Kasparas Jakucionis - NBA Mock Draft Roundup 2.0

It's a critical offseason for Houston and the Rockets would be wise to trade this pick and consolidate some of their depth for another star. However, if Houston stays on the clock, point guard is an area of need. Houston selects the Illinois star who can potentially be Fred VanVleet's successor.

Jakučionis led Illinois in scoring, tying the freshman record for total points in a season (494). He boasts vast high-level experience after playing with Barcelona and should be able to step in and provide scoring and playmaking. He will have to earn playing time on a veteran-laden team positioned for long playoff runs, though the Lithuanian will give the team depth in the backcourt.

Jakučionis is big and can play both on and off the ball, coming off a terrific freshman season in which he averaged 15 points, six rebounds and five assists. His vision is sublime, and he fits the current ecosystem of the NBA well with his dribble, pass and shoot traits. Still, he is a bit polarizing for folks around the league as he doesn't have a ton of athletic explosiveness, and his defensive game was not always on point this year. His range is seen as somewhere from the middle to the end of the lottery.

The Blazers, in my opinion, have a tremendous frontcourt of the future with Deni Avdija, Toumani Camara and Donovan Clingan. However, there are questions in the backcourt surrounding young players Shaedon Sharpe and Scoot Henderson, and they could use another offensive option to start pushing those guys. Jakučionis can play both on and off the ball, giving him the flexibility to play with either of those players.

Pro Comparison: Coby White

Kasparas Jakucionis will earn workouts and consideration from top-10 teams, though backcourt logjams and questions about creating separation could also push him into the late lottery.

His 6'6" size and scoring/playmaking versatility should help teams see a combo that can play off an established lead ball-handler like De'Aaron Fox.

While Jakucionis struggled from the field down the stretch, he mostly showed enough effective change of speed, creative shotmaking and high-IQ passing for scouts to believe he can compensate for limited athletic traits.

Team Fit: After developing a stingy defense under coach Chauncey Billups, the Blazers could try boosting their offense here with Jakucionis. He's a crafty, creative scorer, and while he has a tendency to sometimes get over his skis, he might thrive in a multi-creator offense while splitting touches with Scoot Henderson, Anfernee Simons and Deni Avdija. —Zach Buckley, NBA Analyst

Scouting report: Jakucionis helped himself quite a bit at Illinois, where he took on an enormous role as an 18-year-old debuting at the Division I level and put together a strong season. Despite predictable ups and downs as part of that adjustment, NBA teams remain largely optimistic that his toughness, playmaking feel, size and versatility at either guard spot will lead to a promising pro career.

There have been concerns about his ability to create separation off the dribble, but Jakucionis' ball-screen savvy and room to grow as a shooter should enable him to make an impact as part of a team's rotation, at the very least. -- Woo

NBA intel and fit: The Rockets acquired swap rights to Phoenix's pick in last summer's deal with the Nets, and the Suns' underwhelming play turned it into a valuable one. After a strong regular season ended in a first-round postseason exit, this pick represents an opportunity for Houston to bolster its deep roster, whether drafting a prospect or using this selection as a trade chip.

Jakucionis wouldn't directly address a need but would give the Rockets significant backcourt depth to build with as they weigh the future of their roster, particularly if they decide to move on from Jalen Green and/or Fred VanVleet and transition toward Reed Sheppard and potentially the player they select here. -- Woo

Jakucionis was trending as a top-5 pick earlier in the season before struggling a bit against better competition that exposed some holes in his game. The Lithuanian point guard arrived in Champaign and immediately showed off his fantastic passing creativity, pull-up shooting, and ability to get to the free throw line. That's an enticing blend of skills for a 6'5 point guard, but only if he can cut down his turnovers and show more fight defensively. Big Ten defenses started blitzing Jakucionis midway through the year and found that he'd routinely throw the ball to the other team. Part of the problem is that Jakucionis is just a limited run-and-jump athlete who finished his freshman year with only one dunk. Still, Jakucionis's ability to self-create three-point looks and find unique passing angles remains worthy of lottery consideration. Getting his three-point shot more consistent will be crucial step to carving out an NBA career.

The Raps were one of the least efficient pick-and-roll teams in the NBA last season, and Jakucionis can certainly help in that area. As the college season wore on, injuries and a loss of confidence had an effect on the freshman. But that may distract from the headline of Kasparas's case: Illinois ran a fantastic offense last season, and that's largely a credit to this 18-year-old. He's shown enough to prove he can be an additive creative force on the floor, with a scoring punch that surpasses that of other big playmakers in this class, such as Hugo Gonzalez or Egor Demin. The odds are that his entire career will probably float in that "extra creator" space because of the questions about his scoring consistency and ability to take care of the ball.

Jakucionis is a connective piece who projects as a point guard and has good size and finishing ability. He'll need to round out his game to become a weapon off-ball.

Jakučionis is a slick shot-creator with a creative passing gene and a fearless scoring ability, carving up defenses with crafty finishes, step-back jumpers and jaw-dropping passes. But as a freshman he'd follow up those highlights with turnover brain-farts that derail the hype train. The Rockets have so many different shot creators that he could lean into his strengths as a shooter and develop his point skills in a minimized role. But they don't have the guy, so there'd certainly be pressure on KJ to become the offensive engine.