2018 NBA Mock Draft: Trae Young could reset the Kings backcourt

Nearly three weeks ago, Brown injured his left foot and was forced to undergo surgery. To me, it dropped him out of the first round. But after reading and listening to several draft analysts I trust (hello, Kellan Olson), I felt a little better about Brown’s potential as a secondary ball-handler.

Initially, I found it difficult to believe NBA coaches would want to put the ball in his hands that much. He shot just 42 percent from the field this season before injuring his foot. His vision is solid for a college wing, but rarely makes an impact on the game outside of transition plays.

I was underrating his athleticism. Though he shot poorly, he made up for it whenever he had an open lane in transition or easy passes in the half-court. Lonzo Ball taught us last season what a great lookahead pass can do, setting the pace of the game and dragging the defense along for a ride.

Brown can do a lot of those same things, but will guard wing players instead of point guards. He can switch 1-4 in the right matchups, and do a lot of the dirty work for the Lakers as they transition into a talent destination once more. They will need productive players to sign cheap contracts for it to work an d