King James Gospel’s 2017 NBA Mock Draft
King James Gospel has joined in on the festivities. We’ve created a mock draft for the 2017 NBA Draft! Draft night trades have been considered and included.
In honor of the 2017 NBA Draft, King James Gospel has generated a mock draft. What’ll make this mock draft a bit different is that it’ll highlight the picks from teams in the Eastern Conference, as their acquisitions in the draft could be a significant contributor next season.
The Cleveland Cavaliers don’t own any picks in the 2017 NBA Draft but have expressed interest in at least nine prospects so far. There’s a distinct possibility that the Cavs buy a second-round pick to select one of these prospects.
You can check out King James Gospel’s profile on Colorado State University shooting guard Gian Clavell, who was kind enough to tell us what the Cleveland Cavaliers liked about him, here.
With that said, take a glance out our mock draft for the 2017 NBA Draft and tell us what you think!
Boston Celtics – G Markelle Fultz, Washington
Los Angeles Lakers – PG Lonzo Ball. UCLA
Philadelphia 76ers – C Zach Collins, Gonzaga
Phoenix Suns – PG De’Aaron Fox, Kentucky
Sacramento Kings – SF Josh Jackson, Kansas
Orlando Magic – PG Dennis Smith, NC State
Minnesota Timberwolves – F Jonathan Isaac, Florida State
New York Knicks – SG Malik Monk, Kentucky
Dallas Mavericks – PF Lauri Markannen, Arizona
Sacramento Kings – PG Frank Ntlikina, France
Charlotte Hornets – Jayson Tatum, Duke
Toronto Raptors (from DET) – SG Donovan Mitchell, Louisville
Denver Nuggets – SF Justin Jackson, North Carolina
Miami Heat – F Semi Ojeleye, SMU
Portland Trail Blazers – F/C Bam Adebayo, Kansas
Chicago Bulls – SG Sindarius Thornwell, South Carolina
Milwaukee Bucks – F/C John Collins, Wake Forest
Indiana Pacers – SG Terrance Ferguson, Australia
Atlanta Hawks – PF TJ Leaf, UCLA
Portland Trail Blazers – G/F Wesley Iwundu, Kansas State
Oklahoma City Thunder – SG Luke Kennard, Duke
Brooklyn Nets – F/C Ivan Rabb, California
Detroit Pistons – G Derrick White, Colorado
Utah Jazz – F Kyle Kuzma, Utah
Orlando Magic – F/C Harry Giles, Duke
Portland Trail Blazers – SF Dillon Brooks, Oregon
Brooklyn Nets – G Josh Hart, Villanova
Los Angeles Lakers – C Jarrett Allen, Texas
San Antonio Spurs – PG Frank Mason, Kansas
Utah Jazz – C Jordan Bell, Oregon
ESPN’s Marc Stein reported yesterday that he’s heard rumblings that the Detroit Pistons are willing to trade the 12th pick for a veteran in a win-now move.
NBA Draft scuttle: Hearing Detroit is open to discussing trades for its No. 12 overall pick in hopes of acquiring more of a win-now veteran.
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) May 30, 2017
In light of the Detroit Pistons’ possible desire to trade the 12th pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, King James Gospel has the Pistons trading the pick to the Toronto Raptors for DeMar Derozan.
The Raptors have a problem on their hands with Kyle Lowry likely to leave in free agency and there needing to be a culture change. Not many superstars are going to be enamored with joining a team that not only was swept out of the playoffs, but taunted along the way. General manager believes that the Raptors need a culture change.
That could come with the firing of head coach Dwane Casey but it could also come with a trade of Derozan, who infamously said these words after being eliminated from the playoffs.
That’s not what you’d like to here from the team’s leader.
In the proposed trade, the Raptors would get Stanley Johnson (who definitely would never say anything like what Derozan said), Reggie Jackson, Tobias Harris and the 12th pick in the draft where they select Donovan Mitchell in this mock draft.
The Pistons would receive Derozan and DeMarre Carroll and the 23rd pick in the draft in return. Our mock draft has them selecting Derrick White.
This is the type of trade that will likely require a future first-round pick but one that changes the culture for the Raptors and gets the Pistons a great player on the wings.
Other than that, the East certainly gets stronger with Boston adding first overall pick Markelle Fultz, the Knicks acquiring a bonafide scorer in Malik Monk and the Chicago Bulls adding Sindarious Thornwell, who fits nicely beside Jimmy Butler on the wing no matter who is playing point guard.
Again, the Cleveland Cavaliers don’t have a pick but there’s a good chance they purchase a second-round pick. Stay tuned, as King James Gospel may release a roundtable mock draft and a two-round mock draft in the future!
Oh, and Zach Collins at 3? I know what you’re thinking. Crazy right? Just trust the process.
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What do you think of King James Gospel’s mock draft? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section or Twitter @KJG_NBA.