NBA Mock Draft 2017, Week 19: March Madness edition
By Chris Stone
Learn more about Dennis Smith Jr. at The Step Back."
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Dennis Smith Jr.
PG, North Carolina St.
The North Carolina State Wolfpack missed out on the NCAA Tournament after a disappointing season that saw their head coach get fired mid-season, but remain in charge of the team, so let’s talk a bit about point guard Dennis Smith Jr.’s potential fit with the Orlando Magic instead. The Magic obviously already have Elfrid Payton on their roster, but Smith has a much higher upside and Payton hasn’t shown much to prove he’s going to be a good enough shooter to lead a playoff team. It’s not time to fully move on from Payton, but sliding him into a backup role might be the right move.
Smith’s upside is really high because of his athleticism. He’s an elite jumper with the quickness to break down a defense in the halfcourt. He has the potential to be a really nice pick-and-roll ball-handler and shot it well from behind the 3-point arc this season.
There are definitely some traits that may hold him back. Smith can’t defend multiple positions because of his size and is prone to significant mental lapses on the defensive end. That said, he’s shown up defensively in some big games this season, so hopefully that will translate to the NBA instead.