2017 NBA Mock Draft, Week 26: The Timberwolves’ young core improves
By Chris Stone
Tyler Lydon
SF/PF, Syracuse
With Semi Ojeleye coming off the board at No. 26, there’s a quick run on combo forwards as the Brooklyn Nets use the Boston Celtics No. 27 pick to snag Syracuse’s Tyler Lydon. The 6-foot-9 swingman is a certified shooter from behind the arc, which is at least an NBA quality skill. He made 39.8 percent of his 3-point attempts in college and shot better than 80 percent from the free throw line. Lydon has also shown some deep range, which is nice because it can warp the floor and helps projects his shot to the NBA 3-point line. Outside of his jump shot, Lydon was a low usage offensive weapon who doesn’t create a ton of offense.
Projecting what Lydon will offer defensively is a bit more of a task. He played his college career in Syracuse’s 2-3 zone system that doesn’t present a lot of opportunities to see how a player will handle guarding in space. However, he’s a decent athlete and should be able to pick up that with time. Lydon also offered some weak side rim protection both seasons, which is a skill that should translate to at least some degree.