m sure that Pop will turn him into a star eventually, no <span>Tim Duncan</span>, but something… okay he’s not going to be one of the five best players ever. Maybe top 500?</p>
<p><b>Dontae: </b>The Spurs are going to do what the Spurs are going to do. This is a solid draft-and-stash prospect. Milutinov has the look of a solid NBA big man. He’s good at rolling to the rim and finishing, possess the foundations of a respectable low post game, and he knows how to use his strength and position to be effective on the offensive and defensive boards (he averaged a video game like 5.8 offensive rebounds per-40 minutes pace adjusted, in the Adriatic League this past season).</p>
<p>He’s still raw on the defensive end, and needs to fill out more, but he has the makings of the perfect developmental draft pick the Spurs excel at plucking from around the world. The Spurs going to Spur.</p>
<p><b>Lucas: </b>Milutinov certainly seems to be an NBA athlete, as he is able to run the floor remarkably fast for his size as a seven footer. He is also very comfortable playing above the rim, as he catches lobs and dump off passes with ease, (i’m sure it will be refreshing for Spurs fans to watch a seven footer dunk the ball with ease after watching <span>Tiago Splitter</span> struggle to convert dunks the last two seasons.) He is a decent post up threat, though it still remains to be seen if he will be able to pass well enough to gain the trust of Popovich, as their offense thrives on having big men who can pass. Milutinov doesn’t protect the rim very well for his size, as he only averages 1.3 block per game, and also needs to put on some serious weight before he can be big enough to bang in the post, as he is currently 220 pounds. Still, Milutinov is a promising prospect, and should develop nicely in the Spurs system.</p>
https://www.sonicsrising.com/2015/6/23/8833737/sb-nation-mock-draft-san-antonio-spurs-nikola-milutinovTaylor MadeKevin NesgodaInfomantaeLucas Shannon2015-06-23T11:30:02-07:002015-06-23T11:30:02-07:00With the 25th pick, Grizzly Bear Blues selects...
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<h4>The <a href="https://www.grizzlybearblues.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Memphis Grizzlies</a> select <span>Sam Dekker</span> from the University of Wisconsin at #25</h4>
<p dir="ltr"><b>From Grizzly Bear Blues: </b>The Grizzlies would have loved to have been able to make a move by either adding talent from another roster or moving up in the 1st round this year, but we just didn't have the right assets to pull off a significant trade. The main piece we'd like to trade, <span>Jeff Green</span>, isn't a on the table because of his pending player option. No one wants any of <span>Vince Carter</span> or Jon Leuer. Courtney Lee might be sought after, but trading away one of your only shooters with perimeter shooting being your primary need seems unproductive. No one will value <span>Zach Randolph</span> or <span>Tony Allen</span> the way we do, and <span>Mike Conley</span> is essential for us re-signing <span>Marc Gasol</span>.</p>
<p>So here we are at #25, and by the Dome of Adam Silver if a top 15 player in Sam Dekker hasn't fallen into our laps. The NCAA Tourney star will give the Grizzlies the most well-rounded small forward they've had since overpaying for <span>Rudy Gay</span> years ago, and can hopefully develop his outside shot into a consistent weapon for Memphis. This leaves us still searching for a knock-down shooter as we head into free agency, but we just couldn't pass up the talent of Dekker this late in the draft.</p>
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<p><b>Kevin:</b> Dekker might also be a player who has pretty much peaked here in his career. I think he can develop into a solid 3-and-D player off the bench for an NBA team, but he’s not going to be a long term starter.</p>
<p>I do like that he can play three spots on offence in the NBA, he’s got decent handles and has a smooth stroke. He can also probably play three positions on defense for the Grizzlies. I don’t think he’s athletic enough to create his own shot in the league, so he better start practicing being consistent on knocking down that corner three pointer.</p>
<p>The people of Nashville will eventually grow to love this guy.</p>
<p><b>Lucas:</b> The fact that Sam Dekker is still available at 25 is nothing less than shocking, as he was projected by many as a top 15 pick. While it must be disappointing to Dekker to fall so far out of the lottery, the Grizzlies front office is certainly ecstatic that he was still available this late in the first round. While Dekker does not solve the Grizzlies most pressing issue, which is a lack of outside shooting (he shot 31.6 from three last season and 34.8 for his career) he will solve their second most pressing issue, which is lack of Small Forward depth. While Tony Allen is still one of the best perimeter defenders in the league, his offensive struggles are well documented. Similarly, midseason addition Jeff Green has been largely disappointing during his time in Memphis, and i’d look for Dekker to possibly take some of his minutes by the end of the season.</p>
<p><b>Dontae: </b>Sam Dekker falling out of the lottery to the Grizzlies might sound like good news, but I’d be singing the blues if I was Memphis. Not that Dekker isn’t a great player, but he might be too much like the most frustrating player they have presently on their roster: Jeff Green.</p>
<p>Dekker has the reputation of a knock-down outside shooter when, as Lucas pointed out, he’s shot 31.6 from three last season, 34.8 for his career, and 69.5 percent from the free throw line. His explosion in the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/march-madness" class="sbn-auto-link">NCAA tournament</a> had a bit to do with that assessment. Dekker is sneaky athletic, having posterized his fair share of victims last year. He can post up smaller players and take bigger guys off the dribble effectively. He just does none of these things consistently enough to warrant "star" status.</p>
<p>Like Green, you keep waiting for him to put it all together, but he never consistently does it. On a Memphis team that is ripe for championship contention, Dekker may very well be the fill-in-the-gaps type of wing that the Grizz so desperately need, but isn’t that what we said about Jeff Green?</p>
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<b>Taylor: </b>Dekker is a very good player and led the Badgers to the Championship game along with Kaminsky. He has an NBA body and an NBA game and should be able to contribute right away. This is a steal for Memphis this late in the draft. While Dekker is primarily a spot-up shooter, he can get to the rim and is creative when he gets there, with a strong ability to draw fouls. He is unselfish and is a good teammate. He has a good nose for the ball and rebounds well, especially on long rebounds. He's not the best athlete but he has good lateral quickness and hustles up the floor. He often settles for poor shots or hesitates on offense, but he has a pretty good basketball IQ. He just needs to be a little more aggressive on both ends of the floor and needs the ability to create his own shot. The talent is there, it's up to coach Joerger to bring it out of him and make him play up to his full potential.</div>
https://www.sonicsrising.com/2015/6/23/8833361/sb-nation-mock-draft-memphis-grizzlies-sam-dekkerTaylor MadeKevin NesgodaInfomantaeLucas Shannon2015-06-23T11:00:02-07:002015-06-23T11:00:02-07:00With the 24th pick, Brew Hoop selects...
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<a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.brewhoop.com/">Bucks</a> select <span>Tyus Jones</span> from Duke</h4>
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<b>From Brew Hoop: </b>On paper the Bucks are already loaded with young point guards; unfortunately they're not yet loaded with <i>really good </i>point guards. As a result, they may not be able to pass up a player with Tyus Jones' skill and potential, especially this late in the first round. Despite turning 19 only weeks ago, Jones was a crucial component of Duke's title-winning team last spring, providing an intriguing combination of playmaking, shooting and big-game cajones despite lacking ideal size for a point guard. The latter issue is the primary reason Jones could slip to the latter half of the first round, despite the fact that he projects as <a href="http://www.draftexpress.com/article/Analytics-Models-and-the-NBA-Draft-5021/" target="_blank">a top-ten talent by virtually every advanced projection model</a>.</div>
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<div>Honorable mention goes to fellow advanced stat darling <span>Delon Wright</span>, whose length and defensive versatility would fit more neatly with the Bucks' existing defensive system.</div>
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<p dir="ltr"><b>Kevin:</b><b> </b> The Bucks needed another point guard because <span>Michael Carter-Williams</span> is not the answer there in the long term. MCW peaked in college and they might have just drafted another player who peaked in college too.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><span>Houston was smart to pass on him and go with the more NBA ready Grant. Jones won’t be able to guard most point guards in the NBA (except maybe MCW). On the plus side he can finish, he can run the pick and roll with pretty good precision and he’s definitely a point guard.</span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span>Maybe he replaces Bayless long term as the backup, but I really don’t see him as a long term starter at the point guard position in the NBA.</span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><b>Taylor: </b>MCW, <span>Tyler Ennis</span>, <span>Jerryd Bayless</span>, Jorge Guiterrez, and now Tyus Jones. Whoaaaaa mama, that's a lot of point guards. Gutierrez is a restricted free agent and the Bucks wouldn't lose anything by letting him go. I'd rather give minutes to Jones over Bayless and Ennis is still an enigma. I still think the Bucks could use some depth at shooting guard instead, but this isn't a bad pick. Jones is the kind of talent you don't expect to be available this late and if he is, you kind of have to snatch him up. This glut of point guards could be a precursor to more deals, or it could just be because <span>Jason Kidd</span> has shown an affinity for playing two point guards at once. Either way, a solid pick.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><b>Lucas</b><b>: </b>Tyus Jones to the Bucks at 24 is surprising to me for two reasons: the first being I didn’t expect Jones to be available this late in the draft. I am also surprised that the Bucks decided to take Jones, considering the fact that they already have <span>Tyler Ennis</span> and <span>Jerryd Bayless</span> as backup point guards, not to mention Michael Carter Williams at the helm. Some may view this selection as a sign that the front office does not have faith in MCW as the point guard of the future for this team. However, I’m not sure that is the case, I believe it is a sign that the team doesn’t believe that Tyler Ennis will ever become a serviceable NBA point guard, and view Jones as a capable backup in the short term, and if he beats out MCW for the starting point guard position, so be it. Jones’s lack of size is well documented, and the fact that he only converted 41.7% of his field goals this season is a legitimate concern. Still, Jones has a great feel for the game, and possesses good foot speed and speed, and should be able to create scoring advantages for his teammates in the open court.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><b>Dontae:</b> The Bucks getting Tyus Jones this late in the draft is a steal. They need a point guard that can shoot and run the offense. As skilled as <span>Michael Carter-Williams</span> is, <span>Ricky Rubio</span> and <span>Rajon Rondo</span> are showing that your team is going to struggle in today’s NBA if your lead guard doesn’t shoot well from outside. Tyus Jones fits that bill to a "T."</p>
<p dir="ltr"><span>Jones is the truest point guard in this draft, and next to athletes like Giannis and Parker, with a shooter <span>Khris Middleton</span> on the wing, Jones has a the makings of a great fit on this Bucks team. He may even be able to play with MCW given his shooting ability. He made 43 percent of his pull up jumpers and 39 percent of his spot up attempts this past season. That bodes well for Jones in the NBA. </span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span>Alas, his lack of defensive tools and physical attributes may make him a liability to play with on the other side of the ball. Jones will get bullied facing most starting point guards in the NBA today. His lack of effort on that end compounds his issues. His lack of strength contributes to his lack of ability to finish at the rim (44 percent) as well.</span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span>The Bucks may have the best situation to mask those issues, though. With a Hall of Fame point guard as a coach in Jason Kidd, Jones has the best teacher on for his future roaming the sidelines. He has a fellow guard in MCW that could guard the tougher defensive assignments on most nights. He can also play off the ball with MCW, easing his need to hunt shots in the paint (along with <span>Jabari Parker</span>’s role as the main scoring option and Giannis development as a swiss army knife).</span></p>
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https://www.sonicsrising.com/2015/6/23/8833275/sb-nation-mock-draft-milwaukee-bucks-tyus-jonesTaylor MadeKevin NesgodaInfomantaeLucas Shannon2015-06-23T10:30:02-07:002015-06-23T10:30:02-07:00With the 23rd pick, Blazers Edge selects...
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<p dir="ltr"><span>Blazers select <span>Robert Upshaw</span> from the University of Washington</span></p>
<p><br class="kix-line-break"><b>Kevin: </b>Upshaw has the NBA body already, not sure about his mental makeup though. He's primarily a paint scorer and I don't expect him to develop a jumper or anything like that in the near future that will make him a threat to step away from the hoop. He scores with great efficiency around the hoop, a lot like a DeAndre Jordan type.</p>
<p>Could he develop into an NBA starter? I don't think so and I honestly think some seasoning the in D-League is what is best for him.</p>
<p><b>Taylor: </b> The Blazers seem to have taken the mantle of drafting big men every year to put next to their stud power forward. <span>Robin Lopez</span> is a solid NBA player, but he's no superstar. Myers Leonard is a fringe starter at best. Upshaw has the potential to be a star, but also has the potential to be a ticking time bomb. If he had his head on straight, Upshaw could be a lottery pick. As it stands now, he has been dismissed from two different programs for extra curricular activities and money tends to worsen those kinds of actions. However, Upshaw has been working with a life coach and is doing his best to turn his life around. If he can, the Blazers get a steal here in the Huskies' all time blocked shots leader.</p>
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<p><b>Dontae:</b> Apparently it’s true when they say that length will always have a place in the NBA. Upshaw, dismissed from two separate universities, has found a home down the street in Portland. He’s either going to be out of the league in two years or he’s going to be a beast. This is the ultimate boom-or-bust pick for the Blazers.</p>
<p>He is a beast on defense, averaging 4.5 blocks per game before he was dismissed from the Huskies. Opponents shot 38% from the floor when he was on the court for the UW. He excels on the boards, and was <span>DeAndre Jordan</span> in the paint finishing attempts (75%).</p>
<p>On the other hand, he’s not much of anything outside of 5 feet, even shooting 43% from the charity stripe. He would be an upgrade skill-wise for what the Blazers need in the middle (even over <span>Robin Lopez</span>), but it would take some time for him to reach his potential. I ultimately don’t believe in Upshaw, maybe he has some redeeming qualities, but I just don’t see it.</p>
<p><span><b>Lucas: </b></span><span>Robert Upshaw from Washington is arguably a top five talent in this draft, and may have something to say to me for anointing <span>Willie Cauley-Stein</span> the best defender in this draft. He averaged 4.5 blocks per game during his 19 games last season, which led the nation at the time. At 7’0" and 255 pounds, Upshaw is an intimidating presence, and that is before you even factor in his 7’5.5" wingspan and his jumping ability. Upshaw also has impressive foot speed for his height, as he is able to cover the entire paint with relative ease. </span></p>
<p><span>Offensively, Upshaw possesses a nice right handed hook shot, and also has a passable fadeaway, but he scores the majority of his points by pinning the defense close to the hoop and dunking. He also has great hands and is able to catch lobs, and is fast enough to beat his defender in transition and score. The main concern with Upshaw is his off the court issues, as he was dismissed from the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.uwdawgpound.com/">Washington Huskies</a> team after violating team rules. Upshaw is certainly a gamble, he is an athlete with incredible timing on defense and a nice touch on offense, but is also unreliable, and it is hard to know if past issues are truly in the past. Drafting him in the first round (thereby giving him a guaranteed contract) could come back to haunt the Blazers, but they are desperate for front court depth, and if Upshaw can stay out of trouble, he has a chance to be one of the best true centers Portland has had in a long, long time.</span></p>
https://www.sonicsrising.com/2015/6/23/8833075/sb-nation-mock-draft-portland-trail-blazers-robert-upshawTaylor MadeKevin NesgodaInfomantaeLucas Shannon