NBA: Live Draft Coverage
We at Sports Posts are conducting our first live coverage, beginning with the 2017 NBA Draft on June 22, 2017, at 6:45 p.m. ET. We are going to have our NBA Staff spread out between Periscope, Twitter, and Sports Posts. There will be consistent communication on Periscope, discussing the recent picks and trades, while the Twitter will be announcing each pick, and Sports Posts will have this article updated with an in-depth review of the every selection, immediately after the announcement.
Follow us on Twitter - @sprtsposts - for the live Periscope and Twitter updates.
1. Philadelphia 76ers - Markelle Fultz (Washington G): Fultz has long been projected as the consensus No. 1 overall selection, and he is now the newest Philadelphia guard. Fultz was incredible during his lone freshman season at Washington, to the tune of 23.2 points, 5.9 assists, and 5.7 rebounds. There is no doubt in my mind that his athleticism and vision will lead him to multiple All-Star appearances. After the Boston Celtics swapped the No. 1 pick for the No. 3 pick and future assets, the 76ers jumped all over Fultz, for good reason. They now have one of the most exciting young cores in the league, led by back-to-back top picks Ben Simmons and Fultz, alongside Joel Embiid and Dario Saric.
2. Los Angeles Lakers - Lonzo Ball (UCLA G): Ball has been in the spotlight, far more than Fultz ever was, namely because of his father, LaVar Ball. However, even though his game seems like style over substance at times, Ball has genuine talent. He proved his ability to pass the ball with the best of them, during his lone season at UCLA. Also, Ball turned a 15-win team into a 31-win team, proving that he makes players around him better. The Lakers traded former No. 2 pick D'Angelo Russell and Timofey Mozgov earlier this week, to the Brooklyn Nets, for the No. 27 selection and Brook Lopez. Now that Russell is gone, Ball has a clear opportunity to take the starting point guard spot, as Los Angeles prepares for Paul George signing next summer.
3. Boston Celtics - Jayson Tatum (Duke F): Tatum was either going to be the No. 3 or No. 4 pick, and the Boston Celtics decided to snatch him up with the former, after trading their No. 1 pick to Philadelphia earlier in the week. He has been one of the best scorers in the entire country since his high school days, continuing last year at Duke, and he’ll be an important aspect of the Celtics’ plans going forward. Although, the Boston frontcourt is somewhat crowded now with Jaylen Brown, Jae Crowder, Tatum, and a possible signing of Gordon Hayward during the offseason.
4. Phoenix Suns - Josh Jackson (Kansas F): Jackson is heading to the Phoenix Suns, where he will likely get to start immediately, alongside potential All-Star Devin Booker. Jackson played well in one season at Kansas and was a projected top-5 pick since October of 2016. Phoenix is trying to get a lot younger and more athletic, and they are doing just that. If the Suns decide to keep Eric Bledsoe, a backcourt of Bledsoe, Booker, and Jackson is pretty impressive.
5. Sacramento Kings - De'Aaron Fox (Kentucky G): Fox is one of my favorite players in this draft, mainly because of his incredible passing vision. Fox is just the newest Kentucky product to get taken in the top-5, joining a long list of John Calipari players. With this pick, that pretty much means the end for Darren Collison, for the Kings, who will likely leave as a free agent this summer. Fox will match up with Buddy Hield in the backcourt, and has the potential to improve Hield's scoring in his second campaign.
6. Orlando Magic - Jonathan Isaac (Florida State F): Isaac, who I had being taken slightly lower, is yet another big man to join the Orlando Magic. He is extremely athletic and long, and is already an established defender. It's going to take him a couple of seasons to build weight, and become a legitimate scorer, but his potential upside is higher than most others in this class. Orlando might have to think about getting rid of some of their big men, because Aaron Gordon and Nikola Vucevic are already on the roster.
7. Chicago Bulls (via Minnesota Timberwolves) - Lauri Markkanenn (Arizona F): Markkanenn is headed to the Chicago Bulls, even though the Minnesota Timberwolves, are technically making the pick. According to multiple reports, Jimmy Butler is headed to Minnesota, in exchange for Kris Dunn, Zach LaVine, and the No. 7 pick, which was used for Markkanenn here. He was a great scorer at Arizona and will help out the Bulls, even though they're likely headed for a rebuild.
8. New York Knicks - Frank Ntilikina (France G): Ntilikina is who I thought the New York Knicks should grab at No. 8, and surprisingly, the Knicks actually did something sensible. He is a prototype point guard, and even though not a lot of people have watched him play, Ntilikina has huge upside. Now, Phil Jackson just needs to trade Carmelo Anthony and get younger at every spot, expect Kristaps Porzingis.
9. Dallas Mavericks - Dennis Smith Jr. (NC State G): Smith Jr. put up 18.1 points per game in one year at NC State, including a big performance at Duke, but I'm not sold on his talent fully translating to the NBA. Although, this pick does make sense, because the Dallas Mavericks played an entire season without a true point guard, with Yogi Ferrell and Seth Curry handling the ball for the bulk of the time. Smith Jr. will play next to Harrison Barnes and Dirk Nowitzki.
10. Portland Trailblazers (via Sacramento Kings) - Zach Collins (Gonzaga F): Collins is headed to the Portland Trailblazers, after the No. 10 pick was traded to them by the Sacramento Kings for the No. 15 and No. 20 picks. Collins was impressive during one season at Gonzaga, and even though his offensive game isn't established yet, his motor is higher than almost anyone's, and he'll likely see a ton of minutes for the Trailblazers, who are guard heavy with Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum leading the way.
11. Charlotte Hornets - Malik Monk (Kentucky G) - Monk was expected to go in the top-10, so the Charlotte Hornets picking him up at No. 11 is a steal for them. The former-Kentucky guard is arguably the best shooter in the 2017 NBA Draft, and he'll fit in perfectly next to Kemba Walker for Michael Jordan's team. The Hornets already made big news earlier in the week, trading for Dwight Howard, and now the Hornets are looking like they could possibly return to the playoffs next season.
12. Detroit Pistons - Luke Kennard (Duke G) - Kennard is famous for being the highest scorer in Ohio high school basketball history, passing Lebron James, and he kept that up at Duke in two seasons. Detroit is just covering their bases, just in case Kentavious Caldwell-Pope leaves during free agency, but even if he does stay and re-sign with the Pistons, they'll add another shooter to the lineup. However, I think the Pistons should have traded this selection for an established point guard.
13. Utah Jazz (via Denver Nuggets) - Donovan Mitchell (Louisville G): Mitchell is one of the most athletic players in the 2017 NBA Draft, and even though I think he could have used another year at Louisville, he's going to have time to develop in Utah behind Rodney Hood for a couple of seasons. This trade is still proposed, and not official, as all draft night trades are, but Denver is attempting to ship the No. 13 pick to the Utah Jazz for the No. 24 pick and Trey Lyles.
14. Miami Heat - Bam Adebayo (Kentucky F): Adebayo has an NBA ready body, and if the Heat can help him get a better outside shot, he'll turn into an effective player in the league. He is the third Kentucky player to be drafted in the top-15, and will be able to learn behind one of the NBA's best big men, Hassan Whiteside. Miami, after being one of the best teams in the association following the All-Star break, is heading into next season with high hopes. If Goran Dragic, Dion Waiters, and Whiteside are all back, they'll have a shot at adding one of the better free agents in Blake Griffin, Gordon Hayward, Paul Millsap, and/or Otto Porter Jr.
15. Sacramento Kings (via Portland Trailblazers) - Justin Jackson (North Carolina F): Jackson led his North Carolina Tar Heels to back-to-back national title games, winning the second in 2016-17, defeating the Gonzaga Bulldogs. Sacramento traded for this pick, giving Portland the No. 10 pick (Zach Collins), and they end up with a sharp shooter in Jackson, who joins De'Aaron Fox in the Kings' 2017 class. Jackson may see a lot of minutes with Tyreke Evans and Rudy Gay both being free agents.
16. Minnesota Timberwolves (via Chicago Bulls) - Justin Patton (Creighton C): Patton is going to Minnesota with Jimmy Butler, who was traded earlier in the night for the No. 7 pick, Kris Dunn, and Zach LaVine. He was the Big East Freshman of the Year, but won't see a lot of playing time in his rookie season, because of Karl Anthony-Towns. I like what both of these teams are doing, as the Minnesota Timberwolves are adding veterans and back-up big men for a playoff run, while the Chicago Bulls are getting ready to officially rebuild.
17. Milwaukee Bucks - D.J. Wilson (Michigan F): Wilson wasn't expected by many to go this high in the draft, as I didn't even have him taken in Round 1, but if anyone is going to take a player like the Michigan-product, it's the Milwaukee Bucks. They focus on big men who can stretch the floor like Giannis Antetokounmpo, Thon Maker, and Jabari Parker, and Wilson will fit into that mold.
18. Indiana Pacers - T.J. Leaf (UCLA F): Leaf, like Zach Collins, has a killer motor, and plays his hardest at all times. I think Indiana is getting a really good player at No. 18, but he'll have to sit through a rebuild following next season, when Paul George takes off for the Los Angeles Lakers. For now, though, Leaf will join a frontcourt group of George, Thaddeus Young, and potential All-Star Myles Turner.
19. Atlanta Hawks - John Collins (Wake Forest): Collins improved immensely between his first and second seasons under Danny Manning wake Wake Forest, and he was the 2016-17 ACC Most Improved Player of the Year. The Atlanta Hawks traded Dwight Howard to the Charlotte Hornets, for Miles Plumlee and more, making room for Collins in the frontcourt. It seems like Atlanta is going into a rebuild and will shoot for their young stars - Collins, Taurean Prince, and Denis Schroder - to hit their prime at the same time in five years or so.
20. Sacramento Kings (via Portland Trailblazers) - Harry Giles (Duke F): Giles was the No. 1 recruit coming out of high school, but because of three ACL injuries in under two seasons, he slid to the Sacramento Kings at No. 20. Earlier in the night, the Kings traded the No. 10 pick to the Trailblazers for the No. 15 and No. 20 picks. After the Kings stayed safe with their first two selections, smartly so, taking De'Aaron Fox and Justin Jackson, they took a chance with Giles.
21. Oklahoma City Thunder - Terrance Ferguson (USA G): Ferguson is the player I wanted the Oklahoma City Thunder to take, because he is a potential big-time scorer, and the potential reward is worth the risk. After deciding to skip college at Arizona and play a year overseas in Australia, Ferguson will be coming back to the United States to join the Thunder. He is athletic, can shoot the ball, and defends well on the perimeter. He reminds me a lot of Victor Oladipo, who came into the league a little raw, and will be one of Ferguson's teammates in Oklahoma City.
22. Brooklyn Nets - Jarrett Allen (Texas C): Allen got off to a slow start at the beginning of his career at Texas, but he really came around over the last two months, absolutely dominating the Big 12 competition. The Brooklyn Nets are getting a good big man, after trading Brook Lopez to the Los Angeles Lakers earlier in the week. D'Angelo Russell, Caris LeVert, and Jarrett Allen are the future of the Nets.
23. Toronto Raptors - O.G. Anunoby (Indiana F): Anunoby is a freak athlete, and if it weren't for a season-ending ACL injury, he would have likely been drafted higher, more like No. 15 or so. Instead, he fell to the Toronto Raptors at No. 23, where he can play behind DeMarre Carroll, until he fully develops, given that he only played two seasons at Indiana and is still very raw. I think he'll learn a lot from DeMar Derozan, also.
24. Denver Nuggets (via Utah Jazz) - Tyler Lydon (Syracuse F): Lydon, who slipped down most mock drafts, including mine, lately, climbed back into the thick of things, being drafted No. 24 overall by the Utah Jazz, who are reportedly sending his rights to the Denver Nuggets, for Donovan Mitchell, out of Louisville. The Nuggets are also adding Trey Lyles, a two year player out of Kentucky.
25. Orlando Magic - Anzejs Pasecniks (Latvia C): Pasecniks is going to be a project, but if he comes along in several years, he'll be a formidable big man for the Orlando Magic. Earlier in the 2017 NBA Draft, the Magic took another 7-footer, Jonathan Isaac, out of Florida State.
26. Portland Trailblazers - Caleb Swanigan (Purdue F): Swanigan was the Big Ten Player of the Year, in his sophomore year, and the Portland Trailblazers are continuing to go after big men, because of their guard oriented squad. Their first selection was Zach Collins at No. 10, and if he doesn't work out, Swanigan, one of the best scoring big men in this class, is a solid back-up.
27. Los Angeles Lakers (via Brooklyn Nets) - Kyle Kuzma (Utah F): Kuzma, alongisde Brook Lopez is headed to the Los Angeles Lakers after D'Angelo Russell, Timofey Mozgov, and the No. 27 pick was traded from the Brooklyn Nets. Magic Johnson, following a workout with Kuzma, was high on the Utah-product, and he'll join fellow Pac-12 player Lonzo Ball with the Lakers. Ball, Jordan Clarkson, Brandon Ingram, Julius Randle, and Brook Lopez are the projected Lakers starters, while Kuzma will be a back-up. Although, if the Lakers end up with Paul George, which they are likely to, Kuzma could be the odd man out.
28. Utah Jazz (via Los Angeles Lakers) - Tony Bradley Jr. (North Carolina F): Bradley Jr., who was just traded from the Los Angeles Lakers to the Utah Jazz, is going to a perfect system to learn in. Utah is a slow paced, defensive minded team, who's best players are Gordon Hayward and Rudy Gobert. Hayward may be on his way out, to possibly the Celtics or Heat, while the Stifle Tower will be back and a Defensive Player of the Year candidate. Bradley can watch and learn behind Gobert.
29. San Antonio Spurs - Derrick White (Colorado G): White is a great fit for the San Antonio Spurs, because he is a hardworking, experienced athlete - like Kyle Anderson, Kawhi Leonard, and Jonathan Simmons - and could become a player similar to Anderson in several years. San Antonio will likely send White to the G-League for a portion of the season, and allow him to develop fully.
30. Los Angeles Lakers (via Utah Jazz) - Josh Hart (Villanova G): Hart is the third player taken by the Los Angeles Lakers in Round 1, behind Lonzo Ball and Kyle Kuzma. Hart was one of the best college players over the last two seasons, winning a title in 2015-16. He'll join the Utah forward as one of the role players on an up and coming Lakers team.
Photo Credit: The Sixer Sense.
