2017 NBA Mock Draft

2017 NBA MOCK DRAFT

CONNOR KIRST

THE BYE WEEK x THE 6TH MEN

With the NBA season officially coming to end, it is time for teams to rebuild and reload for the 2017-18 season. This years draft class is very strong and filled with talent. The debate between Markelle Fultz and Lonzo Ball has lasted for much of the season, and this Thursday we will find out who will be suiting up for the Philadelphia 76ers next year.

1. Philadelphia 76ers - Markelle Fultz, PG, Washington

Markelle Fultz is the best player available in this draft. Fultz put up huge numbers at Washington this past year (23.2 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 5.9 APG, .476 FG%, .413 3PT%). While it didn't translate into a tournament berth, Fultz showed why he is deserving of the number 1 pick. Fultz is a great fit for the Sixers as he can score from anywhere on the court, is an excellent athlete, has ideal size for his position and is smart with the ball. Fultz combines great finishing ability with a strong shooting touch. Suddenly with Markelle Fultz, Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons, the Sixers have a "big 3" that they can build around.

BEST CASE PLAYER COMP: Damian Lillard/Kyrie Irving

2. Los Angeles Lakers - Lonzo Ball, PG, UCLA

The writing has been on the wall for the Lakers to select Ball for months. As long as the Lakers keep this pick, I believe Ball is a good choice for them. Lonzo Ball is every bit as good as Markelle Fultz, just isn't quite as polished as a pro prospect. Ball is long, lanky, has good athleticism and is the best playmaker in this draft. The only knock against him is his ability on defense. Kentucky PG DeAaron Fox clearly outplayed him during their matchup in the tournament, and Ball could not keep up with the quicker Fox. With the Lakers surprisingly trading away D'Angelo Russell, drafting Ball just makes sense. I would have liked to see Ball play with Russell, but it might end up working out better for both players. Some criticize Ball for the actions of his father Lavar or his unorthodox shot, but based on his play on the court, Ball is one of the best prospects in the draft.

BEST CASE PLAYER COMP: Jason Kidd

3. Boston Celtics - Johnathan Isaac, PF/SF, Flordia State

After moving down from the top pick, the Celtics are a complete mystery. I personally thought Markelle Fultz would be the perfect choice to play along side Isaiah Thomas, but apparently GM Danny Ainge had other thoughts. The Celtics really have no glaring holes on their roster. The biggest need I see would be a rim-protecting big man who could ease some pressure off of Al Horford, but this draft has much more guard and wing talent. Since they drafted Jaylen Brown last year, I think Isaac may be the best fit. Isaac is a 6'11 swing forward with skill and versatility. He is a similar player to last years 2nd pick Brandon Ingram. While he also struggles with shooting like Ingram, Isaac shows a ton of potential defensively and is a very good athlete. I have a feeling Boston will be trading this pick to add a superstar, but if they keep it Isaac may come off the board here.

BEST CASE PLAYER COMP: Lamar Odom

4. Phoenix Suns - Josh Jackson, SF, Kansas

Josh Jackson is the most athletic player in this draft as well as being the best wing prospect. At 6'8 he could play a little bit of small ball 4 at the next level, but he would be a perfect fit on the wing for Phoenix. The Suns took Dragan Bender and Marquese Chriss last year and are mostly set with their bigs and have Eric Bledsoe and Devin Booker. They are in dire need of a wing, and Jackson fits the bill. Jackson reminds me a lot of Andrew Wiggins and Jaylen Brown. Like both of those players, Jackson needs to prove that he can shoot in the NBA. If the Suns pass on Jackson, Jayson Tatum should be in play here.

BEST CASE PLAYER COMP: Andrew Wiggins

5. Sacramento Kings - DeAaron Fox, PG, Kentucky

Other than Markelle Fultz, DeAaron Fox is my favorite player in this draft. Fox is an elite athlete and competes on both offense and defense. While he is not full developed as a playmaker or shooter, Fox is ready to come in and attack the basket and defend opposing PGs. I see Fox being a great fit with the Kings as he complements SG Buddy Hield very well, but Sacramento is so unpredictable that even when something makes complete sense, they go in a different direction. Fox looks the part of the PG they've needed since Mike Bibby left.

BEST CASE PLAYER COMP: John Wall

6. Orlando Magic - Dennis Smith Jr., PG, NC State

Orlando is a team that could really use an improvement on almost every position. While Elfrid Payton has been solid, he is not a threat on offense in the slightest. Dennis Smith Jr. will be a threat right away. Smith is a score first PG who can slash and is an improving shooter. He is strong and one of the best athletes in this draft. In many other years, Smith would be the top guard. He's not as long or as big as many of the top PGs this year, but Smith is has an NBA ready body and should not struggle adjusting to the league. If Orlando passes on Smith, this would also be a landing spot for Duke's Jayson Tatum.

BEST CASE PLAYER COMP: Rockets Steve Francis

7. Minnesota Timberwolves - Jayson Tatum, F, Duke

Minnesota is a solid young team with a core of Karl-Anthony Towns, Andrew Wiggins, Zach Lavine and Ricky Rubio. While they might want to consider drafting another guard, as Kris Dunn didn't work out like expected last year, Tatum is the best player still available. With Jayson Tatum, the Wolves would be getting one of the smoothest and most polished players in the draft. I have some questions how he would fit next to Wiggins and Lavine, but Tatum may be able to play a little bit of the 4. Tatum has good size but is only a decent athlete. He has a wide arrange of offensive moves - he can beat you off the dribble in isolation, post up and is a solid shooter. I'm not as high on Tatum as some are, but he will be a solid player in the NBA.

BEST CASE PLAYER COMP: Rudy Gay/a poor mans Carmelo Anthony

8. New York Knicks - Frank Ntilikina, PG, France

The Knicks are another team that is a mystery. With trade rumors swirling around Carmelo Anthony and Kristaps Porzingis, this team may be going in full rebuilding mode. Derrick Rose didn't work out very well last year and New York should go with Frank Ntilikina. Frank, like Porzingis, is a little mysterious. He's 18 years old, 6'5", and has a reported 7 foot wingspan. Combine that with his excellent athleticism he must have scouts drooling. Frank played pretty well last December in the FIBA U18 European Tournament, but we don't really have a great sample of his ability. He's definitely a project, but the potential is definitely there.

BEST CASE PLAYER COMP: Maybe Jamal Crawford?

9. Dallas Mavericks - Lauri Markkanen, PF, Arizona

In a draft short of bigmen, Dallas takes the best one available. Markkanen is a solid player and would go much higher if not for all of the guard and wing talent in this draft. Markkanen is one of the best shooters in the draft, and while it's cliche to compare a 7 footer who can shoot to Dirk, Markkanen actually fits the bill. The Mavs need to start thinking about life after Dirk Nowitzki, and drafting Markkanen is the first step.

BEST CASE PLAYER COMP: Troy Murphy

10. Sacramento Kings - Donovan Mitchell, G, Louisville

Donovan Mitchell may not be a star in the NBA, but I really like what I've seen from the combo guard. At 6'3", he doesn't have ideal size, but he makes up for it with his 6'10" wingspan and excellent athleticism. Mitchell can legitimately defend 3 positions and I think he's one of the safest picks in the draft. On offense, Mitchell might not contribute in a huge way right away, but he has a nice looking shot, can attack the basket, and can handle pick and rolls. Even with Buddy Hield, the Kings need more backcourt and wing talent. If they go with Fox and Mitchell, all of a sudden they have a very athletic and tough backcourt.

BEST CASE PLAYER COMP: A bigger Avery Bradley

11. Charlotte Hornets - Malik Monk, SG, Kentucky

By trading for Dwight Howard, the Hornets frontcourt looks pretty much set. They've invested a lot in bigmen the last few years (Cody Zeller, Noah Vonleh and Frank Kaminsky). While not all of them have worked out as expected, I expect the Hornets to go with Malik Monk. With Monk, the Hornets will be getting a very aggressive, confident and athletic shoot-first guard. Monk can't do too much other than score, but at 11 he's a tremendous value and is one of the best pure scorers in the draft. Imagining a backcourt with Kemba Walker and Monk has to give the Eastern Conference nightmares.

BEST CASE PLAYER COMP: JR Smith in the nicest possible way

12. Detroit Pistons - Zach Collins, PF/C, Gonzaga

The Pistons are pretty set at most positions, but could definitely use a player like Collins to complement Andre Drummond. Collins only played 17 minutes per game with the Zags, but was really productive. Collins attacks the boards, competes and both ends and all-around has a lot of potential. Collins is a little bit of a risky pick because of the small sample size, but his youth, competitive nature and developing skill set, makes sense for a Pistons team that should be in the playoff picture.

BEST CASE PLAYER COMP: Miles Plumlee

13. Denver Nuggets -  OG Anunoby, SF, Indiana 

Denver is one of those teams that have a lot of depth at all positions, but could also stand to improve on all positions. Other than Nikola Jokic, they don't really have anyone to build around. OG Anunoby isn't a player to build around necessarily, but he will have a defined role in the NBA. Anunoby will be a very strong defender right off the bat due to his length and quickness. What Anunoby needs to do is develop his shot and find a role on offense. I like his fit with Denver a lot as they need a lockdown defender if they want to take the next step. Denver is also a team that can afford to wait for Anunoby to recover from his knee surgery, so this fit makes a lot of sense.

BEST CASE PLAYER COMP: Andre Iguodala or Michael Kidd-Gilchrist

14. Miami Heat - Luke Kennard, SG, Duke

I think Miami would prefer to add a stretch 4 to complement Hassan Whiteside, but I don't really see anyone worth taking here that fits that profile. Kennard can definitely stretch the floor though. I really enjoyed watching Kennard play at Duke this past season. In my mind, he is the best shooter in the draft. Kennard was very efficient all over the floor, excels shooting off screens and spot up situations and would be a good fit in Erik Spoelstra's offense. I want to see Kennard diversify his game a little more and become more than just a shooter. I think he has the ability to do so. Along with being a knockdown shooter, Kennard has a great feel for the game, a smooth handle, and is very crafty. Sure he won't blow you away athletically, and might struggle at 1-on-1 defense, but the potential is there for Kennard to become the next Klay Thompson or Devin Booker. The potential is also there for him to become the next Nik Stauskas, but if he goes to the Heat, Kennard is in good hands.

BEST CASE PLAYER COMP: Somewhere in between Klay/Booker/Stauskas

15. Portland Trailblazers - John Collins, PF, Wake Forest

The Blazers need a power forward to complement Jusuf Nurkic. Collins provides a little more versatility than some of the other bigmen available at this point.

16. Chicago Bulls - Justin Patton, C, Creighton

The Bulls kind of need to improve every position. Jimmy Butler is really good, and Dwyane Wade is still solid, but neither are sure things to stick around much longer. Patton is far from a finished product, but his length and athleticism are very promising. Patton runs the floor very well, and his lateral quickness suggest he could be a plus defender. Since the Bulls are starting Robin Lopez, Patton would make a lot of sense to develop and eventually take over.

17. Milwaukee Bucks - Harry Giles PF/C, Duke

The Bucks are a really solid young team, but they need to add some help in the frontcourt. Giles has a lot of injury problems, but he is extremely talented. Giles was a 5 star recruit at Duke, but didn't play much due to recovering from knee surgery. This pick is based solely on potential. When Giles was healthy he showed off great quickness and is a skillful player. At 6'11", Giles with fit in nicely with the Bucks, and is in a situation where he wouldn't have to rush his rehab.

18. Indiana Pacers - Justin Jackson, SF, North Carolina

With the uncertainty of the Paul George situation, it would make sense for Indiana to add Justin Jackson. I can see Jackson developing into a nice 3PT threat in the NBA. He's one of the safer picks in the draft.

19. Atlanta Hawks - Ike Anigbogu, PF/C, UCLA

After trading Dwight Howard, and rumors swirling around  Paul Millsap, look for Atlanta to target a bigman to develop. The Hawks don't strike me as a team that wants to win much next year. They essentially just dumped Howard's contract on the Hornets, and just seem to be in full rebuilding mode. Anigbogu didn't really play that much at UCLA, but he showed off great athleticism and shot-blocking ability. 

20. Portland Trailblazers - TJ Leaf, PF, UCLA

TJ Leaf is one of the few true stretch 4s in this draft. I'm not in love with his game, but at 20, he's a good value and can perform on offense. I have a lot of questions about his defensive ability, but the Blazers have Mo Harkless and Al-Farouq Aminu who can defend wings or 4s, so Leaf should be a good fit for Portland.

21. Oklahoma City Thunder - Terrance Ferguson, SG/SF, Australia

OKC needs to get some scoring help for Russell Westbrook. Ferguson is a pretty good prospect and can at least be a solid shooter in the NBA. Ferguson surprisingly signed with the Adelaide 36ers rather than playing college basketball. While he didn't get a ton of playing time at first, Ferguson played pretty well for Adelaide. He's going to need to add some strength if he plays on the wing for OKC, but I could see him coming off the bench and contributing somewhat soon.

22. Brooklyn Nets - Jarrett Allen, C, Texas

Jarrett Allen is a great value here for the Nets. I could see Allen going as soon as 16 to the Bulls, but I can't see him lasting past the Nets at 22. Allen is pretty much the anti Brook Lopez. Allen has a 7'6" wingspan, runs the floor like a gazelle and is a good rim protector. I only slightly preferred Justin Patton for this type of player, but the Nets would be thrilled to get Allen.

23. Toronto Raptors - Bam Adebayo, PF/C, Kentucky

Bam is a pretty good prospect, but I would not be surprised to see him fall here. Adebayo will be a good offensive rebounder right away, but offers next to nothing in terms of his offensive skill set. He should be a good defender in the NBA, but he needs to improve as a rim protector and defensive rebounder. He played well at Kentucky, but will need some time to develop into a meaningful NBA player. Luckily Toronto has time and Serge Ibaka might be able to help groom Bam into a more well rounded player.

24. Utah Jazz - Isaiah Hartenstein, C, Germany

The Jazz need to make room to resign star F Gordon Hayward and PG George Hill, so going with a draft-and-stash player makes sense. Hartenstein has played up to his potential quite yet, but he's 7'1" and has an interesting skill set. 

25. Orlando Magic - Ansezj Pasecniks, C, Lithuania

Pasecniks is a huge guy (7'2"). That alone will make him a first round pick. I actually like him more than Hartenstein, but Pasecniks is a little older. He moves very well for his size and played on the same team with Kristaps Porzingis. He should be a nice prospect, but I don't think he's ready for the NBA just yet.

26. Portland Trailblazers - Mathias Lessort, PF, France

I don't see Portland keeping all of their picks but I could Lessort going here if they do. Lessort is a little older than most international prospect at 22, but he's built really well (6'9", 250 lbs) and is competitive on the boards. He's a solid defender and might be a nice piece down the line.

27. Los Angeles Lakers - Jonah Bolden, F, Australia

Jonah Bolden is a really intriguing prospect. After playing 1 so-so year with UCLA, Bolden decided to play overseas this past season. Bolden is more comfortable playing on the outside and is a very strong shooter. He projects as either a stretch 4 or a big wing at 6'10". As one of the more under-the-radar players, I'm pretty high on Bolden and like his fit with the Lakers. While they have Julius Randle, Brandon Ingram and Larry Nance Jr., I think Bolden would be a good player to develop.

28. Los Angeles Lakers - Derrick White, G, Colorado

The Lakers should look into selecting Derrick White who played very well on a mediocre team last year at Colorado. White played PG, but is 6'5", so has some positional versatility. White played 3 years for the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs a Division II school where he put up huge numbers. Last season he showed off a well-rounded and extremely efficient game, shooting 57% on 2PT attempts and 40% on threes, all while averaging 18 PPG. White just doesn't have the athleticism you want in an elite PG, but at pick 28 his skill is very enticing for the Lakers.

29. San Antonio Spurs - Josh Hart, SG/SF, Villanova

Josh Hart on the Spurs is a match made in heaven. A 4 year player at Villanova, Hart improved every season, and really developed into an excellent shooter and an even better defender. Hart reminds me a lot of Malcolm Brogdon, who was arguably one of the top rookies from last year. Guys like this a little overlooked because of their age and the lack of elite athleticism, but I see Hart being an excellent role player in this league for a decade. Love this pick if they make it.

30. Utah Jazz - Jawun Evans, PG, Oklahoma State

Jawun Evans is a very fast, but undersized playmaking PG. In case they lose George Hill in free agency, the Jazz would be smart to invest in some depth in the position, unless they completely trust Dante Exum.

Well that brings the 2017 NBA Mock Draft to an end. I am fully ready to see how it all goes down. Feel free to comment on this post and share to keep the discussion going. If you enjoyed reading this, be sure to check out The 6th Men podcast's latest episode linked below.