2017 NBA Mock Draft, Week 24: Time to randomize the lottery!
By Chris Stone
Dennis Smith Jr.
PG, North Carolina State
Draft status: In with an agent
The Sacramento Kings have benefited mightily from the New York Knicks disaster as the NBA has moved on from ridiculing them for the DeMarcus Cousins trade. However, the Kings still have a long ways to go before they’re a legitimate threat to make the playoffs in the Western Conference and management hasn’t exactly been helping. North Carolina State’s Dennis Smith Jr. would give Sacramento an athletic point guard with the potential to develop into its offensive focal point.
Smith averaged 20.8 points and 7.1 assists per 40 minutes for a miserable Wolfpack team this season. He can attack opposing guards in isolation because he’s got a quick first step and enough shake to his dribble to get by them. He also handles well while running pick-and-roll, which would give Sacramento some interesting looks.
Defensively, Smith has some struggles because of his size and effort level. If he’s locked in, he can be a solid defender at the point of attack, but when his effort wanes, things go south quickly. On multiple occasions, Smith left shooters open without recovering this season simply because he didn’t try to get out to them. He’ll need to show more on this end in the NBA.