NBA Mock Draft 2017, Week 18: Jayson Tatum to Orlando

The Los Angeles Lakers need to stay in the top three of the 2017 draft to keep their pick, but if they do, they could land a franchise changing player. Kansas wing Josh Jackson would make some sense to pair with Brandon Ingram at the forward spots, but the pressure to draft UCLA’s Lonzo Ball may simply be too high given his ties to the area.

Ball is the Bruins’ flashy point guard who has taken the nation by storm with creative passes and deep 3-pointers. He is averaging 8.9 assists per 40 minutes this season. Ball is by far the best passer in the class with elite court vision and the ability to sling passes directly into shooters’ pocket. The other NBA-level skill that Ball possesses is his outside shooting. He’s shooting 42.4 percent from deep as a freshman despite having an awkward shooting motion that might inhibit his ability to shoot off the dribble. Ball’s ability to extend his range well beyond the 3-point line should help alleviate some of those worries, though.

What drafting Ball would mean for D’Angelo Russell remains open, but a two point guard lineup with the two of them would be intriguing in an offense with plenty of ball movement, shooting and sharp passing. There would no doubt be questions on the defensive end, but building a strong team around them might help deal with those.

Learn more about Lonzo Ball at The Step Back.