2021 NBA Mock Draft 3.0: One week before the 2021 Lottery
9
Jalen Johnson Freshman, F, United States
(NCAA Stats) 11.2 points, 6.1 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.2 steals, 1.2 blocks, 52% fg, 44% 3pt, 21 mpg
Marvin Bagley III’s future in Sacramento is without a doubt up in the air going into the final year of his rookie contract. The lack of star power is very evident in the California capital, as this young roster should be winning more games than they are.
Though they probably won’t find the player who pushes their ceiling to the next level at ninth overall, going with Jalen Johnson makes a ton of sense. Considering the Kings already have a pretty crowded backcourt and the that they have close to $40 million committed to Harrison Barnes on the wing over the next two years, they could look into an insurance plan for a Marvin Bagley departure next summer with Jalen Johnson.
Johnson is certainly one of the more talented prospects in this draft, though an early departure from NCAA basketball due to unhappiness with his role and minutes has hurt his stock.
Some are greatly concerned about Johnson’s personality and work ethic in the wake of this situation, but talent nearly always holds its value. In limited time in Durham, he showed the ability to do a bit of everything on the floor and at efficient marks. With the ability to space the floor and put the ball on the floor a bit, Johnson is the type of four NBA executives are seeking out nowadays and could very well outplay his draft position.
10
Corey Kispert Senior, F, Gonzaga
18.6 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 0.9 steals, 0.4 blocks, 53% fg, 44% 3pt, 32 mpg
To be blunt, New Orleans was quite disappointing this year. For whatever reason, this group was unable to stay competitive in a tough west, despite loads of young talent. The offseason could certainly bring some changes to the Pelicans franchise, specifically with the impending restricted free agency of Lonzo Ball.
Some may believe that the Pels need to add more star talent to push them over the edge, but with young stars in Williamson and Ingram, they should focus on maximizing those players’ strengths first. Thus, ten picks into the draft, a player who is not a freshman (or freshman-age) is finally taken off of the board.
Corey Kispert will do exactly what New Orleans needs most right now: space the floor. For an interior player and slasher like Zion Williamson, floor spacing is a necessity on the offensive end, but that has been at a premium for New Orleans to this point.
Adding Kispert, a proven NCAA sharpshooter of four years will allow for more space to be created for New Orleans’ bigs to work inside without taking touches away from Zion and Brandon Ingram. Though it might not be the flashiest pick, it should yield instant results that get the best out of its stars.