2017 NBA Mock Draft: Fultz to Celtics, Ball to Lakers after lottery
By Chris Stone
Dennis Smith Jr.
PG, North Carolina State
For the Sacramento Kings, the lottery couldn’t have worked out much better. Yes, Sacramento had to swap its top three pick with the Philadelphia 76ers, but the franchise still moved up three spots on Tuesday night. With the No. 5 pick, the Kings are positioned well to select a point guard to lead their rebuild. Both De’Aaron Fox and Dennis Smith Jr. are viable options here, but Smith presents Sacramento with a bit more upside because of how his athleticism can translate at the NBA level.
At North Carolina State, Smith didn’t play with a shooting prospect like Buddy Hield who could open up the floor for him. With added space, Smith’s off the dribble game should become even more effective. He’s a low to the ground ball-handler with an explosive ability to get into the lane. That should produce plenty of buckets on its own, but it will also form a symbiotic relationship with Hield who could excel at finding space on the perimeter away from the ball for catch-and-shoot jumpers.
The key to a Smith-Hield pairing would be sorting out the lineup defensively. Smith was hardly bought in on that end with the Wolfpack, although he occasionally showed flashes of being able to pick off passes. Getting him engaged at the point of attack will be critical.