2nd (42nd overall): Isaiah Livers – Dillon Brooks-lite
Isaiah Livers will fit in nicely on the current young roster as a three-point marksman. It’s hard to believe he will have the same defensive impact as Brooks at the next level, but Livers’ potential as a scorer may be even bigger.
Like Dillon Brooks, the former Michigan Wolverine has great size at 6-foot-77 and a thick frame, which will help in defending the gauntlet of todays’ NBA wings. Brooks was drafted as someone that can contribute early as a role player, similarly to how they will want to use Livers.
Brooks only eclipsed the 40% mark from three during his last season at Oregon, while Livers averaged above that threshold during all three of his three collegiate seasons. The Grizzlies guard carved a role for himself early on, and has turned into a legitimate 3-andD guy.
Ability to grow on defense may dictate how well and long Livers plays in the league, but playing in his home state typically helps any player. With solid playmakers at the guard position, he’ll have an opportunity to get open shots early on.
2nd (52nd overall) Luka Garza – bulkier, less fluid Nikola Mirotić
Drafted at 52, the Pistons may get solid value for a player like Luka Garza that would have been a first round pick about 10 years ago, when the NBA played the game differently.
The consensus on Garza is he is one of those players who dominated in college, but will not be able to translate to the NBA ( i.e. Tyler Hansbrough and Adam Morrison).
The Naismith Player of the Year proved in the last year that he is more than a traditional post center as he can knock down three-pointers, but his ability to contribute defensively will dictate his role and tenure in the league.
At Iowa, Garza put up historic stats but struggles at times against solid defensive big men. Garza has lost 30 pounds since the collegiate season ended, hoping to increase his reaction time on the defensive end.
You can not doubt Garza’s desire to make himself a legitimate NBA player for the Pistons.
As someone who could provide instant offense but proved to be a liability on defense, Nikola Mirotić seems like a fair comparison for Garza. Both big men are highly skilled scorers at all three levels, but are below average passers and defenders.
Garza is notorious for his work ethic and already looks to be in pristine shape leading up to the draft. The intangibles are clearly there, but the question will be if he can he find his niche in a league that is, on average, levels above him athletically.