2018 NBA Mock Draft: What’s in store for the second round?

If the end of the first round will see teams betting on toolsy, athletic wings to combat the NBA’s best small ball lineups, it looks as if, based on the players in this range, the end of the second round could end up being about teams finding the next dynamic scoring guard. Holiday makes sense as someone who could play next to or behind Russell Westbrook in the rotation as Oklahoma City searches for legitimate rotation players anywhere they can find them.

Holiday never shot below 40 percent from 3 at UCLA, and finished this season with a career 42 percent mark after attempting over six per game in his highest-usage season yet. However, the junior turned the ball over far too much, which surely contributed to his leap in usage rate, and one wonders whether he truly became a more valuable and productive player this year or just took more shots. While he increased his free-throw rate and efficiency from the line as well as his 3-point shooting, he got worse from 2-point range and struggled with those turnovers.

One area where he did develop is as a passer, increasing his assist percentage and limiting his turnover percentage despite still being too loose with the ball. If he can work that inconsistency out and maintain his efficiency as a shooter, he could be a solid backup point guard.

The Thunder will hope that at 21, the 6-1 guard can defend and shoot well enough to give them another option next to Russell Westbrook. If Holiday can slide into the Raymond Felton role and continue to develop, perhaps he helps the Thunder become a better team down the line.