Mock Drafts
NBA AM: The First 2017 NBA Mock Draft
Jeff Hawkins is an award-winning sportswriter with more than four decades in the industry (print and digital media). A freelance writer/stay-at-home dad since 2008, Hawkins started his career with newspaper stints in Michigan, North Carolina, Florida, Upstate New York and Illinois, where he earned the 2004 APSE first-place award for column writing (under 40,000 circulation). As a beat writer, he covered NASCAR Winston Cup events at NHIS (1999-2003), the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks (2003-06) and the NFL's Carolina Panthers (2011-12). Hawkins penned four youth sports books, including a Michael Jordan biography. Hawkins' main hobbies include mountain bike riding, 5k trail runs at the Whitewater Center in Charlotte, N.C., and live music.
All posts by Jeff HawkinsUpdated11 Oct 2023
It’s Mock Draft Time
As most NBA teams cross the 40-game mark this week, some teams will start to very aggressively look at the trade market to improve, while some others may look at the standings and decide whether the potential of the 2017 NBA Draft might be too appealing to pass up.
By most accounts, this might be the best point guard crop in almost a decade, with most talent evaluators pegging this possible draft class with as many as eight high-level talents. There could be a good handful more who could be very good players on a winning team, making this potentially one of the deeper draft classes the NBA has seen in a few years.
While it’s still very early in the draft process, here is our first look at the draft in 2017 and how it could play out:
**Player profiles powered by DraftExpress.
There are a few notable trades to keep in mind as it pertains to where picks are currently projected based on the NBA standings through games played on 1/11/2016:
The Boston Celtics have the right to swap picks with the Brooklyn Nets, who would currently hold the top overall pick if the standings hold true.
Philadelphia does have the right to swap picks with Sacramento. However, their pick is currently more favorable.
Philadelphia is currently owed a first round pick from the Lakers which is top-three protected, based on the standing that pick would convey this year.
Chicago is owed a pick from Sacramento which is currently top 10 protected if Philadelphia passes on the swap rights on their pick, the pick would likely convey to Chicago, based on the standings. This mock draft currently reflects the pick staying in Sacramento, although it likely will not.
The Denver Nuggets will receive the Memphis Grizzlies first round pick for their role in the Timofey Mozgov trade with the Cavaliers in 2015.
The Toronto Raptors received the LA Clippers first round pick from the Milwaukee Bucks as part of the Greivis Vasquez trade in 2015.
The Utah Jazz will receive the Golden State Warrior pick from the Andre Iguodala salary dump that sent Andris Biedrins, Richard Jefferson and Brandon Rush to the Jazz to clear room to sign Iguodala in 2013.
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