8p9s Mock Draft 3.0: Trying to keep up with rumors
20. . PG. Oklahoma State. Jawun Evans. 27. player
Jawun Evans is fast.
What he lacks in height, he makes up for with truly insane speed, stampeding to the rim faster than you can say, “maybe we shouldn’t have D’Angelo Russell for one year of Brook Lopez and this pick” Evans has all the tools to be a maestro in the pick-and-roll. He can pull up, he’s a great passer and he can get to the rim with ease.
He’s a smart defender as well, and he could improve to be average despite being undersized. Being only 6-feet-0 along with only average explosiveness has severely hampered his draft stock, but teams in the 20s should take a long look at him. His 3-pointer needs work as well.
Evans has everything he needs to run an NBA offense. Taking a flyer on him to backup Lonzo Ball could pay off in the long run.
Cal. Ivan Rabb. 28. player. 20. . PF/C
The Lakers could use a small-ball five in case Larry Nance Jr. heads elsewhere in a trade, and that’s where Ivan Rabb comes in. Rabb is an elite rebounder with a whole catalogue of little tricks to get the best position under the hoop.
He struggles defending out on the perimeter, meaning he’ll probably have to play the five in the NBA. He’s got a solid post game and can cut to the basket in a pinch.
His outside shot is pretty broken, so don’t get your hopes up that he’ll be stretching the floor much. He’s got a lot of other translatable skills, though, and he would thrive in a backup role in Los Angeles.