So the draft for 2017 is run and done and all the teams that still had picks are basking in their own glory while they still have the full belief that they’ve drafted the next, big, thing.

Here is one mans take on the way the draft played out and how your team fared. It is by no means gospel. – OKC News.

 

Atlanta

Round 1: Markelle Fultz (Pick 1), Justin Patton (Pick 15), Justin Jackson (Pick 18)

Round 2: N/A

Grade:  A

The Hawks landed the motherload. The chance to take the guy they deemed top of this class and Markelle Fultz looks like a can’t go wrong prospect. Couple that with a possibly leaving starting PG in Jrue Holiday and you’ve got an A+ to start.

Justin Patton at pick 15 is another great selection by need, despite Greg Monroe opting in unexpectedly. He’s big and has upside and likely becomes the immediate reserve C.

Justin Jackson was their 3^rd selection and he’s not bad value at pick 18. That said, does he have the upside of possibly a more needed position like a Terrance Ferguson? Unfortunately this spot of the draft was thin on the needed SG.

 

 

Boston

Round 1: N/A

Round 2: N/A

Grade:  N/A

Always…

 

Brooklyn

Round 1: N/A

Round 2: N/A

Grade:  N/A

Nets are now more built than not, and didn’t feel they needed picks this year.

 

Charlotte

Round 1: Harry Giles (Pick 13)

Round 2: Frank Jackson (Pick 35), Ike Anigbogu (Pick 38), Anzjes Pasecniks (Pick 41), Mathias Lessort (Pick 46)

Grade:  B (if injuries heal), F…******kkkk (if injuries don’t heal)

The Hornets went in with a plan…to draft anyone who has an iffy injury history. Giles has as much talent as anyone in the draft so if his knees hold out, they Hor-netted themselves a future star. But that’s a risky IF.

Jackson recently had foot surgery which stopped his progression up the draft boards, but if he’s healed properly he’s athletic and should find a place in the NLL.

Ike’s knees dropped him from around the 20^th best prospect on the board to pick 38. He was raw to start with and now throw in knee injuries and missed development?

Pastry Chef and Lessort are stash big men and both could be great value down this low.

 

Chicago

Round 1: N/A

Round 2: N/A

Grade: N/A

No picks for the Bulls!

 

Cleveland

Round 1: N/A

Round 2: Kadeem Allen (Pick 58)

Grade:  B

The Cavs bought this pick before the draft and then promptly didn’t show up to make the choice of their guy. As it happened, Kadeem Allen slid a little on expectations and landed in their lap. His defence could bring a welcome change to a Cavs team that had guards like Jason Terry, Terrence Ross and Michael Carter-Williams in the rotation.

 

Dallas

Round 1: Lonzo Ball (Pick 2), Jonathan Isaac (Pick 8), Bam Adebayo (Pick 12)

Round 2: N/A

Grade:  A

You can’t really go wrong with 3 picks in the top 12, so an A is near mandatory cause at the least you have oodles of potential. But Ball, the kid looks legit. Not only that, but with Mudiay starting to receive the dreaded B word, he fills a great need too. He can shoot, all be it funky, he can handle, he has size, he has smarts. Can he defend? Might not matter!

Isaac to me is another polariser, he has the upside, but is still a few years away as a project according to scouts. If he gets it all right though, star, as he has as much upside as Fultz and his new teammate Lonzo.

Adebayo is going put in work and get shit done. Really like this pick, even more-so when you consider he’s seems like the perfect Yin to Zubac’s Yang and the only other C he has to compete with off the bench if Henry Ellenson.

 

 

Denver

Round 1: N/A

Round 2: Josh Hart (Pick 32), Damyean Dotson (Pick 50)

Grade:  B

Hart is everyone’s favourite combo guard riser and he should come in right away and play some impactful minutes. He’s possibly a little undersized, but he does everything well without being a specialist in any one thing. He’s a solid as a rock pick.

Dotson dropped on draft day and he seems to be in the James Young mould, of which the Nuggets already own James Young. That said, Young has never really found a footing so maybe that means Dotson might suffer the same fate? He’ll be shopped for a 1^st round pick soon.

 

Detroit

Round 1: DeAaron Fox (Pick 5)*, Mitchell Donovan (Pick 16)

Round 2: Vlatko Cancar (Pick 52)

Trade: *Jayson Tatum (Pick 6) for DeAaron Fox (Pick 5)

Grade:  A

The Pistons planned entirely around drafting Fox, so when he went at 5, Laddas was understandably a little lost. He drafted the Best Player Available (BPA) in Tatum and was prepared to move on in that direction. Low and behold, the Grizzlies lucked into having Frank Ntilikina still on the board at 11 and decided they’d offer up their man Fox for Tatum. Solved. Fox is the PG of the future and the filler of the only hole the Pistons had in their starting line up.

Donovan was expected to go higher than this, but the bigs went off the board first and the Pistons had to stand up and take him. This gives them a super athletic combo guard  to play both positions off the bench. His upside is high and his star is bright.

Cancar has little or no knowledge surrounding him, which is curious. Maybe Laddas found something others didn’t? Maybe he felt the unknown was better than the known at this point. Likely a stash player for years if not forever.

 

Golden State

Round 1: Donovan Mitchell (Pick 16)*

Round 2: Ognjen Jaramaz (Pick 60)

Trade: Nicolas Batum and Lucas Nogueira for Donovan Mitchell and Luol Deng

Grade:  A+

So you start the day with the 16^th overall pick which could turn out to be anything, and a broken down old small forward on a massive contract, and end the day on a borderline All-Star playmaking small forward and a slowly breaking out young, bouncy Center. Looks like good business to me! Nogueira is probably their instant starting C and Batum brings size and playmaking to the starting 2 spot. The Warriors got better today.

 

Houston

Round 1: N/A

Round 2: N/A

Grade:  N/A

The Rockets once again with no picks on draft day.

 

Indiana

Round 1: Malik Monk (Pick 7)

Round 2: N/A

Grade:  A+

The Pacers got probably their dream guy to fall. They had a defensive role playing PG in Delly, and a role playing scorer in Jeremy Lamb, either of which needed to be upgraded. Monk being the best SG option, probably in the entire draft was a key target, if not, one of the top PGs. As it turned out, Malik was there and his prospects are off the charts. He’s a big time scorer and immediately upgrades the starting line-up of the Pacers assuming they can bring back Griffin. Good stuff!

 

Los Angeles Clippers

Round 1: Josh Jackson (Pick 3), Dennis Smith (Pick 4), John Collins (Pick 14), OG Anunoby (Pick 22)

Round 2: N/A

Grade:  A+

If you’re going to go the long road, this is how to do it.

Josh Jackson has as much upside as either of the guys above him and only has Rodney Hood above him? On the depth chart. He can play both ends and has more upside than Hood by a mile.

Smith was a reach according to others, but is there that much of a drop down to 8 from here, where he was projected? DRuss is a good PG, but he can slide to the 2 if wanted, or he’s dynamite as trade value. Smith has undersized Westbrook undertones.

Collins is only 19 and can do it all, plus has the upside and work ethic to make the upside come true. He’s extending his range and should jump Zeller almost immediately.

Anunoby if not for his knee injury last season could have gone lottery if not top 10. He’s an elite defender and if his injury is fully healed he could have a 15 year NLL career, from pick 22.

 

Los Angeles Lakers

Round 1: DJ Wilson (Pick 19)

Round 2: Aleksander Vezenkov (Pick 57)*

Trade: Pick 57 for 5 GM Points

Grade:  B

Wilson was the smart and safe choice here as he was projected to be in this range and fills a fairly immediate need for the Lakers whom might lose Mareese Speights and only have Marvin Williams otherwise. That said, his projection felt like it was a bit of a reach as it was. He’s athletic and can shoot, and he has length, so all the things NLL managers look for, but he’s thin and shies away from contact.

Vezenkov is a no risk pick at 5 GM Points, but will he ever materialise?

 

Memphis

Round 1: Jayson Tatum (Pick 6)*, Frank Ntilikina (Pick 11), Terrence Ferguson (Pick 21)

Round 2: Isaiah Hartenstein (Pick 33)

Trade: DeAaron Fox (Pick 5) for Jayson Tatum (Pick 6)

Grade:  A+

What does the team that needs most things outside of their twin tower rookie bigs from last season do? Well draft the rest of their future starting line-up of course.

They started the day deciding to make DeAaron Fox their new PG of the future, but when their next best choice was still there for them at 11 in Frank Ntilikina, they quickly went to te Pistons whom coveted Fox and made a swap for Tatum whom was drafted just after him.

Tatum becomes the teams most potent weapon. A scorer they sorely needed, their starting SF and the new franchise face. He will thrive in Memphis taking whatever shit he damn well pleases.

Frank might not start right away with the Dante Exum project still in full swing, but the kid is 18 and has the world ahead of him. He WILL overtake Exum by his 2^nd season.

Ferguson couldn’t get court time in Australia…which to me is a red flag. But if he gets is shot to consistently drop he’ll actually get every opportunity to play in the big league and develop his 3&D dream.

Hartenstein is raw and immature now, but who isn’t at 18 years old? He will be stashed and he could very well mature into a NLL stalwart down the stretch.

 

Miami

Round 1: Kyle Kuzma (Pick 24)

Round 2: Alec Peters (Pick 56)

Grade:  C+

It’s hard to get too harsh on a team who’s premier big men are Timofey Mozgov, Dwight Powell and Channing Frye taking a big man with their pick, but they slightly reached on the guy who was ranked 43^rd in Chad Ford’s top 100. He can defend and his shot is developing, but he doesn’t have nearly the same type of athleticism as some of the other bigs on the board at this time, or the polish of others.

Alec Peters is possibly the best scorer in the country according to some as he can put the ball in the hole from anywhere, but he can’t play a lick of defence and teams won’t put him on the court unless he can you’d think.

 

Milwaukee

Round 1: Jarrett Allen (Pick 20)

Round 2: N/A

Grade:  B+

The Bucks are stacked at all positions, especially the C spot but they seem hell bent of trading their “star” big man, Jusuf Nurkic. So much so that they even drafted his replacement in Allen whom should anchor the middle surrounded by all the ball needy scorers the Bucks have to offer.

 

Minnesota

Round 1: N/A

Round 2: Nigel Williams-Goss (Pick 53)

Grade:  C

All the Wolves work was done prior to the draft turning older guys and PG13 into DeMarcus Cousins and a couple of younger versions. For that they got A.

For the draft, they went with an un-athletic PG who while solid, probably doesn’t have the prospect of joining the league anytime soon. Then again, it’s pick 53.

 

New Orleans

Round 1: N/A

Round 2: Dwayne Bacon (Pick 40), Tyler Dorsey (Pick 43), Jaron Blossomgame (Pick 45), Thomas Bryant (Pick 47)

Grade:  B

Sometimes we have to settle for 2^nd rounders when we’re new and the Hornets managed to wrangle a few. Bacon is lacking elite size, but the man can flat out take over when his streaky shot is on. Could he be that glitch guy if he earns a contract?

Dorsey feels like a bit of a SG stuck in the PG body and this lack of true position is why he’s down here to draft. He’s a good scorer, but his lack of quickness hurts him.

I love Blossomgame. He’s old for the class but he could be a Danny Green if he gets his shot to connect like he did earlier in his college career. He plays both sides of the ball too.

Bryant is a big man with shooters touch but his below the rim game caused his 2 point percentages to drop and raise questions as to whether he can translate.

 

New York

Round 1: Caleb Swanigan (Pick 27)

Round 2: Jabari Bird (Pick 59)

Grade:  B+

When you’re New York you can take a chance on the guy who got fit to get paid, but it is a genuine concern whether he will keep himself in shape to make use of the elite post game he possesses. I’d back Caleb from where he came, but not all feel good stories stay good.

Bird was 94^th on the big 100 board, and managed to get himself drafted to the sister league. Here he was rightfully an afterthought.

 

Oklahoma

Round 1: Luke Kennard (Pick 17), Jonah Bolden (Pick 25)*

Round 2: Tyler Lydon (Pick 31)

Trade: - MKG for Alec Burks and Pick 25
- Pick 36 and 5 GM Points for 2018 Miami 2^nd and 2019 GS 2^nd
- Pick 57 for 5 GM Points.

Grade:  B

Kennard falling could be nice, but they were hoping for a big man. There’s always questions around white shooting types…Adam Morrison, Jimmer Fredette…but hopefully Kennard can be closer to JJ Redick as a baseline. At 17, it’s a decent risk.

Bolden was a big reach and it cost them 23 year old starter MKG. All be it, they also got Alec Burks and his injury history back. He’ll be a stash next year though, Bolden.

Lydon was a slider on draft day and after Bell was taken at 30 the Thunder decided to take the free fall guy with little knowledge of his game. He can however play both sides of the ball, is athletic, can shoot and defend. His effort is questioned though.

 

Orlando

Round 1: Lauri Markkanen (Pick 9), Tony Bradley (Pick 26), Derrick White (Pick 29)

Round 2: Sterling Brown (Pick 54)

Grade:  B

The teams best PF is Ed Davis…so Markkanen makes sense, I just don’t rate Lauri. He will score a bunch of points as a stretch next to Valanciunas though.

Bradley feels like decent value down here for a team needing another big man off the bench, and he could actually be a better fit than projected if he put sin the work on his body. Not bad.

Derrick White is everybodies love child around this spot of the draft and many believe he should have been taken a pick higher. He’s got good size, does everything well and he’ll get a great chance to develop.

Brown at 54 could turn out to be a steal if his 2 way game gets him a contract. He isn’t particularly athletic though and needs to work on his handle.

 

Philadelphia

Round 1: Zach Collins (Pick 10)*

Round 2: N/A

Trade: Pick 15 and Pick 18 for Zach Collins (Pick 10)

Grade:  B+

Do I love this trade? Not love. Do I hate this trade? Not hate. The value is right and it makes sense for a perennial league leading team to try and get the higher and more ready to contribute prospect rather than 2 more longer term projects later. Collins has good upside to fill the 4 man spot with shooting touch and rim protection once he gets stronger to go against the bigger bodies of the NLL. He’s a more traditional big man though, which the league has slowly moved away from.

 

Phoenix

Round 1: N/A

Round 2: Davon Reed (Pick 44), Alpha Kaba (Pick 55)

Grade:  C

Did Reed slide? Or was he a reach? If you look at the mock draft 2 days earlier he slid 11 spots to the Suns here, but if you look at the big board he was a reach by 13 spots. Hell, the Suns didn’t even want to draft him instead attempting to draft 2 guys whom had already been drafted before settling on Reed. He’s got a good 3pt shot…but what else?

Kaba has a cool name, but he’s likely staying in Europe. My guess would be forever.

 

Portland

Round 1:  TJ Leaf (Pick 23), Jawun Evans (Pick 28)

Round 2: Wesley Iwundu (Pick 34), Sindarius Thornwell (Pick 39)

Grade:  C+

Leaf slid, but for a good reason. He can’t defend anyone. He can shoot the lights out and he’ll work hard for you on the boards, but who will he defend? Hopefully Mahinmi can hide his deficiencies.

Evans feels like a reach here cause of the mock 2 days earlier, but he was ranked 33 on the top 100 which makes it a little better. His size is the issue, but he improved through college, controls the floor and has elite handles.

Iwundu was a reach in the mocks and he became a reach here too. He has a chance to make it in the league because he can defend, so he should stick. He needs to work on his body and consistency.

Thornwell feels like a steal because his age caused him to slide in the mocks. He’s 22 already, but his game translates because he plays hard on both ends and can shoot.

 

Sacramento

Round 1: N/A

Round 2: N/A

Grade:  N/A

Klemm doesn’t like picks.

 

San Antonio

Round 1: Jordan Bell (Pick 30)

Round 2: Semi Ojeleye (Pick 36)*

Trade: 2018 Miami 2^nd and 2019 GS 2^nd for Pick 36 and 5 GM Points

Grade:  A

Jordan Bell is probably going to make teams notice him in his rookie year let alone down the track. Great pick at 30 though it appears to be a reach. He’ll get a contract and play.

Semi is a slider because of his age, but look past that and put him in a 6^th man/bench spark role and reap the dividends!

 

Toronto

Round 1: N/A

Round 2: Ivan Rabb (Pick 37), Monte Morris (Pick 48), Edmond Sumner (Pick 51)

Grade:  A+

Nailed it! Rabb should have a long NLL career as a solid 4 man who can shoot and do all required of the position. He stayed a year too long in college as he’d probably have been a mid 1^st round pick if he’d stayed in the 2016 draft.

Morris won’t supplant Kris Dunn as the starter, unless Dunn really does flop, but he’ll be a long term reserve PG with a steady game.

Sumner is a 1^st round talent but he’s currently still rehabbing from an ACL tear. He chose to stay in the draft however and dropped like a stone because of it. Toronto have grabbed him for the risk and the reward could be high!

 

Utah

Round 1: N/A

Round 2: N/A

Grade:  N/A

The Jazz have traded all picks until 2030.

 

Washington

Round 1: N/A

Round 2: Frank Mason (Pick 42), Dillon Brooks (Pick 49)

Grade:  B

Mason if not for his height might have gone a lot higher. He is explosive, can shoot and get to the rim at will. He was a genuine chance at NCAA player of the year and he’s been grabbed at pick 42 by a team starving for a PG.

Brooks has perfect size and offensive game but his lateral quickness makes him struggle mightily on defence and that might be the stone that breaks the camal’s back on earning a contract.

 

I hope you enjoyed the read and feel free to flame me to death.