NBA Mock Draft 2017, Week 17: Portland uses three first round picks

The New York Knicks reportedly spent the trade deadline exploring a potential swap with the Minnesota Timberwolves involving Derrick Rose and Ricky Rubio. Although the deal didn’t go down, it’s a clear sign that the Knicks don’t have much faith in Rose (and they shouldn’t). Finding a point guard who can lead the team going forward should be a priority and that’s where Kentucky’s De’Aaron Fox fits in.

Fox has been an all-around stat sheet stuffer for the Wildcats this season, averaging 15.4 points, 5.2 assists and 4.2 rebounds per game. He is explosive in transition, solid in pick-and-roll and a decent distributor in the halfcourt despite having some decision-making issues as of late. Fox seems capable of controlling the pace of the game and running an NBA offense. The freshman is also arguably the best point guard defender in the class and should provide a good challenger at the point of attack even if he’s not super versatile.

The biggest issue with Fox is the same one facing Rubio. He can’t shoot. Fox is shooting 18.9 percent from deep this season and doesn’t even really have a mid-range jumper in his repertoire. His free throw numbers (73.2 percent) and mechanics seem to suggest he should be able to develop some sort of jump shot in time, but it’s definitely a question mark that makes him much easier to defend in halfcourt settings right now.

Learn more about De’Aaron Fox at The Step Back.