Trayce Jackson-Davis' NBA Upside Relies On Fit, Utilization. Here Are Four Logical Landing Spots

Former Indiana star Trayce Jackson-Davis is headed to the NBA, and there's contrasting opinions on his stance as a pro prospect. He certainly has flaws, but with the right surroundings, there's reason to believe he could be a late first-round steal. Here are four teams that make sense for Jackson-Davis, based on his skillset and their existing roster.

Trayce Jackson-Davis was a consensus first-team All-Americans as a senior at Indiana, but that doesn't guarantee success in today's NBA. 

If it did, he'd be a top-10 pick in Thursday's draft and carry expectations as a franchise cornerstone. Instead, Jackson-Davis is a projected late first-round or early second-round pick.

He has flaws as an NBA prospect, without a doubt. No one has seen Jackson-Davis consistently knock down mid-range or 3-point jump shots outside of workout or practice settings, and that's a near-necessary trait in the NBA. And as a 6-foot-9, non-shooter, he's stuck between being a true power forward or center. He won't be able to overpower opponents on a regular basis like he did in college, either, and NBA bigs will challenge Jackson-Davis' defensive skills.

But certain traits make Jackson-Davis a potential late first-round steal, starting with his above-average athleticism. He ranked first among centers at the NBA combine in various speed, agility and vertical-leap drills, which translates to his upside as a rebounder and shot-blocker in the NBA. 

If you're worried about his lack of 3-point shooting, look on various NBA playoff rosters and you'll find guys like Robert Williams, Kevon Looney and Bam Adebayo – non-shooters who are vital players because of their defense, rebounding and energy. Jackson-Davis' ball-handling and passing improved dramatically during his senior year, giving him playmaking skills some NBA forwards and centers simply don't have.

If Jackson-Davis is surrounded by the right players and tasked with executing his strengths, there's reason to believe he can have a long, productive NBA career. He could certainly fit on various other teams, but here are four landing spots in the late first and early second round that make for strong fits, based on Jackson-Davis' skillset and the existing roster in place.

Sacramento Kings – No. 24 or No. 38

The 24th pick seems about as high as Jackson-Davis could go – and he might not be there at No. 38 – but he makes sense with the Kings current roster construction. Their starting backcourt is set with De'Aaron Fox and Kevin Huerter, and small forward Keegan Murray just set the NBA rookie record for 3-pointers made in a season. Sacramento has good guard depth with Davion Mitchell and Malik Monk coming off the bench, too.

The center position is set with Domantas Sabonis (19.1 ppg, 12.3 rpg, 7.3 apg), whose biggest flaw is his lack of shot-blocking ability. 31-year-old Harrison Barnes started all 82 games at power forward, but he averaged just 4.5 rebounds per game. Adding Jackson-Davis – Indiana's all-time leader in rebounds and blocked shots – to the mix would fill two of the Kings' biggest needs. He wouldn't be relied on to score all the time, allowing him to shift his focus to those areas. And because of the Kings' variety of 3-point shooters and established post presence in Sabonis, the floor would open significantly for Jackson-Davis, who's used to seeing double and triple-teams in college.

Indiana Pacers – No. 26 or No. 40

The Pacers traded their No. 29 and No. 32 picks on Wednesday, but still own No. 26 and No. 40, putting them in range for the Indiana native, Jackson-Davis. Indiana is currently a guard-heavy team, with Tyrese Haliburton (20.7 ppg), Buddy Hield (16.8 ppg) and Bennedict Mathurin (16.7) as three of its top four scorers.

The question for the Pacers whether they think 6-foot-11 center Myles Turner and Jackson-Davis would fit together. If anything, they'd two tremendous shot-blockers, with Turner averaging 2.3 blocks and Jackson-Davis at 2.9 last year. Turner can step out and knock down 3-pointers – he made 93-of-249, or 37.3 percent last year – so things wouldn't be too clogged with Jackson-Davis, an unproven jump-shooter. The other holdup here could be the Pacers drafting someone like Taylor Hendricks or Jarace Walker at No. 7, eliminating the need for another forward like Jackson-Davis.

Los Angeles Clippers – No. 30

With aging forwards Marcus Morris (33) and Nicolas Batum (34), plus inside-oriented center Ivica Zubac, drafting Jackson-Davis would be a boost of energy for the Clippers. Already a strong rebounder, Jackson-Davis made significant strides as a passer during his senior year, and he was even trusted to run Indiana's fast break, thanks to improved ball-handling. Zubac is an OK shot-blocker (1.3 bpg) and rebounder (9.9 rpg), so Jackson-Davis could help in those areas, too. 

When healthy, All-Stars Kawhi Leonard and Paul George are capable of averaging 20-plus points, so the Clippers don't necessarily need to draft or sign a volume scorer. This is another fit where Jackson-Davis' strengths could be highlighted, without needing to be the offensive focal point. The biggest concern would be playing Jackson-Davis and Zubac, two unproven outside shooters, on the court together. 

Boston Celtics – No. 35

Jackson-Davis has drawn comparisons to Robert Williams, a 6-foot-9 forward who averaged 8.0 points, 8.3 rebounds and 1.4 blocks during his fifth NBA season. Williams has attempted just four 3-pointers his entire career, but his rebounding, shot-blocking and energy has made him a valuable piece during the Celtics' recent playoff runs. It'd be even better to have two, right?

Jackson-Davis and Williams aren't the same exact player, but both could play important roles on a roster with established perimeter scorers and All-Stars like Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. 37-year-old forward Al Horford has two years left on his contract, and the Celtics have been linked to a possible trade for center Kristaps Porzingis, but neither would block the Celtics' eye toward a future with a young forward in the draft. 

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