15. PF Lauri Markkanen, Arizona
In order to up his experience against better competition, Markkanen, originally from Finland, has committed to playing at Arizona for a year (at least), rather than entering the league this season.
Standing at 7-0 with plenty of room to fill out his frame, Markanen’s expansive skill set in highly intriguing from an NBA perspective, especially on the offensive end. He’s a fluid athlete who rotates well off of screens and can put the ball on the floor smoothly. He’s not overly quick, but he handles himself well around the court, and can be put into a plethora of different sets on offense.
His ability to shoot from deep is what makes his NBA projections so intriguing. He’s a mobile 7-footer capable of executing well in the pick-and-pop or when diving to the basket, and accompanies his touch outside with a nice arsenal of moves down low. He’s also a smart passer off the low block and someone who has continuously shown his will to share the ball and operate within the team’s system, rather than it operating solely through him. He’s one of the most polished offensive options in this draft class, and somebody well worth watching this upcoming campaign.
Defense is the only area where Markkanen has some major concerns. He’s aggressive on both ends and mobile enough to switch onto the perimeter from time to time, but lacks the core strength and lower body development to hang with stronger opposition in the post at the moment. He oftens gets backed down and his somewhat underwhelming wingspan makes it tough for him to block shots.
Regardless of the work he’ll have to do to get stronger and improve his ability to defend as a whole, Markanen’s offensive arsenal is undeniably appealing to NBA offenses. He stretches the floor with his shot and can create off the dribble, an incredible asset to have out of a full fledged 7-footer.
Next: 14. Yertseven