ATH NBA Mock Draft: Picks 28-30

Some breaking news took precedence over the ATH writer’s mock for a day, but we’re back to wrap things up on draft day.

Picks 1 - 3

Picks 4 - 6

Picks 7 - 9

Picks 10 - 12

Picks 13 - 15

Picks 16 - 18

Picks 19 - 21

Picks 22 - 24

Picks 25 - 27

28. Golden State Warriors: Melvin Frazier

Laieke Abebe - What could the two-time defending NBA champion Golden State Warriors possibly need? I mean, they have four all-stars in Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, and Kevin Durant. They couldn’t possibly need anything else for a shot at a three-peat right? Wrong. While the Warriors only lost five games during their playoff run, it is obvious that this was their hardest run to a title since their dynasty began in 2015. In the current NBA, you can never have enough 3&D wing players and Tulane small forward Melvin Frazier could be a great fit with Golden State.

Frazier was the American Athletic Conference’s most improved player in 2018. Over his three seasons with the team, he made a significant improvement in his scoring and his shootong. As a junior, he averaged 15.9 points per game 55.6 percent from the field and 38.5% from three point range. With Nick Young set to become a free agent, Frazier could be picked as the one to replace him in the rotation.

If the Warriors don’t find someone who can make an impact quickly in the first round, they could be a candidate to trade into the second round. They’ve been successful in the second round with picks like the aforementioned Draymond Green and more recently with Patrick McCaw and Jordan Bell.

29: Brooklyn Nets (via Raptors): Jerome Robinson

Andrew Waters - With two-thirds of the Nets free agents being shooting guards, it’s best to believe that the team will draft a player to fill in that role. That’s where Jerome Robinson comes in. Robinson has become a regional favorite among northeast basketball fans as he rejuvenized the once horrendous Boston College Eagles team to a serious NCAA bubble team.

What makes Robinson so special is his scoring ability. He has been primarily effective in off-ball catch and shoot opportunities. This is great news for the Nets as they have three established facilitators in Caris Levert, Jeremy Lin, and D’Angelo Russell. Robinson is also 6’7”, so he can play small forward alongside two of the three guards listed at times. On top of off-ball scoring, Robinson’s pull up game on isolation plays has become a trademark of his game. This shot-creating ability allows the team to become more versatile on offense as it adds more opportunities for better shot selections. The main two weaknesses have been his defense and turnovers. But, under solid head coach Kenny Atchison, I can see a way that he can dramatically decrease those weaknesses with effective coaching strategies. It worked for Jahlil Okafor, so it could work with Robinson.

In the end, the selection of Jerome Robinson will allow the Nets to further expand their offensive potential as he adds another multidimensional scorer to a team that has multiple established scorers.

30. Atlanta Hawks (via Houston Rockets): Landry Shamet

Dylan Jackson - In the ATH Mock Draft, I have selected Marvin Bagley and De’Anthony Melton. With their third pick, I chose Landry Shamet. Let’s face it, Dennis Schroder is as good as gone. The Hawks already didn’t have a great backcourt, and were actively shopping Kent Bazemore at the trade deadline.

Landry Shamet is a bucket-getting combo-guard who struggles on defense at times. But, when paired with Melton (who I selected earlier for the Hawks), the duo could be absolutely deadly if utilized correctly.