With the NBA Draft less than three
weeks away let's take a look at the top prospects from a Mavs-centric
point of view. After all the Mavs with the ninth pick will be picking
the highest they have since they drafted a certain 7 foot German all
those years ago. This is not necessarily how I would rank these
players based on pure talent but on possible fit for the Mavericks.
1. Markelle Fultz, PG, Washington
Fultz is the consensus #1 pick in the
draft for a reason. He has all the tools you look for in an elite point guard such as size, quickness and shooting ability. Don't let
his team's poor record fool you, Fultz is the most likely player in
the draft to be a franchise player. Expect to see him in Celtics
green come draft night.
2. Lonzo Ball, PG, UCLA
Yes, he has an overbearing dad who
won't shut up, but Ball is a special talent who should be worth
whatever trouble his father creates. He is an elite level passer who
seemingly makes everybody around him better. He has a funky looking
jumper, that none the less was very effective for him last year.
Questions remain about his defense however. He shouldn't get past the
Lakers with the second pick.
3. Josh Jackson, SF, Kansas
The best wing in this draft class,
Jackson has the tools and athleticism to be a top notch defender. His
offense remains a work in progress but he shot surprising well from
three point range in his one year at Kansas. Think of him as a better
shooting Michael Kidd-Gilchrist. Unlikely to be available for the
Mavs unless they trade up.
4. De'Aaron Fox, PG, Kentucky
His stock rose after dominating Ball in
a tournament game, seemingly putting him out of range for the Mavs.
Has first-rate quickness and penetrating ability that calls to mind
another Kentucky point guard, John Wall. His big question mark is his
outside shooting capability. If he can improve in that area as Wall
has you are looking at an all-star level player.
5. Dennis Smith, PG, N.C. State
The first player that could
realistically be available when the Mavs pick at 9, Smith has a lot
of the tools you are looking for with a point guard in today's NBA.
The most constant comparison you hear with Smith is with Steve
Francis. He has that kind of athleticism and ability. Like with
Francis there are questions with what kind of team player Smith
is,especially after N.C. State suffered a very disappointing season.
However, Smith's talent will be very hard to pass up if he's still
there when the Mavs are on the clock.
6. Jonathan Isaac, SF/PF, Florida St.
There is a lot of upside potential with
Isaac, who could turn into a premier two way forward if things go
right. His year at FSU showed his immense talent but also a lot of
inconsistency, especially on offense where he could disappear for
long stretches. Isaac is a top talent though, who would seemingly fit
well at the forward spot next to Harrison Barnes.
7.Frank Ntilikina, PG, France
I've seen a lot of less of Ntilikina
than the other top prospects in this draft due to him playing
professionally in France. The things I have seen and read about him
give one plenty to get excited about. While raw, Ntilikina has the
size and length to be impactful on both ends of the court. The
Mavericks have scouted him plenty reportedly and you can see him
being the type of player that would really interest Donnie Nelson.
They'll have to patient if they pick him, but Ntilikina could be a
player who pays big dividends down the road.
Jayson Tatum, SF, Duke
Tatum is probably a top five talent in
this draft. The problem from a Mavs point of view is the similarity
in his style of play to that of Harrison Barnes. Like Barnes, Tatum
excels in isolation opportunities especially against smaller
opponents. Scoring is what he does best and he tends to do a lot of
it. Even though the fit with Barnes would be less than idela, if
Tatum somehow slipped to 9 his talent would make it really hard for
the Mavs to pass him up.
Malik Monk, SG, Kentucky
Monk is a pretty polarizing prospect
who has both significant strengths and weaknesses. The strength is
obvious, he's the best shooter in the draft who's capable of
incredible scoring binges. On the other hand, Monk is undersized at
the 2 spot and lacks the ballhandling ability to play the 1. What you
probably end up getting is a Jamal Crawford like player, although
Monk has a better jump and worse handles than Crawford. That the Mavs
already have a somewhat similar player in Seth Curry probably makes
him a lesser priority.
Lauri Markkanen, PF, Arizona
Let's get this out of the way first,
Markkanen is in no way the next Dirk. Yes, he's a 7 foot European who
can shoot from outside, but so was Andrea Bargnani. That being said
Markkanen is still a very intriguing prospect with Ryan Anderson
being a more fitting comparison. Markkenen's ability to defend at the
NBA level is very much in doubt and he doesn't rebound as well as you
would someone his size to. He can be a possible potent offensive
weapon however and being able to learn from Dirk would only help his
development.
Other prospects worth considering:
Donovan Mitchell, O.G.Anunoby, Zach Collins, Justin Jackson, Harry
Giles.
