2017 NBA Mock Draft, Week 23: The NBA Playoffs are upon us
By Chris Stone
Isaiah Hartenstein
C, Zalgiris
The Brooklyn Nets have a long ways to go and being stuck in a draft hole isn’t helping the process move along more quickly. However, they should still be able to land something useful in 2017 given the depth of the draft in the middle.
7-foot-1 center Isaiah Hartenstein is averaging 4.0 points and 3.5 rebounds in 12.6 minutes per game for Zalgiris in Lithuania this season. His offensive game is what entices people. Hartenstein is comfortable attacking from the perimeter despite his size, making him a tough player to defend for opposing teams. He still needs to improve a 3-point shooter in order to become more well-rounded, but he showed off his drive game and passing ability at the Nike Hoop Summit.
Hartenstein still needs to figure out his role as a defender as well. He lacks the traditional length necessary to be an elite rim protector, although he’s posted a 6.1 percent block rate this season. His athleticism should give him the ability to switch onto smaller players for short spurts if he’s willing to embrace it.
It’s also worth noting that Hartenstein plays for the German national team, which is coached by Nets’ assistant Chris Fleming.