2021 NBA Mock Draft 5.0 leading up to franchise changing night
By Mike Luciano
77. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. PG. Auburn. Sharife Cooper. 25. player
The Clippers need a point guard, plain and simple, and they could grab someone that might walk into the league as a capable fourth scoring option in Cooper. His attacking style of play, which resulted in an average of over 20 points per game at Auburn, is blended nicely with intelligent passing and ambidextrous finishing inside.
A skinny guard like Cooper that had some issues on the defensive end in college will be in for a very rude awakening in the pros, but his ability to score is just too great for LA to pass on at this point. With a year of seasoning, Cooper could be a starter for Tyronn Lue for the next half-decade.
Cameron Thomas. player. 73. Pick Analysis. SG. LSU. 26. Scouting Report
Players with Thomas’ 23.0 points per game as a freshman in the SEC very rarely last until this point, and he can thank concerns about his passing and willingness to lock in on the defensive end for that. Even with those concerns, Denver could upgrade on Will Barton and find the perfect fourth option behind Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, and Michael Porter Jr.
Thomas is one of the best isolation scorers in this class, as he is more than comfortable with pulling up off of the dribble, hanging out beyond the 3-point line, and finishing inside. The Nuggets need some bench scoring, and there might not be any player better for the one particular role in this class.