Anybody asking about the potential of finding a diamond in the rough among NBA second round picks can look at the contract the NBA champion Golden State Warriors just handed Draymond Green as testament. Finding a superstar in the second round is by no means a sure thing but Green’s emergence is another example of a team finding talent deep in the draft. Here is a look at five second-round picks from this year’s draft class with the best chance to have an impact in their rookie seasons.
Pat Connaughton, Portland Trail Blazers
Perhaps the player with the best chance of cracking a starting rotation as a rookie second round pick is Connaughton, whose 6’5’’ frame and incredible athleticism made him an excellent sleeper pick for Portland in this year’s NBA Draft. Connaughton hit 42% of his threes a year ago and he was hailed for his defense at Notre Dame. The Trail Blazers are reeling after losing LaMarcus Aldridge, Robin Lopez and Wesley Matthews, but don’t be surprised if Connaughton provides at least some marginal optimism as an excellent option on the wing that steps in as an immediate starter in his rookie year.
Joseph Young, Indiana Pacers
The reigning PAC-12 Player of the Year averaged over 20 points per game at Oregon a year ago but his relative lack of height at 6’2’’ forced several teams to pass on him in the first round. However, Young has been proving his critics wrong since high school and when he is in attack mode he is extremely shifty and hard to contain. Young has been compared to Aaron Brooks and while he won’t have the opportunity at a starting job the way Connaughton will in Portland, he could find a role as a depth guard off the bench for the Pacers. The Pacers roster has been thinned out over the last couple of seasons as Lance Stephenson, Roy Hibbert, Luis Scola and David West are all gone. Someone will have to step up and fill in that production.
Montrezl Harrell, Houston Rockets
The Rockets don’t have a need to push Harrell before he is ready but considering he slid out of the first round despite having the talent to go higher than where he was selected, it won’t be a surprise if they turn to him for a spot off the bench. Harrell is an absolute beast at 250 pounds and with a massive 7’4’’ wingspan, so Houston could definitely lean on him in a defensive role as a forward off the bench in his rookie season. Dwight Howard has had a tough time staying healthy and that means Harrell would only be competing with Clint Capela and Donatas Motiejunas for minutes if Superman misses time again.
Olivier Hanlan, Utah Jazz
Utah’s backcourt isn’t particularly deep and Hanlan proved at Boston College that he could be the type of primary ball handler that gets the most out of the talent around him. Hanlan never played for a primetime school, so he is still a bit of an unknown but he has an excellent shot and good vision, so it wouldn’t be a surprise if he earns a role coming off the bench for the Jazz at some point this season.
Anthony Brown, Los Angeles Lakers
Brown will have an uphill climb earning a role with the Lakers next season but his three-point shooting and solid combination of height and wingspan mean that he could earn a spot coming off the bench. He was taken with the 34th pick in the draft but he could have gone higher as he redshirted in the 2012-13 season with a hip issue. However, in his last two seasons, he hit 44.6% from three. With some sharp shooting combined with the fact that the Lakers are thing on the wings could mean that he earns himself a good look with the Lakers. He isn’t a great athlete but he doesn’t have heavy competition for minutes.
