Outlet: Sports Illustrated
Expert: Andrew Sharp
Projected to go: No. 10 overall to the Sacramento Kings
He said it: "It's a risk for a team to bet its only lottery pick on Lauri Markkanen's future. He's a year or two away from being strong enough to play consistent minutes at the next level, his defense is a question mark, and his scoring off the dribble is a work in progress. There are too many unknowns to justify taking him in a lottery that's full of talent everywhere else. Still, he's such a good shooter at seven-feet tall that he could be unguardable if he gets more comfortable a few years down the line. All of which is to say: I understand other teams passing. But it'd be a home run if the Kings can grab a rookie like Fox and take a flier on Markkanen as either a) Ryan Anderson off the bench, or b) something much scarier in four years, particularly with Dave Joerger around to coach him on defense."
