Many changes continue being made to NBA mock drafts prior to the upcoming 2021 NBA draft, and LSU’s Cameron Thomas is still projected to go in the first round.
The updated mock draft from USA TODAY Sports has Thomas coming in at No. 19 with a pick from the New York Knicks. Thomas could be a much-needed spark plug for the New York Knicks, as they are still in desperate need of more scoring threats at the guard position.
The Knicks adding Derrick Rose to the starting lineup took away much of their scoring ability off the bench minus Alec Burks, and adding Thomas could give them much more depth offensively and defensively.
Thomas has the ability to score from all areas of the court, and he could be most useful behind the perimeter, as he’s known for being a prolific three-point scorer.
An explosive scorer, Thomas averaged 23 points a game for the Tigers and erupted for a bundle of 30-plus scoring nights. He had the ball in his hands a lot at LSU but he’ll have to find a way to make an impact when he’s not scoring at will at the pro level.
The updated mock draft from Bleacher Report has Thomas coming in at No. 22 landing him a spot on the Los Angeles Lakers. This would be another great fit for him as the Lakers are in desperate need of a consistent scorer outside of Lebron James and Anthony Davis.
While the Lakers found another offensive weapon in Dennis Schroder, adding Thomas to the lineup will give them a three-point shooting weapon that they’ve lacked for the past few seasons.
It was recently reported Thomas decided to opt-out of the NBA combine taking place this week, and in most cases, when a draft prospect chooses to miss out on this event, it’s because a team has already confirmed he will be a first-round pick.
It will be interesting to see where the 6-foot-4 freshman will end up, but it’s easy to see he will be a great addition to many NBA rosters.