Chris Stone and I are back with another update to our list of the top 60 prospects available in the 2017 NBA Draft. With the trade deadline come and gone, we’re getting closer to understanding the landscape of what June’s draft board will look like.
One thing that has been a hot topic has been the sheer number of bigs that could be available in the back half of the first round. Our last board had 14 players between picks 11-40 who could be classified as full-time fours or fives, and not all of them are likely to declare for the draft, given it’s the deepest position in the league.
This time around, we attempted to account for that, by promoting some players at positions that will have more inherent value than a traditional five. Positional versatility and opportunities in the league created by depth are important factors to consider for a big board, beyond just raw talent.