2017 NBA Mock Draft 2.0

Player Profiile:

“Patton is still relatively raw. He was a late bloomer at the high school level — thus the red-shirt — and is still relatively raw in several aspects of his game. With that said, though, the 6-11 big’s physical arsenal and continued improvement this season has set the stage for a potentially-promising NBA career down the road.

In regards to rim-runners, no big man in this class can match Patton’s length and bounce around the basket. He’s an easy lob target when drifting around the rim and boasts the athleticism needed to finish in the pick-and-roll in a variety of ways. He can get a bit overzealous at times when operating in sole possession of the ball, but still shows flashes of a budding set of hook shots and mini-floaters around the painted area.” — 2017 NBA Draft Big Board 5.0.

Outside Opinion:

“Creighton’s Justin Patton has been one of the fastest rising prospects this season. A former top 50 recruit, Patton redshirted his first season with the Bluejays in order to prepare his body for the physical challenges of college basketball. The move appears to have paid off as he has been highly productive in his first season on the court, averaging 21.6 points, 9.9 rebounds and 2.8 blocks per 40 minutes while shooting 70.6 percent from the field.

There are plenty of intriguing possibilities for Patton’s offensive development. He’s a fluid athlete with a developing face up game. The handles aren’t tight enough yet, but he’s still young. Patton also shows good footwork in the post and is a capable dive man in pick-and-roll. Even more, he’s fired up 12 3-pointers this season, which is certainly not enough to suggest that he’s a 3-point threat, but it’s a piece of his game that may come in time.” — Chris Stone in FanSided’s NBA Mock Draft 2017, Week 14.

Team Fit:

Patton is a physical specimen. At 6-11, his wiry frame is among the most athletic you’ll find at the center spot. He’s an impressive rim runner, and uses his athleticism to make some exciting plays above the rim on a seemingly game-by- game basis.

The Heat were committed to a Hassan Whiteside-driven rebuild this offseason, but may be backing off from that notion just a bit. With rumblings on the trade market — albeit those likely won’t come to fruition this season — there’s a chance we see the Heat make a long term play on draft night in the form of Patton.

His potentially-elite rim protection and budding offensive repertoire — which is has expanded to semblances of a 3-point shot — is something Miami could look to cultivate off the bench, as his upside is — without question — the highest amongst centers in this year’s class.