NBA Mock Draft 2017, Week 14: Markelle Fultz is still no. 1

The Minnesota Timberwolves suffered a devastating blow this week when they lost third-year guard Zach LaVine to a torn ACL. LaVine is one of the team’s few competent 3-point shooters and burgeoning young talent. Given that Minnesota continues to start Ricky Rubio (who may eventually give way to Kris Dunn) and Andrew Wiggins, it’s imperative that the roster find outside shooting at other positions in order to open up the game offensively.

Arizona’s Lauri Markkanen would do just that and fit in nicely at the power forward spot, facilitating a move to center for Karl-Anthony Towns. Markkanen is quite simply the best shooting big man that college basketball has ever seen and he will enter the NBA with a smooth 3-point stroke unlike most frontcourt players who develop it over the course of their professional careers. The 19-year old is averaging 3.0 made 3-pointers per 40 minutes as a freshman and has knocked down 48.7 percent of his attempts from the college line. He can score in pick-and-pops, coming off of screens and occasionally off the dribble. With guards who can’t shoot, it will be important for Minnesota to invert the floor offensively. Markkanen will be a big help.

The defensive fit for Markkanen is a bit more questionable. Head coach Tom Thibodeau preaches — that may be too light — that defense is a foundation and the Arizona freshman has struggled to make a statistical impact on that end. However, Markkanen isn’t a total disaster. He can move his feet even if his reaction times are delayed and the Wildcats have been a top 25 defensive team in the country this season, suggesting that having him on the floor frequently is not a death knell for team defense.

Learn more about Lauri Markkanen at The Step Back.