2017 NBA Mock Draft, Week 12: The Lakers keep their pick

The Phoenix Suns obviously invested heavily in building out their frontcourt in the 2016 NBA Draft by selecting both Dragan Bender and Marquese Chriss. Florida State’s Jonathan Isaac would give the team a high upside small forward who could slot in as a power forward in select lineups as well.

At 6-foot-11, Isaac has above average size for an NBA small forward. His length is valuable on both ends of the floor. Offensively, Isaac is able to release his 3-point shot over nearly every defender. This season, he’s converted 38.5 percent of his 3-point attempts on 4.9 tries per 40 minutes. It’s worth noting, though, that Isaac hasn’t taken a large volume of 3-pointers in part because he only plays 25.1 minutes per game and in part because the Seminoles have other high usage players that like the dominate the ball. Still, his free throw percentage (82.4) suggests that he’ll be a quality shooter long-term.

Defensively, Isaac’s length gives him excellent potential as a weakside rim protector and in passing lanes. The freshman is averaging 2.4 blocks and 2.1 steals per 40 minutes this season. Those statistics rank among the best for his position and should translate to the NBA.

If there is something to nit pick at with Isaac, it’s his lack of strength that keeps him from battling for some rebounds and from backing down defenders in the post on offense. Still, his combination of size and shooting is unique, making him one of the higher upside plays in this draft.

Learn more about Jonathan Isaac at The Step Back.