The NBA Playoffs are well underway, the NBA Draft seasons edges closer, here’s how the NBA Draft picture is shaping up.
Since we are already in the playoffs, and all of the tiebreakers have been sorted, the draft order is all but set; that is until the NBA Draft Lottery of course. All of the tanking battles are now done, the Los Angeles Lakers failed miserably to the benefit of the Philadelphia 76ers.
This star-studded draft class is filled with an unfeasible of hype. Being compared to draft classes such as 1984, 1996 and 2003 is somewhat unfair to as most of the top tier players are still teenagers and are still scratching the surfaces of their potentials. Will the top players from this years draft be named in the sam sentences as Michael Jordan and LeBron James when there careers are all said and done?
Deep Draft
The 2017 NBA Draft offers almost anything a team would want in a prospect. Aside from a center that can make an immediate impact, teams will be able to find potential stars. There are an abundance of talented guards such as Markelle Fultz, Lonzo Ball and De’Aaron Fox. As well as versatile forwards such as Josh Jackson, Jonathan Isaac and Jayson Tatum.
The 76ers stand in a incredibly good position, they can obtain the Lakers’ pick should it fall out of the top three. They also have the right to swap picks with the Sacramento Kings should their pick jump above of the 76ers’ pick. With a bit of luck they could have two top five picks. Theres a 39.5 percent chance of that happening.
Just to note, in light of Christopher Kline‘s departure from The Sixer Sense, I will be continuing his series of Mock Drafts and Big Boards.
Without further ado lets get into my first 2017 NBA Mock Draft.
(Standings as of April 22nd; All stats via sports-reference.com, DraftExpress or RealGM).
To me, this is a no brainer pick. Despite being overloaded at the guard spots and having one of the best point guards in Isaiah Thomas, Fultz must be the pick. In addition, the Celtics are in a win-now mode, they shouldn’t care about fit, they should only care about drafting the best player available.
If Fultz is the choice, it will be interesting to see if Isaiah Thomas sticks around after his contract expires in the summer of 2018. I’m sure Fultz would start the season backing up Thomas as he learns Brad Steven’s offense but given his great size of 6-4 and a 6-10 wingspan, Fultz could eventually play alongside Thomas at the shooting guard spot. This would obviously demote elite defender, Avery Bradley to the bench.
Fultz’s game is so polished, offensively speaking, he is more than prepared for the NBA. His mid-range pull ups are lethal, his length helps him tremendously when getting the shot off. He glides past defenders as if they are not there. Fultz has also shown elite range, one a few occasions Fultz decided to pull up from five feet beyond the arc.
In addition to his offense capabilities, Futz has shown great potential on the defensive end. His “LeBron-esque chase down” blocks are what draws the attention. Fultz’s length helps him in picking off passes and locking his man up.
Despite already having Eric Bledsoe and Tyler Ulis on their roster I can’t see the Phoenix Suns passing on Lonzo Ball. After seeing UCLA go from a 15-17 team to a 31-4 team we’ve seen what sort of impact Ball can have on a struggling team; he turned the program around. Could he have a similar impact in the NBA? I don’t he will have a drastic impact on the Suns but I do think every player will benefit from having a genius in Lonzo Ball running the point.
Its scary to imagine the combination of Lonzo Ball and Devin Booker down the line. If Ball can turn mediocre prospects like Bryce Alford and Isaac Hamilton into potentially getting drafted just think what he could do with D-Book. Booker’s game will elevate to the next level, maybe Ball play making prowess will be the catalyst in Booker becoming the next Kobe.
If this was the case, despite Tyler Ulis’ rise during his rookie campaign he may be stuck to a role on the bench. I envision Ulis having a similar role that Isaiah Thomas had in his early career with the Sacramento Kings.
In contrast, Ball’s unorthodox shooting mechanics may cause difficulty in translating his shot to the NBA. He has already shown that he can launch it from a silly range but with longer, more athletic guards guarding him they may find it easy to block the shot.
In addition Ball’s below averaged defense leaves a lot to be desired. He often struggled to stay in front of his man but this was disguised as Ball’s teammates would always cover for him. Ball will stand no chance when guarding athletic freaks like Russell Westbrook.
Josh Jackson posses arguably the best athletic ability in this whole draft class. The small forward has also shown potential of becoming a point forward with his advanced play making skill set. I’m pretty sure that Magic Johnson and the Lakers would’ve wanted Lonzo Ball but they should definitely be happy with Josh Jackson as a consolation.
To start the season Jackson’s 3-point shot was atrocious, but as the season moved on his shot continued to improve greatly. If his 3-point shot can translate and improve slightly he will be a nice complimentary player to D’Angelo Russell and Brandon Ingram. Jackson would give the Lakers an elite premier defender that they have needed for a while.
Josh Jackson had an up-and-down year at Kansas, his play was impressive for the most part but his season was dampened by the multiple off the court issues. Firstly he was charged with one count of misdemeanor criminal damage after kicking the door of a property and the taillight of a car that belonged to a Kansas women’s basketball player.
Jackson was suspended for Kansas’ Big 12 tournament opener after accumulating three traffic violations. In addition Jackson threatened to “beat” a women in December. Hopefully these aren’t signs of things to come.
After this past season, its clear what the Philadelphia 76ers are missing, that’s a consistent scorer. I know they have Joel Embiid but you can’t rely on his health. Jayson Tatum or Malik Monk would both be great picks here but I think Tatum offers much more versatility than Monk does.
Tatum already has a polished offensive skill set, aside from Fultz Tatum may be the best offensive player in this draft. In addition, to close out the season Tatum showed his raw play making ability, he only had four game where he didn’t register an assist. Furthermore, at times Tatum showed his defensive potential. If all goes right for Tatum, he could be one of the best small forwards i the league. He reminds me of Carmelo Anthony.
Adding another shooter for Ben Simmons to use is key. Since Simmons’ scoring mainly comes from in the paint, spacing is very important. Adding Tatum to the team would see Robert Covington drop to the bench, giving the 76ers a great shooter and defender as a sixth man.
The future certainly looks bright in Philadelphia.
Throughout the last month of the season Elfrid Payton took his game to the next level, I’d understand if the Magic front office would want to build through him. But Payton just doesn’t offer that star potential like Dennis Smith Jr. does. However, Payton has recorded five triple doubles and surpassed 20 points five times but is that enough to keep his place?
Smith had an up-and-down year but he showed the talent that warrants a top 5 selection. His athletic ability is up there with Josh Jackson’s. He has the ability can make jaw dropping plays regularly. In terms of scoring he is far superior than Lonzo Ball, he isn’t of Markelle Fultz’s level but he isn’t far off.
The combination of Smith and Aaron Gordon on the fast break is frightening, both are able to outplay anyone who stands in the way. Smith is a very crafty player, he uses his quick first step to his advantage and finish at the hoop.
Smith’s shooting is okay, but he’s very inconsistent. 35.9 percent from behind the arc isn’t bad at all, his deep shot improved as the season went on. Smith also showed his ability to score in the mid-range coming off screens, this is something Lonzo Ball struggles mightily with.
After winning the tiebreaker between the Knicks, the Timberwolves are slotted at number six. Jonathan Isaac would fit perfectly in the starting lineup as a stretch four but he is certainly a project, someone you will have to work hard with to achieve maximum results in the long term. We saw with Brandon Ingram how hard translating your game is when you are very skinny. Isaac will definitely need to bulk up if he wants to reach his lofty potential.
Similarly to Ingram, Isaac showed his offensive versatility and fire power. His 3-point stroke was very inconsistent and tailed off towards the end of the season, going 2-10 from deep in the NCAA Tournament. In contrast, Isaac length helps him when finishing in the paint, he has a clear advantage over most small forward and is a mismatch nightmare.
Despite this, Isaac showed his rebounding talent (7.8 rebounds per game), this shows that Isaac has the ability to play the power forward spot in the NBA once he puts on weight. Isaac also showed his lockdown defensive potential, he averaged 1.2 steals and 1.5 blocks per game. He could definitely be a force on the defensive end in a couple of years.
The Minnesota Timberwolves just keep getting better and better, don’t they?
With Derrick Rose almost certainly leaving this summer the New York Knicks are in desperate need of a point guard. Also, with the comments Phil Jackson made about Carmelo Anthony it seems he will soon be on his way too. It looks like the Knicks are preparing for a full rebuild. They already have a franchise cornerstone in place with Kristaps Porzingis, De’Aaron Fox will add pace and excitement to the depleted team.
After March Madness Fox’s draft stock soared as a result of his performance. He put a career high 39 points on one of the nations best players in Lonzo ball and his UCLA Bruins. In total Fox averaged 21.3 points throughout the NCAA Tournament. Although Fox did go 5-14 from the field in the loss against North Carolina.
Fox may be the quickest player in this draft and is very hard to stop when he is running full force to the rim. He can blow past defenders with ease, this is the main cause for the comparison to former Kentucky Wildcats point guard John Wall.
However Fox comes with his limitations, his 3-point shot is abysmal, he will need to work had just to make it bearable. But this is a similar problem that John Wall had coming into the league, and after all, Fox and Wall are very similar players.
Frank Ntilikina is this year’s mystery man. The Sacramento Kings desperately needs a player to rebuild their dysfunctional franchise around. The French guard has improved a lot over the past year and is finally getting consistent top 10 attention. At the 2016 Under 18 European Championship, Ntilikina won the MVP.
The potential is there, Ntilikina has the length needed to be great on the defensive side of the ball. Standing 6-5 with a scary 7-0 wingspan, he will be able to guard multiple positions. In addition, given his advanced play-making skills Ntilikina may be able to get the best out of the young guards such as Buddy Hield and Ben McLemore.
Ntilikina also has a consistent outside shot already in his arsenal. For Strasbourg Ntilikina has shot very impressive 45.7 percent from three. Taking all of these attributes into account Frank Ntilikina can be a scarily good player when he develops. The Kings don’t have a good track record when it comes to developing top talent, hopefully Ntilikina will be different.
This is the perfect scenario, Markkanen can learn off of Dirk Nowitzki, the greatest foreign power forward of all time. It helps that they also have a very similar skill set; they are both knockdown shooters but struggle grabbing boards and defending the paint. I’m sure if Markkanen has the chance to pick the brain of Nowitzki then he will be great.
Markkanen was shooting over 50 percent from deep for much of the season, but that ultimately plummeted to 42.3 percent for the season, he’s clearly one of the best shooters in the draft. When it came to closing out the season Markkanen really struggled from three point range. In the last four games of the regular season Markkanen went a barbaric 0-11 from deep.
Furthermore, Markkanen really struggles when it comes to protecting the paint. Despite mainly operating along the perimeter Markkanen only managed to average 0.5 blocks which for a 7 footer is atrocious. His defensive incapability is further illustrated by his average of 0.4 steals. For Markkanen to succeed he must lineup next to a defensive center, isn’t Nerlens Noel the perfect man to play next to Markkanen?
Despite being the main scoring option for one of the best teams in the country, Malik Monk struggled mightily to end the season. In the conference tournament Georgia held Monk to just two points. He was also inefficient during March Madness, although he did make a couple of clutch shot down the stretch of games.
After Monk the talent level decreases massively, shooting guard isn’t necessarily a need for the Kings as they have ‘the next Steph Curry’, Buddy Hield. But given the position that they are currently in they should opt for the best player available strategy. As Monk doesn’t have a set position in the NBA he may start his career coming off the bench as he tries to find his role for the Kings.
As Monk is very athletic he is dangerous on the fast break. His vertical and quick release also allows him to get his shot off over almost anybody. Monk is at his best in the catch-and-shoot opportunities, but if that is not an option Monk is more than capable of creating his own shot or driving to the basket.
Zach Collins came up big for Gonzaga during their run to the National Championship Game. He was more of a draft prospect for the 2018 NBA Draft but his recent performances saw him sky rocket up draft boards, and now he’s officially declared and has signed an agent so he can’t go back to school now.
The lengthy power forward has shown that he can be effective in a handful of ways. He can step out and hit a three, he’s shot an underrated 47.6 percent from three this season. Collins also shot an absurd 67.2 percent on two point shots. Moreover, he is gifted on the defensive end, he send back an average of 1.8 shots a game this season.
The Gonzaga man may be the star big man that the Hornets have been looking for ever since Al Jefferson was on the decline. They’ve drafted Cody Zeller fourth in 2013, Noah Vonleh ninth in 2014 and Frank Kaminsky ninth in 2015, Zeller and Kaminsky have been serviceable but Vonleh was an utter bust and is no longer with the team.
At this position the Detroit Pistons would of hoped that one of the top point guards may have fell to their laps, unfortunately this is not the case in my Mock Draft. After the top five point guards there is a massive drop off in talent.
In this case the Pistons may decide to go with a high risk, high reward option in Isaiah Hartenstein. Due to the rumors of Andre Drummond being on the trade block, perhaps drafting a big man may be the route the Pistons decide to go down.
Hartenstein provides a great blend of size and athleticism, whilst also having a decent long range shot. However, the German hasn’t been given much of a chance to show what he can do in the Euroleague, he’s only played 3.2 minutes a game throughout five games. The Pistons will be drafting him mainly on his upside.
The Denver Nuggets’ roster, for the most part, is already set for the future, they don’t need any young talent that is going to make an immediate impact. We saw the Nuggets draft-and-stash away Petr Cornelie last season, Juan Hernangomez was also meant to stay overseas for this season but he decided to come over. I believe Kurucs will almost definitely stay playing overseas
Rodions Kurucs is one of the most talented overseas prospects in this years draft. This option will allow Kurucs to play consistently and, therefore, give him the best chance to improve his game. Kurucs haven’t been given a chance in the Euroleague this season but he has played in the SPanish LEB Gold. He has averaged 9.46 points in 21 minutes a game, shooting 31 percent from three.
Kurucs should benefit from the immense play-making ability of fellow foreigner, Nikola Jokic. Kurucs should fit right at home as the Nuggets have a very international feeling within the core of their team.
Justin Jackson have come on leaps and bounds this season. His three point shot finally started falling for him. Jackson has gone from a mid second round pick to a legit lottery pick. Jackson offers some much need wing shooting for Miami, Justise Winslow struggled from three and Josh Richardson took a step back from where he was last year.
I love Jackson’s confidence in himself, but when his shot isn’t falling he has to learn that he needs to stop shooting, he struggled with this in the Elite Eight, Final Four and the National Championship. He shot 0-9 from there in the National Championship, on some days that would’ve been enough to shoot your team out of the win.
Christopher Kline described Jackson’s game perfectly in his last Mock Draft:
"If asked to describe Jackson’s play style in a single phrase, aesthetically pleasing wouldn’t be it. He’s an ugly offensive player in the best of ways, with a quirky release on his jumper and a somewhat-chaotic arsenal of moves that he utilizes in the middle of the lane and en route to the basket. And, more often than not, they’ve all been highly effective."
Whatever he does, more often than not, it doesn’t look pretty but it somehow works out for him most of the time. The Heat could have a deadly offensive wing duo if Dion Waiters stick around.
Despite suffering a torn ACL earlier in the season, O.G. Anunoby has managed maintained his first round status. If not for the unfortunate injury, Anunoby could very well have been in the top 10 conversation. This is mainly down to his elite defensive ability already, as well as his insane reported 7-6 wingspan. If he can develop his three point he could be a scary all around package on the wing.
For a team that lacks perimeter defense Anunoby appears to be the best selection for them. The pricey purchase of Evan Turner looks to be a big mistake, there is uncertainty regarding the forward spots. Anunoby doesn’t need the ball to be effective but he will be able to hit a shot if open. Anunoby has also flashed potential of being a great slasher due to his elite size and athleticism.
Justin Patton has sky rocketed up draft boards this year after showcasing elite potential that left teams salivating. The lanky center showed that he can do everything that a modern day center is needed to do.
Can he shoot? Check. Can he protect the rim? Check. Can he run the floor? Check.
As Robin Lopez is aging, he is not the long term answer at center for the Bulls. Patton will eventually provide everything Lopez offers and some. Standing 6-11 as well as above average athleticism, Patton can finish easy around the rim. Although he does need to polish his offensive game, mainly in the post.
Patton was literally on nobodies radar coming into the year. With the combine still to come Patton may be able to build off of a strong year and enter the lottery conversation.
In the early part of the season Jarrett Allen wasn’t living up to the hype and was slowly dropping down draft boards, some had him as a mid second rounder. But after a strong second half of the season Allen has found himself back up in the lottery discussions. In a class that lacks quality centers a team in the top10 could easily reach on Allen and it wouldn’t surprise me.
The Texas man could form a scary athletic tandem with emerging star, Thon Maker. The shot blocking ability of both players would make opposing players think twice before entering the paint. Offensively Maker can space the floor very well, ultimately creating space for Allen to work down low.
Drafting Allen may signal an end to Greg Monroe’s uneventful tenure in Milwaukee.
The Month Ellis experiment hasn’t worked out as expected, he’s declined in production every season. Donovan Mitchell would provide the Indiana Pacers with a reliable jump shot as well as elite athleticism. Monta Ellis will need to be replaced very soon, I think Mitchell is the right guy to plug in at shooting guard.
Given his 6-3 size Nate McMillan may decide to use Mitchell as the backup point guard, he’s very similar to Malik Monk in that aspect. The Pacers obviously need more creativity and scoring, if Mitchell pans out Paul George may decide to stick around. C.J. Miles and Mitchell could form a deadly scoring combo rotation at the two-guard position.
Mitchell has been a big riser so far this season, will he rise any further or has his stock peaked?
With Paul Millsap potentially departing the Atlanta Hawks as he is testing free agency this summer I think drafting a big man is essential for the Hawks. Although Dwight Howard rolled back the years this season he isn’t getting any younger and sooner or later his age will catch up with him.
John Collins improved drastically from his freshman season and his sophomore season. The sophomore star scored 20 or more points in 12 straight games. He will provide some bounce and tenacity around the rim, these tools will keep Collins around the league for a long time.
Despite his great rebounding talent and effort, Collins has a poor jump shot, he only attempted one three pointer all season, he will have to improve on this if he wants to be a go-to guy in the NBA.
TJ Leaf was another player who wasn’t on the NBA radar coming into the season, he was projected to be a multi-year player for the UCLA Bruins. But due to the impact of Lonzo Ball, Leaf was able to get enough time to shine and he didn’t disappoint. Leaf’s ability to knock down a three point shot (46.6 percent) is unparalleled.
Will Leaf be able to continue tearing it up from deep without a pass-first? If Damian Lillard finds him open he will knock it down, but how often does Dame drive with intentions of kicking out to the open man?
With three first round picks, the Trail Blazers could have a killer draft that could keep them in playoff contention for years to come.
It was a shock when Terrance Ferguson decided to uncommon from Arizona and go play professional overseas in Australia. Ferguson didn’t get too much time to show his talent, he only played 15.2 minutes a game and averaged a measly 4.6 points a game. Despite the lack of playing time Ferguson did show flashes of his elite athleticism which is a promising sign.
Ferguson is another shooter, he will Westbrook another option to pass to on the wing, although Ferguson is a streaky shooter, he only shot 31 percent from three this season. Despite this, Ferguson does have the potential to light up teams when his shot is falling.
Ferguson can also be a momentum changer with his athleticism. In fact, he is a human highlight reel. I don’t see Ferguson ever becoming a star but he could have a similar impact as to what Terrance Ross has for the Raptors and Magic.
.
Its been sad the see the former projected number one pick pick fall to a fringe first rounder. Harry Giles couldn’t control his destiny. In all honesty, his body just hasn’t been able to hold up. Throughout his limited time at Duke it was clear to see his hesitancy when it came to challenging for rebounds and going up for dunks; he doesn’t want a third ligament tear this would almost end his career before it really ever started. However at times you saw the flashes of brilliance that made him one of the most sought after prospects in recent times.
Teams will be scared to draft him high due to his injury history, but the Nets aren’t in a position to pick and chose between the prospects available, they need to take high risks in order for high rewards in hope to become relevant again. If Giles booms and reaches his superstar potential this will be one of the biggest draft steals in recent memory. Its worth the risk for the Nets.
The Nets chose Caris LeVert in last years draft, he struggled with many injuries during his career at Michigan, its definitely not out of the Nets’ realm to choose Giles. I really hope everything works out for Giles and he become a franchise cornerstone for the pitiful Nets team.
Upon returning to Cal for his sophomore year, Ivan Rabb banked on himself improving his game and moving up the draft boards. Unfortunately that didn’t happen, Rabb struggled to add much, if anything to to limited game. Scouts were hoping that he show some ability to shoot from deep but that just never happened.
Despite this, Rabb did show that he is a tenacious rebounder. Rabb also showed that he is capable scoring down low in the paint. The Cal product should put a good shift in as a rotational big man, he will be able to share minutes with 2016 draft picks Jakob Poeltl and Pascal Siakam. I have no doubt that Rabb will develop into a valuable big in the league.
Luke Kennard has been one of the biggest risers this season, he surprisingly become one of Duke’s go-to men. Kennard was aided by the regression of the hot tempered Grayson Allen, who missed a fair amount of games due to suspensions. Kennard stepped into the starting role and grasped the opportunity with both hands, he has gone from a mid second round prospect to a legit first rounder.
Kennard showed that he is more than just a shooter, he is moe than capable of taking to the rimm and finishing it. Of course Kennard’s deep shooting will be his main calling card when he comes into the NBA but its nice to see him improve other aspects of his game to become a more well rounded player.
After selecting Dennis Smith Jr. with their earlier pick, I think the Magic will go with a complimentary pick in Wesley Iwundu. Not everyone may be familiar with the Kansas State star has he has only recently emerged as a potential first round prospect, I wouldn’t be surprised to see him rise further as the draft nears.
The senior has improved every season he has been at the Bramlage Coliseum. This season Iwundu showed that he can stretch his range out to beyond the arc, he shot at an impressive 37 percent clip.
Despite being a senior there still seems to be some untapped potential with Iwundu that intrigues NBA teams. And with a wingspan just under 7-foot, his defensive potential his sky high. Iwundu is definitely a sleeper pick in this draft.
With their third pick of the first round the Portland Trail Blazers select another UCLA player and TJ Leaf’s front court teammate, Ike Anigbogu. I had a felling that Anigbogu would test the draft waters but I certainly didn’t think he’d hire an agent straight away, for a player that isn’t a first round lock I think going back to school to improve on his game would’ve been beneficial. He could easily become a lottery pick in a weaker 2018 Draft.
I can see a team reaching on Anigbogu because of his potential. The bigman only averaged 4.7 points per game and 4 rebounds per game, but he did only play 13 minutes a night. Does this lack of playing suggest that Anigbogu wasn’t ready for the college game. If so then he is certainly not ready for the NBA. He may spend much of his rookie season down in the D-League.
Semi Ojeleye very much benefited from transferring to SMU from Duke. He went from being buried at the end of Duke’s bench to being the star man for a tourney team. Ojeleye lead SMU to both AAC regular season and Tournament championships.
His efforts was awarded with winning AAC Player of the Year. Ojeleye averaged an impressive 18.9 points whilst shooting a very impressive 42.4 percent from deep. In addition, he redshirt junior is able to play both forward positions. He should get a chance to shine in this Nets team, there shouldn’t be a lack of opportunities.
Although Ojelye has not hired an agent, leaving a return the SMU open if he doesn’t get good feedback from NBA personnel.
Jonathan Motley would provide the Los Angeles Lakers with high energy off of the bench. Motley showed growth as the season went on, he is now a projected first round pick. He could go earlier than number 28 and I wouldn’t be surprised.
The failed experiment of the $72 million man Timofey Mozgov is the catalyst in the Lakers using yet another first round pick on a big man. They selected Julius Randle seventh in 2014, Larry Nance 27th in 2015, and Ivica Zubac in the second round last year. Motley reminds me of the aforementioned Julius Randle, both are high energy, do-it-all bigs.
Throughout the season with Gran Canaria Anzejs Pasecniks showed that he was much more than an inside scorer, he showed he could hit the deep ball consistently (63.6 percent). This skills is crucial in today’s NBA, since he has shown this skill he is now in first round contention. Pasecniks may stay overseas for a few years but I can see him having a similar impact to what Nikola Jokic has had for the Nuggets thee past two seasons.
Furthermore, selecting a young, promising, foreign player is what the Spurs do best, Popovich rarely ever gets it wrong; Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili have gone on the have incredible careers. By the time Pasecniks comes over LaMarcus Aldridge may be in the twilight of his career, the Latvian could provide valuable minutes as soon as he arrives.
Mathias Lessort have been a fringe first round prospect for much of the year, he could provide some post defense for the Jazz when Rudy Gobert is on the bench. He isn’t the best of shooters, nor athlete but he will be loved for the effort and energy that he will bring. This should keep him on an NBA roster for a long time.
He may not be the cleanest prospect, he may also take a few years to acclimate himself in the NBA, but the wait should definitely be worth. The Jazz know a little something about being patient with an unpolished big man from France. Why not give it another go? With Derrick Favors declining in production this year, I can’t see why they wouldn’t draft a project big man.
Next: Players Need to Channel Playoff Excitement
Ultimately, there are plenty of solid prospects in the 2017 NBA Draft, and each team can emerge with a contributor if they do their homework. Or, they can just check out this mock draft. After all, why shouldn’t they get it right?