(Pre) 2017 NBA Draft

I've had so little time to go over this year's draft and it's killing me! The shenanigans are the best in years and I'll try to keep it going with a coupla shenanigan ideas of my own. Let's see how they play out.

#1 ) Sixers -- Markelle Fultz. That one's in the bag at this point though clearly Jahlil Okafor is still dangling like an overripe peach. Who wants him enough for Philly to get back in this draft (Okafor, #36 and 2018 1st rounder enough to pry #9 away from Dallas?)

#2) Lakers -- DeAron Fox. Follow my thinking here: it was reported that earlier this week the Lakers tried to swap #2 for #5 and #10 and Sacramento balked. But everyone knows the Kings want Fox, do they want him bad enough to pay a Laker ransom? I say the Lakers take it easy on them: Fox and Luol Deng for #5 (does Lonzo drop to 5?) and Aron Aflalo. I think that's actually a reasonable swap: the Lakers get the guy they want at #5 money instead of #2 money and they take a crappy one year vet instead of a crappy two year vet; the Kings get the guy they want, get to keep #10 and all they gotta do is swallow some salary. Actually not a bad deal for them (but it won't taste so great when the Lakers shove it down their throats).

#3) (Somebody?) -- Josh Jackson. I think the Celtics trade this pick. Either this is part of a package to NYK for the Lativian Gangbanger or maybe they can trick the Kings or Suns into making a panic move (or how about Denver sending over Kenneth Faried, #13 (Celtics take Justin Jackson) and a 2018 1st rounder?). I think the Celtics have got enough future and are looking for some now and I don't think #3 is now enough for them. Personally I think Josh Jackson is the best player in this draft and I think a lot of GMs out there agree with me (though I suspect Danny Ainge wants Jonathon Isaac).

#4) Suns trade #4 to Minnesota for #7 and Zach Lavine. Wolves take Jonathon Isaac,

#5 ) Kings -- Lonzo Ball. (See #2) Kings get Fox, Lakers get Lonzo, Kings still manage to get the short end of the deal but its not too bad (by Kings standards). So it all works out,

#6) Magic -- Dennis Smith. I think that kid might be really good, probably gonna go to waste in Orlando.

#7) Wolves trade the pick to Phoenix. Suns take Malik Monk. Think about it: Malik Monk and Devin Booker together? Oh....man...that....yes. And they get to take a last look at Lavine in his contract year.

#8) Knicks -- Jaysun Tatum. Nail in the coffin of Melo's tenure in New York.

#9) Mavs -- Frank Ntilikana. I dunno, he just seems like the kinda guy the Mavs would take, you know? I can see them trading this pick though.

#10) Kings -- Lari Markennen. They're in the mode of drafting big guys they don't need, seems like Markennen fits the bill for them.

#11) Hornets -- Luke Kennard. Jordan loves him so big useless white guys so naturally I assumed Zach Collins was a lock here. But since they just traded for Dwight Howard (darker skinned than Jordan generally likes but plenty big and useless), kinda leaves this spot up for grabs. Luke Kennard fits the white part and he's kinda big. (I bet they'd love to trade up and grab #3 but I can't imagine they have anything Danny Ainge wants)

#12) Pistons -- Donovan Mitchell. He's been rising up the draft boards lately and I bet Stan Van is eager to move on from Reggie Jax. I don't think matters what the Pistons do, they're doomed for a coupla more years anyway.

#13) Nuggets -- Justin Jackson. I think Jackson is really underrated. I get it: he's a weird looking dude, he doesn't look like a big time baller, but he's big and smart and has good instincts on the court (could be the next...Kenneth Faried? Would the Celtics be interesting in Faried?). I think the Heat are dying to get their hands on him, that alone makes me think the Nuggets grab him and throw in him into their mix of young talent.

#14) Heat -- Harry Giles. Miami is not that concerned about the draft, they're concerned about how to get from under Chris Bosh's massive contract. So when Riles looks up and realizes another all-world Duke prospect has fallen in his lap, he'll bring him in and throw him in the rotation. If it helps lure in Blake Griffin, that'll do.

#15) Blazers -- (trade). Blazers have 3 1st round picks and tons of salary to dump...if you were ever looking for the third wheel in a 3-team trade, call Portland. Do you realize how far over the salary cap the Blazers are? They are Prokhorov-ish-ly drowning in taxes for the foreseeable future. And they have three 1st round picks in this draft! If they figure out how to renounce half their roster, that'd be a dream come true. But I don't see it happening. Blazers have got to wheel and deal, got to listen to any offer. I don't see anyone at #15 that fits what the Blazers need, no one they've just got have, so I think this pick is destined to be a throw-in for some other team.

#16) Bulls -- (I dunno). If the Bulls can lure in Kyle Lowry, then maybe they got something next year. Terrence Ferguson seems like the most intriguing guy here but they'd rather have Lowry and D-Wade, not sure Ferguson does anything for them. Adebayo and Allen and Onunby don't stand out from each other, so who do they pick? I dunno.

#17) Bucks -- OG Anunby. If Giles or Justin Jackson falls to this point, I'd say the Bucks will snatch one of them up. But I don't see that happening. Personally I love Caleb Swanigan, but I understand people being hesitant about his...uh....body. I don't feel like they need the scoring of Terrence Ferguson. Ivan Rabb might fit here but I think they'll go with a wing defender and they could be Anunby.

#18) Pacers -- Terrence Ferguson. They need take a swing on some scoring. Doesn't feel like Teague will be back (or George Hill for that matter), so why not see if this kid Ferguson can fill it up?

#19) Hawks -- (anything). Remember when the 49ers were young, talented, and deep at every position and then, like, 2 years later they were utterly terrible? Yeah, that's how the Hawks are going. Danny Ferry put together a pretty good squad there and they ran him outta town and dismantled his team and now they got nothing (jeez, they don't have even have Dwight Howard any more!). They need anything and everything, so much so that it almost doesn't even matter who they get at #19.

#20) Blazers -- (again?). Yeah, same problem. Three 1st round picks would be great if they could get rid of 2-3 guys they've already got.

(Yeah, I'm already bored of this exercise. Once you get past the first 8-9 guys in this draft it becomes a lot less about the young talent and a lot more about that salary cap not rising the way everyone thought it would. So this year's draft will be less about adding and more about subtracting. Kinda depressing and a lot more unpredictable. And there's nobody that really strikes me as a sleeper out there. Oh sure, Melo Trimble could be this year's Yogi Ferrell but outside of that, the 2nd round looks like a long day's journey into Knicks fans booing randomly. Okay, one more)

#29) Spurs -- Caleb Swanigan. Probably not gonna happen, they'll probably take some kid from Finland I've never heard of. But, man, I really liked Swanigan in the tourney, loved his smarts, loved his passing, think he'd be such a good pickup for the Spurs.