NBA Mock Draft: DeAndre Ayton joins the Hawks

One need only look at Walker’s performance against Boston University to understand his potential as a scorer.

Walker shot 9-of-17 from the field on his way to 26 points in a 15-point victory. Really, he made BU look silly, as an athlete of his caliber should against inferior competition. He has the instincts and skill to put up points in huge bunches when the situation is right for him, scooting around slow-footed bigs and shooting over guards.

Yet the concern is that his biggest game, this one against BU, came without partner in crime Bruce Brown. His impact was also entirely as a scorer in the match, as Walker notched only two assists despite what I would guess was a usage rate over 25 percent. Walker was Miami’s only option that night, initiating and finishing most plays.

So somewhere within Walker’s raw game is someone capable of scoring 26 points. But more prevalent right now is the guy who can only do so without his most talented teammate absorbing possessions, and who rarely looks to include the other guys on the court.

I wouldn’t be surprised if he went back to school, but I also think he’s the kind of prospect who might benefit from getting into a NBA system immediately. Regardless, scouts don’t have a lot to work with as things currently stand, with Walker failing to make an impact many nights aside from this one explosion.