Pippen Ain’t Easy’s 2017 NBA Draft: Mock Draft 2.0
7. player. 86. . PF. Florida State. Jonathan Isaac
2.0 update: Like Fultz (Boston) and Ball (Los Angeles), Jonathan Isaac feels like such a lock to the Timberwolves at No. 7 overall. It just makes sense to pair him next to Karl-Anthony Towns in Tom Thibodeau’s front court.
1.0 update: There’s an issue facing the Minnesota Timberwolves and their construction of building around Karl-Anthony Towns and former No. 1 pick Andrew Wiggins: they don’t have an option at power forward that can play with Towns. Like many, Florida State big man Jonathan Isaac feels like the right fit for the Timberwolves at No. 7. He’s raw, yet athletic, and a youthful option that can fit next to Towns in the Minnesota front court and provide a good defensive piece down the line. His offensive game is limited right now, but with time, he can become the stat sheet-stuffer he was in Tallahassee.
RELATED: FanSided’s own Timberwolves blog Dunking With Wolves broke down Isaac’s game
. PG. France. Frank Ntilikina. 8. player. 27
2.0 update: Here’s a twist. I originally had Kentucky guard Malik Monk here at No. 8, but after the success of Kristaps Porzinigis in his first couple of seasons, I changed my mind. I think the Knicks could roll the dice on Frank Ntilikina with their current point guard situation and take another chance with a foreign prospect for the future. Obviously, Porzingis’ situation is a little edgy with the Knicks right now, but they need a point guard. Ntilikina could fill a role, especially with four point guards off the board already.
1.0 update: We’ve already agreed that trades aren’t a thing (and if we didn’t, I already said they’re not a thing), but if a team looks to trade up or down from their current position on the board, it could be the Charlotte Hornets. There’s a possibility that they look to keep North Carolina’s Justin Jackson home with this pick, but there’s a chance they keep it and take a guard, specifically a guard that could land inside of the top 10 picks. France’s Frank Ntilikina is an interesting prospect to take under consideration. He’s a bigger option in the back court that could assist Kemba Walker. The fit feels a little weird from a short glance, but he wouldn’t need to come and run the entire show with Walker in the fold. He could let the American game come to him a little more with a top PG like Walker running Charlotte’s offense.