2017 Post-Lottery Mock Draft — Big Ballers, Shot Callers and Rim Rockers
After Tuesday’s NBA Draft Lottery, see which prospect your favorite team will select in the 2017 NBA Draft.
The story of the NBA Draft is beginning to reveal itself as the playoffs whittle down by injuries and an inevitable Finals matchup. On Tuesday, the results of the NBA Draft Lottery were revealed and left some fans heartbroken, while others dreamed about the potential pairings of superstars and prospects their team could select. The upcoming draft is hyped to be the best since the historic 2003 draft that gave the NBA future Hall-of-Famers like LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade — A.K.A. the Banana Boaters (note to self: pitch a State Farm commercial with Chris Paul and the Banana Boaters sitcom style).
There were plenty of storylines heading into this draft lottery. Many of those hinged on the Los Angeles Lakers keeping their pick, the Philadelphia 76ers trying to grab a second top pick to add to their already-processing core and the Eastern Conference Finals’ challenger Boston Celtics praying for a top overall selection.
Players who have not yet hired an agent and elect to return to school must decide by May 24. International prospects will have until June 12 if they haven’t hired an agent by that time.
The players themselves have also given us a plethora of storylines to follow since this college season began. Lonzo Ball has been the most headline-worthy player on this prospect list. This often stemmed from statements from his father, LaVar Ball, who seems to have an issue with people who can’t afford his $500 shoes. Markelle Fultz has shown confidence in being the top overall pick despite having his college team fail to make the postseason. Players like De’Aaron Fox, Jayson Tatum, Donovan Mitchell and Zach Collins saw their draft status rise as the season went on, and others definitely saw their stock fall due to injuries, poor play or flaws in their game as a whole.
Below is our first post-lottery mock draft covering the entire first round.
1. Boston Celtics (via Brooklyn Nets): Markelle Fultz, PG, Washington
Markelle Fultz is the best player in this draft, and it isn’t as close as many think. Fultz has an incredible combination of size, shooting ability, playmaking ability and speed. When you look at today’s top point guards, Fultz fits the mold, as he can attack the defense in so many ways with the ball in his hands. The former Washington point guard can play both guard positions and may be asked to when he suits up in Celtics green next season.
Boston is sitting in a very interesting situation as they have some major decisions to make after the conclusion of this postseason. Isaiah Thomas will be an unrestricted free agent in 2018 and will demand a long-term max contract. If Boston decides they want to win now and go all-in on a 29-year-old Thomas, the best course of action would be dangling the possibility of landing Fultz in front of Chicago or Indiana, in hopes of welcoming Jimmy Butler or Paul George. While Fultz can become an incredible player, each option has its advantages.
2. Los Angeles Lakers: Lonzo Ball, PG, UCLA
This is where conspiracy theorists about the NBA Draft Lottery will have a field day. Lonzo (and LaVar) Ball have made it very clear that they want to end up in Los Angeles, playing for their hometown Lakers. The D’Angelo Russell and Lonzo Ball experiment could turn out to be a very fun and successful one, as both guys have great size, excellent court vision and can play both guard spots. Fitting in the rest of the Lakers’ young core — a developing Brandon Ingram, versatile Julius Randle, steady Jordan Clarkson and even the surprise Ivica Zubac — will present some exciting times for Lakers fans.
While Lonzo enjoyed one of the most entertaining freshman seasons in recent memory at UCLA, he also has many flaws. His percentages were great at UCLA, but his shooting stroke and release time can be a major issue at the next level when his defenders are the same height or taller than him. All in all, being drafted to the Lakers would situate him in a team with a few shooters and give him a good chance to flex his off-the-charts basketball IQ.
3. Philadelphia 76ers (via Sacramento Kings): Josh Jackson, SF, Kansas
Philadelphia’s own pick actually fell to five, but due to Sam Hinkie’s ability to see years into the future, the 76ers have the right to swap picks with the Sacramento Kings for the number three selection. With two building blocks in Joel Embiid and last year’s top overall pick Ben Simmons, Philly is in a great position moving forward. While Josh Jackson may not necessarily be the best fit possible, he is too great of a talent to pass up.
Jackson is a two-way player who is probably more coveted for his defensive ability than his offensive ability. He has lockdown defender potential and can guard three different positions, while also being an impressive, crafty player on the offensive end. Teaming up with fellow Jayhawk Embiid and the lengthy Simmons could give plenty of opportunities for Philly to quickly turn into one of the best young defensive squads out there. Jayson Tatum, Malik Monk, De’Aaron Fox and Dennis Smith Jr. are all strong candidates to be taken third overall.
4. Phoenix Suns: Jayson Tatum, SF, Duke
Phoenix doesn’t need another point guard, though it wouldn’t be completely unexpected to see them chase after one. With a few young pieces in Phoenix, the team is just on a mission to get players who can fit their mold and develop in their system. While Josh Jackson is probably their ideal prospect and should be their top prospect overall, Jayson Tatum is a great prospect who has elite scoring ability and would be a menace on the wing with sharpshooter Devin Booker. Of all prospects in this draft, Tatum may be the most NBA-ready player available in the draft.
5. Sacramento Kings: De’Aaron Fox, PG, Kentucky
For a long time now, the Kings’ organization has put the fun in dysfunctional. Don’t look now, but the Kings have churned out a decent core to battle in the future. With Buddy Hield, Skal Labissiere, Willie Cauley-Stein and Malachi Richardson, the Kings have a chance to draft a talented point guard with a mentality to lead the next era of Kings basketball. De’Aaron Fox has shot up draft boards in recent months after a superb end to the college basketball season, which included a dazzling NCAA Tournament. While his jump shot needs plenty of work, he competes on defense and is as quick and explosive as prospects come. There are plenty of talented players in this draft, and while he may not be the most polished, he’s a good player to bet on.
6. Orlando Magic: Dennis Smith Jr., PG, NC State
Dennis Smith Jr. is one of the most intriguing prospects in college basketball. After a torn ACL worried some scouts during his final season in high school, Smith busted onto the scene, putting on athletic display after athletic display. His game was easy to overlook at NC State, but will be impossible to overlook when he bounces around NBA arenas. To support that athletic ability, Smith has sneaky good passing ability and an improving shot from range, which all screams future star in today’s guard-driven NBA. With this pick, the Orlando Magic can finally stop acting as if they like Elfrid Payton as their main ball-handler and move on.
7. Minnesota Timberwolves: Jonathan Isaac, PF, Florida State
This is a dream situation for the Minnesota Timberwolves. It’s no secret that the Wolves have an embarrassment of riches in the form of young talent, but they lack a young player with great position at power forward. While Jonathan Isaac is clearly a project and may take some time to develop, he has the potential to be an elite four and is coming into the league at just the right time. His stellar size gives him an advantage on the defensive end — something that is of major importance to head coach Tom Thibodeau as he crafts his team moving forward. The combination of Dunn, LaVine, Wiggins, Isaac and Towns in three years is about as scary as the first time you saw The Shining.
8. New York Knicks: Malik Monk, SG, Kentucky
The Knicks had hoped to get a couple of picks higher, but will now have to choose between Malik Monk and Frank Ntilikina. While the organization has become about just as unpredictable as any, it would be easy to see Phil Jackson going in the direction of Monk, who showed top-level athleticism and an impeccable scoring touch. Since we are talking about the Knicks and I’ve mentioned Phil Jackson, it’s important to remember that three-sided shape he holds so dearly and understand that between Monk and Kristaps Porzingis, they have the beginnings of a pretty dependable offense with lots of shooting prowess. Monk may not have the highest potential in this draft, but he definitely can turn into a nightly terror to game plan and match up against.
9. Dallas Mavericks: Frank Ntilikina, PG, France
The Mavs are rumored to have scouted Ntilikina heavily. As the rebuild begins (despite their constant attempts to lure top free agents), the Mavs would be lucky to find a point guard with as much talent and potential near the end of the lottery as they can with Ntilikina. Many pundits have compared him to George Hill, though his 6-foot-5 frame and 6-foot-10 wingspan provide even more defensive ability to be excited about. He strikes most as an old-school point guard and could shoot up draft boards as he gets more exposure in the coming weeks. Understanding that he’s only 18 years old will give the Mavs the ability to really be patient and develop him into the point guard he can be at the next level.
10. Sacramento Kings (via New Orleans Pelicans): Lauri Markkanen, PF, Arizona
The Kings were able to grab a point guard earlier in this mock draft, so it’s time for them to look for a player who can contribute in many other ways. The Kings have never been afraid to stack at different positions, and even though Skal Labissiere has given fans plenty to be excited about, Markkanen’s shooting ability has really shown through. Sacramento loves its shooters and while Markkanen lacks toughness down low and is a below-average rebounder, he has incredible ability to stretch the floor and can open the lane up for explosive athletes like Fox, Labissiere and Cauley-Stein.
11. Charlotte Hornets: Zach Collins, C, Gonzaga
Zach Collins is the player who can go anywhere in the draft. He has gotten interest from teams like the Orlando Magic at number six and can fall even further than this based on his limited minutes in college. Simply put, Collins can turn into a great NBA big who can do everything from protecting the paint to shooting the long ball. Charlotte clearly hasn’t found the solution to their logjams at many positions, but taking Collins would be a step in the right direction, as he will quickly become an upgrade from Cody Zeller.
12. Detroit Pistons: Donovan Mitchell, SG, Louisville
No player has helped himself more in the draft combine than Louisville’s Donovan Mitchell. Mitchell may not be the most polished or talented player in this draft, but he has elite athleticism — a 40-inch vertical to go with his 6-foot-10 wingspan. Though undersized for a shooting guard at 6-foot-3, he projects to have Victor Oladipo-like potential at the next level if his jump shot can develop and his energy can translate. The Pistons would love the chance to add some backcourt depth while they make some key decisions moving forward about their guards under contract.
13. Denver Nuggets: O.G. Anunoby, SF, Indiana
Anunoby has been raved about for his talent by scouts for some time now. He has elite size standing at 6-foot-8 with a 7-foot-6 wingspan and can provide significant relief for a team that was dismal defensively last season. Obviously, a clean bill of health will make this pick possible, but the Nuggets can get a steal by selecting Anunoby this late in the lottery. With Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray, the Nuggets can lock up a huge piece to the rest of their wildly underrated and talented puzzle.
14. Miami Heat: Harry Giles, PF, Duke
This pick is one that can go many different ways. Players like Luke Kennard or John Collins can provide a quicker payback, but Miami is in a position where they can afford to swing for the fences, and this could be Barry Bonds hitting into the San Francisco Bay. Giles was pegged as one of the top players coming out of high school and a true candidate for the top overall pick before undergoing his third knee surgery this season. Despite going through three operations, his immense talent is telling that he’s still got a chance to be drafted in the lottery. A Giles-Whiteside pairing could give slower and less explosive NBA bigs nightmares for years to come.
15. Portland Trail Blazers: Jarrett Allen, C, Texas
One of the things Portland has needed for some time is front-court defensive talent. Allen sports a 7-foot-6 wingspan and is nearly a legit seven-footer (not including his spectacular afro). The Blazers made a good move by acquiring Jusuf Nurkic and still have Meyers Leonard, but neither provide the sort of defensive threat Allen could be down low. For a fringe-playoff team, Allen could make a gigantic splash down low and is athletic enough to run at the Blazers’ pace better than Nurkic or Leonard can.
16. Chicago Bulls: Luke Kennard, SG, Duke
Kennard’s game isn’t very pretty, but it sure is fun to watch. Playing at Duke, we saw a lot of offensive firepower between Tatum, Frank Jackson, Grayson Allen and the rare Harry Giles sightings, but the 6-foot-6 shooting guard had better efficiency and shooting clips than each one of them. Everyone knows about Kennard’s expertise from deep — hitting over 43 percent of his shots from three last season — but his ball-handling ability and improving court vision is what tips him over into being a steal at this point in the draft.
17. Milwaukee Bucks: Hamidou Diallo, SG, Kentucky
This would be such a Bucks pick. After not playing a single game in college this season and electing to only practice with Kentucky’s talented squad rather than lacing ’em up, Diallo would follow the molds set by many Bucks’ before. Last year’s selection, Thon Maker, was shrouded in mystery, surprisingly taken 10th overall and has looked like quite the success. The year before,Rashad Vaughn was selected after missing a large chunk of the college season and not making much noise as a prospect. Brandon Jennings was once-upon-a-time a Buck who was drafted without any collegiate experience. The obvious example is the Greek Freak himself, Giannis Antetokounmpo, who was taken 15th overall out of the Greek second division. Diallo has interesting talent and great potential to go along with his 44 ½-inch vertical leap. He could be a great replacement in the future for Tony Snell, as this team looks to upgrade and get younger.
18. Indiana Pacers: John Collins, PF, Wake Forest
John Collins nearly averaged a dominant double-double, has great size and was often regarded as one of the more balanced two-way players in the NCAA last year. So why is he falling so low? It could either be a simple case that he doesn’t have a very high ceiling, or it could be related to the fact that he hasn’t had much of a chance to show his game on the big stage. It’s a big if, but if his shot develops and he shows an offensive game that continues to improve, Collins won’t be sitting around at this point in the draft a few weeks from now.
19. Atlanta Hawks: Justin Patton, C, Creighton
The good news on Justin Patton? He has tons of potential and can turn out to be this draft’s biggest steal falling this late. The bad news? He might take years to develop into that player. Patton is fun to watch as he skies in for lobs and can run the floor with ease, but has a long way to go on some of the other major skills needed for starting centers in this league. Specifically, he needs to become tougher on the boards and be able to show more polish and grit on the defensive end to get there. With the Hawks potentially kicking Dwight Howard out of Atlanta, it would be easy to envision them looking for a high-ceiling prospect to fit into their style of play.
20. Portland Trail Blazers (via Memphis Grizzlies): T.J. Leaf, PF, UCLA
Earlier in this draft, I had the Blazers selecting Texas’ Jarrett Allen for his shot-blocking and defensive talent. With this pick, the Blazers go for the offensive talent and grab one of the best scorers in college basketball in T.J. Leaf. Leaf is not going to give them anything on the defensive end, and that goes for double when he faces NBA offenses. Still, he has a chance to be a major contributor for a team that can take all the versatile weapons they can get. Being able to line up at the four can create plenty of mismatches because aside from his scoring, Leaf has a knack for creating opportunities for his teammates as well.
21. Oklahoma City Thunder: Terrance Ferguson, SG, Australia
Terrance Ferguson is a bit all over the place in mock drafts right now. Ferguson chose to forgo playing collegiate basketball and instead played professional basketball in Australia this past season. Physically, Ferguson stands tall for a shooting guard and has great measurements with explosive athletic ability and knockdown shooting. He joked that he could compete in both the Dunk Contest and Three-Point Contest next season, and he might not be wrong about that. The Thunder could use some more scoring and could stand to benefit from some additional shooting in the backcourt.
22. Brooklyn Nets (via Washington Wizards): Rodions Kurucs, SF, Latvia
Hey, look! A New York team is drafting a player from Latvia! While Kurucs may not be at the level of Kristaps Porzingis, he offers some real upside for a team that isn’t in a hurry to develop their prospects. Kurucs is a small forward with good size and has the ability to shoot from around the floor, as well as finish around the basket. His defense still has a long way to go, but his offensive potential could go a long way for the Nets, who are at a point where they can really sit and hope for talent to fall into their laps.
23. Toronto Raptors (via Los Angeles Clippers): Ike Anigbogu, C, UCLA
Ike Anigbogu didn’t get a chance to really utilize all his skills last season at UCLA, playing on such a stacked team. What we do know about Anigbogu is that he’s more than impressive defensively and can provide the sort of presence down low — that a playoff team may need down low. His offense is definitely a work in progress, but as long as he continues to block shots and be a tenacious rebounder with incredible energy, he can find a spot in Toronto’s competitive rotation.
24. Utah Jazz: Justin Jackson, SF, North Carolina
This pick is one that could pay dividends for the Jazz but may not translate across for many other teams. The Jazz are in need of more steady contributions from their bench and could greatly benefit from adding depth on the wings, as some of their options are aging. Having turned himself into one of the best shooters in college basketball and adding some impressive defensive performances in the NCAA Tournament, Jackson is ready to contribute in the NBA. He would be best suited for a team where he is expected to contribute in small handfuls at a time.
25. Orlando Magic (via Toronto Raptors): Bam Adebayo, C, Kentucky
The Magic have invested plenty of money on Bismack Biyombo and will be interested to see how their gamble pays off. In the meantime, it wouldn’t hurt to add a lite version of Biyombo in Adebayo. Though his short time at Kentucky actually hurt his stock, he has the ability to turn into an impactful contributor on the glass who can make big stops at the rim and make it tough on opposing offenses.
26. Portland Trail Blazers (via Cleveland Cavaliers): Isaiah Hartenstein, PF/C, Germany
This would be the third pick for the Portland Trail Blazers, so it’s a pretty good bet that they go with an international prospect here. Hartenstein is more than just a draft-and-stash, as he can turn into something fairly special in time. The German big man has impressive athleticism and is just barely 19 years old. He has legit seven-footer status and has shown the ability to be an above-average competitor on defense, rebounding and blocking the ball with ease.
27. Brooklyn Nets (via Boston Celtics): Tyler Lydon, PF, Syracuse
Tyler Lydon won’t need to travel too far from Syracuse. The Nets could grab him to provide an offensive spark and to go with their athletic and defense-oriented young players. Lydon is a threat on the offensive side of the ball, shooting as a stretch four, but he struggles defensively. In Brooklyn, his defensive struggles would be masked by the defensive presence of Rondae Hollis-Jefferson. The Nets have taken a few swings for the fences in past seasons and should focus a bit on trying to get some steady talent at this point in the draft as well.
28. Los Angeles Lakers (via Houston Rockets): Semi Ojeleye, SF, SMU
The Lakers took Lonzo Ball with their first pick in this draft. Due to the Lou Williams trade, the Lakers will take over the Houston Rockets’ first-round pick and try to get some value where Williams couldn’t help much: defensively. Semi Ojeleye is a former Duke recruit who turned SMU into a fierce competitor for much of the year. He may be undersized, but is the mold of an old-school, tough-nosed defensive player. His play can go a long way for a team who struggles at just about each position defensively.
29. San Antonio Spurs: Jonathan Jeanne, C, France
The Spurs have this incredible eye for international talent, and Jonathan Jeanne may become the next player to suddenly put up subtle double-doubles in the postseason without people knowing how to properly pronounce his name. Jeanne has made it clear that he wants to come to the NBA next year, and the Spurs would likely be elated to bring on his 7-foot-2 frame that comes with a side order rim protection and a glass of diet jump shooting.
30. Utah Jazz: Ivan Rabb, PF, California
At this time last year, Ivan Rabb was regarded as a lottery pick. After a disappointing sophomore season, Rabb is now battling to remain in the first round. While he’s neglected to show much improvement this season and has been pretty bad defensively, he has good size and can turn himself into a rotation player because of his ability to crash the glass well. The Jazz have a serious hole they need to address in their front-court depth, and Rabb could be a bit of a stopgap if deployed correctly by head coach Quin Snyder.
