2017 NBA Mock Draft 6.0: Suns snag Lonzo Ball; Heat trade up for Fox
4. Philadelphia 76ers (via Suns) – Jonathan Isaac, F, Florida State
GM: John Pontin; Twitter: @JackPontin
When I traded down to the 4th overall pick, I acquired a franchise point guard while also swapping a flustered youngster who was a poor fit in Philadelphia for an overpaid veteran who will mentor our superstar, Joel Embiid. Jahlil Okafor is a Sun. Eric Bledsoe and Tyson Chandler are Sixers.
I drafted Jonathan Isaac with my first-round pick – a pick that many would consider a reach. My vision for Philadelphia is to run a high-paced offense and play lock-down defense. A lineup of Bledsoe, (insert knockdown shooter), Robert Covington (whose career 3p% is 35%), Ben Simmons, Isaac, and Joel Embiid would struggle with spacing at times, but if the other team can’t score, who needs a fluid offense?
Of course, I’m being a bit sarcastic. It may be better to insert Dario Saric in that lineup and let Isaac come off the bench, but the aforementioned 5 could make for Philly’s own personal version of a “death lineup.”
Jonathan Isaac is a 6’10” combo-forward who has plus-athleticism and rebounding, but much like many of the Sixers’ draft picks in recent years, struggles with an inconsistent outside jumper. He shot about 35% from beyond the arc in his only season of college basketball, and that is nothing to be excited about considering the shorter three-point line.
However, he shot 78% from the free throw line, and free throw shooting is a major scouting tool when projecting a player’s three-point shooting ceiling. Josh Jackson shot 57% from the line in 2017.