Fischella's NBA Mock Draft 2017

[No-Man]

I am comfy with a top15-20, the back-end of the 1st is totally open as of now, I got a Board/Mock, helps me organize my thoughts if I use real teams,

[Coeur]

As a guy hoping monk and fox types could drop to that range I like it.

Frank Jackson a 2nd round pick?

[doordoor123]

You answered some of my questions on your podcast so never mind.

After listening to your recent podcast, I think you should consider paying attention to personality in terms of scouting. It's an important factor when talking about development. Some guys look like they want it more. Like with Ball, how you say we already know what he can do so we think we can project him well. The thing with that is that his family is a huge basketball family and they love basketball. They're also really confident and think Lonzo is the second coming of Kobe Bryant or something. He never lost in high school and has been winning a lot in college (I also wouldn't be surprised if UCLA won the whole thing). He's a confident kid and I will bet you all the money in the world his family, as well as himself will be pushed to become the best player he can be. And the team that picks him will know that. If he has issues in the NBA, I think he's going to figure out a way to correct it.

Also with Jonathan Isaac and Frank Ntilikina. A lot of your issues with these two guys are mental errors, things easily fixed with the right coach. The problem is the wrong coach in the NBA can give the players false confidence in a move that isn't fit for the NBA. Reggie Jackson was a guy who would never finish at the rim in OKC and the first thing Stan Van Gundy made him do was finish at the rim. Van Gundy has a podcast with him talking about it. How a lot of players coming into the NBA have this weird thing of not laying it in the basket or attacking the rim. It made a huge difference to Reggie Jackson's game. So again, coach is important and personality.

[No-Man]

Update before MM, this is as always my board, it's presented as a Mock because that helps me sort players within the same tier, the order is projected by 538 for the end of the season and some guys could swing 5-6 picks easily in my mind, esp at the end, some I left off that could've made it are;

Anzejs Pasecniks
Sindarius Thornwell
Monte Morris
Marko Guduric
Tyler Lydon

I basically haven't bothered projecting who will declare and who won't, it's all moot probably because half the guys wont be there, but still...

[PLO]

Nice work Javier, and on the pod as well: just a question, if you are in the 6ers shoes and you pick a forward as in your mock above (obviously in the case the Lakers pick doesn't transfer) what guards should we be targeting at the end of the 1st round/start of the second to fill one of our deficiencies there? Obviously to get back into the 1st round we would have to give up some assets but we do have a slew of them thanks to Sam Hinkie. What guards will fit best with our current core in that area of the draft?

Another question: if you were the 6ers would you prefer the Lakers pick to transfer this year or next?

[reanimator]

I really like the idea of using all draft eligible prospects.

[Cammo101]

Fisch, do you have a ton of problems with the RealGM Draft Simulator? Every time I try to use it it ends up crashing on me like halfway through my mock.

[LloydFree]

I wouldn't put in past Vlade to throw away a high pick on Frank N.

[No-Man]

Fisch, do you have a ton of problems with the RealGM Draft Simulator? Every time I try to use it it ends up crashing on me like halfway through my mock.

it works for me, gets slow as **** but goes through, havent tried with a full one, I'd guess that wont go and esp with comments.

I forgot about Alkins and JMorgan, would probably drop Ojeleye as a one way offensive guy with doubtful D.

[Cammo101]

Fisch, do you have a ton of problems with the RealGM Draft Simulator? Every time I try to use it it ends up crashing on me like halfway through my mock.

it works for me, gets slow as **** but goes through, havent tried with a full one, I'd guess that wont go and esp with comments.

I forgot about Alkins and JMorgan, would probably drop Ojeleye as a one way offensive guy with doubtful D.

For me it gets slower and slower every time I add a player from the drop down list until it eventually craps out. Which is a real bummer, because I love the format of it and would use it for every mock if it was more user friendly.

[Ettorefm]

Update before MM, this is as always my board, it's presented as a Mock because that helps me sort players within the same tier, the order is projected by 538 for the end of the season and some guys could swing 5-6 picks easily in my mind, esp at the end, some I left off that could've made it are;

Anzejs Pasecniks
Sindarius Thornwell
Monte Morris
Marko Guduric
Tyler Lydon

I basically haven't bothered projecting who will declare and who won't, it's all moot probably because half the guys wont be there, but still...

Great job on the podcast, btw.

I get not being in love with Fox, but out of the lottery? Really?

I'm not a big fan of his, I wouldn't pick him top 5 or even top 8, but having him below guys like Mikal Bridges and Andrew Jones? I'd love to hear your views on that

[doordoor123]

Update before MM, this is as always my board, it's presented as a Mock because that helps me sort players within the same tier, the order is projected by 538 for the end of the season and some guys could swing 5-6 picks easily in my mind, esp at the end, some I left off that could've made it are;

Anzejs Pasecniks
Sindarius Thornwell
Monte Morris
Marko Guduric
Tyler Lydon

I basically haven't bothered projecting who will declare and who won't, it's all moot probably because half the guys wont be there, but still...

Great job on the podcast, btw.

I get not being in love with Fox, but out of the lottery? Really?

I'm not a big fan of his, I wouldn't pick him top 5 or even top 8, but having him below guys like Mikal Bridges and Andrew Jones? I'd love to hear your views on that

I'm sure he has changed his mind by now. That mock was almost a full month ago (before the tournament).

[No-Man]

I'm sure he has changed his mind by now. That mock was almost a full month ago (before the tournament).

Oh no, I haven't I still think Fox is a low teens/early twenties type of prospect, it's more of a draft philosophy thing, if I were working for a team I'd probably not bother ranking him, he is never going to be available by the point I'd feel comfortable taking him.

[doordoor123]

I'm sure he has changed his mind by now. That mock was almost a full month ago (before the tournament).

Oh no, I haven't I still think Fox is a low teens/early twenties type of prospect, it's more of a draft philosophy thing, if I were working for a team I'd probably not bother ranking him, he is never going to be available by the point I'd feel comfortable taking him.

I'd like to see your mock after a majority declare. Then I'll probably question everyone before Fox.

[doordoor123]

Okay, I've been rewatching Kentucky games, paying extra attention to Fox. I think his biggest issue defensively is his legs. Compared to other point guards, he doesn't have a good center of gravity. He moves with his chest rather than his abdomen, which is going to make it hard for him to put guys on his back in the P&R and it makes it harder for him to get into a defensive stance. It'll also make it harder for him to change directions as quickly as other guys. You might be right, it's possible he ends up not being as good as he seems. His handle is also not great and his shot isn't very good. If he can figure out how to play lower (which isn't easy to accomplish), he could possibly play quicker and be a better player overall. It isn't an easy feat though. I also think his long legs/strides make him seem quicker on straight-line drives to the basket. Dude is all legs, which isn't very good when translating to PG.

[No-Man]

Well, I am back with a Mock that like always basically is an attemp to reflect my thoughts

Few things;

After the top20 that's basically where my tier4 finish sort of, it's a total crapshoot, and it's even worse when we get to tier 6 or so after the top40, I don't care much for any of those guys.

Fox isnt in my tier 4 but he is ahead of some guys that are, the main reason for this is because I think he can add value via trade, he is probably around where Jawun Evans is in the Mock in terms of my board rankings.

This is like always not a prediction but more-so an idea of what I'd do if I were drafting for each and every team, a few guys that could've made it but were just short for slim reasons are;

bigs;

Tony Bradley
Thomas Bryant
Bam Adebayo
Mathias Lessort
Jacob Wiley
Luke Kornet
Aleksandar Vezenkov
Alec Peters
Rashawn Thomas
Johnathan Motley
Alpha Kaba

wingy guys;

Andrew White
Vlatko Cancar
Alberto Abalde
Jalen Moore
Peter Jok
Malcolm Hill
Wesley Iwundu
Ish Wainright
Tahjere McCall
Lovro Mazalin
Jaron Blossomgame

guards;

Kadeem Allen
Melo Trimble
Nigel Williams-Goss
Elie-Franck Okobo
Lorenzo Bonam
Georginho de Paula
Monte Morris
Luke Nelson
Isaiah Briscoe
Kobi Simmons
London Perrantes
Paris Lee
Troy Caupain

Without further ado;


http://basketball.realgm.com/nba/draft/draft_simulator/view/362973/

[Village Idiot]

For Portland I'd be very interested to hear your thoughts on the guys you have us picking. Dozier doesn't fill a need and seems like a reach. The other two aren't even on most mocks.

[No-Man]

For Portland I'd be very interested to hear your thoughts on the guys you have us picking. Dozier doesn't fill a need and seems like a reach. The other two aren't even on most mocks.

Dozier for me does fill a need, he can defend 1-3 with ease, has amazing tools on that end, I like his poise, he can really pass and doesnt get speed up, really economic with his drives also, plays aggressive and his ability to be mixed with starters just because of sheer size, he is likely a back-up perimeter guy but a swiss army knife type that can do it all and, if he ever shoots you have an amazing wing player, even if he doesnt you might get more athletic Shaun Livingston.
Portland has CJ and Dame, but not much behind them, Turner probably gets dumped eventually and they can use another guy that can make plays and really defend, it's an upside play, I like Dozier in that regard better than Thornwell, and White makes 0 sense with Dame and CJ.

Simanic is basically a bet I'd be willing to make because you've got 3 1sts, he is a PF that might be able to play some C if he ever fills out, super quick and smooth, amazing jumper, quick mechanics, the issue is he doesnt have the IQ, hasnt played much pro ball, and he is weak, plays with no force or physicality, I am not sure you can change that, but he has intriguing tools and at that point in the Draft I think is a bet that makes sense.

As for Cyrille, he is basically a typical 3&D prospect, small sample size with the 3 but has fluid mechanics and consistent ones, his shot aint flat also, he has length, and a chiseled body, can attack close-outs, drive a little, he is not as strong or athletic as OG, but is that type of prospect, help defender, can hopefully shoot some, play some 3 and some 4, and maybe be a better shooter than Aminu, which is something Portland could certainly use.

[No-Man]

I have edited the original one, RealGM had several picks wrong in the 2nd round.

[Mr B]

What are you thoughts/reasons for the Mavs picking Donovan Mitchell over De'Aaron Fox? The reason I'm asking is because the Mavs biggest need right now is PG. Also they have been heavily scouting Fox, Smith, and Ntilikina. Donovan Mitchell would be a nice player to have however a combo guard is not really what they need, especially considering the way Curry played last year.