Latvian big man Kristaps Porzingis is loaded with potential, and will be drafted in the lottery, that much is clear. How high will he actually go in the draft though? Oftentimes teams are tentative about selecting international players too early in the draft because in most cases less is known about them and teams don’t have access to as much film of them. Some team will take a leap on Porzingis though, and it likely will pay off. The 7’1″ power forward/center is agile, athletic, and has a very sweet stroke from outside.
Porzingis took part in a workout today in Los Angeles, and left a very positive impression on those watching. Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer reported on Porzingis’ workout via his Twitter page.
Pompey wrote:
Porzingis was VERY impressive in workout. A scout called him the best player in the draft “He’s better than Karl Towns,” said the scout.
Some league executives think Porzingis could become the best player in this draft. However, they believe KAT is the safe pick at No. 1 …
While Porzingis has solid offensive skills for a 7-1 PF, there’s a sense that Russell is still the better option for the Sixers.
It seems that the first two picks of the draft are all but decided, with the Timberwolves set on Karl-Anthony Towns and the Lakers locked in on Jahlil Okafor. I would imagine that the Sixers will also pass on Porzingis and probably draft Russell, as their frontcourt already contains Nerlens Noel and Joel Embiid, and the team is in dire need of a point guard.
Porzingis could go to the Knicks at no. 4, which is what he is hoping for, so both parties would be happy with that pick.
If the Knicks pass on Porzingis, it’s unlikely that he will slide too far down. We have Porzingis going no. 6 to the Kings in our latest mock draft, although they may go after Willie Cauley-Stein if they aim to please franchise cornerstone DeMarcus Cousins.
