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2017 NBA Mock Draft: The final predictions

By Chris Stone

Dec 11, 2016; Seattle, WA, USA; Washington Huskies guard Markelle Fultz (20) calls a play against the Nevada Wolf Pack during the second half at Alaska Airlines Arena at Hec Edmundson Pavilion. Nevada defeated Washington, 87-85. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 11, 2016; Seattle, WA, USA; Washington Huskies guard Markelle Fultz (20) calls a play against the Nevada Wolf Pack during the second half at Alaska Airlines Arena at Hec Edmundson Pavilion. Nevada defeated Washington, 87-85. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports /
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NBA Draft
Mar 17, 2017; Sacramento, CA, USA; UCLA Bruins guard Lonzo Ball (2) passes the ball against the Kent State Golden Flashes in the first round of the 2017 NCAA Tournament at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports /
confirmed the Lakers’ plans on Wednesday afternoon.

Without Russell in the backcourt alongside him, Ball will be forced to sink or swim as the team’s lead ball-handler. It’s a move that could potentially fail given the concerns about his weaknesses. Ball struggles to create his own offense because he lacks elite burst and ball-handling and he doesn’t have the mid-range pull up game that acts as a safety valve for many of the league’s best point guards.

None of this, of course, means Ball is destined to miss out on his ceiling without Russell. The 6-foot-6 guard is a special player with a unique set of talents. He already bombs 3s from 30 feet away and defines a team’s offensive structure with his ball movement. When new superstars arise in the NBA, they often do so with a combination of skills we haven’t seen before. They are not often carbon copies of those who came before them. That’s what makes Ball so intriguing. He’s unique and he’ll have every chance to show it in Los Angeles with Russell out the door.

Learn more about Lonzo Ball at The Step Back.

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2

Lonzo Ball

PG, UCLA

For all of the smokescreens, it sure looks like the Los Angeles Lakers are set to take UCLA’s Lonzo Ball with the No. 2 pick on Thursday night. The dumping of D’Angelo Russell along with Timofey Mozgov’s contract opened up space for Ball and for the team to pursue Paul George (and potentially LeBron James) in free agency come 2018. The Vertical’s Adrian Wojnarowski confirmed the Lakers’ plans on Wednesday afternoon.

Without Russell in the backcourt alongside him, Ball will be forced to sink or swim as the team’s lead ball-handler. It’s a move that could potentially fail given the concerns about his weaknesses. Ball struggles to create his own offense because he lacks elite burst and ball-handling and he doesn’t have the mid-range pull up game that acts as a safety valve for many of the league’s best point guards.

None of this, of course, means Ball is destined to miss out on his ceiling without Russell. The 6-foot-6 guard is a special player with a unique set of talents. He already bombs 3s from 30 feet away and defines a team’s offensive structure with his ball movement. When new superstars arise in the NBA, they often do so with a combination of skills we haven’t seen before. They are not often carbon copies of those who came before them. That’s what makes Ball so intriguing. He’s unique and he’ll have every chance to show it in Los Angeles with Russell out the door.

Learn more about Lonzo Ball at The Step Back.