NBA Mock Draft 2017: Jayson Tatum falls, Kings snag Kentucky stars in latest first-round projection

Sean Deveney

NBA Mock Draft 2017: Jayson Tatum falls, Kings snag Kentucky stars in latest first-round projection image

No sooner has the NBA postseason wrapped up than we are on to the first highlight of the offseason: The 2017 NBA Draft. In just one week, one of the most anticipated drafts of the last few years will go down, and there is plenty of intrigue remaining — even among the first few picks — as we enter crunch time.

With that, here’s how things are shaping up...

1. Boston (from Brooklyn) — Markelle Fultz, PG, Washington. It’s been a bit more interesting than it probably should have been. It’s not often that the presumptive No. 1 pick does a workout with the team holding the top pick, but the two guys with the best shot at disrupting that pick — in this case, Josh Jackson and Lonzo Ball — decline to work out for the team. The Celtics’ best move would be to shrug and move on to the obvious decision, which is taking Fultz.

2. LA Lakers — Lonzo Ball, PG, UCLA. There’s enough smoke around the heated rumors suggesting that the Lakers had second thoughts on Ball and decided to look elsewhere to think that there’s some fire to them. But it appears that there is merely some internal questioning about whether to make Ball the pick here, and that Ball is still in the mix, along with Jackson and De’Aaron Fox. And by draft night, when the smoke clears, the bet here is that Ball is the pick.

MORE: Be careful, Lonzo: No. 2 pick could be bad omen

3. Philadelphia — Josh Jackson, SF, Kansas. Of course, Ball’s fate will resonate through the top 10 of the draft, and Philadelphia would have a tough decision if Jackson is gone when they pick. Ideally, the Sixers want some wing production in this draft, and that would mean passing on Fox or Ball to go for Jayson Tatum. Instead, if everything goes according to projection, Jackson will be their man.

4. Phoenix — Jonathan Isaac, SF, Florida State. If the Suns are ready to commit to positionless basketball, Isaac is their man. He is a very athletic combo forward who would give the Suns an intriguing pairing alongside fellow youngster Marquese Chriss. With Fox, and possibly Ball, on the table, though, the Suns would have a tough choice if they went for a point guard, even if it means trading away star guard Eric Bledsoe.

5. Sacramento — De’Aaron Fox, PG, Kentucky. The Kings want a point guard, and Fox is the guy they want most. There’s been some talk that the Kings would swap the fifth and 10th picks to move up to the Sixers’ No. 3 in order to draft Fox, but the Kings would be better served keeping both picks and taking the chance that Fox is on the board here, with Dennis Smith Jr. or Frank Ntilikina as a backup plan.

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6. Orlando — Dennis Smith Jr., PG, North Carolina State. The Magic could be the most interesting of the top-10 teams, with a new regime in the front office and some tough questions to answer about a roster that has not come together. Jayson Tatum makes sense here, but there’s uncertainty about whether point guard Elfrid Payton can be the guy going forward. Smith could give the Magic something they’ve desperately lacked — a consistent scorer who can run the pick-and-roll, finish at the rim and anchor the offense.

7. Minnesota — Lauri Markkanen, PF, Arizona. The Wolves are continuing their pursuit of solutions at point guard, but they do need someone who can serve as a stretch-4. If any of the "Big Three" point men slip, the Wolves would probably scoop them up. Or they could take a shot on Ntilikina or Dennis Smith Jr. But Markkanen’s value as a big shooter is pretty low-hanging fruit, and the Wolves can definitely check a box by taking him.

8. New York — Jayson Tatum, SF, Duke. Someone is going to slip out of the group of four or five top prospects, and the bet here is Tatum, a good shooter with a high basketball IQ and a smooth offensive game. He happens to play the same position as a current Knick with a smooth offensive game, but that does not matter. If he is around at eight, the Knicks should grab him and figure out their Carmelo Anthony situation later. If Tatum is not here, Malik Monk figures to get serious consideration.

9. Dallas — Frank Ntilikina, PG, France. The Mavericks need to add depth of talent all over the roster, and though they plan to pursue free-agent point guards, Ntilikina could be a long-term answer. He is raw, but he’s a 6-5 point guard who has already shown the ability to be a lockdown defensive player on the perimeter and a talented playmaker. Comparisons to Dennis Schroeder are common for him.

10. Sacramento — (from New Orleans). Malik Monk, SG, Kentucky. The only concern about Monk is that he is 6-3. If he were 6-6 and had the same ability to knock down shots, he would probably go in the top four, and even at his height, he will get considerations from teams higher than this. Consistency has also been a question mark — for example, after he had his stunning 47-point display against North Carolina in December, he followed by scoring 17 on 6-for-17 shooting against Louisville. But he was 18 for most of the season, and 18-year-old shooters are naturally inconsistent.

NBA DRAFT 2017: Latest prospect rankings

11. Charlotte — OG Anunoby, SF, Indiana. The Hornets could add to their stockpile of young big men here. Or they could do something novel: Take a risk, something to which this franchise has been averse for years. Anunoby is out with a torn ACL he suffered in January and will need time — maybe all of next year — to recover. But he is a tough perimeter defender who was on his way to being a lottery pick before the injury. The Hornets badly need to upgrade their defense, and Anuonby is a guy who can do that, with some patience. If not Anuonby, the Hornets could still focus on the wing with the likes of Terrance Ferguson, Donovan Mitchell or Luke Kennard.

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12. Detroit — Luke Kennard, SG, Duke. Kennard has made sense for the Pistons all along, and the way he has shot the ball in workouts has helped make him go from a stretch for this team to a very solid outcome, should he still be on the board. He made 43.8 percent of his 3-pointers last year, and though he projects to be a defensive liability in the NBA, shooting is at a premium, especially in Detroit.

13. Denver — Zach Collins, C, Gonzaga. Collins played only 17.3 minutes per game for Gonzaga, but his per-40-minute stats are the reason teams have such interest: 23.2 points, 13.6 rebounds, 4.1 blocked shots and 65.2 percent shooting. He has shown flashes of range out to the 3-point line, and has potential as a high-post playmaker. Collins’ limited playing time means there are questions about his defense and conditioning, but his potential is obvious.

14. Miami — Donovan Mitchell, SG, Louisville. The Heat have a need at power forward, but they expect to address that through free agency — anyone they choose here would require time to be an NBA contributor. Mitchell is a dynamic and athletic scorer who could help the Heat brace for Dion Waiters’ free agency.

15. Portland — Justin Jackson, SF, North Carolina. Jackson was the ACC’s Player of the Year after averaging 18.3 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.8 assists and leading UNC to a national championship. The knocks on him are that he was not a great rebounder or defensive player, signs that he is not a top-level athlete and that he is already 22 years old. But Jackson is a solid all-around wing who can handle the ball and make plays as well as shoot for himself. The Blazers have three picks in this draft, and could consider a big man, but they need help on the wing, too.

MORE: Most regrettable NBA Draft picks in every first-round spot

16. Chicago — Terrance Ferguson, SG, Australia. Ferguson has a pretty wide range, having skipped out on college to play in Australia, where teams tracking him had mixed reviews. He is not particularly explosive, but he is an excellent shooter who works well off screens and has a dash of athleticism. Interest ranges as high as the Hornets at No. 11, with the Pistons and Heat also looking at Ferguson in the lottery. The Bulls need shooting, and could consider Tyler Lydon here, but Ferguson has better upside.

17. Milwaukee — Harry Giles, F/C, Duke. The Bucks are said to have eyes for Ferguson should he get past the Bulls, but they’ll likely be left sorting through the big-man options at this point, and there figure to be some promising ones — Justin Patton, Jarrett Allen, Ike Anigbogu, T.J. Leaf, Lydon and John Collins. The Bucks have had some luck taking risks in the draft in recent years, and Giles, who has already had three knee surgeries, qualifies as a risk. But he’d be a top-five player if healthy, so he’s worth a shot here. Should the Bucks remain determined to get a point guard, Jawun Evans could be their guy here.

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18. Indiana — Jordan Bell, F, Oregon. This could be a stretch for Bell, who has been slotted as a late first-round pick. But there are teams in the top 20 who just might take the plunge. The Pacers worked out Bell back in mid-May, and he was a standout at the NBA Draft Combine just before that. The Pacers are headed into an offseason pocked with question marks, and they should be open to drafting the best available player. But the prospect of putting an athletic, defensively versatile big man into the frontcourt with Myles Turner will be tempting.

19. Atlanta — Justin Patton, C, Creighton. The Hawks should be able to lock up an eventual replacement for Dwight Howard in this draft, with Howard sitting on two remaining years on his contract. Allen, John Collins, Bam Adebayo or Patton would make some sense, though the Hawks are intrigued by Jordan Bell. Patton is considered a project, but his development in his freshman year indicates he’s a quick learner. He is very athletic for a 7-footer, and has shown he has some natural talent working out of the high post. He runs the floor well, and a little added athleticism on the break would be useful for the Hawks.

20. Portland (from Memphis) — Jarrett Allen, C, Texas. Allen has some pretty high offensive upside — he is raw but is a strong finisher in the paint and needs to add a jumper. Allen has gotten consideration from lottery teams, but some number of the pack of lottery-type big men are going to sweat out a fall on draft night, and that could mean guys like Patton, Allen, Leaf and John Collins. The Blazers like Bell, too, but he could be gone by this point. And, of course, with three picks, the Blazers might also deal No. 20.

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21. Oklahoma City — T.J. Leaf, PF, UCLA. There has been chatter that Leaf and the Thunder have a mutual affection, but by draft night, teams like Miami, Portland and the Hawks will have had a look at him, so there’s a chance OKC won’t have the chance to pick a stretch-4 like Leaf here. But if he’s available, the Thunder would likely scoop him up.

22. Brooklyn (from Washington) — John Collins, F/C, Wake Forest. The Nets simply need to add talent wherever they can find it, and they will get some value here. Collins is a productive, back-to-the-basket big man who would have been a sure lottery player five years ago. But there’s still a question as to whether he can stretch his game out to the 3-point line.

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23. Toronto (from L.A. Clippers) — Ike Anigbogu, C, UCLA. Most would have liked to see Anigbogu go back for another season of college, but he will enter the NBA as an already promising shot-blocking presence inside, with potential to develop some semblance of an inside game along the way. He’s never going to be an offensive threat, but if he can wind up developing into Bismack Biyombo Jr. off the bench, the Raps would be happy.

24. Utah — Frank Jackson, PG/SG, Duke. Jackson had surgery on his foot in May to help heal a stress fracture, but he has been meeting with teams, and has had two such face-to-faces with the Jazz. He makes a lot of sense for a team looking to increase its backcourt depth against the possible loss of free agent George Hill.

25. Orlando (from Toronto) — Tyler Lydon, F, Syracuse. The Magic ranked 29th in 3-point shooting last season, so as they begin their rebuild this offseason, that’s an area that clearly needs addressing. Lydon will get looks just outside the lottery, but he has his faults — he is not very athletic and will probably be a defensive liability. He can shoot, however, and give the Magic a stretch-4 to develop as they try to fill their many gaps.

MORE: 13 of the most ill-timed NBA Draft early entry decisions

26. Portland (from Cleveland) — P.J. Dozier, SG, South Carolina. Again, the Blazers might not actually make this pick, but if they do, they might have a chance to focus on a particular weakness — their inability to defend the perimeter. Dozier is a big guard (6-6.75 with a 6-11 wingspan) and an intense defender, something the Blazers need.

27. Brooklyn (from Boston) — D.J. Wilson, F, Michigan. Wilson has gotten some late buzz heading into draft week, and could yet secure a first-round spot. He is a 6-10 forward who has nice touch around the basket and can shoot from the perimeter. He is active defensively, though he needs to improve his rebounding. The Nets have holes everywhere, and are hoping to get lucky with this pick.

28. LA Lakers (from Houston) — Bam Adebayo, C, Kentucky. The Lakers will have a huge decision to make with the No. 2 pick, but they’re hoping to find a gem at 28. Adebayo has flashed improvement in his predraft workouts, and that’s caused teams to give him a second look. He is likely to be a first-rounder, and could get into the top 20 if a team is convinced that Adebayo has the speed and footwork to develop offensively. But if he slips, he could be a worthy risk for the Lakers.

29. San Antonio — Anzejs Pasecniks, C, Latvia. Paceniks might not last this long, but if he’s available, the Spurs, who worked him out last week, figure to pick him. He’s 7-2 and will need some work, but the Spurs can be patient here and possibly leave him in Europe for a season. San Antonio has immediate questions at center, but Paceniks would be a potential long-term answer.

30. Utah (from Golden State) — Tony Bradley, C, North Carolina. The Jazz could have major holes to fill if free agency does not go their way. But they won’t know that on draft night, so it would make sense to address a clear need that will be there either way: backup center. Bradley did not see many minutes at North Carolina, but he showed himself to be an active inside player who can rebound and finish in the paint. 

Sean Deveney

Sean Deveney is the national NBA writer for Sporting News and author of four books, including Facing Michael Jordan. He has been with Sporting News since his internship in 1997.