NBA Mock Draft: Utah Jazz Select Sindarious Thornwell From South Carolina

NBA Mock Draft Pick #30 -- Sindarious Thornwell, Shooting Guard, South Carolina

SBNation’s Utah Jazz blog SLC Dunk explains their pick:

With the 30th pick you usually swing for the fences, select a draft and stash, or some other player with a lot of upside. By selecting Sindarius Thornwell from South Carolina they are actually getting themselves a basketball player. The Senior was a huge two-way force for the Cinderella team that went to last year’s Final Four. And he’s a player that deserves floor time even if his shot is not falling. Thornwell defends on the perimeter, gets steals, has NBA level floor vision, and puts in work on the glass. In a way, he’s the bizarro Rodney Hood. While Utah has a bunch of young players who do not have experience (Dante Exum, Trey Lyles) this late 1st rounder comes into a Jazz program with some level of polish. He could be the next Wesley Matthews, a player the Jazz found as an undrafted player, and lost because he wasn’t retainable due to his undrafted player contract. Taking Sindarius, obviously not the best player available, with a first gives the Jazz many chances to develop him and retain him. He has the same representation as Gordon Hayward (what’s good, Priority Sports?) – and it never hurts to get extra time on the phone with them as the Jazz star enters Unrestricted Free Agency. The ends may justify the means if Hayward returns.

1. Boston Celtics - MARKELLE FULTZ, WASHINGTON

2. Los Angeles Lakers - LONZO BALL, UCLA

3. Philadelphia 76ers - JOSH JACKSON, KANSAS

4. Phoenix Suns - JONATHAN ISAAC, FLORIDA STATE

5. Sacramento Kings - DE’AARON FOX, KENTUCKY

6. Orlando Magic - JAYSON TATUM, DUKE

7. Minnesota Timberwolves - MALIK MONK, KENTUCKY

8. New York Knicks - FRANK NTILIKINA, FRANCE

9. Dallas Mavericks - DENNIS SMITH, NC STATE

10. Sacramento Kings - LAURI MARKKANEN, ARIZONA

11. Charlotte Hornets - DONOVAN MITCHELL, LOUISVILLE

12. Detroit Pistons - ZACH COLLINS, GONZAGA

13. Denver Nuggets - OG ANUNOBY, INDIANA

14. Miami Heat - TJ LEAF, UCLA

15. Portland Trail Blazers - LUKE KENNARD, DUKE

16. Chicago Bulls - DJ WILSON, MICHIGAN

17. Milwaukee Bucks - HARRY GILES, DUKE

18. Indiana Pacers - JUSTIN JACKSON, NORTH CAROLINA

19. Atlanta Hawks - JARRETT ALLEN, TEXAS

20. Portland Trail Blazers - JOHN COLLINS, WAKE FOREST

21. Oklahoma City Thunder - TYLER LYDON, SYRACUSE

22. Brooklyn Nets - ISAIAH HARTENSTEIN, GERMANY

23. Toronto Raptors - SEMI OJELEYE, SMU

24. Utah Jazz - IKE ANIGBOGU, UCLA

25. Orlando Magic - IVAN RABB, CALIFORNIA

26. Portland Trail Blazers - ANZEJS PASECNIKS, LATVIA

27. Brooklyn Nets - TERRANCE FERGUSON, ADELAIDE 36ERS

28. Los Angeles Lakers - JORDAN BELL, OREGON

29. San Antonio Spurs - JUSTIN PATTON, CREIGHTON

30. Utah Jazz - SINDARIOUS THORNWELL, SOUTH CAROLINA