2017 NBA Mock Draft: The final predictions
By Chris Stone
The 2017 NBA Draft has arrived and so has our final mock draft.
The 2017 NBA Draft is finally here and after several iterations of the mock draft, it’s finally time to try to figure out how this thing might shake out. Since the last version, the Philadelphia 76ers have traded for the No. 1 pick, sending the Boston Celtics the No. 3 pick in 2017 and a future first rounder. That alone means there are a few new destinations for prospects.
On draft night, it will be interesting to watch the inflection points early on in the lottery. With Markelle Fultz and Lonzo Ball expected to come off the board early, the Celtics at No. 3 hold the first big choice of the night. However, the Minnesota Timberwolves at No. 7 could also unlock plenty of chaos depending on if Jonathan Isaac is available to them or not.
Certainly, we can also expect a few trades, but since those are nearly impossible to predict, they haven’t been factored in here. Instead, this version of the mock draft is simply our best guess at what’s going to happen on draft night straight through. Here we go.
The Sixers traded the No. 3 pick and a future first rounder to acquire the No. 1 spot with Fultz reportedly being their target. The Washington point guard is an excellent fit for the franchise’s current roster as he’ll be able to run plenty of spread pick-and-roll with both Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid as well as play off the ball a bit when Simmons is handling it.
The most important thing about Philadelphia’s move to No. 1, though, is that the team now has an insurance policy in their search for a superstar. Yes, we know Embiid is an absolute stud, but he’s yet to stay healthy for a full season. Simmons, meanwhile, has injury concerns of his own and was a flawed prospect coming out of college, too. Trading up to get Fultz, the most likely star in this draft, makes the 76ers’ roster more resilient to the long-term failure of either Embiid and/or Simmons. That alone made cashing in an additional asset a worthwhile move for a franchise looking to find its way.
Learn more about Markelle Fultz at The Step Back.
" >Markelle Fultz
PG, Washington
The Sixers traded the No. 3 pick and a future first rounder to acquire the No. 1 spot with Fultz reportedly being their target. The Washington point guard is an excellent fit for the franchise’s current roster as he’ll be able to run plenty of spread pick-and-roll with both Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid as well as play off the ball a bit when Simmons is handling it.
The most important thing about Philadelphia’s move to No. 1, though, is that the team now has an insurance policy in their search for a superstar. Yes, we know Embiid is an absolute stud, but he’s yet to stay healthy for a full season. Simmons, meanwhile, has injury concerns of his own and was a flawed prospect coming out of college, too. Trading up to get Fultz, the most likely star in this draft, makes the 76ers’ roster more resilient to the long-term failure of either Embiid and/or Simmons. That alone made cashing in an additional asset a worthwhile move for a franchise looking to find its way.