8p9s Mock Draft 3.0: Trying to keep up with rumors

We made it all the way to No. 13 before finding a guy who’s older than 20, but better late than never. The Nuggets have enough youth, and they could use a player like Jackson, especially if Danilo Gallinari and Wilson Chandler aren’t long for the team.

Jackson has an incredible basketball mind by all accounts, and it shows through in his game. Jackson doesn’t have any one elite skill that stands out above the rest, but he makes up for it by having a similar absence of glaring holes in his game.

He’s a good passer and an improving shooter, and he likely won’t be a liability on the defensive end. He isn’t as athletic as many of his fellow wing prospects, and his handle could be better. If he can improve his creation off the dribble, Jackson could rise above his station in the NBA.

Kennard has been rising up into the lottery on a lot of mocks recently, and even though I’m not sure why that is, I decided to follow suit and slot him next to Goran Dragic and Justise Winslow.

Kennard has great size for a shooting guard and can shoot the lights out of the gym. He showed off impressive handles last season as well, so he should be able to help Dragic with the ball-handling duties as well.

Kennard has short arms and average athleticism, meaning that he’s never going to be an elite defender. It’s unclear how well he’ll be able to create for himself in the pros, whether that’s at the rim or rising up over his defender. His flaws are pretty well covered by the rest of the Heat’s young core, so he’d be a measured risk at No. 14.