Five players the Denver Nuggets should be targeting with the 15th and 19th picks

Skal Labissiere, Kentucky

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RF_cWYmUZVw

Age: 18 years old     Size: 7 foot, 215 pounds

Last Season’s Stats: 6.6 points; 3.1 rebounds; 0.3 assists per game

Percentages: 51.8% from the field; N/A from three-point; 66.1% from the free throw line

Oh how frustrating Skal Labissiere makes scouting. For every magnificent highflying dunk, there is a clip of him getting out-muscled by a guard for a rebound. For every perfect perimeter lockdown defensive possession is another example of how completely lost he is on a basketball court. He’s a walking contradiction, and it all comes down to which Skal Labissiere the Nuggets see.

Labissiere’s potential is unquestioned. He has a beautiful shooting stroke that he can use anywhere from a face-up post game, stretching out to the three-point line. His feet are so crisp you would think he was dancing. His athletic ability is effortless, and his physical tools are elite, which, in conjunction, allows him to sprint past slower frontcourt players in transition and finish way above the rim with an obscene amount of power. Given his quick feet and immense length, he has the ability to switch onto smaller, quicker players and still keep containment while being able to float above the rim and block shots from anywhere. He is quick off of his feet and possesses body control rarely seen in a player of his size.

While all of those positives to his game are almost unfathomable, so are his negatives. Labissiere has only played competitive basketball for around four years, which leaves a monumental gap in his development. His court awareness is despicable. Skal averages 7.6 fouls per 40 minutes. He has no idea how to make the extra pass or how to even get into a stance to defend on the perimeter. Ball watching, biting on fakes, opening up his hips and getting blown by, driving into mismatches, and just blatantly not knowing his role on the court are all neon signs screaming about how bad his understanding is when it comes to basketball as a whole.

Wherever Labissiere ends up, we’ll have to be prepared for a four-year project. He is far from ready and cannot contribute at an average level until he learns to play the game on a fundamental level. Taking him at 19 is not nearly as scary as taking him at 15, and if he becomes the monster that is hiding inside of him, he will most likely be the best value pick of this draft. The 2016 NBA Draft Lottery Ticket this year is Skal Labissiere.