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

Thomas would complement the guy the Hawks will get with their own pick later in this mock draft very well.

Through three years at Creighton, he has developed the perfect zone-busting ball-handling skills that you see out of so many college players. He can finish plays when the ball swings his way, slicing through punctured defenses. When he gets inside, he can make the smart, open pass. He may not be a dazzling play-maker at the NBA level, but he should get the job done.

Where Thomas could really help the Hawks is as a 3-and-D player, a role that is becoming more valuable from the guard position. He is a career 40 percent 3-point shooter for a Creighton offense that has been elite throughout his time there. He can create shots as a pull-up artist and nail open spot-up looks.

Defensively, his size is Thomas’s biggest asset. He looks the part of a third-year player, small but filled out and strong. He flashes that strength in isolation, and you see it on offense as well when he drives.

If the Hawks are determined to build around Dennis Schroeder long-term, they need a defensive player like Thomas.