2019 NBA Draft: Full Mock Draft 1.0, Atlanta Hawks Take Two Stars
By Chris Guest
#27. Brooklyn Nets (via Denver Nuggets) – Naz Reid
The hulking Naz Reid out of LSU comes in with an NBA-ready frame at 6-foot-10 and 250 pounds, but don’t be fooled by those hefty numbers. Reid has quick feet and moves with a fluidity that belies a natural athlete.
Though he didn’t particularly put it all together on the defensive end with those athletic gifts (only 0.7 steals and 0.7 blocks per game in over 27 minutes), where Reid really shines is his ability to be a versatile screener that can either roll the basket for easy buckets around the rim or pop out to the three-point line where he can utilize one of the most beautiful outside shots this writer has ever seen on a big man:
Sure, Reid only shot 33 percent for the season, but he improved over the course of the season, with his three-point shooting percentage perking up in conference play, when he attempted two a game and made them at a 38.2 percent clip.
With the Brooklyn Nets’ first pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, they’ll be able to add a long-term offensive center that can serve as a change of pace from the more lumbering (but still delightful) Jarrett Allen.
Furthermore, if Allen is attempting three-pointers this season (at a 13.3 percent shooting clip), just think of what Nets coach Kenny Atkinson can do with a gifted shooter like Reid.