2017 NBA Mock Draft: What if the Lakers don’t take Lonzo Ball?

The Sacramento Kings don’t necessarily need another big man on their roster, but using their second top 10 pick to snag Arizona’s Lauri Markkanen is a risk worth taking because of his potential upside as a 7-foot scorer.

Markkanen is already well-known for his 3-point prowess. He fires up 3s at a high volume, connected on 42.3 percent of them this season and shot it really well from the foul line. He projects as a well above average 3-point shooter at the next level, which combined with his height makes him dangerous. Markkanen also has the ability to generate shots in ways that other centers simply can’t. He’s able to run off of screens and even shoot off of a couple of dribbles, putting defenses into compromising positions.

For Markkanen to be worthy of a lottery selection, he’ll need to make some improvements in the other areas of his game, however. Notably, he needs to be able to punish switches on the low block on offense and rebound well on the defensive end. If he can develop as a passer on the move or perhaps add some resistance at the rim, he’ll be a really high level talent.

Learn more about Lauri Markkanen at The Step Back.