NBA lottery mock draft: Teams get crazy with trades, Heat land the perfect fit
By Wes Goldberg
9. Minnesota (from Dallas): Josh Jackson, Forward, Kansas
The temptation to pair Jackson with Andrew Wiggins is too great for Tom Thibodeau to pass up. Jackson might be the perimeter defender we thought Wiggins was going to be, before Wiggins stopped caring about defense.
Jackson can play the 4 next to Karl-Anthony Towns to give the Timberwolves a small, switchy defensive lineup that should be able to execute Thib’s schemes. Look, Minnesota was terrible on defense last season. Jackson fixes that. Or, at least, gets them on their way to fixing it.
His lack of a jumper is less of a concern in Minnesota, since Zach LaVine and Towns can space the floor.
10. Detroit (from Sacramento): Dennis Smith Jr., Point Guard, N.C. State
Another trade!
Detroit sends Sacramento the No. 12 pick and Stanley Johnson to move up two spots and nab the point guard who has been falling in the draft, Dennis Smith Jr. The Pistons may not be happy with Reggie Jackson’s development, and could be looking to find the point guard of the future. By making a move to grab Smith, they select a promising prospect.
Smith Jr. is one of the most offensively gifted point guards in this draft class. He’s lightning fast and can get to the rim, where he should be able to finish at an elite level in the NBA. He still has some work to do as a passer but, with the Pistons running a ton of pick-and-roll, they should make it easy for him.