Wisconsin’s Frank Kaminsky would provide depth and versatility to a talented Jazz frontcourt.
The Utah Jazz were one of the NBA’s best teams after the All-Star break this season. Despite finishing with a 38-44 record, the Jazz went 19-10 after the break, beating several Western Conference playoff teams and playing the best defense in the league. Forward Gordon Hayward solidified his role as the team’s go-to guy, and center Rudy Gobert was phenomenal as a starter after the team traded center Enes Kanter to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Forward Derrick Favors was solid and shooting guard Rodney Hood showed flashes of brilliance in the absence of guard Alec Burks.
With the 12th overall pick in this year’s draft, the Jazz have an opportunity to add to their young and talented core. Utah will also have a few options when its turn to pick arrives. Favors and Gobert will be the team’s starting big men moving forward, but there isn’t much frontcourt depth outside of forward Trevor Booker, who is under contract for just one more season. Point guard is also an area of concern, as neither Trey Burke nor Dante Exum showed they are ready to run an NBA offense.
But after drafting a point guard two years in a row, the Jazz would be better served addressing the position in free agency. Therefore, the team’s best option is to improve its frontcourt depth.
Enter Frank Kaminsky III.
A four-year player from Wisconsin, the man Badger fans call “Frank the Tank” averaged 18.8 points, 8.2 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game in his final college season. Standing 7 feet 1 inches tall and weighing 234 pounds, Kaminsky has both a polished post game and the ability to hit perimeter shots, making him a deadly weapon offensively. His 3-point shooting improved every single season at Wisconsin, and so did his scoring, rebounding, passing and overall shooting.
While his athleticism won’t wow anybody, he is capable of playing both the power forward and center positions, making him a suitable frontcourt mate for both Favors and Gobert. His shooting ability also gives Favors and Gobert more room to work in the paint, where they are most lethal.
One of the few four-year players available in this year’s draft, the 22-year-old won’t need as much seasoning as some of the younger prospects in his class. What’s more important is he understands both his strengths and his weaknesses. Simply put, he knows his game.
Kaminsky should be first on Utah’s board when the Jazz make the 12th overall selection, and if the team does indeed draft him, he would make both the fans and the franchise very happy. But if he is unavailable, the team could go after Texas big man Myles Turner or Latvian stretch four Kristaps Porzingis (assuming both are available). Both players would improve the team’s frontcourt depth, and while Turner’s shot-blocking skills would make a solid Jazz defense even better, Porzingis’ shooting in today’s pace-and-space league would also be a tremendous boost.
Regardless, Kaminsky is the most NBA-ready of the three, and Utah would be foolish to pass on him.
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