2017 NBA Mock Draft 3.0

The Timberwolves jump on Monk here by virtue of talent alone, as he’s the last remaining prospect from the elite upper tier of this year’s class. The Kentucky freshman has been a flamethrower all season, hitting on 40.3 percent of his shots from deep despite taking a rather hefty 6.9 attempts per game. His evolution as on off-ball scorer has cemented himself as a prime NBA asset on the wing, while his elite athletic tools sets his expectations a shade higher than most seemingly one-dimensional scorers.

While this may create a bit of a logjam between Zach LaVine, Kris Dunn and Monk, there’s really nobody worth gambling on ahead of Monk should he fall this far. Concerns about his lack of dribble penetration and finishing touch around the rim are counteracted by a quick first step and exceptional burst off the bounce, and his somewhat lacking size for the shooting guard spot — just 6-3 — can be offset by coupling him with somebody capable of guarding the opposing two-guard in the backcourt, which LaVine certainly provides.

Monk’s shooting gives another dynamic to an already explosive young roster, with both LaVine and Andrew Wiggins proving themselves to be reliable 20-point scorers on the perimeter despite sharing the scoring load with Karl-Anthony Towns on the interior. Monk has the skill set needed to play alongside both Dunn and LaVine — and Ricky Rubio, for as long as he’s in town — with success, whether that’s coming off the bench as Minnesota’s best answer to Lou Williams or betting on his scoring punch as an immediate starting asset.

Shooting is at a premium in today’s league, and that’s precisely what you get with Monk in the rotation. J.R. Smith and the aforementioned Williams comparisons are bound to come when looking at perimeter-heavy scorers of Monk’s ilk, but his underrated passing vision and innate NBA fit help appease any concerns — whether valid or not — that those comparisons may generate.