Redrafting the 2017 NBA Draft: Which teams fix their mistakes?

I’m not sure Lauri Markkanen has completely earned top-10 status, but the NBA Draft is, at its core, a game of chance. Teams are shooting for upside, constantly on the prowl for star power. If Lauri Markkanen’s start to the 2022-23 season is any indication, he might have another gear we haven’t seen before — and the Most Improved Player trophy in his future.

Markkanen’s early years in Chicago were largely uninspiring. He’s a 7-footer who can bomb 3s, so he was always going to have a place in the NBA. But he was a dreadful defender and looked relatively one-noted on the offensive end. Then, last season in Cleveland, we saw Markkanen take a step forward on both ends of the court. Now in Utah, the floor is his. And man, have the results been awesome.

It all started with Markkanen’s tantalizing performance in Eurobasket over the summer. The Jazz have now unleashed him in wholly new ways — not only as a shooter but as a driver and go-to scorer who can beat defenses from various spots on the floor. Dribble pull-ups, post-ups, floaters, fadeaways. It’s all in the bag for Markkanen right now.

He’s rebounding better than ever. At 7-foot and 240 pounds, he spent last season on the wing and is essentially playing the three in Utah, too. That kind of versatility combined with his floor-stretching ability and untapped potential leaves Markkanen in the No. 9 slot (with room to move up even further).