The 2017 NBA Draft is here, so the crew at Purple & Blues have all completed mock drafts. We’ve pooled our data here into a consensus in an effort to see who the Utah Jazz and the rest of the league’s teams might pick.
On Thursday, the 2016-17 NBA campaign gives way to what promises to be an exciting summer beginning with the 2017 NBA Draft. Already there have been multiple trades ahead of the draft and the start of free agency on July 1, with more moves sure to come. But the big story now is where each prospect will land on draft night.
It’s a particularly important night for the Utah Jazz, who currently hold picks at Nos. 24 and 30 in the first round, as well as Nos. 42 and 55 in Round 2. What Jazz GM Dennis Lindsey decides to do with those picks will set the tone for the team’s future and affect their pitch to Gordon Hayward when he officially hits the open market.
So, in an effort to figure out what the Jazz and the league’s 29 other teams might do, the whole crew here at Purple & Blues have done mock drafts. I then took that data, plugged it all together and have created a composite mock draft by computing the average score of the predictions that we’ve made.
Here’s the Purple & Blues consensus mock draft based on the composite scores of 10 different individual mocks…
HT: 6’4″ WT: 195 WINGSPAN: 6’9 ¾” Age: 19
Unsurprisingly, Markelle Fultz was our unanimous choice for the No. 1 overall pick in the draft. Danny Ainge is either a mad genius or someone who will rue the day he moved the top pick. In any case, the Sixers get the top prize in Fultz and are on their way to becoming a team to reckon with in the East.
Imagine Fultz getting buckets, with Joel Embiid in the post, Ben Simmons distributing and Dario Saric flat making plays. Wow.
HT: 6’6″ WT: 190 WINGSPAN: 6’7″ Age: 19
Just to see LaVar Ball’s reaction, I dream of seeing the LA Lakers take a pass on Lonzo at No. 2. However, our group doesn’t think it’s going to happen — only one voter had Lonzo Ball not ending up in Los Angeles. With former No. 2 overall pick D’Angelo Russell reportedly heading Eastward, the path is clear for him to take the reins in La-La Land.
He has a screwball release on his shot, but he does a lot of things very well and has elite size at the point guard position that will continue to create mismatches on both sides of the ball.
HT: 6’8″ WT: 203 WINGSPAN: 6’9 ¾” Age: 20
Josh Jackson has good size on the wing and is a versatile offensive player. At Kansas, he played the small ball four at times and was effective in doing so. His basketball IQ and energy level are off the charts; a combination that could bode well for him in terms of his ceiling along with his measurables.
As with most of the prospects at the top of the draft, his selection range was pretty small in our individual mocks. Unless something crazy happens, he won’t escape the Top 5.
HT: 6’4″ WT: 171 WINGSPAN: 6’6 ½” Age: 19
De’Aaron Fox doesn’t quite have the measurements that Fultz and Ball do at the point guard position, but he’s still above average. His best attributes are his speed, leaping ability and explosiveness. They’ll make him hard to stay in front of at the next level.
On the downside, he really needs to work on that three-point shot. He attempted less than two per game last season and hit on less than 25 percent of those.
HT: 6’8″ WT: 204 WINGSPAN: 6’11” Age: 19
Jayson Tatum shows up at No. 5 in our consensus mock, but some of our individual mocks had him going off the board at No. 3 to the Boston Celtics. Some have opined that the C’s may have even traded down to select him.
In any event, Tatum has really good size and length on the wing and has a solid frame that could help him add strength over time. He’s highly skilled; a strong offensive player, good in transition and should be able to contribute immediately at the NBA level.
HT: 6’11” WT: 205 WINGSPAN: 7’1 ¼” Age: 19
FSU’s Jonathan Isaac has great size and length; he should be able to play as both a three and a four (maybe even a five) as a pro and has the potential to guard multiple positions out on the floor as well. He’s also a great athlete for his size with a strong skill set for his age.
He should be able to score as a jump shooter and has the physical tools to develop in other areas as well. Big potential.
HT: 6’4″ WT: 197 WINGSPAN: 6’3 ½” Age: 19
Another player with little variance in our mocks, Malik Monk is a combo guard through and through. He knows how to move off-ball and around screens to get buckets and connected on just under 40 percent of a whopping seven three-point attempts per game last season, but he doesn’t have great size as a two.
His spot in the league will be providing a scoring punch in Lou Williams-esque fashion.
HT: 7’0″ WT: 225 WINGSPAN: N/A Age: 20
Big man Lauri Markkanen will be a floor-stretcher in the NBA. He has great size as a four-man and could easily play the center position as well. In any case, he hit the three at a 42 percent clip and was an 80-percent foul shooter last year for the Wildcats; that’s rare air for a legit seven-footer.
He also moves well for man with size. However, defense could be an issue. Especially in his early career.
HT: 6’3″ WT: 195 WINGSPAN: 6’3″ Age: 19
Dennis Smith is similar to De’Aaron Fox in that he has burst and explosiveness with the ball in his hands. He’s also a shifty, crafty ball-handler who attacks the basket with ruthless aggression. The big difference comes in the measurements, where Fox is a just a bit bigger/longer. Where Smith gets him is his strength and physicality.
That said, he did tear his ACL a year and a half ago. He looked great last season, but it’s something to think about.
HT: 6’5″ WT: 170 WINGSPAN: N/A Age: 18
An ultra-long guard in the Dante Exum mold, I had the Sacramento Kings reaching a bit to take Frank Ntilikina at No. 5 in my mock because KINGZ! Like Exum and Dennis Schröder before him, he’s the kind of player I usually draft-crush on. However, he’ll probably have a hard time learning how to finish among the trees down low.
There’s going to be a growth curve, but Nkilitina could be a great project pick for someone in the mid to late lottery.
HT: 7’0″ WT: 230 WINGSPAN: 7’1″ Age: 19
A highly-skilled seven-footer with good mobility, Zach Collins blocked nearly two shots in just 17 minutes per game in his lone season with the Zags. He’s also a burgeoning three-point shooter; it’s a small sample size, but he shot nearly 48 percent from distance this past season. His form is also solid.
Collins will need to improve his feel for the game; he’s not a great decision-maker or distributor at this juncture. But big men who can block shots and (potentially) shoot threes are few and far between.
HT: 6’3″ WT: 210 WINGSPAN: 6’10” Age: 20
The Detroit Pistons have been rumored to be shopping the No. 12 pick for some time. Coincidentally, our consensus has Donovan Mitchell — who made a point to work out for the Utah Jazz and raved about their organization — landing at the same pick. Maybe there’s something to be done here.
As a player, Mitchell has crazy length in the backcourt with a 6-foot-10 wingspan and a standing reach over eight feet. He also posted a no-step vertical leap of nearly 37 inches. That’s some serious hops.
HT: 6’6″ WT: 202 WINGSPAN: 6’5 ¼” Age: 21
He’s a bit older at 21, his size/length are average and he’s not as athletic as some of the other players in his position group, but Luke Kennard can flat score the ball. He’s a great shooter — 52-44-85 at Duke last season — a crafty scorer and has a good feel for the game offensively.
He’ll give his best effort on defense, but will have a hard time staying in front of people on the NBA. Jimmer-like, but with proper NBA size.
HT: 6’11” WT: 224 WINGSPAN: 7’5 ¼” Age: 19
One of two bigs I’m draft-crushing on, Jarrett Allen gives me the same soft, fuzzy feelings I had for Hassan Whiteside coming out of Marshall back in 2010. It’s all about his physical profile; he as a wingspan approaching 7-foot-6 and a standing reach approaching 9-foot-2. Even when his feet fail him, that length will enable him to switch out on guards in the screen-roll game.
The rub is that whoever takes him are really going to have to work with him on his offensive game.
For the record, one of our individual mocks made the bold prediction that Jonah Bolden would get picked at No. 14. BOLD!
HT: 6’10” WT: 225 WINGSPAN: 6’11 ¼” Age: 19
Our mocks had John Collins of Wake Forest going as high as No. 11 to the Charlotte Hornets, all the way back to the low 20s. If the Portland Trail Blazers get him at No. 15 as our consensus predicts, they’ll be getting a strong inside player and rebounder, particularly on the offensive glass.
He probably won’t space the floor for you; he had no three-point game to speak of as a collegiate, and he’s not a distributor. But he’ll be able to receive a pass and finish at the tin for you.
HT: 6’8″ WT: 215 WINGSPAN: 7’2 ¼” Age: 19
A funny thing happened with OG Anunoby in the panels’ mock drafts. A few of us see him as having big-time potential. Having said that, only one of us had him going higher than No. 15 and some of us have him going in the low 20s. In any case, there’s a lot to love about the former Hoosier.
He’s a slasher and has a great wingspan, lateral speed and disruptive instincts on defense. Anunoby was a defender from the Kawhi Leonard mold at Indiana. Just as Leonard did, he’ll need to fine-tune his shot and get a better feel for the game. He also needs to get healthy after battling major injuries in college.
HT: 6’8″ WT: 193 WINGSPAN: 6’11” Age: 22
Justin Jackson was one of the panels’ pendulum players. He was mocked in the lottery by some of us, while others had him falling out of the first round entirely. I look at him as the Rodney Hood of the 2017 class. He’s skilled, he’s long and he’s played in some big games. He also has a knack for being in the right spot and making the proper reads.
On the other hand, he’s older and less athletic than some of his counterparts.
HT: 7’0″ WT: 226 WINGSPAN: 7’3″ Age: 20
Justin Patton out of Creighton is a legit center in the NBA, but he could also be a project. He’s 20 years old, but played just one season in college after redshirting his first year. When he hears his name called on draft night it will be the culmination of a proverbial rags-to-riches story for Patton, who wasn’t heavily recruited out of high school.
He’s a strong athlete and leaper and will block shots in the NBA, but he’s going to need more development in several areas.
HT: 6’11” WT: 222 WINGSPAN: 7’3 ¼” Age: 19
Harry Giles reminds me of Joel Embiid, DeJuan Blair or former Jazz pick Curtis Borchardt. All were top flight prospects before big-time injury concerns came into play. When the Jazz gambled on Borchardt, for example, they lived to regret it. And while Blair had some good years in the league, his bad knees won in the end.
The jury is still out on Embiid, who has missed significant time already/
Giles may not be a potential franchise cornerstone like Embiid, but he could be a high pick with star potential if a team is convinced he’s OK physically. If not, Giles could drop out of the first round entirely, as he did in one of our individual mocks.
HT: 6’10” WT: 220 WINGSPAN: 6’11” Age: 20
UCLA big man TJ Leaf had one of the smallest variances of any prospect in our mock draft. Aside from one late first-round outlier, his range was just 18 to 22. At No. 20 here, the Trail Blazers would get a smart player who will do the right thing on the floor and give you a strong level of effort. He also shot the three well in a small sample size.
His measurements won’t blow you away, though, and he’ll need to get stronger/tougher if he doesn’t want to get pushed around in the paint.
HT: 6’7″ WT: 186 WINGSPAN: 6’8 ¾” Age: 19
Terrance Ferguson took the Brandon Jennings approach to his NBA path. Instead of playing college ball, he headed overseas after high school. But as a member of the NBL’s (Australia) Adelaide 36ers, he saw just 15 minutes per game and didn’t post particularly impressive numbers.
Nevertheless, he has great length as a two-guard, high-level athleticism and, despite poor shooting numbers in the Land Down Under, could become a good catch-and-shoot player as well. His mock range was late lottery to second-round.
HT: 6’10” WT: 250 WINGSPAN: 7’2 ¾” Age: 19
In the FanSided mock draft, Kentucky big man Bam Adebayo was the Jazz pick at No. 24. Here’s what Purple & Blues’ Jared Woodcox said about his prospects in the pro ranks —
"At 6-foot-10, 260 pounds he has the size of a center but also boasts the athleticism to potentially play some at the power forward spot. … What perhaps makes him most intriguing, however, is his ability to shoot the 3-ball. In his recent workout with the Charlotte Hornets, he knocked down 13-of-25 3-pointers and has certainly turned some heads as a potentially dangerous shooter from range at some point in the future."
After two years of Jeff Withey, he’s the kind of player I’d be happy to see in Utah. Alas, our consensus mock has him off the board before the Jazz make their pick.
HT: 6’10” WT: 230 WINGSPAN: 7’6 ¼” Age: 18
In my mock draft, Ike Anigbogu was the pick at No. 24 for our Utah Jazz. If that were to come to fruition on draft night, I’m betting that armchair draft experts across the Salt Lake Valley would rejoice.
The 18-year-old was a bit banged up at UCLA, but he has incredible length and finished in the Pac-12’s Top 10 in blocked shots despite playing just 13 minutes per game. He also chases rebounds in a great way. He’s another project, but one that could pay dividends on both ends of the floor in the end.
Personally, I love this guy.
HT: 6’10” WT: 240 WINGSPAN: 7’3″ Age: 21
Several weeks ago, Michigan big man DJ Wilson was rumored to have received a first-round guarantee from the Utah Jazz. So, whether he was actually guaranteed or not, maybe it’s kismet that he lands in Dennis Lindey’s lap in our consensus mock draft.
Wilson is a fluid athlete with good size as a four-man and could probably play the five at times as well. He also has the potential to be a strong playmaker and floor-spacer with the Jazz. In the mid tp late first-round, that’s a pretty enticing package.
HT: 7’2″ WT: 229 WINGSPAN: N/A Age: 21
Anzejs Pasecniks was a teammate of New York Knicks big man Kristaps Porzingis on the Latvian Under-18 national team. Pasecniks may not have the star power or intrigue that Porzingis had in 2015 when he was picked, but he does have a similar floor game.
He’s big, he works well in the screen-roll game and is reportedly developing a shot that will help him stretch the floor. Strength is something he’ll need more of if he’s going to have success in the post and on the glass at the NBA level.
HT: 6’7″ WT: 241 WINGSPAN: 6’9 ¾” Age: 22
If there’s a player in this year’s class that I’d really like to see end up in Utah, it’s SMU forward Semi Ojeleye. Here we have him going to the Portland Trail Blazers at No. 26, but I think he’d be a great pick-up for a number of teams. I profiled Ojeleye when he worked out for the Jazz earlier this month; you can check that out for an in-depth look at his NBA journey.
What you really need to know about the 22-year-old is that he’s built like a tank (240-plus pounds and just five percent body fat), is a really good in the catch-and-shoot and has a rough-and-tumble game that hearkens back to former Jazzmen DeMarre Carroll and Trevor Booker.
HT: 6’9″ WT: 227 WINGSPAN: 6’11 ¾” Age: 22
Jordan Bell is a hustle player who has the look of a strong NBA defender and projects to be a good rebounder at the next level. He was the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year this past season. Bell has good length for the four spot, boasting a nearly seven-foot wingspan; his measurements are less impressive as a five.
Nevertheless, he is a high-level athlete and posted some crazy numbers in testing at the NBA Draft combine. His offensive skillset is a work in progress; he’s been working hard to improve his range, face-up game and his pick-and-pop prowess.
HT: 7’0″ WT: 225 WINGSPAN: 7’2 ¼” Age: 19
Isaiah Hartenstein has the height, length and frame of a true five-man in the NBA. The scouting reports say he’s not a strong deep threat yet, but he’s mobile, agile and a strong passer. He needs to work on his offensive awareness and decision-making and, like some of the other big men in the draft, will need to get stronger.
Still, he’s probably a nice play in the back end of the first round.
HT: 6’9″ WT: 221 WINGSPAN: 7’0 ¼” Age: 21
If Kyle Kuzma of Utah ended up in a San Antonio Spurs uniform, it could be a great relationship for both sides. His ability to handle the ball and distribute from the power forward position would work well in the Spurs’ offense and the team’s developmental machine would help him maximize his talent.
In college, he showed himself to be a smooth scorer and a strong transition player. The physicality of the league is probably something he’ll have to adjust to.
HT: 6’4″ WT: 208 WINGSPAN: 6’7 ½” Age: 19
We close out the first round with a crowd-pleaser for Jazz fans in Utah. Duke guard Frank Jackson was the state’s Mr. Basketball and a McDonald’s All-American when he starred for Lone Peak High School in the Salt Lake City area. He was also the player most mocked to the Jazz in our drafts with half of us sending him to the Jazz at No. 30.
In looking at his actual skillset, he’s a combo guard that can jump out of the gym (he registered a 42-inch max vertical at the combine) and score in a myriad of ways.
On the downside, he has good size as a point guard, but is more of a two where his measurements are average. He was also pretty streaky as a collegiate.
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Player measurements courtesy of DraftExpress.