NBA Mock Draft: Utah Jazz Select Devin Booker Out Of Kentucky

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SB Nation's NBA Network conducted a mock draft with bloggers from each team site making or trading "their" team's pick. We continue with the next pick in the 2015 NBA Mock Draft, with SLC Dunk selecting Devin Booker out of Kentucky.

By Keith Schlosser Jun 22, 2015, 3:30pm EDT

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NBA Mock Draft Pick #12 -- Devin Booker, Guard, Kentucky

SB Nation's Jazz blog, SLC Dunk, explains the pick:

With the 12th pick in the 2015 NBA Draft the Utah Jazz select Devin Booker from Kentucky. Last season was a wing travesty for Utah with the injuries to Alec Burks and Rodney Hood. This reinforced the idea that they need not just quality, but also depth. The Jazz may have acquired both with Devin Booker. Actual GM Dennis Lindsey is on a streak of adding defensive minded players who are long and/or athletic. Drafting Booker really bucks the current trend. He's not long for his position. He's not athletic. And he's not really a defender. Furthermore, Devin isn't going to improve his length or explosiveness. But with directed coaching and development he'll become stronger, and he's already pretty strong for a guard. So he's already on his path to being an average defender. That should be more than enough to get him on the floor a few times a game.

And while he's not really a Dennis Lindsey player, in those stints on the floor you'll really see that Booker is a Quin Snyder player. The Jazz head coach runs a hybrid Duke / CSKA / Spurs / Hawks offense. The players who excel are the ones who have multiple tools. Booker is a shooting specialist, perhaps even the best deep threat in this draft, but he's always on the look out to make the next pass. I'm also impressed with his movement off screens or how he cuts hard to the basket. He thrives in a ball sharing offense, and coming to Utah he'll find it's the place for him. There will be strong competition for minutes with Gordon Hayward, Alec Burks, Rodney Hood, and Lance Stephenson (via trade earlier in this blogger draft) all on the team. But it also means that the youngest player in this draft class isn't going to be expected to sink or swim early on.

1) Minnesota Timberwolves: KARL-ANTHONY TOWNS

2) Los Angeles Lakers: JAHLIL OKAFOR

3) Phoenix Suns (via Philadelphia 76ers): D'ANGELO RUSSELL

4) New York Knicks: JUSTISE WINSLOW

5) Orlando Magic: WILLIE CAULEY-STEIN

6) Philadelphia 76ers (via Sacramento Kings): MARIO HEZONJA

7) Denver Nuggets: EMMANUEL MUDIAY

8) Boston Celtics (via Detroit Pistons): KRISTAPS PRIZINGIS

9) Utah Jazz (via Charlotte Hornets): MYLES TURNER

10) Philadelphia 76ers (via Miami Heat): STANLEY JOHNSON

11) Indiana Pacers: CAMERON PAYNE

12) Utah Jazz: DEVIN BOOKER