2017 NBA Mock Draft 3.0: Pre-Draft

After many months, the 2017 NBA Draft is finally upon us. Here is my final 2017 NBA Mock Draft.

After all the months of scouting each individual prospect, everyone turning into college basketball experts can now finally stop (for at least a few months). I’m not gonna lie, the month before the draft always seems to drag, each fan’s salivates over the thought of their beloved team drafting their dream player.

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Some days you may spend all day dissecting each prospect’s game, other days you may sift through each prospect’s background, we all become a couch scout. I’m definitely one.

With all the smokescreens, it’s hard to really tell which team likes which prospect. One day the Lakers were reportedly ‘enamored’ with Lonzo Ball, soon after, they believed Ball is not their ‘savior’. It’s a guessing game to be honest, nothing is set in stone until NBA Commissioner, Adam Silver, reads the players names on-stage at Barclays Center on June 22.

With the Philadelphia 76ers trading up they now have a chance to complete ‘The Process’. Why would Danny Ainge want to trade the top pick? Maybe the Celtics have found something they don’t like in Fultz. The Washington guard seems like a generational talent but his lackadaisical nature may be an area for concern.

This draft is rich in quality depth. Playoff teams, such as the Jazz, Trail Blazers and Spurs will all be able to add solid prospects to their already stacked ranks. The top of the draft offers many potential franchise changing players. In any other draft Dennis Smith Jr. could quite easily be a consensus number one pick, the same could be said for Jayson Tatum.

Without further ado, let’s get into my third and final mock draft.

(All stats via sports-reference.com, DraftExpress or RealGM). 

As I said in my previous mock draft, this pick won’t be changing at all. Even with the Celtics trading the pick to the Philadelphia 76ers, the 6-4 guard is the choice. Fultz was rerouted to Philadelphia following the reports of a deal between the division rivals, he worked out for the 76ers. He only shot 4-18 in three point drills but I’m sure the Sixers hierarchy was more concerned with Fultz’s medical report.

The reported deal is that the Sixers give the Celtics their third overall pick this year, and the 2018 Lakers pick. That pick will only convey if it lands between two and five. If not, the Celtics will get the 2019 Sacramento Kings pick. Only giving up one future first round pick to land Fultz is an absolute steal in my eyes. I think Colangelo channeled his inner Sam Hinkie.

The players have already taken in Fultz, Fultz was seen talking with Ben Simmons, Robert Covington and Joel Embiid after his workout. Additionally, prior to Fultz’s workout, Embiid and Saric took a photo of Fultz’s locker with the famous, beloved quote “Trust The Process”.

The weaknesses surrounding Fultz is his lackadaisical attitude. This is shown on both offence and defence. He made everything on offence look so simple it looks like is wasn’t trying. However, on defence he could improve a fair bit, maybe he rested whilst on defence because he had to carry the Huskies offence. The failure of the Washington Huskie’s season cannot be put solely on Fultz’s back, an 18 year old can’t carry a team.

The Process may be over. As sad or happy as that may sound, this represents a new era in Philadelphia basketball. And kudos to Bryan Colangelo, I didn’t think he’d pull it off but he did, some may say he fleeced the fleece master.

Previous Mock Draft Ranking: 1

Lonzo Ball fits the purple and gold perfectly. This is a match made in heaven, you can’t deny that. Bleacher Report’s Kevin Ding reported that Lonzo Ball “didn’t blow the Lakers away or seal any deal” during his only workout with the team. Obviously Ball couldn’t showcase his passing and playmaking skills as it was a one-vs-no one. I think this is a marketing technique to try and get teams to trade up.

Due to the Lakers’ blockbuster trade that saw them trading D’Angelo Russell and Timofey Mozgov to the Brooklyn Nets in return for veteran center, Brook Lopez and the 27th pick in this draft, it basically confirms that the Lakers will be choosing Ball to be their new franchise point guard. The 6-6 guard will have the chance to take full reigns of the most prestigious franchise in all of sports.

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Another reason why the Lakers will, or needs, to draft Lonzo Ball is due to their deal with Time Warner. This deal is where the Lakers must hit a certain number of ratings and they will receive $100 million off of Time Warner. The Lakers haven’t been able to hit the target number for the past three season, making it imperative for them to draft Lonzo Ball.

One red flag for Ball is his desire to be great. An example of this is that the UCLA guard reportedly showed up out of shape for his workout with the Lakers. He only had one workout this draft season and he turned up out of shape, seriously? Come on Lonzo, you had one job.

There was reports that the Lakers were “in love” with Markelle Fultz and was trying to trade up with the Celtics. Their reported offer was the number two pick and Julius Randle. At the end of the day, the Lakers just couldn’t compete with the 76ers in regards to future assets. Ball isn’t a bad consolation prize though.

Previous Mock Draft Ranking: 2

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?

Previous Mock Draft Ranking: 3

Selecting Jonathan Isaac this high could be considered as a risk as he is a very raw project, possessing great physical tools. The Phoenix Suns are in need of some perimeter defence, Isaac’s 7-1 wingspan gives him the potential to be a lock-down defender. There’s no hiding the fact that this is a major boom-or-bust prospect.

Another reason to support Isaac going this high is the fact that he has only worked out for teams in the top four. This may be because he has received a promise from the Suns or Kings so he knows he won’t fall below four or five.

Isaac could be a potential power forward when his body eventually fills out. Standing at 6-11 and possessing a 7-1 wingspan, he has the tools to play the position. He already excels at grabbing rebounds, he averaged 12 rebounds per 40 minutes.

Having another scoring threat may be what Devin Booker needs to take his game to the next level. The Suns don’t have much scoring threats, meaning the defence can solely focus on shutting down Booker, if you leave Isaac open he’ll knock down that three ball.

Previous Mock Draft Ranking: 6

This is a no-brainer if you are the Sacramento Kings. De’Aaron Fox actually wants to go to the Kings. When a player wants to play in Sacramento, they need to get that player right away. It doesn’t happen everyday where a player openly says he wants to play for the most dysfunctional franchise in basketball.

It appears like the Kings may actually have a plan, perhaps even a direction. They now have a fairly good foundation with Fox, Buddy Hield, Willie Cauley-Stein, Skal Labissiere, Bogdan Bogdanovic and Georgios Papagiannis. They should be a decent team in a couple of years.

The backcourt of Fox and Hield could be very good very soon. I see them becoming the poor mans backcourt of John Wall and Bradley Beal, I’m sure Kings fans will be pleased with that. Fox offers elite speed and finishing ability at the rim, whilst Hield offers some knockdown shooting. However, Fox isn’t the playmaker Wall is.

The future looks somewhat bright in Sac-Town.

Previous Mock Draft Ranking: 5

I really don’t know what direction the Orlando Magic wants to go in this draft. With former Milwaukee Buck’s General Manager, John Hammond, now in charge I wouldn’t be surprised if the Magic threw a curve ball and selected a player that wasn’t on anybody’s radar. He surprised everyone when he selected projects in Giannis Antetokounmpo and Thon Maker, both picks looks as if they have panned out.

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I don’t think the Magic will select a point guard here, it’s too early to give up on Elfrid Payton in my opinion. Dennis Smith Jr. will be very enticing but I think they should give Payton more shooters and scorers and see how he fares before giving up on him.

Jayson Tatum offers just that. He gives the Magic a go-to scorer, something the Magic haven’t had for some time. Tatum’s ability to score efficiently in the mid-range is his most impressive attribute. Some see Tatum as the most polished player in this draft. After the utter failure of Mario Hezonja, Tatum must be the pick here.

Previous Mock Draft Ranking: 4

With the major knee injury to Zach LaVine, he may never possess the same elite athleticism again, Malik Monk would do a good job in filling the holes in LaVine’s game. LaVine and Monk would form a great two-guard tandem, both are athletic freaks and can shoot it from deep. Personally, I don’t see Monk being anything more than a career sixth man, he could become a better version of Lou Williams.

Malik Monk offers great shooting. He gives the Timberwolves another go-to scorer, something the Timberwolves haven’t got coming off the bench. Monk’s ability to heat up in no time is his most impressive attribute, he is never scared to launch a deep three when he’s feeling it.

There isn’t a glaring hole in the Timberwolves team but with Kris Dunn failing to live up to the expectation this season the Timberwolves shouldn’t be afraid of selecting another guard. Monk will also provide some much needed perimeter defence. Tom Thibodeau will love MaliK Monk.

Previous Mock Draft Ranking: 7

This seems like the obvious pick. Even with Dennis Smith Jr. still on the board, I think Phil Jackson will take his chances with the mysterious, overseas prospect. It worked out when they selected Kristaps Porzingis in 2015, why not try it again?

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Frank Ntilikina possesses an absurd wingspan of seven foot. The Frechman is an incredible defender, possibly the best perimeter defender in this draft. He can also shoot very well from behind the arc, he shot 39.7 percent for SIG Strasbourg this season. In short, Ntilikina can pretty much do it all.

In addition, Ntilikina is a great distributor of the ball, he would be a perfect fit in the questionable triangle offence, that Phil Jackson refuses to move on from. If he was an American, college prospect, I believe Ntilikina would be a consensus top three pick, he is so talented but being foreign you automatically have a negative stigma attached due to previous busts that came from abroad.

With Derrick Rose’s inevitable departure from New York this summer, Ntilikina will walk straight into the starting point guard role. He will form a formidable duo with Porzingis for years to come. Hopefully the New York media won’t be too much for him to handle.

Previous Mock Draft Ranking: 8

What a steal this would be. If Dennis Smith Jr. falls all the way to the Dallas Maverick’s laps at nine they wouldn’t hesitate one bit, they would call it in immediately. In any other draft Smith could quite easily be a top three pick but since this draft is rich in quality point guards, Smith takes a small tumble.

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Despite the emergence of undrafted star, Yogi Ferrell, the NC State point guard offers much more immediate production as well as potential, I think Smith could become a multiple time all-star if he’s under the right tutelage. The Mavericks haven’t had a franchise point guard in some time.

With Dirk Nowitzki heading for retirement in the coming years, Smith could be the poster boy for the new era of Mavericks basketball. Along with Nerlens Noel and Harrison Barnes, the Mavericks could have a big three of their own. It looks like Barnes and Noel are very close to their ceiling, but I’m sure the Mavericks will be in the lottery for the next few seasons, meaning they can add top talent to their decent core.

Previous Mock Draft Ranking: 9

Despite limited playing time (17.3 minutes per game), Gonzaga’s Zach Collins has certified himself as one of the best big men prospects in this draft. Collins has managed to show his ability to protect the paint, shoot the ball and score down low in the post. Collins shot an exceptional 47.6 percent from three for the Bulldogs.

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To pair him up with De’Aaron Fox would be lethal. Adding him to an already low key stacked team gives Kings’ fans a reason to be excited for the future. Despite not having their 2019 first round pick, the Kings have managed to assemble a nice group of young prospects with pretty good potential. Hopefully Vlade Divac and Vivek Ranadive don’t screw this up.

The potential front court rotation of Collins, Willie Cauley-Stein, Skal Labissiere and Georgios Papagiannis is extremely versatile. Collins can do it all, Cauley-Stein specialises in protecting the paint and grabbing rebounds, Labissiere is a talented all around scorer and Papagiannis is a talented back-to-the-basket type player.

If these players are coached properly, teams won’t be able to go easy at any point in the game; there’ll be a constant threat from their big men. But then again, this is the Sacramento Kings, they love making a questionable move or two every now and again.

Previous Mock Draft Ranking: 10

The rise of Luke Kennard has been incredible to watch, it has got to the point where scouts believe the Duke shooting guard won’t make it out of the top 10. The New York Knicks are rumored to be looking at Kennard with their eighth overall pick. As surprising as that may sound, teams will do anything to get a reliable three point shooter; Kennard many just be the best shooter in this draft.

The Charlotte Hornets are in desperate need of some perimeter shooting. Only three guards shot over 35 percent from three last season; Kemba Walker, Marco Belinelli and Brian Roberts. Kennard will give the Hornets exactly what they are lacking.

In addition, Kennard isn’t just a spot up three point shooter, he is very comfortable in creating his own shot, he can also finish very well at the rim. These two skills go unnoticed at times. This pick has the chance to become very valuable for the Hornets if it works out.

Previous Mock Draft Ranking: 18

Justin Jackson started the year as a fringe second round talent, he ended the year as a legit lottery talent. Everything finally came together for him, it took three season but better late than never. He  also showed his leadership ability as he led the North Carolina Tar Heels to a hard fought, nail-bitting National Championship win over the Gonzaga Bulldogs.

The ACC Player of the Year shot 37 percent from three this year, this should help out the Pistons tremendously. If Kentavious Caldwell-Pope leaves town this offseason then Jackson will be given a big role to play next season. Additionally, if Andre Drummond is traded, the Pistons may look to acquire a center with this pick.

The Pistons are in a tough situation, there are too good to get a franchise player in the draft, but they are too bad to make any noise in the playoffs. The Philadelphia 76ers were in this situation prior to the Sam Hinkie era, I think the Pistons should blow it up, start from scratch and have a process of their own to trust.

Previous Mock Draft Ranking: 13

The draft stock of Lauri Markkanen has been fluctuating in recent months. After a rough end to the season and the emergence of Zach Collins, Markkanen has struggled mightily to hold onto his top 10 place in the draft. I don’t think Markkanen has much potential as all he can really do is shoot. Don’t get me wrong, shooting is key, but he needs to be able to do more than just that.

Markkanen has a lack of awareness when it comes to protecting the paint and grabbing rebounds. Being seven foot tall Markkanen was only able to average 9.3 rebounds per 40 minutes and 0.7 block per 40, these are atrocious. He is also very slow footed, he struggles to move laterally, he will definitely struggle defensively in the NBA.

I think that Markkanen’s upside is nothing more than Ryan Anderson and Nikola Mirotic level. He may be best served coming off the bench and playing against the opposition’s second unit. He also needs to play alongside a defensive big man, playing next to Nikola Jokic would be awful defensively.

Previous Mock Draft Ranking: 14

In light of the awfully sad ending to the career of NBA legend, Chris Bosh, the Miami Heat should look towards drafting his successor. Wake Forest’s John Collins is a terrific low post scorer, perhaps the best scoring big man in this draft. Collins scored 20+ points in 12 straight games, that is just flat out impressive.

Wes Goldberg described Collins as one of the “more polarizing prospects in the draft, mainly because of questions of how he fits into the modern NBA”. He can play both big men positions, however his style is somewhat labelled as old fashioned.

Collin’s back to the basket style of play won’t help him last in the league. We saw this with Jahlil Okafor, he was one of the most polished players to ever come out of college, yet he hasn’t been able to light the NBA on fire. Collins will need to show his ability to score from behind the arc, if he can’t do this then he may not play a big role in the NBA.

Previous Mock Draft Ranking: 15

Since the Portland Trail Blazers own three picks in the first round I can definitely see one or two of the picks they own being shipped in a deal to dump some of their big contracts, such as Allen Crabbe’s $75 million contract and Evan Turner’s $70 million contract.

Last season the Trail Blazers lacked in terms of defence all around. If Indiana’s defensive star OG Anunoby is still on the board, that’s who they should take. His reported wingspan of 7-6 isn’t normal, he’s longer than the majority of NBA centers. He can clamp up anyone on any given night.

Anunoby has shown potential from behind the arc, but unfortunately his season was cut short before he could really prove any of his enigmas. Anunoby is definitely worth the risk of selecting in the first round, even if his shot doesn’t translate, he’ll be able to lock up the opposition’s best player, night in, night out.

Previous Mock Draft Ranking: 12

With Rajon Rondo and Dwyane Wade on the decline and Jimmy Butler constantly in trade rumors, the Chicago Bulls may look to add another guard to build around as the inevitable rebuild is right around the corner. The rebuild should’ve started last offseason, but late is better than never.

It’s definitely possible that the Bulls trade Butler to the Boston Celtics in return for the number three pick. This would be a good way to accelerate the rebuild for the Bulls. If they don’t pull this trade off then Donovan Mitchell is the best remaining guard that is still on the board.

Mitchell could very well play as the point guard off the bench, or a similar role to Lou Williams. However, Mitchell is fairly inconsistent and inefficient, some games he can be outstanding, one being a 29 point performance against Pittsburgh, he shot 6-8 from three that game. In counter, Mitchell can have atrocious games like he did against Jacksonville State in the NCAA Tournament where he scored nine points and shot an abysmal 3-15 from the field.

Previous Mock Draft Ranking: 17

UCLA’s Ike Anigbogu is one of the wildcards in this draft. He could go much higher but he could also go much later. Adding another athletic freak to the Buck’s roster would make them a scary team to go up against. Still being without a GM, it’s tough to predict where the Bucks will go with this pick.

I believe Anigbogu has the potential to become a player in the mould of Los Angeles Clipper, DeAndre Jordan. The big man averaged 12.4 rebounds per 40 minutes and 3.7 block per 40 minutes. This would be a great addition to the Bucks as they don’t need scoring, they are in more need of defence.

With the failed signing of Greg Monroe from the Detroit Pistons, Anigbogu will serve as his replacement. The UCLA man could form a scary duo with Thon Maker, both could become elite rim protectors, whilst offering two contrasting offensive games. The Bucks could be really good very soon.

Previous Mock Draft Ranking: 11

In his lone season in Australia for the Adelaide 36ers Terrance Ferguson failed to lived up to the hype he generated coming out of high school. It was a brave move bypassing college to go overseas, he decommitted from Arizona to play in Australia. He failed to show his three point stroke, but then again he didn’t get too much playing time (15.2 minutes per game).

With Monta Ellis regressing at a rapid rapid, C.J. Miles entering free agency and Paul George trade rumors swirling around, picking up a wing player in the draft is imperative. However, Paul George have said he plans on playing out his contract with the Indiana Pacers, but surely the Pacers won’t let George walk for nothing.

This news is good and bad as it means George will be playing in Indiana colors for one more season but it also puts pressure on the Pacers to build a contending team around Paul George in one offseason to even have a chance at persuading him to stay with the team.

Perhaps the best move for the Pacers is to trade the pick for a proven player that will help the Pacers push for a high seed in next year’s playoffs.

Previous Mock Draft Ranking: 20

Justin Patton may just be one of the biggest boom-or-bust prospects in this draft. One games he looks like a potential all-star, other games he looks like he has bust written all over him. This shows how inconsistent Patton was over the course of his redshirt freshman season with the Creighton Bluejays. If everything pans out the way it should, Patton would be a very good replacement for Dwight Howard.

Coming into the season Patton was on nobody’s radar, not even as a second round prospect, many thought Patton would be a multi year college player. His flashes of potential was enough to warrant a first round grade, he has managed to maintain that grade throughout the whole season.

With Paul Millsap testing free agency after declining his player option and Dwight Howard being shipped to the Charlotte Hornets, I think selecting a big man is what the Hawks need to do with this pick. Around this area we should see a run of big men being selected, meaning there won’t be as good of options if they leave selecting a big man to the second round.

Previous Mock Draft Ranking: 22

Having addressed their perimeter defensive issue with their first pick in the first round, the Portland Trail Blazers will now address their interior defensive problem with their second first round pick. Aside from risking it with Harry Giles, Jarrett Allen is the best big man prospect left on the board, it surprising that he is still on the board, he could easily get selected as high as the late lottery.

Allen will provide the Trail Blazers with some much needed athleticism, he can move very well for someone of his size. Prior to acquiring Jusuf Nurkic from the Denver Nuggets last season, the Trail Blazers’ interior defence was non-existent.

Allen also has a solid offensive game, he’s still pretty raw but is effective. Sitting behind Nurkic for a season or two will be beneficial for Allen, maybe even a spell down in the G-League would help Allen adjust to the speed of the game. Picking Allen at 20 has the potential of being one of the steals of the draft.

Previous Mock Draft Ranking: 23

At this point in the draft there aren’t any wings left that are worthy of getting selected this high. D.J. Wilson has emerged as a first round prospect in recent weeks, his draft stock continues to increase. There’s a chance the Michigan product will be off the board by this pick, it’s impressive how much his stock has grown.

The Thunder aren’t in any need of a power forward since they have Enes Kanter, Taj Gibson and Jerami Grant, however, Gibson is out of contract this summer and Grant’s contract expires the year after that. Power forward will be a position the Thunder should look to address soon.

Wilson is very capable of hitting the three point shot, he shot 37.3 percent from downtown this past season for the Wolverines. Additionally, Wilson averaged two blocks per game per 40 minutes, this isn’t great but it shows he has the ability to send back a shoot every now and again.

At this point in the draft teams will be looking for role players, Wilson is more than capable of being a role player for a playoff team.

Previous Mock Draft Ranking: 25

Projecting where the former five star recruit will go is tough, some teams higher up in the draft may take a chance on Harry Giles since he was the number one recruit coming out of high school. Other teams will be scared off by high three major knee injuries that resulted in three major surgeries and a long time off the court in rehab.

The Brooklyn Nets should be looking to draft high-risk-high-reward players due to the lack of high draft picks at their disposal as a result of a bonehead move by previous general manger, Billy King. I think the Nets is the perfect situation for Giles because he will be able to get ample playing when he is ready after the Nets traded Brook Lopez to the Lakers.

Following a poor vertical jump at the NBA Combine, Giles draft stock took a further hit as it showed that the three knee surgeries have took a tole on his overall athleticism. His game was previously built on his freakish athletic ability. He can still grab rebounds with his massive hands and long, tarantula-like arms. Whilst at Duke, Giles, at times, seemed hesitant to jump or battle around the paint, maybe he didn’t want to put too much pressure on his knees, another major knee injury would almost certainly ruin his career.

Previous Mock Draft Ranking: 16

In my previous mock draft I had Jonah Bolden at pick 29, higher than all of the other most notable mock drafts. Since then Bolden has risen to a legit first round prospect. I do believe that if Bolden didn’t leave UCLA to play overseas two season ago he would have been a lottery pick. He possesses all of the physical tools needed to succeed as a big man in today’s NBA.

With Bolden’s rise being so late in the draft process it obviously is a gamble to take him this high but the Toronto Raptors are accustomed to selecting players out of the blue. The most notable ‘random’ pick was selecting Bruno Caboclo 20th in the 2014 NBA Draft.

Since Jakob Poeltl is looking like a bust selecting another big man is definitely plausible. Bolden offers the Raptors will elite size, a 7-4 wingspan, a smooth shooting touch, as well as extremely thunderous dunks, he’s always a threat for a put-back dunk.

Previous Mock Draft Ranking: 29

Oregon’s Jordan Bell is another player who has rose up draft boards since March Madness. Bell was one of the stars for the Oregon Duck this past season, averaging 10.9 points per game and 8.8 rebounds per game. The power forward showed how versatile he can be on the offensive and defensive end.

After Derrick Favors regressed immensely last season, the Jazz can’t go wrong by selecting one of the most energetic bigs left on the board. Putting Bell alongside defensive stud, Rudy Gobert, would be terrifying, Bell averaged 3.6 blocks per 40 minutes throughout his three years at Oregon.

Despite needing some wing depth the Jazz will look for that with their later picks. With the four draft picks that the Jazz own in this draft, look out for them packaging a couple of picks together to move up, they have a lot of flexibility.

Previous Mock Draft Ranking: N/A

Ivan Rabb’s sophomore season for the California Bears was nothing short of disappointing. He betted on himself having a stunning second season, unfortunately what actually happened was a far cry from what scouts and himself expected.

Rabb failed to show any significant improvements in his game, not even the range of his shots, now he’s paying the price for that. In the 2016 NBA Draft Rabb would’ve easily been at top 10 pick, now, some believe he may not even crack the first round. Unfortunately that’s the risk you take, it just didn’t work in Rabb’s favor.

With the Magic already adding a versatile forward, picking a power froward may not be the best move. However, with combo forward, Jeff Green coming off the books this summer the Magic will need to rebuild it’s depth at the forward positions.

Previous Mock Draft Ranking: 24

Since the Portland Trail Blazers went primarily defence with their first two picks they should select an offensive player here. Who better than one of the best perimeter shooters in this draft? With the help of freshman phenom, Lonzo Ball, TJ Leaf was able to show his great shooting talents, he shot 46.6 percent from behind the arc for the Bruins this season.

As I previously said, I don’t think the Trail Blazers will keep all three first round picks, they want to compete in the playoffs, adding three rookies would only be a detriment rather than a positive. If no trades come up, the Trail Blazers may look towards an international prospect that they can stash overseas for a few years, there are plenty of directions the Trail Blazers can go in.

Looking at the Trail Blazers’ front court, there is next to no shooting, this limits floor spacing for Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum tremendously. Even if Leaf doesn’t score much, rebound much or play great defence, his floor spacing will be of great value to the Trail Blazers, it may even see him get some minutes with the starting unit.

Previous Mock Draft Ranking: 28

I was somewhat shocked by Frank Jackson’s decision to keep his name in the 2017 NBA Draft, I thought he would for sure go back to Duke. The only reason I can think of as to why he stayed in the draft is that he has maybe received a draft promise of getting selected in the first round.

At times at Duke, Jackson looked a little erratic, he’s not ready to be thrown into an NBA game just yet. He may spend some time down in the new G-League. When Jackson is ready to compete in the NBA, he won’t be rushed into a lot of action because of the Lakers already having Lonzo Ball manning the point guard position.

The Lakers will need to bring in some extra guards to come off their bench as after the trade with the Nets, the Lakers’ backcourt is looking pretty thin. Additionally, this low in the draft there aren’t many quality guards left, hence why Jackson should be the pick for the Lakers. I believe Jackson could become one of the best guards in the draft in a few years.

Previous Mock Draft Ranking: N/A

By adding a versatile center who can stretch the floor, the Lakers complete their search for the ideal big man. The Latvian, Anzejs Pasecniks can shoot from behind the three point line (58.3 percent this season), rebound and protect the paint. The potential is brimming out of the 7-2 center.

Additionally, the Lakers will be in no rush in bringing Pasecniks over, he will probably stay overseas for at least another season, maybe two. When he comes over, the Lakers may be in a position to push for the playoffs, I can see Pasecniks having a Nikola Jokic-type impact when he joins up with the team.

In pre-draft workouts, Pasecniks has shown a good ability to handle the ball when driving from the three point line to the basket. He has also showed an array of dribbling moves as well as hesitation moves to glide past the defender and finish hard at the rim.

Previous Mock Draft Ranking: 26

With franchise legend, Manu Ginobili, seemingly heading for retirement, Gregg Popovich and the San Antonio Spurs should look towards drafting another two guard. Derrick White is the best available shooting guard left in this draft, his story is also very Sn Antonio-esque.

The beauty of what the Spurs do with young talent is that they don’t force them to play early in their careers, they have to earn all the minutes they get. Kyle Anderson has just finished up his third season with the Spurs and he still isn’t getting regular playing time.

The Colorado product will be able to sit behind proven players such as Danny Green and Jonathon Simmons (should he return) for the time being, I have know doubt that White will eventually earn the starting job, as he has earned everything he got so far in his career.

Previous Mock Draft Ranking: 27

I think the Utah Jazz will be selecting a forward who can do it all as a safety net should Gordon Hayward leave town this summer. SMU’s Semi Ojeleye would fit perfectly into the Jazz’s lineup, he can shoot very efficiently form three (42.4 percent). Additionally, Ojeleye’s rebounding ability is up there with the best of them in this draft, he averaged eight rebounds per 40 minutes.

From a physical standpoint, the former Duke man is more than ready for the NBA. Standing 6-7 and weighing 235 pound, Ojeleye has the perfect body to play the small forward and power forward roles in the NBA. In his first year with the Mustangs, Ojeleye upped his assists per game from 0.2 a game to 1.5 a game, if he can continue improving his passing game I can see him having a Draymond Green-like impact.

However, if the situation does occur where Gordon Hayward leaves the Jazz in free agency, Ojeleye may have to play bigger minutes earlier on in his career as the Jazz may have to enter a miniature rebuild. This would be the worst scenario for the Jazz because they believe they have the team to contend in the playoffs, losing Hayward would leave them without their number one scoring option.

Previous Mock Draft Ranking: N/A

Second Round

31. Charlotte Hornets (via Nets) – Tyler Dorsey, SG, Oregon

32. Phoenix Suns – Wesley Iwundu, SF, Kansas State

33. Orlando Magic (via Lakers) – Devin Robinson, SF, Florida

34. Sacramento Kings (via 76ers) – Isaiah Hartenstein, PF/C, Zalgiris Kaunas

35. Orlando Magic – Mathias Lessort, PF/C, Nanterre 92

36. Philadelphia 76ers (via Knicks) – Josh Hart, SG, Villanova

37. Boston Celtics (via Timberwolves) – Tony Bradley, C, North Carolina

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38. Chicago Bulls (via Kings) – Kostja Mushidi, SG, Mega Leks

39. Philadelphia 76ers (via Mavericks) – Frank Mason III, PG, Kansas

40. New Orleans Pelicans – Jawun Evans, PG, Oklahoma State

41. Atlanta Hawks (via Hornets) – Bam Adebayo, C/PF, Kentucky

42. Utah Jazz (via Pistons) – Aleksandar Vezenkov, SF, FC Barcelona

43. Houston Rockets (via Nuggets) – Edmond Sumner, PG, Xavier

44. New York Knicks (via Bulls) – Tyler Lydon, PF/SF, Syracuse

45. Houston Rockets (via Trail Blazers) -Jonathan Motley, PF, Baylor

46. Philadelphia 76ers (via Heat) – Dillon Brooks, SF/SG, Oregon

47. Indiana Pacers – Caleb Swanigan, C/PF, Purdue

48. Milwaukee Bucks – Monte Morris, PG, Iowa State

49. Denver Nuggets (via Grizzlies) – Jaron Blossomgame, SF, Clemson

50. Philadelphia 76ers (via Hawks) – Antonio Blakeney, SG, LSU

51. Denver Nuggets (via Thunder) – Vlatko Cancar, SF, Mega Leks

52. New Orleans Pelicans – Thomas Bryant, C, Indiana

53. Boston Celtics (via Cavaliers) – George De Paula, PG, Club Athletico Paulistano

54. Phoenix Suns (via Raptors) – Alpha Kaba, C, Mega Leks

55. Utah Jazz – Nik Slavica, SF, Cibona

56. Boston Celtics (via Clippers) – P.J. Dozier, SG, South Carolina

57. Brooklyn Nets (via Celtics) – Dwayne Bacon, SF/SG, Florida State

58. New York Knicks (via Rockets) – Alec Peters, PF, Valparaiso

59. San Antonio Spurs – Luke Nelson, PG, UC Irvine

60. Atlanta Hawks (via Warriors) – Peter Jok, SG, Iowa

Next: A Q&A With Luke Nelson

Thank you reading my final mock draft of the year! Finally, the draft is upon us, enjoy it, it only comes once a year. I wish you and your team the best of luck!