2017 NBA Draft Grades
Yes, it's ridiculous to grade picks before these guys even play. But that doesn't mean it isn't fun as hell.
1. Philadelphia 76ers: Markelle Fultz
After a blockbuster trade with the division-rival Celtics on Monday, the 76ers, after many years of hoarding their precious assets, finally cashed in and went for the kill. Sitting at the 3rd pick, the 76ers were content to take Josh Jackson, but when a transcendent talent such as Fultz was within reach, they decided it was worth the risk to move up. GM Bryan Colangelo gave up the 2018 Lakers pick if it falls between picks 2-5, or a protected 2019 Kings pick if that Lakers pick doesn't convey. Now, with Fultz officially a 76er, the team boasts one of the fiercest collections of young talent in the league. Fultz joining Ben Simmons, Joel Embiid, Dario Saric and Robert Covington promises to be a team full of two-way players who will grow together for years to come. If Simmons is not up for the tall task of being the team's full-time point guard, Fultz will seamlessly grab that mantle and run with it, allowing Simmons to serve as a lethal secondary playmaker. But, if Simmons proves he's up to the challenge, Fultz can just as easily slide off-ball. He's 6'5 with a freaking 6'10 wingspan, can slither to the rim with ease, splash threes at a pristine 41%, score and facilitate from anywhere on the court, and has major potential on defense. He threw up a 23-6-6 line on 50% shooting like it was nothing during his lone year in Washington. He will be fine at any position. If Fultz reaches his enormous potential (a very likely proposition), his game should have no theoretical weaknesses, and that is why he is the top choice. He could be a version of James Harden who is actually good on defense. If the 76ers young core can stay healthy (sadly, big "if"), then they will dominate the league for years to come. Great trade and pick for GM Bryan Colangelo.
Grade: A+
2. Los Angeles Lakers: Lonzo Ball
What a story. The hometown star stays home. Adding Ball to this team's burgeoning core should produce a free-flowing and quick twitch offense reminiscent of coach Luke Walton's former team, the Warriors. Unfortunately, adding Ball to the team's young core is a recipe for defensive disaster. Ball got torched on defense by NBA caliber guards all season at UCLA and has not shown he has the physical tools to ever morph into even an average defensive guard. Combine that with Jordan Clarkson, Brandon Ingram and Julius Randle, three players whose defensive ratings all hovered around an ugly 113 points surrendered per 100 possessions, and you have a team that will get slaughtered like a pig on that end. Lonzo now comes into Lakerland as The Man, since the Lakers braintrust Magic Johnson and Rob Pelinka recently shipped out immature guard D'Angelo Russell and Timofey Mozgov's awful contract to Brooklyn in exchange for quality center Brook Lopez and the 27th pick. Russell was a sure-fire bet to clash with Ball over ball-handling duties; when the Lakers secured the 2nd pick in the lottery, DLO was already liking tweets saying the team should not draft Ball. They both would have bled points on defense as well. Lopez brings to the team a veteran big man and excellent pick-and-roll partner for Ball. While Lopez, 29, has never been an otherworldly rim protector, he is a solid one, and will act as their best offensive player until Paul George eventually comes over. On the bright side, the Lakers are babies by NBA standards. Lonzo is 19, Ingram 19, Randle 22, Zubac 20 and Larry Nance 24. The team is still crazy young, and they will improve together under Walton's tutelage. Ball is going to be a whiz throwing the ball around, and he will empower his teammates and make them better, just like he did at Chino Hills and UCLA. And while he does have a wacky shot form that would make most shooting coaches vomit, he did connect on a sizzling 41% of his three-point attempts. Next season is sure to produce more losses, but Lonzo will make them a blast to watch. Fans concerned that the Lakers should have taken the better defensive player in Josh Jackson should be reminded that the Lakers are about to acquire a waaaaaayyy better version of Jackson in superstar Paul George. Also, LeBron could be on the way in 2018, and the team has the necessary cap space after shedding Mozgov's deal. Things are finally looking up for the Lakers, and Ball's special court vision is a big reason why.
Grade: A-
3. Boston Celtics: Jason Tatum
In a shocking turn of events, Danny Ainge has actually used one of his many assets to finally acquire a living, breathing, tangible human being. Tatum's game follows the mold of the Paul Pierce/Rudy Gay type of wing scorer. There was a bit of debate between Tatum and Josh Jackson, but Tatum is 13 months younger and much more polished offensively. The Celtics are flush with perimeter defenders who are average on offense in Jae Crowder, Marcus Smart, Avery Bradley, Terry Rozier and Jaylen Brown. Tatum's skill set spices things up and provides the Celtics someone who can score in isolations and help aid Isaiah Thomas with shot-creation duties. Tatum is one of the safest players in the draft. There is a very high probability that he will average 18 points and 7 rebounds for a couple seasons of his career. Brad Stevens will put Tatum in positions to succeed, and he should prove to be an excellent small-ball power forward option for the team down the road.
Grade: B+
4. Phoenix Suns: Josh Jackson
This player-team fit was always perfect, but it was put in jeopardy when the Suns slipped from pick 2 to pick 4 in the lottery. When the Celtics took Tatum, the Suns war room must have rejoiced. Jackson is a fabulous fit with the Suns young core. Devin Booker, a do-it-all scorer at age 20 who struggles on defense, needs a defensive-minded forward to play next to him. Jackson could not be a better fit. His reputation as a defensive stopper is selling his skill set short. Not only is, "every other player in his class scared to play against him" according to an executive that told the Ringer's Jonathan Tjarks, Jackson is an explosive scorer and underrated playmaker offensively. Pundits harp on his shaky shooting, but Jackson drained an impressive 50% of his three-point attempts in last three months at Kansas. A potential lineup of Eric Bledsoe (if he's not traded), Booker, Jackson, Marquisse Chriss and Dragan Bender has awesome two-way potential down the line when everyone gains more experience. GM Ryan McDonough may not be perfect, but there is no doubt he has a ton of young talent under his control.
Grade: A-
5. Sacramento Kings: D'Aaron Fox
In his lone year at Kentucky, Fox flashed major John Wall/Mike Conley potential. In spite of his slight frame, Fox dominated bigger and stronger players. He proved to be the fastest player in the draft, could weave his way into the lane and either drop dimes or loft sweet floaters with ease. He murdered Lonzo Ball in their two head-to-head match-ups. On defense, he hounded opposing guards and, worst-case scenario, will be one of the best on-ball defensive guards in the league. The questions begin and end with his shooting, which could seriously hamper his ability to be a star in this league. A broken jumper has crushed Emmanuel Mudiay, Kris Dunn, Michael Carter Williams and Elfrid Payton's careers because teams just sag off them and dare them to shoot. Fox shot a ghastly 25% from deep, so it's a major concern. Fortunately, playing next to sharpshooting sniper Buddy Hield will give Fox some breathing room. Their long term prospects as a backcourt is very promising. Fox can theoretically provide the defense and playmaking, while Buddy can shoulder most of the scoring load. The Kings, who have recently hired highly respected front office executives Ken Catanella and Scott Perry, seem to be on the upswing as a quality franchise.
Grade: B+
6. Orlando Magic: Jonathan Issac
The Magic recently hired John Hammond and Jeff Weltman to run their front office, so there was a precedent to see who the Magic might go after. Hammond, who used to be the Buck's GM, loves length. He has drafted Giannis Antetokounmpo, Thon Maker, Malcolm Brogdon and Jabari Parker, all players with enormously long wingspans. Hammond is taking that risk again with Issac, who is very raw, yet very, very long (7'1 wingspan). Issac has one of the highest potentials of anyone in this draft, and if he puts it all together you could be looking at a longer version of Paul George. His defense is going to translate immediately and he can slide his feet like a guard even though he's almost 7 feet tall. Pairing him with Aaron Gordon is going to eventually be a problem for opposing teams, as Hammond is already building a mini-Milwaukee team where every player on the court is crazy long. Point guard Elfrid Payton is long for his size as well. The team still has a long way to go, and Issac was very deferential on offense all year at Florida State, but could be a nightmare if he can eventually bulk up and play center. He is raw as uncooked meat, but eventually could be a stud.
Grade: B
7. Chicago Bulls
In a blockbuster trade, the Bulls shipped off superstar Jimmy Butler AND the 16th pick for a pitiful return of Kris Dunn, Zach LaVine and the 7th pick. Going into his sophomore season, Dunn is already 23 and he had an awful rookie season. LaVine is an explosive athlete and smooth scorer, but his defensive numbers were pretty awful and he's coming off a torn ACL. LaVine is a great locker room presence, and the Bulls are obviously very high on him. What was puzzling though, was they used the precious 7th pick for Ryan Anderson clone Lauri Markkanen. While Markkanen is labeled as a 7 foot knockdown shooter, people get the wrong idea that he is the second coming of Porzingis. The problem is that Markkanen was an awful rebounder and rim protector, constantly getting bullied out of the paint and looking like he had no interest in getting back in the trenches once he was shoved out. The supposed upside of big men who shoot is that they provide both traditional big-man skills (rebounding, defense) as well as guard skills. Markannen though, is like an empty calorie. He may be 7 feet, but may as well be 6'5 on the court since he does not use his size at all on defense. The Bulls now have a core of Dunn, LaVine, Dywane Wade, Bobby Portis and Markkanen, which is just sad. Malik Monk, Dennis Smith or Frank Nilikina would have been way better picks. A Gar Paxton special: execute a horrible trade, then draft a bad player with the one valuable pick you acquired.
Grade: D-
8. New York Knicks: Frank Nilikina
Phil may be a disaster at every other aspect of team building, but he's pretty solid at drafting. Kristaps Porzingis in 2015 and then Willy Hernangomez in 2016. Nilikina, judging from grainy Youtube clips, is an excellent defender at the point of attack and is adept at setting up his teammates on offense. Like many prospects, his jumper is a question, but not in the same boom-or-must category as a player like Fox. Nilikina is solid from deep, but most importantly he is the perfect fit for the triangle and could be a nice pick-and-roll partner for Porzingis (if Phil allows them to run anything but the triangle). Sadly, Phil is openly considering trading Zinger, and he has failed to build a winning organizational culture. Nilikina's unknown just by the fact that he was on no one's TV's all year, playing for a relatively small-market team in France. He has not been officially measured, but Nilikina's wingspan looks like it could be almost 7 feet. He is a tough minded defender who will be able to defend multiple positions and he's a very fluid athlete who can chip in on the boards. Solid pick for the Knicks, which is as much as you can ask for these days.
Grade: B
9. Dallas Mavericks: Dennis Smith Jr
Perhaps the most explosive player in the draft, Smith slid slightly down draft boards this year for many reasons. 1. He went to NC State. 2. His team was terrible. 3. He tore his ACL his senior year of high school. 4. He went to NC State. But Smith is perfect for today's NBA. He was slicing into the lane with ease all year even though his coach surrounded him with so many non-shooters, clogging the paint and cramping the floor spacing. Imagine Smith now having Dirk Nowitzki, Seth Curry, Wes Matthews and Harrison Barnes stretching the floor like taffy, along with a great coach in Rick Carlisle. While Smith's defense has come into question, there were many instances where he got in a stance and absolutely locked down his opposition. Problem was, his team was constantly trailing by 20, so giving maximum effort on defense may not have been a priority. Smith also has a short wingspan at 6'3, but that's not crippling to a player's success. Smith's explosive game is reminiscent of a young D Rose. He will eventually become a superstar under Carlisle, even though his notoriously hands-on coach may go insane watching Smith torpedo possessions with wild, inefficient shots. The downs will be pretty bad, but the ups will be breathtaking. The Mavs get their point guard of the future.
Grade: A
10. Portland Trail-Blazers: Zach Collins
The Blazers made a savvy trade up with the Kings, who snag the 15th and 20th picks. Consolidating assets when you are a playoff team is always a smart idea, and Neil Olshey picked a winner in Collins, who averaged 23, 14 and 4 blocks per 40 minutes in college. Collins has the potential to anchor a defense as well as knock down threes and bang in the post with some nifty moves. He has been underrated his whole basketball career so far since he went to the same high school as former highly touted recruits Chase Jeter and Stephen Zimmerman, and was overshadowed. Then at Gonzaga, Collins joined a veteran-laden team and played limited minutes off the bench. He could form a twin towers monster next to Jusuf Nurkic with scoring guards CJ McCollum and Damian Lillard jittering around them. Olshey drafted a very solid prospect who can toggle between front court positions.
Grade: B+
11. Charlotte Hornets: Malik Monk
There is always that one player who slides further than people thought in the draft. This year it's Monk, who is one of the most electrifying scorers in the draft. The dude dropped 47 against North Carolina, carried Kentucky on offense through contested threes and slithery drives all year, and was constantly money in clutch situations where his team needed a bucket. He's going to be the second coming of Bradley Beal once he fills out his frame. Lights-out two guards are in short supply these days, and while him and Kemba Walker in the backcourt are sure to get mauled on defense, they are going to be a problem on offense. Pair them with lanky wing defenders Michael Kidd-GIlchrist and Nic Batum, plus the 5th incarnation of Dwight Howard, and you have yourself a surprisingly non-boring Hornets team. Monk is going to have Bulls fans weeping in a couple of years that they took Lauri over Malik. Monk, like Dennis Smith, had to operate under a cramped floor in college, and will be unleashed in the NBA, having much more space to work with. Mark my words: Monk will hit a game-winning buzzer in an important playoff game down the line. He has that "it" factor. Charlotte added Monk, Howard and the 31st pick in the past two days and all they had to give up was the worst Plumlee brother's contract, Marco Bellineli and the 41st pick. Not too shabby, MJ.
Grade: A-
12. Detroit Pistons: Luke Kennard
The Pistons are a mess. Stan Van Gundy tried to re-create the 2011 Magic, where four shooters surrounded a dominant defensive center who served as a rim runner on offense. Problem is, everything is worse in Detroit. Andre Drummond, while still only 23, has regressed under Van Gundy. He gets hacked off the floor late in games, plays poor position defense, has hooves for hands, and still has no post moves. Reggie Jackson is the same story at point guard, except his teammates hate him. Tobias Harris lets the ball stick to his hands on offense and is average on defense. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope was probably their best player down the stretch, and now he's going to become massively overpaid this summer. Stanley Johnson has been disappointing. Kennard is a lights-out shooter (he converted a sizzling 44% of his three-point attempts). He's going to play in this league for a long time just by virtue of that skill, even though he'll probably get roasted on defense by quicker players. Donovan Mitchell is a better version of Kennard, so it was surprising they went the Kennard route.
Grade: C
13. Utah Jazz: Donovan Mitchell
The Jazz made a nice trade up. They sacrificed the 24th pick and Trey Lyles, who has underwhelmed in his two seasons in the league. In return, getting Donovan Mitchell, a coiled defensive hound and aggressive slasher on offense, was a great trade and pick for GM Dennis Lindsey. If the Jazz can retain everyone in free agency (big if), they are going to have one of the deepest and most versatile wing rotations in the league in Gordon Hayward, Rodney Hood, Joe Ingles, Mitchell and the perennially injured yet talented Alec Burks. Mitchell grinds on defense, and a lineup featuring him, George Hill and Rudy Gobert is just plain mean to poor opponents trying to score the basketball.
Grade: A-
14. Miami Heat: Bam Adebayo
Kind of a shocker. There were other players who were probably better players and fits, but never doubt the Heat's scouting department, which has an eye for under-the-radar talent such as Josh Richardson, Rodney McGruder, Patrick Beverly and Hassan Whiteside. Adebayo cannot space the floor at all, so he's probably never going to share the floor with Whiteside unless the Heat want to trot out lineups with no spacing. But he could be a fantastic energy big off the bench who never lets the defense rest and provides 48 combined minutes of valuable rim-protection along with Whiteside. Trust in Pat Riley. Having to constantly account for barrel-chested tanks rumbling down the lane ready to dunk the ball as hard as possible is a chore for NBA defenses, and now they'll never get to rest against the Heat.
Grade: B-
15. Sacramento Kings: Justin Jackson
The Kings have traded down in two consecutive drafts now. Justin Jackson is by no means going to replace Rudy Gay completely, but he is a solid wing player for today's NBA. He's super long and has small bursts as a scorer, but he reeks of Mo Harkless to me. He is not explosive enough to ever turn into a star in this league, but his wide frame, defensive chops and competent shooting numbers make this a fine pick for Sacramento, who desperately needs wing players. Jackson can eventually be the 5th starter on a good team, and that's conceivable with Fox and Hield looking like studs as well as Skal Labissiere and Willie Cauley-Stein looking pretty promising.
Grade: C+
16. Minnesota Timberwolves: Justin Patton
It's incredible that in the entirely lopsided Jimmy Butler trade, the Bulls also managed to snag the 16th pick! Patton is very raw, but his potential endgame is a long and athletic freak who can protect the rim and develop a three-point shot. Good for Thibs putting the future first with the Patton pick. Perhaps, as Gorgui Dieng ages, Patton can become a front court partner for superstar big Karl Towns. Patton likely won't play much his first couple of seasons, especially with the Wolves in full win-now mode after their heist for Butler.
Grade: C+
17. Milwaukee Bucks: DJ Wilson
Wilson is the perfect power forward for today's NBA. He can stretch the floor and guard many positions on defense. If you can do those two things, it's a done deal, that's a solid pick. The Bucks are building a monster team in which every player on the floor can switch any position and hold their own. Wilson is a two-way player, and it cannot be stressed how valuable those types of players are these days. Pair him with the Greek Freak, Jabari Parker, Kris Middleton, Malcolm Brogdon and Thon Maker.....and I just fainted at all the length and positional versatility.
Grade: B+
18. Indiana Pacers: TJ Leaf
There are more important matters going on with the Pacers these days what with Paul George's eventual departure looming over the entire fanbase and organization. Leaf has many flashes of Kevin Love: They both played for UCLA, are both white, and both great rebounders and shooters at the power forward position. Leaf should pair nicely with Myles Turner down the road.
Grade: B
19. Atlanta Hawks: John Collins
The Hawks' selection of Collins, a power forward who averaged 19 and 10 at Wake Forest, all but guarantees they have little faith Paul Millsap is returning. Collins' game is a bit old-fashioned for today's league. He is not a good-enough rim protector to play center, but he has no jump shot, which is a death sentence these days. On the bright side, he demolished NBA caliber players at his position by using his array of effective post moves. It's surprising that GM Travis Schlenk, who comes from a Golden State team that just won a championship by not giving minutes to players of Collins' ilk, is drafting a player who cannot shoot and struggles mightily on defense.
Grade: C-
20. Sacramento Kings: Harry Giles
As many people by now know, Giles was the best player in the entire draft just two years ago, before he tore his ACL his senior year of high school, then had a separate procedure that kept him out a chunk of the season at Duke. All year, he lacked that breathtaking athleticism and looked lost. It was pretty sad to watch, knowing he was capable of being so much more. For a bad team like the Kings, taking a flyer on Giles is smart value. If he never recovers, it's not the end of the world. If he returns to form, and other young players progress further, that's the making of a playoff team. His medicals reportedly checked out alright, but at this point the question is if he can ever regain the confidence of his former self. If it all works out, the Kings just got themselves a more athletic version of Chris Bosh.
Grade: B
21. Oklahoma City Thunder: Terrence Ferguson
Ferguson was a consensus lottery pick going into the year, but then he went to Australia instead of Arizona, struggled for playing time, and as a result dropped to 21st. Sam Presti is one of the best drafting GM's in the league, so if he sees something in Ferguson, everyone else probably should too. On the surface is a hard-nosed defender who can splash threes and sprinkle in some slashing. Basically another version of Victor Oladipo, which would be welcome for a Thunder team low on two-way players. It's commonly known the Thunder had the worst three-point field goal percentage of any team in the league last season. While OG Anunoby was the more talented player, Ferguson has no injury history and has the makings of a nice wing player with the potential to become a star.
Grade: B+
22. Brooklyn Nets: Jarrett Allen
After trading away Brook Lopez, the Nets had a hole at the center position. Drafting the athletic, rim-running Allen was a superb pick for a team going no where in the next two seasons. Allen reminds me of Myles Turner. They were both highly recruited going into their freshman years, both went to Texas, both flashed big-time skills, yet were somehow overshadowed by other prospects. Allen has two-way potential and under Kenny Atkinson will likely grow into an adequate perimeter shooter. He could easily be the Nets' center of the future, with no weaknesses to his game.
Grade: A-
23. Toronto Raptors: OG Anunoby
Anunoby is an absolute terror on defense. He has a freaking 7'2 wingspan and can legitimately lock down every single position on the floor. He envelopes poor players just trying to score. He reminds me of Kawhi in that sense, but on offense his jumper needs some tweaking. There's also the matter of his torn ACL, which may keep him out all of next season. But at this point in the draft, he's a steal. Masai Ujiri always swings big, and OG has real potential to be an OG. One of my favorite players in the draft. Do not entirely love that he went to a boring, win-now team like the Raptors, but oh well.
Grade: A-
24. Denver Nuggets: Tyler Lydon
Lyon was definitely slept on in the pre-draft process, and that's not just because I'm a homer as a Syracuse fan (it's mostly that). He's a big who can shoot, has a long wingspan and can protect the rim. Isn't that what's all the rage these days? Lydon was also exceptionally durable, playing the entire 40 minutes for most of his games all year for Cuse. The problem was, sometimes he did not let his impact be felt on the game as much as scouts had hoped for. He is going to be an excellent rebounder, and worst case should carve out a nice role as a quality bench big, but he has a chance to play minutes in Denver. With Kenneth Faried always in Denver's doghouse and Juancho Hernangomez exciting but raw, Lydon could see some action. Nice pick for the Nuggets.
Grade: B+
25. Philadelphia 76ers: Anzejs Pasecniks
The 76ers have a surplus of bigs in Embiid, Dario Saric, Richaun Holmes and Jahlil Okafor, but GM Bryan Colangelo must have went BPA (best player available) here. Pasecniks (yup, definitely needed Google for that name) was a late riser in the draft process, but he's super long, tough and can stroke the three. His down side is he's a bit slow footed and not exactly known for his chops as a rim protector, but hey, nobody is perfect at this point in the draft. The 76ers could stash him overseas and let him refine his game for a season or two.
Grade: C+
26. Portland Trail-Blazers: Caleb Swanigan
As expected, there was no way the Blazers were going to use all their first round picks and bring in three rookies to training camp on a playoff-caliber team. Swanigan is the ultimate feel-good story. He spent his early years in foster homes and then dropped from 325 pounds as an 8th grader to a slim 249 pounds today. He feasted on the low block all year at Purdue. He put up 18 and 12 as a Sophomore on nice shooting splits. He grinds, plays solid post defense and can stretch his game out to the three point arc. He comes to a crowded front court in Portland, but Ed Davis comes off the books next summer and Myles Leonard is sadly a bust, so opportunities could present themselves.
Grade: B
27. Los Angeles Lakers: Kyle Kuzma
Honestly, as long as this pick wasn't a big man, it was good enough for me. The Lakers, behind Brandon Ingram, are very thin at forward. Kuzma is nothing to write home about as a player. He isn't overly athletic, or known for having a great jump shot. What he can do is always make the right pass and cut hard off the ball and provide a dash of rebounding from the forward spot. No strength shines out, but he should be a solid, if unspectacular, two way player. I see some Kyle Anderson lurking in there somewhere.
Grade: C-
28. Utah Jazz: Tony Bradley
Bradley was one of the best rebounders in college basketball last season. He's a huge player with a long wingspan and should be the perfect backup for Rudy Gobert in Utah. He is very slow footed, and his shuttle speed test at the combine must have been a sight to behold. But he has some nice post moves for a 19 year old big. A defensive upgrade at the backup center position is all Utah could ask for at this point.
Grade: B
29. San Antonio Spurs: Derrick White
Since it's the Spurs, this pick is an automatic A. That's the rules, just like last year where they selected eventual star point guard Dejounte Murray with the 29th pick. White reminds me so much of George Hill. He is a rock on defense, perfectly sets up his teammates on offense and can knife into the lane if called up to take it himself. He isn't an other-worldly athlete, but he's no slouch either. His only real question is his three-point shot, and he even shot 39% from three, but there is absolutely no better shooting coach in the world than San Antonio's Chip Engelllen. White is the next George Hill, maybe better. Book it.
Grade: A
30. Los Angeles Lakers: Josh Hart
Love this pick more than their pick at 27. Hart is a grinder. He plays smart position defense, moves the ball, can facilitate from the wings, knock down threes and is an excellent team player, according to anyone who has ever coached or played with him (and against him). Watching Hart help up a player who just lost against him in March Madness was a wonderful sight to see. He's this year's Malcolm Brogdon, the smart senior who teams pass on just because their games aren't flashy. As a GM said about Brogdon, "you'd want your daughter dating this kid." That also easily applies to Hart, who is another great fit for what the Lakers are building.
Grade: A-
1. Philadelphia 76ers: Markelle Fultz
After a blockbuster trade with the division-rival Celtics on Monday, the 76ers, after many years of hoarding their precious assets, finally cashed in and went for the kill. Sitting at the 3rd pick, the 76ers were content to take Josh Jackson, but when a transcendent talent such as Fultz was within reach, they decided it was worth the risk to move up. GM Bryan Colangelo gave up the 2018 Lakers pick if it falls between picks 2-5, or a protected 2019 Kings pick if that Lakers pick doesn't convey. Now, with Fultz officially a 76er, the team boasts one of the fiercest collections of young talent in the league. Fultz joining Ben Simmons, Joel Embiid, Dario Saric and Robert Covington promises to be a team full of two-way players who will grow together for years to come. If Simmons is not up for the tall task of being the team's full-time point guard, Fultz will seamlessly grab that mantle and run with it, allowing Simmons to serve as a lethal secondary playmaker. But, if Simmons proves he's up to the challenge, Fultz can just as easily slide off-ball. He's 6'5 with a freaking 6'10 wingspan, can slither to the rim with ease, splash threes at a pristine 41%, score and facilitate from anywhere on the court, and has major potential on defense. He threw up a 23-6-6 line on 50% shooting like it was nothing during his lone year in Washington. He will be fine at any position. If Fultz reaches his enormous potential (a very likely proposition), his game should have no theoretical weaknesses, and that is why he is the top choice. He could be a version of James Harden who is actually good on defense. If the 76ers young core can stay healthy (sadly, big "if"), then they will dominate the league for years to come. Great trade and pick for GM Bryan Colangelo.
Grade: A+
2. Los Angeles Lakers: Lonzo Ball
What a story. The hometown star stays home. Adding Ball to this team's burgeoning core should produce a free-flowing and quick twitch offense reminiscent of coach Luke Walton's former team, the Warriors. Unfortunately, adding Ball to the team's young core is a recipe for defensive disaster. Ball got torched on defense by NBA caliber guards all season at UCLA and has not shown he has the physical tools to ever morph into even an average defensive guard. Combine that with Jordan Clarkson, Brandon Ingram and Julius Randle, three players whose defensive ratings all hovered around an ugly 113 points surrendered per 100 possessions, and you have a team that will get slaughtered like a pig on that end. Lonzo now comes into Lakerland as The Man, since the Lakers braintrust Magic Johnson and Rob Pelinka recently shipped out immature guard D'Angelo Russell and Timofey Mozgov's awful contract to Brooklyn in exchange for quality center Brook Lopez and the 27th pick. Russell was a sure-fire bet to clash with Ball over ball-handling duties; when the Lakers secured the 2nd pick in the lottery, DLO was already liking tweets saying the team should not draft Ball. They both would have bled points on defense as well. Lopez brings to the team a veteran big man and excellent pick-and-roll partner for Ball. While Lopez, 29, has never been an otherworldly rim protector, he is a solid one, and will act as their best offensive player until Paul George eventually comes over. On the bright side, the Lakers are babies by NBA standards. Lonzo is 19, Ingram 19, Randle 22, Zubac 20 and Larry Nance 24. The team is still crazy young, and they will improve together under Walton's tutelage. Ball is going to be a whiz throwing the ball around, and he will empower his teammates and make them better, just like he did at Chino Hills and UCLA. And while he does have a wacky shot form that would make most shooting coaches vomit, he did connect on a sizzling 41% of his three-point attempts. Next season is sure to produce more losses, but Lonzo will make them a blast to watch. Fans concerned that the Lakers should have taken the better defensive player in Josh Jackson should be reminded that the Lakers are about to acquire a waaaaaayyy better version of Jackson in superstar Paul George. Also, LeBron could be on the way in 2018, and the team has the necessary cap space after shedding Mozgov's deal. Things are finally looking up for the Lakers, and Ball's special court vision is a big reason why.
Grade: A-
3. Boston Celtics: Jason Tatum
In a shocking turn of events, Danny Ainge has actually used one of his many assets to finally acquire a living, breathing, tangible human being. Tatum's game follows the mold of the Paul Pierce/Rudy Gay type of wing scorer. There was a bit of debate between Tatum and Josh Jackson, but Tatum is 13 months younger and much more polished offensively. The Celtics are flush with perimeter defenders who are average on offense in Jae Crowder, Marcus Smart, Avery Bradley, Terry Rozier and Jaylen Brown. Tatum's skill set spices things up and provides the Celtics someone who can score in isolations and help aid Isaiah Thomas with shot-creation duties. Tatum is one of the safest players in the draft. There is a very high probability that he will average 18 points and 7 rebounds for a couple seasons of his career. Brad Stevens will put Tatum in positions to succeed, and he should prove to be an excellent small-ball power forward option for the team down the road.
Grade: B+
4. Phoenix Suns: Josh Jackson
This player-team fit was always perfect, but it was put in jeopardy when the Suns slipped from pick 2 to pick 4 in the lottery. When the Celtics took Tatum, the Suns war room must have rejoiced. Jackson is a fabulous fit with the Suns young core. Devin Booker, a do-it-all scorer at age 20 who struggles on defense, needs a defensive-minded forward to play next to him. Jackson could not be a better fit. His reputation as a defensive stopper is selling his skill set short. Not only is, "every other player in his class scared to play against him" according to an executive that told the Ringer's Jonathan Tjarks, Jackson is an explosive scorer and underrated playmaker offensively. Pundits harp on his shaky shooting, but Jackson drained an impressive 50% of his three-point attempts in last three months at Kansas. A potential lineup of Eric Bledsoe (if he's not traded), Booker, Jackson, Marquisse Chriss and Dragan Bender has awesome two-way potential down the line when everyone gains more experience. GM Ryan McDonough may not be perfect, but there is no doubt he has a ton of young talent under his control.
Grade: A-
5. Sacramento Kings: D'Aaron Fox
In his lone year at Kentucky, Fox flashed major John Wall/Mike Conley potential. In spite of his slight frame, Fox dominated bigger and stronger players. He proved to be the fastest player in the draft, could weave his way into the lane and either drop dimes or loft sweet floaters with ease. He murdered Lonzo Ball in their two head-to-head match-ups. On defense, he hounded opposing guards and, worst-case scenario, will be one of the best on-ball defensive guards in the league. The questions begin and end with his shooting, which could seriously hamper his ability to be a star in this league. A broken jumper has crushed Emmanuel Mudiay, Kris Dunn, Michael Carter Williams and Elfrid Payton's careers because teams just sag off them and dare them to shoot. Fox shot a ghastly 25% from deep, so it's a major concern. Fortunately, playing next to sharpshooting sniper Buddy Hield will give Fox some breathing room. Their long term prospects as a backcourt is very promising. Fox can theoretically provide the defense and playmaking, while Buddy can shoulder most of the scoring load. The Kings, who have recently hired highly respected front office executives Ken Catanella and Scott Perry, seem to be on the upswing as a quality franchise.
Grade: B+
6. Orlando Magic: Jonathan Issac
The Magic recently hired John Hammond and Jeff Weltman to run their front office, so there was a precedent to see who the Magic might go after. Hammond, who used to be the Buck's GM, loves length. He has drafted Giannis Antetokounmpo, Thon Maker, Malcolm Brogdon and Jabari Parker, all players with enormously long wingspans. Hammond is taking that risk again with Issac, who is very raw, yet very, very long (7'1 wingspan). Issac has one of the highest potentials of anyone in this draft, and if he puts it all together you could be looking at a longer version of Paul George. His defense is going to translate immediately and he can slide his feet like a guard even though he's almost 7 feet tall. Pairing him with Aaron Gordon is going to eventually be a problem for opposing teams, as Hammond is already building a mini-Milwaukee team where every player on the court is crazy long. Point guard Elfrid Payton is long for his size as well. The team still has a long way to go, and Issac was very deferential on offense all year at Florida State, but could be a nightmare if he can eventually bulk up and play center. He is raw as uncooked meat, but eventually could be a stud.
Grade: B
7. Chicago Bulls
In a blockbuster trade, the Bulls shipped off superstar Jimmy Butler AND the 16th pick for a pitiful return of Kris Dunn, Zach LaVine and the 7th pick. Going into his sophomore season, Dunn is already 23 and he had an awful rookie season. LaVine is an explosive athlete and smooth scorer, but his defensive numbers were pretty awful and he's coming off a torn ACL. LaVine is a great locker room presence, and the Bulls are obviously very high on him. What was puzzling though, was they used the precious 7th pick for Ryan Anderson clone Lauri Markkanen. While Markkanen is labeled as a 7 foot knockdown shooter, people get the wrong idea that he is the second coming of Porzingis. The problem is that Markkanen was an awful rebounder and rim protector, constantly getting bullied out of the paint and looking like he had no interest in getting back in the trenches once he was shoved out. The supposed upside of big men who shoot is that they provide both traditional big-man skills (rebounding, defense) as well as guard skills. Markannen though, is like an empty calorie. He may be 7 feet, but may as well be 6'5 on the court since he does not use his size at all on defense. The Bulls now have a core of Dunn, LaVine, Dywane Wade, Bobby Portis and Markkanen, which is just sad. Malik Monk, Dennis Smith or Frank Nilikina would have been way better picks. A Gar Paxton special: execute a horrible trade, then draft a bad player with the one valuable pick you acquired.
Grade: D-
8. New York Knicks: Frank Nilikina
Phil may be a disaster at every other aspect of team building, but he's pretty solid at drafting. Kristaps Porzingis in 2015 and then Willy Hernangomez in 2016. Nilikina, judging from grainy Youtube clips, is an excellent defender at the point of attack and is adept at setting up his teammates on offense. Like many prospects, his jumper is a question, but not in the same boom-or-must category as a player like Fox. Nilikina is solid from deep, but most importantly he is the perfect fit for the triangle and could be a nice pick-and-roll partner for Porzingis (if Phil allows them to run anything but the triangle). Sadly, Phil is openly considering trading Zinger, and he has failed to build a winning organizational culture. Nilikina's unknown just by the fact that he was on no one's TV's all year, playing for a relatively small-market team in France. He has not been officially measured, but Nilikina's wingspan looks like it could be almost 7 feet. He is a tough minded defender who will be able to defend multiple positions and he's a very fluid athlete who can chip in on the boards. Solid pick for the Knicks, which is as much as you can ask for these days.
Grade: B
9. Dallas Mavericks: Dennis Smith Jr
Perhaps the most explosive player in the draft, Smith slid slightly down draft boards this year for many reasons. 1. He went to NC State. 2. His team was terrible. 3. He tore his ACL his senior year of high school. 4. He went to NC State. But Smith is perfect for today's NBA. He was slicing into the lane with ease all year even though his coach surrounded him with so many non-shooters, clogging the paint and cramping the floor spacing. Imagine Smith now having Dirk Nowitzki, Seth Curry, Wes Matthews and Harrison Barnes stretching the floor like taffy, along with a great coach in Rick Carlisle. While Smith's defense has come into question, there were many instances where he got in a stance and absolutely locked down his opposition. Problem was, his team was constantly trailing by 20, so giving maximum effort on defense may not have been a priority. Smith also has a short wingspan at 6'3, but that's not crippling to a player's success. Smith's explosive game is reminiscent of a young D Rose. He will eventually become a superstar under Carlisle, even though his notoriously hands-on coach may go insane watching Smith torpedo possessions with wild, inefficient shots. The downs will be pretty bad, but the ups will be breathtaking. The Mavs get their point guard of the future.
Grade: A
10. Portland Trail-Blazers: Zach Collins
The Blazers made a savvy trade up with the Kings, who snag the 15th and 20th picks. Consolidating assets when you are a playoff team is always a smart idea, and Neil Olshey picked a winner in Collins, who averaged 23, 14 and 4 blocks per 40 minutes in college. Collins has the potential to anchor a defense as well as knock down threes and bang in the post with some nifty moves. He has been underrated his whole basketball career so far since he went to the same high school as former highly touted recruits Chase Jeter and Stephen Zimmerman, and was overshadowed. Then at Gonzaga, Collins joined a veteran-laden team and played limited minutes off the bench. He could form a twin towers monster next to Jusuf Nurkic with scoring guards CJ McCollum and Damian Lillard jittering around them. Olshey drafted a very solid prospect who can toggle between front court positions.
Grade: B+
11. Charlotte Hornets: Malik Monk
There is always that one player who slides further than people thought in the draft. This year it's Monk, who is one of the most electrifying scorers in the draft. The dude dropped 47 against North Carolina, carried Kentucky on offense through contested threes and slithery drives all year, and was constantly money in clutch situations where his team needed a bucket. He's going to be the second coming of Bradley Beal once he fills out his frame. Lights-out two guards are in short supply these days, and while him and Kemba Walker in the backcourt are sure to get mauled on defense, they are going to be a problem on offense. Pair them with lanky wing defenders Michael Kidd-GIlchrist and Nic Batum, plus the 5th incarnation of Dwight Howard, and you have yourself a surprisingly non-boring Hornets team. Monk is going to have Bulls fans weeping in a couple of years that they took Lauri over Malik. Monk, like Dennis Smith, had to operate under a cramped floor in college, and will be unleashed in the NBA, having much more space to work with. Mark my words: Monk will hit a game-winning buzzer in an important playoff game down the line. He has that "it" factor. Charlotte added Monk, Howard and the 31st pick in the past two days and all they had to give up was the worst Plumlee brother's contract, Marco Bellineli and the 41st pick. Not too shabby, MJ.
Grade: A-
12. Detroit Pistons: Luke Kennard
The Pistons are a mess. Stan Van Gundy tried to re-create the 2011 Magic, where four shooters surrounded a dominant defensive center who served as a rim runner on offense. Problem is, everything is worse in Detroit. Andre Drummond, while still only 23, has regressed under Van Gundy. He gets hacked off the floor late in games, plays poor position defense, has hooves for hands, and still has no post moves. Reggie Jackson is the same story at point guard, except his teammates hate him. Tobias Harris lets the ball stick to his hands on offense and is average on defense. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope was probably their best player down the stretch, and now he's going to become massively overpaid this summer. Stanley Johnson has been disappointing. Kennard is a lights-out shooter (he converted a sizzling 44% of his three-point attempts). He's going to play in this league for a long time just by virtue of that skill, even though he'll probably get roasted on defense by quicker players. Donovan Mitchell is a better version of Kennard, so it was surprising they went the Kennard route.
Grade: C
13. Utah Jazz: Donovan Mitchell
The Jazz made a nice trade up. They sacrificed the 24th pick and Trey Lyles, who has underwhelmed in his two seasons in the league. In return, getting Donovan Mitchell, a coiled defensive hound and aggressive slasher on offense, was a great trade and pick for GM Dennis Lindsey. If the Jazz can retain everyone in free agency (big if), they are going to have one of the deepest and most versatile wing rotations in the league in Gordon Hayward, Rodney Hood, Joe Ingles, Mitchell and the perennially injured yet talented Alec Burks. Mitchell grinds on defense, and a lineup featuring him, George Hill and Rudy Gobert is just plain mean to poor opponents trying to score the basketball.
Grade: A-
14. Miami Heat: Bam Adebayo
Kind of a shocker. There were other players who were probably better players and fits, but never doubt the Heat's scouting department, which has an eye for under-the-radar talent such as Josh Richardson, Rodney McGruder, Patrick Beverly and Hassan Whiteside. Adebayo cannot space the floor at all, so he's probably never going to share the floor with Whiteside unless the Heat want to trot out lineups with no spacing. But he could be a fantastic energy big off the bench who never lets the defense rest and provides 48 combined minutes of valuable rim-protection along with Whiteside. Trust in Pat Riley. Having to constantly account for barrel-chested tanks rumbling down the lane ready to dunk the ball as hard as possible is a chore for NBA defenses, and now they'll never get to rest against the Heat.
Grade: B-
15. Sacramento Kings: Justin Jackson
The Kings have traded down in two consecutive drafts now. Justin Jackson is by no means going to replace Rudy Gay completely, but he is a solid wing player for today's NBA. He's super long and has small bursts as a scorer, but he reeks of Mo Harkless to me. He is not explosive enough to ever turn into a star in this league, but his wide frame, defensive chops and competent shooting numbers make this a fine pick for Sacramento, who desperately needs wing players. Jackson can eventually be the 5th starter on a good team, and that's conceivable with Fox and Hield looking like studs as well as Skal Labissiere and Willie Cauley-Stein looking pretty promising.
Grade: C+
16. Minnesota Timberwolves: Justin Patton
It's incredible that in the entirely lopsided Jimmy Butler trade, the Bulls also managed to snag the 16th pick! Patton is very raw, but his potential endgame is a long and athletic freak who can protect the rim and develop a three-point shot. Good for Thibs putting the future first with the Patton pick. Perhaps, as Gorgui Dieng ages, Patton can become a front court partner for superstar big Karl Towns. Patton likely won't play much his first couple of seasons, especially with the Wolves in full win-now mode after their heist for Butler.
Grade: C+
17. Milwaukee Bucks: DJ Wilson
Wilson is the perfect power forward for today's NBA. He can stretch the floor and guard many positions on defense. If you can do those two things, it's a done deal, that's a solid pick. The Bucks are building a monster team in which every player on the floor can switch any position and hold their own. Wilson is a two-way player, and it cannot be stressed how valuable those types of players are these days. Pair him with the Greek Freak, Jabari Parker, Kris Middleton, Malcolm Brogdon and Thon Maker.....and I just fainted at all the length and positional versatility.
Grade: B+
18. Indiana Pacers: TJ Leaf
There are more important matters going on with the Pacers these days what with Paul George's eventual departure looming over the entire fanbase and organization. Leaf has many flashes of Kevin Love: They both played for UCLA, are both white, and both great rebounders and shooters at the power forward position. Leaf should pair nicely with Myles Turner down the road.
Grade: B
19. Atlanta Hawks: John Collins
The Hawks' selection of Collins, a power forward who averaged 19 and 10 at Wake Forest, all but guarantees they have little faith Paul Millsap is returning. Collins' game is a bit old-fashioned for today's league. He is not a good-enough rim protector to play center, but he has no jump shot, which is a death sentence these days. On the bright side, he demolished NBA caliber players at his position by using his array of effective post moves. It's surprising that GM Travis Schlenk, who comes from a Golden State team that just won a championship by not giving minutes to players of Collins' ilk, is drafting a player who cannot shoot and struggles mightily on defense.
Grade: C-
20. Sacramento Kings: Harry Giles
As many people by now know, Giles was the best player in the entire draft just two years ago, before he tore his ACL his senior year of high school, then had a separate procedure that kept him out a chunk of the season at Duke. All year, he lacked that breathtaking athleticism and looked lost. It was pretty sad to watch, knowing he was capable of being so much more. For a bad team like the Kings, taking a flyer on Giles is smart value. If he never recovers, it's not the end of the world. If he returns to form, and other young players progress further, that's the making of a playoff team. His medicals reportedly checked out alright, but at this point the question is if he can ever regain the confidence of his former self. If it all works out, the Kings just got themselves a more athletic version of Chris Bosh.
Grade: B
21. Oklahoma City Thunder: Terrence Ferguson
Ferguson was a consensus lottery pick going into the year, but then he went to Australia instead of Arizona, struggled for playing time, and as a result dropped to 21st. Sam Presti is one of the best drafting GM's in the league, so if he sees something in Ferguson, everyone else probably should too. On the surface is a hard-nosed defender who can splash threes and sprinkle in some slashing. Basically another version of Victor Oladipo, which would be welcome for a Thunder team low on two-way players. It's commonly known the Thunder had the worst three-point field goal percentage of any team in the league last season. While OG Anunoby was the more talented player, Ferguson has no injury history and has the makings of a nice wing player with the potential to become a star.
Grade: B+
22. Brooklyn Nets: Jarrett Allen
After trading away Brook Lopez, the Nets had a hole at the center position. Drafting the athletic, rim-running Allen was a superb pick for a team going no where in the next two seasons. Allen reminds me of Myles Turner. They were both highly recruited going into their freshman years, both went to Texas, both flashed big-time skills, yet were somehow overshadowed by other prospects. Allen has two-way potential and under Kenny Atkinson will likely grow into an adequate perimeter shooter. He could easily be the Nets' center of the future, with no weaknesses to his game.
Grade: A-
23. Toronto Raptors: OG Anunoby
Anunoby is an absolute terror on defense. He has a freaking 7'2 wingspan and can legitimately lock down every single position on the floor. He envelopes poor players just trying to score. He reminds me of Kawhi in that sense, but on offense his jumper needs some tweaking. There's also the matter of his torn ACL, which may keep him out all of next season. But at this point in the draft, he's a steal. Masai Ujiri always swings big, and OG has real potential to be an OG. One of my favorite players in the draft. Do not entirely love that he went to a boring, win-now team like the Raptors, but oh well.
Grade: A-
24. Denver Nuggets: Tyler Lydon
Lyon was definitely slept on in the pre-draft process, and that's not just because I'm a homer as a Syracuse fan (it's mostly that). He's a big who can shoot, has a long wingspan and can protect the rim. Isn't that what's all the rage these days? Lydon was also exceptionally durable, playing the entire 40 minutes for most of his games all year for Cuse. The problem was, sometimes he did not let his impact be felt on the game as much as scouts had hoped for. He is going to be an excellent rebounder, and worst case should carve out a nice role as a quality bench big, but he has a chance to play minutes in Denver. With Kenneth Faried always in Denver's doghouse and Juancho Hernangomez exciting but raw, Lydon could see some action. Nice pick for the Nuggets.
Grade: B+
25. Philadelphia 76ers: Anzejs Pasecniks
The 76ers have a surplus of bigs in Embiid, Dario Saric, Richaun Holmes and Jahlil Okafor, but GM Bryan Colangelo must have went BPA (best player available) here. Pasecniks (yup, definitely needed Google for that name) was a late riser in the draft process, but he's super long, tough and can stroke the three. His down side is he's a bit slow footed and not exactly known for his chops as a rim protector, but hey, nobody is perfect at this point in the draft. The 76ers could stash him overseas and let him refine his game for a season or two.
Grade: C+
26. Portland Trail-Blazers: Caleb Swanigan
As expected, there was no way the Blazers were going to use all their first round picks and bring in three rookies to training camp on a playoff-caliber team. Swanigan is the ultimate feel-good story. He spent his early years in foster homes and then dropped from 325 pounds as an 8th grader to a slim 249 pounds today. He feasted on the low block all year at Purdue. He put up 18 and 12 as a Sophomore on nice shooting splits. He grinds, plays solid post defense and can stretch his game out to the three point arc. He comes to a crowded front court in Portland, but Ed Davis comes off the books next summer and Myles Leonard is sadly a bust, so opportunities could present themselves.
Grade: B
27. Los Angeles Lakers: Kyle Kuzma
Honestly, as long as this pick wasn't a big man, it was good enough for me. The Lakers, behind Brandon Ingram, are very thin at forward. Kuzma is nothing to write home about as a player. He isn't overly athletic, or known for having a great jump shot. What he can do is always make the right pass and cut hard off the ball and provide a dash of rebounding from the forward spot. No strength shines out, but he should be a solid, if unspectacular, two way player. I see some Kyle Anderson lurking in there somewhere.
Grade: C-
28. Utah Jazz: Tony Bradley
Bradley was one of the best rebounders in college basketball last season. He's a huge player with a long wingspan and should be the perfect backup for Rudy Gobert in Utah. He is very slow footed, and his shuttle speed test at the combine must have been a sight to behold. But he has some nice post moves for a 19 year old big. A defensive upgrade at the backup center position is all Utah could ask for at this point.
Grade: B
29. San Antonio Spurs: Derrick White
Since it's the Spurs, this pick is an automatic A. That's the rules, just like last year where they selected eventual star point guard Dejounte Murray with the 29th pick. White reminds me so much of George Hill. He is a rock on defense, perfectly sets up his teammates on offense and can knife into the lane if called up to take it himself. He isn't an other-worldly athlete, but he's no slouch either. His only real question is his three-point shot, and he even shot 39% from three, but there is absolutely no better shooting coach in the world than San Antonio's Chip Engelllen. White is the next George Hill, maybe better. Book it.
Grade: A
30. Los Angeles Lakers: Josh Hart
Love this pick more than their pick at 27. Hart is a grinder. He plays smart position defense, moves the ball, can facilitate from the wings, knock down threes and is an excellent team player, according to anyone who has ever coached or played with him (and against him). Watching Hart help up a player who just lost against him in March Madness was a wonderful sight to see. He's this year's Malcolm Brogdon, the smart senior who teams pass on just because their games aren't flashy. As a GM said about Brogdon, "you'd want your daughter dating this kid." That also easily applies to Hart, who is another great fit for what the Lakers are building.
Grade: A-
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