2017 NBA Mock Draft: The 76ers lock up a point guard

Things haven’t exactly gone swimmingly for the Indiana Pacers since the end of the season with Larry Bird leaving from the front office and Paul George seemingly on his way out of town in free agency next summer. That puts the franchise in a bind and it makes it difficult to guess what they’ll do in the NBA Draft. So, the easiest thing to do is ship them the best player available and that player could very well be Duke guard Luke Kennard.

The sophomore is an elite offensive prospect who averaged 22.0 points per 40 minutes last season. He was highly efficient as well, posting a 63.0 true shooting percentage while knocking down 43.8 percent of his 3-point attempts. Kennard’s high volume and quality free throw shooting suggest he will be a well above averaged 3-point shooter in the NBA as well. That floor spacing ability is the basis for much of his offensive game as it helps open up driving lanes and pick-and-roll offense. Kennard is an elite shooter off the dribble and has enough of a creative game around the basket to be considered a solid three level scorer.

Defensively, there are some concerns about Kennard given his measurements, but if he falls into the right role, he could at least be serviceable. Drafting the Duke product, though, is largely about what he can bring on the offensive end.

Learn more about Luke Kennard at The Step Back.