2017 NBA Mock Draft 3.0: Pre-Draft
By Owen Nelson
3. player. 18. . SF/SG. Kansas. Josh Jackson
It’s believe that Josh Jackson is the player Danny Ainge wanted all along. Moving down to three and picking up a future first is a ballsy move, Jackson could very well be off the board at two. It was very risky but Ainge must be convinced that the Lakers will select Ball or he wouldn’t have done the deal with Philadelphia.
Having already selected Jaylen Brown last year and already having a roster that consists of Avery Bradley, Jae Crowder and James Young it’s hard to see Jackson getting a lot of minutes out of the gate. He will have to earn his playing time. Since Jackson cancelled his workout with the Celtics last week, there could be some friction between Jackson’s camp and the Celtics. He received a draft promise, unlikely from the Celtics, likely from the Lakers.
In addition, should Jackson go to the Lakers and the Celtics keep the pick, I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Dennis Smith Jr. get selected over Lonzo Ball. Smith is the perfect example of an Ainge player, he’s gritty and is mega competitive. This would be a dream scenario for the Phoenix Suns as Ball would fall to them.
Furthermore, I can definitely see this pick being traded for a superstar. The Bulls or Pacers would be the options with Jimmy Butler or Paul George on the table. The Celtics now have an extra asset that they can use in trade talks. Could the extra pick be the catalyst in the Celtics trading for a star?