Los Angeles Lakers land their dream prospect in 2017 NBA Mock Draft
By Nick Ziegler
Who did the Los Angeles Lakers select with their two first round picks in our 2017 NBA mock Draft?
The Los Angeles Lakers were big winners during the NBA Draft lottery. They landed the second overall pick for the third consecutive year, giving them an excellent chance to add more young talent to their roster.
The Lakers will have a legitimate chance of landing UCLA star point guard Lonzo Ball. Were they able to land him in our NBA Mock Draft? Who did the Lakers select with the second of their first round draft picks, No. 28 overall?
You’ll have to read on and found out! Check out our full first round NBA Mock Draft. The first team on the clock is the Boston Celtics. With the first pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, the Boston Celtics select…
1. player. 18. . Small Forward. Duke. Jayson Tatum
The Celtics lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals. Usually, that doesn’t result in a top pick, but the Celtics are still reaping the benefits from a lopsided trade with the Brooklyn Nets. The Celtics are glad to make the selection as they can continue building for the future with another foundational piece.
Washington point guard Markelle Fultz is a popular pick for this spot, with good reason. Fultz is a dynamic player, but the Celtics already have a point guard they like in Isaiah Thomas. Marcus Smart is naturally a point guard as well. Instead, we add another player the Celtics can try throwing at LeBron James over the next few years in Jayson Tatum.
Tatum is arguably the most NBA-ready prospect in this year’s class. Tatum stands 6-feet-8 inches tall and weighs in at 204 pounds, already possessing an NBA body. He has the potential to become a lockdown perimeter defender and already brings a diverse offensive game with him.
The Celtics would benefit from adding another scoring option to their roster, especially on the wing. There is only so much the Celtics can rely on the diminutive Thomas to score for them. He needs help and Tatum can deliver that right from the start.
The Celtics and Tatum would be a perfect fit. The question is, are the Celtics willing to pull the trigger on him with the No. 1 overall pick? A trade could be in the works here as well, as the Celtics would truly benefit the most from adding an already established veteran to try overcoming the Cavaliers.