NBA Mock Draft 2017, Week 18: Jayson Tatum to Orlando

After dealing Serge Ibaka and seemingly — perhaps forcefully — abandoning their win now hopes, the Orlando Magic find themselves with a top five pick. Duke’s Jayson Tatum is the best player available for the Magic and he’s a recent addition to the top five in these mock drafts.

Tatum’s value is heavily based on his offensive upside. The 6-foot-8 wing could develop into a really good scorer because of his ability to create offense off the bounce. Tatum favors playing out of the mid-post and in isolation where he can use his first step or jumper to attack an opponent. He draws fouls at a high rate and is capable of making really difficult shots. In recent weeks, Tatum has also come on as a 3-point shooter. He’s now hit 35.8 percent of his triples this season, something his free throw percentage (87.0) suggests should improve over time.

On defense, Tatum is notable for his ability to fill up the box score. He rebounds well (9.0 per 40 minutes), gets blocks (1.5 per 40 minutes) and snags a few steals (1.6 per 40 minutes). Tatum may have some trouble keeping up with NBA wings because he’s not an elite athlete, but his strength gives him the ability to guard fours and with enough effort, he’ll be fine.

Learn more about Jayson Tatum at The Step Back.