Fansided Mock Draft: Clippers select G Zach LaVine
With draft coverage commanding 90 percent of our attention, the other 10 percent allotted to the NBA Finals, the editors of Fansided’s subsidiary NBA blogs decided to come together and participate in a mock draft. As the editor of Fully Clips, I was, of course, tasked with the job of picking for the Los Angeles Clippers and with the 22nd pick of the Fansided Editors Mock Draft, the Clippers selected…
G Zach LaVine – UCLA
The odds of Zach LaVine falling to the Los Angeles Clippers in real life? A guaranteed zero percent, but given the group of prospects left he was the best available and fit into the needs of the Clippers.
He’s a raw prospect. In his lone season at UCLA, LaVine averaged 9.4 points on 44 percent shooting (37 percent from three), 2.5 rebounds, 1.8 assists and a PER of 14.6. Those numbers are nothing to rave about, especially when speaking on a potential lottery pick, but his potential makes the want warranted.
Coming into the draft, LaVine’s two biggest strengths are three-point shooting and athleticism. I mean he’s doing this…
And this…
In regards to LaVine’s fit with the Clippers, depending on where Doc Rivers sees him as a rookie, he could either 1) replace Darren Collison as the backup point guard or 2) slide into the reserve shooting guard spot, especially with Jamal Crawford a wildcard to return next season. Personally comparing himself to Russell Westbrook, it’s hard seeing LaVine be a point guard guard in today’s game, even with the shift in play at the position. But if he is to become a point guard, there’s no better person to mentor LaVine than Chris Paul. And when it comes to putting his shooting to good use, knowing when to pick his spots, and learning how to operate off the ball, there may be no better person to assist LaVine in that facet than J.J. Redick.
Can LaVine run a high-powered offense for 10-15 minutes a game? Can he defend the elite crop of talent at his position? Those are questions surrounding the former UCA guard, but at 19 and in the position that Los Angeles is currently in, you can wait for those things to pan out. Potential matters here more than anything and there are few organizations that could perfectly groom Zach like the Clippers.
As mentioned toward the beginning of the article, the odds of LaVine making it to the teens in this draft are slim to none, but it’s nice to dream about.
***
Here is the entire mock draft:
1 Cleveland Cavaliers Joel Embiid Center Kansas
2 Milwaukee Bucks Jabari Parker Forward Duke
3 Philadelphia 76ers Andrew Wiggins ForwardKanssas
4 Orlando Magic Dante Exum Guard Australia
5 Utah Jazz Aaron Gordon Forward Arizona.
6 Boston Celtics Noah Vonleh Forward Indiana
7 Los Angeles Lakers Julius Randle Forward Kentucky
8 Sacramento Kings Marcus Smart Guard Oklahoma State
9 Charlotte Hornets Nik Staukas Guard Michigan
10 Philadelphia 76ers Dario Saric Forward Cibona Zagreb
11 Denver Nuggets Gary Harris Guard Michigan State
12 Orlando Magic Rodney Hood Guard Duke
13 Minnesota Timberwolves Kyle Anderson Guard/Forward UCLA
14 Phoenix Suns Tyler Ennis Guard Syracuse
15 Atlanta Hawks Doug McDermott Forward Creighton
16 Chicago Bulls Jordan Clarkson Guard Missouri
17 Boston Celtics James Young Forward Kentucky
18 Phoenix Suns Adreian Payne Forward Michigan State
19 Chicago Bulls Elfrid Payton Guard Louisiana-Lafayette
20 Toronto Raptors T.J. Warren Forward North Carolina State
21 OKC Thunder Kristaps Porzingis Europe
22 Memphis Grizzlies Clint Capela Forward Europe
23 Utah Jazz Glenn Robinson III Forward Michigan
24 Charlotte Hornets P.J. Hairston Forward Texas Legends
25 Houston Rockets Shabazz Napier Guard Connecticut
26 Miami Heat DeAndre Daniels Forward Connecticut
27 Phoenix Suns Jerami Grant Forward Syracuse
28 Los Angeles Clippers Zach LaVine Guard UCLA
29 Oklahoma City Thunder Thunder Jordan Adams Guard UCLA
30 San Antonio Spurs Bogan Bogdanovic Guard Serbia