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

Yes, the Sacramento Kings just traded for Buddy Hield and yes, they already have a plethora of shooting guards on their roster, but can you imagine what owner Vivek Ranadive will think when he sees Kentucky’s Malik Monk during workouts? Monk is essentially a 19-year old version of Hield who can light up scoreboards from behind the 3-point arc in a hurry.

As a freshman, Monk is averaging 26.9 points per 40 minutes on a 60.8 true shooting percentage. He has the ability to get hot quickly and is one of the few players that seems to be unaffected by a slump. Monk might be 1-of-12 in a half and then put up 30 points over the final 20 minutes. He’s most effective from behind the arc where he’s shooting 41.6 percent over 221 3-point attempts, but he’s recently shown a bit more shiftiness with the ball in his hands. If Monk turns up the aggression and uses his outside shot to create opportunities at the rim, then he’ll be a really dangerous offensive player.

On defense, Monk is alright, but certainly nothing special. He’s a little small and needs to add strength, but he should be able to defend either guard spot and generate a couple of steals. Monk, though, is going to be prized for his offense, so don’t expect too much in the way of two-way play.

Learn more about Malik Monk at The Step Back.