NBA Draft Frenzy: 2017 NBA Mock Draft

Date: June 22, 2017

By: Matt Ambrose

It's finally here. The day NBA fans have been waiting for. It's Draft Day, and the lead up to this draft has been one of the most active in recent memory. Lots of deals and lots of rumors, meaning that tonight's draft is a must-watch. As for the picks, here's how I see tonight's draft playing out.

1. Philadelphia 76ers- Markelle Fultz, PG (Washington)

The Sixers made the biggest move in this draft, trading up from number three to number one with the intention of taking Washington guard Markelle Fultz. There isn't much wrong with Fultz's game: he can score, he's athletic, and can facilitate offensively. Pair him with Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons and the rest of the young Sixers core? They're scary.

2. Los Angeles Lakers- Lonzo Ball, PG (UCLA)

His dad wanted him to go to L.A. However, Lonzo's play is why he is going as high as he is. You can hate his dad for having a big mouth, but Ball was superb in his one season at UCLA. He averaged 14.6 PPG, but his trademark is his passing game. He makes his teammates better, and once the Lakers can put solid players around Ball, this pick will be a slam dunk.

3. Boston Celtics- Jayson Tatum, SF (Duke)

This is where things start to get interesting. Whoever is selected here will likely dictate how the rest of the night will play out. If they stay at three, the Celtics will likely take Tatum, a 6'8" forward with a scoring presence. However, this pick has been in rumors for deals involving Kristaps Porzingis and Jimmy Butler. I think the logical move here is to trade the pick, as selecting Tatum or even Josh Jackson would create a logjam at the Small Forward position. Remember, the Celtics will be targeting Gordon Hayward in Free Agency. Where do all of these guys fit? If I'm Danny Ainge, I'm trading the pick. But if they elect to keep it, Tatum is the guy.

4. Phoenix Suns- Josh Jackson, SF (Kansas)

The Suns have been enamored with Josh Jackson for a while now. They are all set in terms of guards, as they have Eric Bledsoe, Devin Booker and Brandon Knight. That takes De'Aaron Fox out of the picture. Enter Josh Jackson, who will take his 16.3 PPG from Kansas to Phoenix, but most importantly will pack a defensive punch for the Suns, who haven't made the playoffs since losing to the Lakers in the Western Conference Finals way back in 2010.

5. Sacramento Kings- De'Aaron Fox, PG (Kentucky)

The Kings need just about everything, but selecting Fox would give the Kings a solid piece to build around. He is quick, and is a solid two-way player. He gives you good production on offense, and is able to get to the basket very efficiently. His shooting could be better, as he shot just 24.6% from three at Kentucky. Nonetheless, Fox is a stud and the Kings would be foolish to pass on him.

6. Orlando Magic- Johnathan Isaac, SF/PF (Florida St.)

Reports are the Magic are leaning towards Isaac with the sixth pick in tonight's draft. Isaac is a long athletic forward with a scoring touch. With a 6'11", 205 LB frame, Isaac is a tough guy to defend. New Orlando executives Jeff Weltman and John Hammond have proven in the past their affection towards tall athletic players. This is the reason behind Orlando's reported interest in Isaac, and he should be the guy for the Magic at six.

7. Minnesota Timberwolves- Dennis Smith Jr., PG (North Carolina St.)

The Timberwolves are not far away from becoming a playoff team. With one of the best young cores in the NBA in Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins, the future is bright in Minnesota. What they could use is more scoring at the point guard position, and though Ricky Rubio is a great passer, Dennis Smith would pack a better offensive punch. Yes, they took Kris Dunn last year, but he has an underwhelming rookie season. Smith brings explosiveness, something that could propel the T-Wolves to the playoffs in the near future.

8. New York Knicks- Malik Monk, SG (Kentucky)

The Knicks need a guard. At this point, Monk is the top guard on the board. Monk is a fantastic scorer, as he averaged 19.8 PPG on a Kentucky team that made the Elite Eight last season. This team needs something, as last year this team was a dumpster fire. Phil Jackson has enraged all of Knicks nation. To top it all off, the team has been rumored to be listening to offers on Kristaps Porzingis. The least Jackson can do is give Knicks fans a player like Monk.

9. Dallas Mavericks- Lauri Markkanen, PF (Arizona)

Markkanen reminds me of a certain seven-foot German future Hall of Famer. That guy also happens to already be on the Mavericks roster. The Mavs will soon need the predecessor to Drik Nowitzki, so why not take him now? Markkanen can shoot the lights out, which is a major weapon in today's NBA. It's only better considering that he's 7'0". The Mavs need Markkanen.

10. Sacramento Kings- Zach Collins, PF/C (Gonzaga)

The Kings already filled their backcourt need with De'Aaron Fox with the fifth pick. Now, they must address the frontcourt. There is a chance they trade this pick, as the best big man left at this spot would be Zach Collins out of Gonzaga, who is an incredibly raw prospect. Look for some team to trade up for this pick, with the possibility to that mystery team wanting the French point guard Frank Ntilikina.

Matt Ambrose is a journalism major from Exeter, N.H. He can be found on Twitter @mambrose97 and can be reached by e-mail at matthew.ambrose1@student.shu.edu.

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