Official 2017 Draft Thread - Something Positive To Look Forward To

[MartyConlonJr]

I saw some chatter in the game thread about tanking and how it sucks, thought this was a more relevant thread for that, but here are my ideas:
- draft order (or balls for lotto) continues to be based on winning percentage, but winning percentage is defined differently
- winning percentage is, for non playoff teams, based on the number of wins in current season, but against all the losses from this season AND every previous season up till the last time you either got a top 3 pick, or made the second round of the playoffs
- draw 5 balls, not 3 so the most balls can end up 6th

What this means is
- teams that have been bad for ages without being blessed with a top pick will have a major upper hand, they will continue to compile a worse percentage till they get a top 3
- as such, those teams that have been bad for a while don't have to throw away good players each year to tank, they can start building up to something good build some depth for that future star and be more competitive
- teams like philly won't be able to go back to the well over and over after a top pick as they will be 'reset' and effectively behind the line
- treadmills get rewarded, or the concept of a treadmill kind of goes away as even having littered in first round appearances in the past accumulate towards the next failed playoff attempt. For example, right now Dallas would be 10-200 as they haven't got out of the 1st round in 6 years. Sacramento and Detroit would be right up there assuming they miss the playoffs

As such, Miami, Philly etc would have little reason to tank - they couldn't do much better than 4th in balls (haven't assessed the ladder for this, but assumingly worse) and could drop 5 spots anyway due to more balls being picked. I think this would lead to more competitive ball all around. Obviously you can still end up in a Bargnani draft, but even that had Aldridge, Millsap and Lowry, but it would reset you. It could also mean a team with the chance to get to 2nd round playoffs could tank to keep their accumulation, but at the stage where you are a final 8 team, would players be on board for that?

[puppa bear]

I saw some chatter in the game thread about tanking and how it sucks, thought this was a more relevant thread for that, but here are my ideas:
- draft order (or balls for lotto) continues to be based on winning percentage, but winning percentage is defined differently
- winning percentage is, for non playoff teams, based on the number of wins in current season, but against all the losses from this season AND every previous season up till the last time you either got a top 3 pick, or made the second round of the playoffs
- draw 5 balls, not 3 so the most balls can end up 6th

What this means is
- teams that have been bad for ages without being blessed with a top pick will have a major upper hand, they will continue to compile a worse percentage till they get a top 3
- as such, those teams that have been bad for a while don't have to throw away good players each year to tank, they can start building up to something good build some depth for that future star and be more competitive
- teams like philly won't be able to go back to the well over and over after a top pick as they will be 'reset' and effectively behind the line
- treadmills get rewarded, or the concept of a treadmill kind of goes away as even having littered in first round appearances in the past accumulate towards the next failed playoff attempt. For example, right now Dallas would be 10-200 as they haven't got out of the 1st round in 6 years. Sacramento and Detroit would be right up there assuming they miss the playoffs

As such, Miami, Philly etc would have little reason to tank - they couldn't do much better than 4th in balls (haven't assessed the ladder for this, but assumingly worse) and could drop 5 spots anyway due to more balls being picked. I think this would lead to more competitive ball all around. Obviously you can still end up in a Bargnani draft, but even that had Aldridge, Millsap and Lowry, but it would reset you. It could also mean a team with the chance to get to 2nd round playoffs could tank to keep their accumulation, but at the stage where you are a final 8 team, would players be on board for that?

It's a nice idea, and good for stopping tanking - I do like the thought put into it. But it might be better to simply limit how many top-3 picks a team can have: either in consecutive years, or over a longer period.

One example of how this could backfire, is that we were a second round team, with Wade, JJ, & Deng. The CBA made it impossible for us to sign Whiteside without either getting them to take a discount, or giving up multiple of them. Add to that the Bosh blood clots and we are a team that has been destroyed by circumstance. Given that we need top-7 to retain our pick next year, this system would possibly doom us to being a rebuilding team for 5+ if we strike out in FA. The current model at least allows us to not be penalised because we managed to find a diamond in Whiteside, but didn't sign him to a 1 or 3 year deal.

[MartyConlonJr]

Spoiler:

I saw some chatter in the game thread about tanking and how it sucks, thought this was a more relevant thread for that, but here are my ideas:
- draft order (or balls for lotto) continues to be based on winning percentage, but winning percentage is defined differently
- winning percentage is, for non playoff teams, based on the number of wins in current season, but against all the losses from this season AND every previous season up till the last time you either got a top 3 pick, or made the second round of the playoffs
- draw 5 balls, not 3 so the most balls can end up 6th

What this means is
- teams that have been bad for ages without being blessed with a top pick will have a major upper hand, they will continue to compile a worse percentage till they get a top 3
- as such, those teams that have been bad for a while don't have to throw away good players each year to tank, they can start building up to something good build some depth for that future star and be more competitive
- teams like philly won't be able to go back to the well over and over after a top pick as they will be 'reset' and effectively behind the line
- treadmills get rewarded, or the concept of a treadmill kind of goes away as even having littered in first round appearances in the past accumulate towards the next failed playoff attempt. For example, right now Dallas would be 10-200 as they haven't got out of the 1st round in 6 years. Sacramento and Detroit would be right up there assuming they miss the playoffs

As such, Miami, Philly etc would have little reason to tank - they couldn't do much better than 4th in balls (haven't assessed the ladder for this, but assumingly worse) and could drop 5 spots anyway due to more balls being picked. I think this would lead to more competitive ball all around. Obviously you can still end up in a Bargnani draft, but even that had Aldridge, Millsap and Lowry, but it would reset you. It could also mean a team with the chance to get to 2nd round playoffs could tank to keep their accumulation, but at the stage where you are a final 8 team, would players be on board for that?

It's a nice idea, and good for stopping tanking - I do like the thought put into it. But it might be better to simply limit how many top-3 picks a team can have: either in consecutive years, or over a longer period.

One example of how this could backfire, is that we were a second round team, with Wade, JJ, & Deng. The CBA made it impossible for us to sign Whiteside without either getting them to take a discount, or giving up multiple of them. Add to that the Bosh blood clots and we are a team that has been destroyed by circumstance. Given that we need top-7 to retain our pick next year, this system would possibly doom us to being a rebuilding team for 5+ if we strike out in FA. The current model at least allows us to not be penalised because we managed to find a diamond in Whiteside, but didn't sign him to a 1 or 3 year deal.

I think the problem is I am trying to make tanking impractical always and you are still advocating tanking here in some scenarios. I think our scenario with Whiteside is practically unheard of and I think the new CBA is doing something about it.

The idea is that right now, dipping into the bottom of the draft is an easy prospect to sell an owner. "Lets suck for a season, cop the hit, get a franchise player and get started again". An owner can wear that proposal. In my proposal, you would have to sell an owner on 3-4 years of sucking to probably get a favourable number of balls. And for teams already really sucking, you can probably start trying to improve if you've missed out on a top 3 pick due to the accumulation. Noone has to sell extreme losing any more.

One of the biggest problems with parity is that teams try to trade away all good players to ensure they lose more (what we are considering with Dragic) for that fight to the bottom. If we were realistically looking at an 8th-14th pick this year, we would just probably be more competitive - tanking would do us little good. We could still hope for our number to come up, but wouldn't throw the season to do it.

I also think more restrictions should be placed on trading picks. They are a major cause of parity issues. We'd be better if there was something like permanent lotto protection on future picks except draft night trades in all honesty. What Boston did to Brooklyn is totally ridiculous

[JLop]

This is a question from a Heat fan to Ira Winderman:


ASK IRA: Will Pat Riley go all-in in draft?



Q: I know we can't telegraph our moves but the true gangsta move for Pat Riley is to trade Goran Dragic in February to either Orlando or the 76ers, securing another pick in this upcoming draft. The Magic's pick will fall around 12 or 13 or the 76ers' pick will be Top 10 from the Lakers. We would then be in prime position to get Josh Jackson or Lonzo Ball with our own pick and the additional pick get Malik Monk, Dennis Smith or Harry Giles. This would be Pat's largest achievement due to the changes in the CBA and no real exciting free agents in 2017. -- Marcus, Washington, D.C.

A: First, I'm not sure Pat Riley is going "gangsta" anytime soon, but that's another story. I doubt any lottery team is going to be willing to part with the selection until they know where their pick is going to fall in the first round. Nor would the Heat want to risk a trade for a pick that could wind up falling below the projected spot, since, in the case of your Orlando example, it no longer would provide a reason for the trade partner to maintain lottery seeding. It is another reason why a Dragic trade, or any big Heat move related to the draft, makes more sense after the lottery and the early-entry deadline. Yes, the upcoming draft looks loaded, loaded enough that a pick even in the early teens could project as a contributor. But teams holding such picks know that, as well, raising the premiums on making such moves. And if Riley is truly forecasting a rapid rebuild (which sounded like a rash statement on his part), then I'm not sure how that happens with a pair of lottery, one-and-done prospects being added to the roster. What I do agree with is that it is hard to envision the Heat adding another lottery pick unless Dragic is factored into a trade equation.


http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/miami-heat/heat-blog/sfl-miami-heat-ask-ira-pat-riley-s010316-story.html#nt=blogroll

Spoiler:

I hope you all have enjoyed this article as much as I did. And please, remember to visit the author's site.

[puppa bear]

I also think more restrictions should be placed on trading picks. They are a major cause of parity issues. We'd be better if there was something like permanent lotto protection on future picks except draft night trades in all honesty. What Boston did to Brooklyn is totally ridiculous

I totally understand where you are coming from, but it's going to be a hard sell, being a treadmill team that always just makes the PO will mean massive points the second you hit the lotto, but also the Bucks and Kings of the league will strike gold through tread milling just outside the lotto. This rewards teams who are mediocre most of all, which is not quite right either. As I said, there is some great thought in here, and it does solve a lot of problems, but it doesn't address a handful of issues.

However, this paragraph does address many, and is the best part of your post. Making future picks only tradable as lotto-protected would change the face of draft-night trading (adding huge extra excitement), and deflate the value of picks as a trading tool, meaning less are thrown around like the BKN picks were.

[Hallstar]

It's up to a GM to negotiate lotto protection.

We have to stop saving GMs from themselves at some point

[Bishop45]

Speaking of Hartenstein, he has similarly scary attributes like most jumpshooting Euro-big men, like Porzingis did. Based on that fear, I'd probably lean towards not drafting with a top 10 pick but he does fill out physically a bit more than Kristaps and has a decently versatile game. I'll revise, if him and Giles can play C they can make som strides on my want list. Not in love with Lauri either fwiw

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[MettaWorldPanda]

Read on Twitter

[DayofMourning]

UK at 9
KU at 9

[Duke4life831]

UK at 9
KU at 9

Looking for a bounce back game from Jackson and some consistency from Monk. Jackson had a really rough last outing and Monk hasn't posted back to back games of 50% shooting since late November.

[Sgt P]

Markelle Fultz looks like he has high BBIQ.

Watch on YouTube

[DayofMourning]

UK at 9
KU at 9

Looking for a bounce back game from Jackson and some consistency from Monk. Jackson had a really rough last outing and Monk hasn't posted back to back games of 50% shooting since late November.

Definitely a rough game for JJ last time out. He gets into foul trouble sometimes due to his aggressive defensive demeanor. Has to learn to be a bit more opportunistic so he can keep the fouls down. Rhythm killing.

I'd like to see Monk playing with better post options. I think his consistency would go up if the team could pull some defenders off him. I've watched so many of his shots come with a guy on top of him. Those are tough shots.

[DayofMourning]

Spoiler:

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That stat line for Fultz is awesome. Look at those blocks.

[Duke4life831]

UK at 9
KU at 9

Looking for a bounce back game from Jackson and some consistency from Monk. Jackson had a really rough last outing and Monk hasn't posted back to back games of 50% shooting since late November.

Definitely a rough game for JJ last time out. He gets into foul trouble sometimes due to his aggressive defensive demeanor. Has to learn to be a bit more opportunistic so he can keep the fouls down. Rhythm killing.

I'd like to see Monk playing with better post options. I think his consistency would go up if the team could pull some defenders off him. I've watched so many of his shots come with a guy on top of him. Those are tough shots.

I say this with all respect, hes the college version of a prime Jamal Crawford. Monk makes so many terrible shots its not right haha. He takes a ton of contested unbalanced shots that seem to go in for him just like a prime Crawford. Im not sure he can be a great impact player in the pros if he keeps that same shot selection, he might, he might be able to be the next Crawford when it comes to those shots. I just wouldn't book on it. I just really want to see his shot selection improve which I think would really improve his consistency. I also agree it would be nice if he had another legit scoring option next to him. Lets be honest in the half court Fox, Gabriel, Briscoe and Bam aren't scaring defenses. Now a team has to be able to slow them down to get them in the half court, but when they do man Monk has to do a lot on his own with a lot of attention on him.

And ya Jackson has a fouling problem right now. They are legit fouls too. Lots of time he gets caught putting two hands on the ball handler and stupid things like that, that make you just wanna pull your hair out watching him. He just needs to be a little smarter.

[MettaWorldPanda]

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[Duke4life831]

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I agree. I think he would be considered as a once in a decade can't miss prospect if he had that jumper. He really wouldn't have any major flaws. Great defensively, rebounds, has a good handle, facilitates well, moves and cuts very well off the ball, great athletically and has great size. Its just that jumper man. I still won't be surprised if he goes 1 or 2 with a team taking a chance on him hoping he gets that jumper.

[Bishop45]

For the Chad heads, going to take a lot of consistency to stay worse than the Mavs, Magic's, King's and Pels. Smith or Ntilikina wouldn't be a bad prize either, if our pick isn't traded.

It's time for the our first NBA mock draft in 2017.

It's our best stab at a full first-round mock -- assuming every eligible prospect who has yet to state his intentions on the draft declares -- after taking into account team needs and conversations with NBA scouts and GMs.

We'll be using ESPN's Basketball Power Index (BPI) to project the order in this very deep and talented draft.

Without further ado, I present Mock Draft 2.0.

1) Philadelphia 76ers*

Markelle Fultz

Washington

Freshman

Guard

There's no consensus No. 1 pick right now, but that's a good thing this year. The Sixers project to have several elite options here.

Fultz seems like the best fit of the group. He does everything well and has no real holes in his game. At his size, he can play either backcourt position, and for a team that could really use some 3-point shooting, his 46 percent rate from deep this season is encouraging.

Ben Simmons might still be the Sixers' primary point guard of the future, but Fultz's all-around game gives the team multiple options.

Odds of winning lottery (if they finish with the worst record): 25 percent

Projected record: 21-61

2. Boston Celtics (via Nets)*

Lonzo Ball

UCLA

Freshman

Guard

I'm not sure there's a Celtics fan left on the planet who doesn't know that Boston owns the rights to the Nets' draft picks for the next two years. Last year, picking in the Nets' position produced Jaylen Brown. This year, the reward might be much higher.

Point guard isn't an immediate need for Boston, but Ball is such a terrific prospect that I don't think it will matter much to GM Danny Ainge. His combination of size, playmaking, shooting and sizzle doesn't come along very often.

The Celtics can always move other pieces around. Ball would immediately be the highest-ceiling player on the roster.

Odds of winning lottery (via Nets): 19.9 percent (Boston owns the rights to swap picks with Brooklyn.)

Projected record: 22-60

3. Phoenix Suns

Josh Jackson

Kansas

Freshman

Forward

The Suns are one of the worst defensive teams in the league, and Jackson happens to be the highest-ceiling defensive prospect in the draft.

His length, athleticism and motor allow him to guard three positions on the floor. Although he isn't an elite offensive player because of his inconsistent shooting, he's a terrific playmaker and slasher who excels in the open court. Most importantly, he's a high-character player who would immediately add toughness and grit on and off the court.

He'd be a great fit with the rest of the Suns' young players.

Odds of winning lottery: 15.6 percent

Projected record: 26-56

4. Philadelphia 76ers (via Lakers)*

Malik Monk

Kentucky

Freshman

Guard

The Lakers have a 35.6 percent chance of landing a top-three pick in the draft, per BPI. If they do that, they'll keep the pick another year. There's a very strong incentive for the Lakers to tank, given the strength at the top of the draft and the fact that they could lose their pick completely.

If the Sixers get this selection, it's the best-case scenario for them. Monk is the most dynamic scorer in the draft. He can light it up from anywhere. Pairing him with Fultz in the backcourt would give Philly two elite shooters and scorers to pair with Simmons and Joel Embiid.

If the Sixers trot out Embiid, Simmons, Dario Saric, Fultz and Monk next season, we will be talking about them as the best young team in the NBA, and Sam Hinkie will finally find some redemption for "The Process."

Odds of Lakers winning lottery: 11.9 percent (Philadelphia will get L.A.'s first-round pick if it falls outside the top three.)

Projected record (Lakers): 27-55

5. Miami Heat

Dennis Smith

NC State

Freshman

Guard

The Heat are in full-blown rebuild mode. Goran Dragic is available, and Justise Winslow and Hassan Whiteside are the two building blocks for the future.

Finding a dynamic scorer to play alongside that duo is a must, and Smith has that ability. He's an explosive athlete who can create his own shot and finish above the rim. He isn't an elite shooter, but his 39 percent shooting from beyond the arc gives scouts hope that he's improving.

Odds of winning lottery: 8.8 percent

Projected record: 29-53

6. Dallas Mavericks

Frank Ntilikina

France

Age: 18

Guard

The bounty of college freshmen point guards is obscuring one international prospect who has the potential to be just as good as the rest of them. He has a 7-foot wing span, sees the floor well and can be a terrific defender.

Ntilikina just took home MVP honors after leading France to the Under-18 European Championships a couple weeks ago. He scored 31 points on seven 3s and had four rebounds and three assists in the title game.

The Mavericks have two of the best international scouts in the business on their staff. They aren't sleeping on Ntilikina.

Odds of winning lottery: 6.3 percent

Projected record: 30-52

7. Orlando Magic

Jayson Tatum

Duke

Freshman

Forward

How deep is this draft? Some NBA scouts have Tatum No. 1 on their board. He goes No. 7 here.

Tatum is the prototypical NBA wing in both size and skill set. He's athletic and strong, he can score from all over the floor, and he plays defense. His lack of a strong 3-point shot (6-for-20 so far this season) is the biggest weakness of his game and pushes him a little farther down the board for some teams.

The Magic don't really need a small forward, especially when Aaron Gordon continues to show so much promise. But at this point, Tatum is the best player on the board and a great pick here.

Odds of winning lottery: 4.3 percent

Projected record: 32-50

8. Minnesota Timberwolves

Harry Giles

Duke

Freshman

Forward

Giles might be the best prospect in the draft, were it not for several knee surgeries that have him slowly coming back to form.

He hasn't shown much in the three games he has played for Duke, but his eight rebounds in 13 minutes against Virginia Tech on Saturday give you a glimpse of what he's able to do with a hyperactive motor, athleticism and the ability to score inside and out.

If Giles comes on late, he won't be available this low. And if he's here, the Wolves just added to their embarrassment of young riches.

Odds of winning lottery (via Knicks): 2.8 percent

Projected record: 32-50

9. New Orleans Pelicans

Jonathan Isaac

FSU

Freshman

Forward

The Pelicans are among a slew of Western Conference teams competing for that eighth playoff seed. BPI's projections are pessimistic that they'll keep up their current hot streak, and it might be for the best. They desperately need talent to put around Anthony Davis.

Isaac might not be the best player on his current team, but his upside is enormous. He's super skilled, with a huge wingspan, and he can guard multiple positions.

He needs to get stronger but would be a long-term upgrade at the 3 for the Pelicans.

Odds of winning lottery: 1.7 percent

Projected record: 33-49

10. Sacramento Kings*

De'Aaron Fox

Kentucky

Freshman

Guard

The Kings currently have dibs on the last playoff spot in the West, but BPI doesn't project that they'll hold onto the spot for long (nor do most long-suffering Kings fans).

If the Kings keep this top-10 pick, point guard seems like the way to go. Darren Collison, Ty Lawson and Garrett Temple are not long-term solutions, and there's one elite point guard left on the board in Fox.

Fox is the fastest point guard in the draft and one of the craftiest. He can't shoot, but his abilities to push the basketball and create make him a dangerous threat in the NBA.

Odds of winning lottery: 1.1 percent (If the Kings move ahead of Philadelphia in the lottery and are in the top 10, they swap spots with the Sixers. If Sacramento's pick falls outside the top 10, it will go to Chicago.)

Projected record: 34-48

11. Denver Nuggets

Miles Bridges

Michigan State

Freshman

Forward

The Nuggets are loaded with young talent and don't have any glaring needs, but if Bridges is here, he should be an attractive option.

The ultra-athletic forward is a dominant scorer and underrated passer who can play the 3 and the 4.

Odds of winning lottery: 0.8 percent

Projected record: 36-46

12. New York Knicks

OG Anunoby

Indiana

Sophomore

Forward

The Knicks could use some help at the 2, but with no great shooting guards on the board, Anunoby will be very attractive instead.

He's built like an NFL player but has athleticism and quickness. He's the ideal 3-and-D type player who has a little Kawhi Leonard in his game.

Odds of winning lottery: 0.7 percent

Projected record: 38-44

13. Indiana Pacers

Lauri Markkanen

Arizona

Freshman

Forward

The Pacers' biggest need is probably at the 2 as well, where they'll eventually need to replace the increasingly ineffective Monta Ellis. However, there isn't a player left on the board who really makes sense.

Markkanen would be an interesting pick here. His ability to stretch the floor makes him an ideal long-term frontcourt companion for Myles Turner.

Odds of winning lottery: 0.6 percent

Projected record: 38-43

14. Chicago Bulls

Terrance Ferguson

Australia

Age: 19

Guard

There starts to be a pretty big drop-off at this point in the draft, as those top 13 players seem like near-locks for the lottery. The pool gets shallower as we head into the next tier.

Chicago's biggest need is probably at the point -- especially in the wake of the Rajon Rondo fiasco -- but all the elite point guards are off the board. The Bulls also really need 3-point shooting, as they are last in the league, shooting just 30.7 percent from deep.

Ferguson is one of the best shooters in the draft and is getting real minutes playing pro ball in Australia,. He's a bit one-dimensional, but the Bulls need all the help they can get.

Odds of winning lottery: 0.5 percent

Projected record: 39-43

15. Portland Trail Blazers

T.J. Leaf

UCLA

Freshman

Forward

The Blazers already have three power forwards, but none of them is cracking a PER greater than 10.0 this season. It's an area in which Portland could use an upgrade, and Leaf's skill as a scorer and shooter would give the Blazers several different looks.

Leaf isn't particularly long for his position, but he makes up for that with a terrific feel for the game.

Projected record: 37-45

16. Washington Wizards

Robert Williams

Texas A&M

Freshman

Forward

It might behoove the Wizards (who rank 27th in the NBA in blocked shots) to take a swing at Williams, one of the most intriguing raw talents in the draft.

His athleticism and shot-blocking ability combined with an emerging offensive game give him a very high ceiling.

Projected record: 39-43

17. Detroit Pistons

Jarrett Allen

Texas

Freshman

Center

Andre Drummond is the man in the middle for the Pistons, but they could use more help in the paint.

There isn't a lot of flashiness from Allen, but his huge, 7-foot-6 wingspan, solid rebounding and defensive numbers mean teams will be willing to bring him along slowly.

Projected record: 41-41

18. Atlanta Hawks

Ivan Rabb

Cal

Sophomore

Forward

The Hawks are reportedly shopping Paul Millsap at the trade deadline and could use some long-term athleticism and toughness at the 4.

Rabb is just the second non-freshman to crack our mock. He was widely regarded as a lottery pick last year, but with the huge infusion of talent from this stellar freshman class, his stock has taken a small hit.

Rabb has proven to be an elite rebounder this year, and he's shooting 44 percent on his 2-point jumpers, but teams would like to see more shot-blocking and added strength to play offense in the paint.

Projected record: 42-40

19. Milwaukee Bucks

Edrice Adebayo

Kentucky

Freshman

Forward

Adebayo's body and explosiveness are reminiscent of Dwight Howard, but he's still figuring out how to make an impact on the court.

The Bucks could use that type of toughness in the paint, and Adebayo offers a long-term upgrade over John Henson and Mirza Teletovic.

Projected record: 43-39

20. Charlotte Hornets

Luke Kennard

Duke

Sophomore

Guard

Kennard is one of the best shooters in the draft, and he shows enough versatility that he can play off the ball a bit as well.

With Nicolas Batum, Marco Belinelli and Jeremy Lamb, the Hornets already have a lot of 2s, but none of them strokes it the way Kennard does.

Projected record: 44-38

21. Denver Nuggets (via Grizzlies)*

Rodions Kurucs

Latvia

Age: 18

Forward

The Nuggets have one of the best international scouting services in the league, and this is their second pick in the first round.

Kurucs is a long, athletic wing who can shoot the basketball. He's a draft-and-stash guy, but scouts love his upside if he's given a few more years to develop.

Projected record (Grizzlies): 45-37 (Denver will get Memphis' first-round pick if it falls outside the top five.)

22. Oklahoma City Thunder

Tyler Lydon

Syracuse

Sophomore

Forward

Lydon has been a mild disappointment as a sophomore, but he's playing better the past few weeks. His combination of athleticism, 3-point shooting, versatility and rebounding make him an intriguing prospect in the 20s.

The Thunder could use long-term help at forward, and Lydon can play both the 3 and the 4.

Projected record: 46-36

23. Utah Jazz

Marques Bolden

Duke

Freshman

Center

The Jazz are loaded with intriguing young players at every position. They're one of the deepest teams in the league, so they can afford to take a risk.

Bolden is clearly a project. He barely gets off the bench for the Blue Devils, and his inconsistency as a presence in the paint has carried over from his high school days. However, his size, reach, wing span and upside could have the Jazz looking smart in a few years.

This would be a long-term play.

Projected record: 49-33

24. Brooklyn Nets (via Celtics)*

Omer Yurtseven

NC State

Freshman

Center

The Nets have to be hurting. They could be drafting a player such as Lonzo Ball, had former GM Billy King not traded their future for Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce a few years ago.

Yurtseven is a bit of a sleeper. He got a late start to the season because of some NCAA eligibility issues, but he's big and skilled, and he can do all the things NBA teams want modern bigs to do, such as shoot and protect the rim.

He isn't a great athlete, nor will he be ready right away, but the Nets have to think about the future.

Projected record (Celtics): 50-32

25. Toronto Raptors (via Clippers)*

Isaiah Hartenstein

Germany

Age: 18

Forward

Raptors GM Masai Ujiri has never been shy about grabbing international talents, and Hartenstein certainly has the talent to go this high. He scored 14.7 PPG and 9.3 RPG in 25.7 MPG for Germany in the FIBA Under-18 European Championships.

Picking up a 7-footer who can spread the floor at the 4 position would be a long-term upgrade for the Raptors down the road.

Projected record (Clippers): 52-30 (Toronto will get L.A.'s first-round pick if it falls outside the lottery.)

26. Houston Rockets

Jawun Evans

Oklahoma State

Sophomore

Guard

All the hype about the incredible freshman point guard class has hidden Evans a bit.

He's doesn't have great size, nor is he an elite athlete, but his abilities to run a team, hit big shots and and hold onto the ball make him an intriguing backup point guard.

Projected record: 58-24

27. Toronto Raptors

Ike Anigbogu

UCLA

Freshman

Center

This is the type of player Ujiri loves: underrated and a little raw but with athleticism and toughness that should translate to the NBA.

Anigbogu doesn't play a huge role for UCLA, but his athleticism and shot-blocking have turned a lot of heads.

Projected record: 59-23

28. Cleveland Cavaliers

Tony Bradley

North Carolina

Freshman

Center

The Cavs are rolling this year without a traditional center. Tristan Thompson is doing a great job, but getting a true 7-footer in there could pay off down the road.

Bradley is a pretty raw prospect offensively, though he's already one of the better young rebounders in the country.

Projected record: 60-22

29. San Antonio Spurs

Josh Hart

Villanova

Senior

Guard

Hart just feels like a Spurs player: solid, no ego and can hurt you in a number of ways, such as hitting 3s and getting to the basket.

The Spurs obviously have Danny Green to do a lot of that, but with Manu Ginobili likely in his last season, Hart could be a nice fit.

Projected record: 62-20

30. Utah Jazz (via Warriors)*

Kostja Mushidi

Belgium

Age: 18

Guard

This is the second first-rounder for the Jazz, and I wouldn't be surprised if they go international.

Mushidi is a raw prospect who needs to improve his shooting, but his athleticism and scoring acumen make him an attractive option. He ended up averaging 14.7 PPG for Germany in the FIBA Under-18 European Championships.

However, his 8-for-42 shooting from 3 is the big reason he isn't higher on our board.

Projected record (Warriors): 69-13 (Utah owns Golden State's first-round pick.)

BPI projected records current as of Jan. 2

http://insider.espn.com/nba/insider/story/_/id/18396903/chad-ford-nba-mock-draft-20-picks-philadelphia-76ers-boston-celtics-more

[shanedude]

For the Chad heads, going to take a lot of consistency to stay worse than the Mavs, Magic's, King's and Pels. Smith or Ntilikina wouldn't be a bad prize either, if our pick isn't traded.

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Thanks for posting!

[goodboy]

Lmao

[DayofMourning]

Shanedude with high level quoting skills. Much appreciate IMHO. Chest hurt, brb.