5 NBA Teams That Likely Regret Their 2017 Draft Picks
Most of 2017's first-round picks are making their NBA teams feel good about their draft-night decisions. Not all of them, however.
Five teams could be feeling some regret based on where their rookie is or who the franchise passed on. Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell and Los Angeles Lakers forward Kyle Kuzma likely caused some general managers sleepless nights.
A few teams drafted players they don't have room for given who's already on the roster. And it's likely to affect their picks' development.
And one team will no doubt regret trading its second-rounder for cash considerations.
Charlotte Hornets
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Of 509 NBA players, Malik Monk ranks last in real plus-minus, per ESPN.com.
The Charlotte Hornets have to be second-guessing their 2017 first-round selection, with Monk shooting 33.4 percent during a year in which they presumably were expecting to reach the playoffs.
It hurts more knowing Mitchell went two picks later in the lottery at No. 13 overall.
Monk hasn't figured out how to create or locate quality scoring chances inside the arc, where he's converting at just a 34.6 percent clip. His shot selection makes it difficult to stay efficient. 54.9 percent of his total attempts are pull-ups. He's taken 27 free throws all season.
Monk also doesn't offer much playmaking or defense, making him difficult to play on nights when his jumper isn't falling.
New York Knicks
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Frank Ntilikina looks poised to become a useful defensive-minded role player for the New York Knicks. It doesn't mean they won't regret passing on Dennis Smith Jr. and Mitchell, both of whom the team considered at No. 8, per Stefan Bondy of the Daily News and Ian Begley of ESPN.com.
The Knicks have taken it slow with Ntilikina, who's nowhere near where Smith or Donovan are offensively. Head coach Jeff Hornacek has been reluctant to let him play through mistakes for long stretches, even with New York competing for lottery position.
For a guard, Ntilikina struggles to create unless he receives a ball screen. And he's shot just 35.9 percent from the field, averaging 3.1 assists to 1.7 turnovers per game.
There are still plenty of reasons to remain optimistic with his outside shooting and defense. But Ntilikina doesn't appear to be the lead guard of the future that Smith and Mitchell will be for their respective teams.
Denver Nuggets
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The Denver Nuggets were set to pick at No. 13 when Mitchell was on the board. Then they decided to trade down 11 spots for the No. 24 pick's draft rights and 2015 first-rounder Trey Lyles.
Lyles has been a pleasant surprise, but he doesn't balance out the deal after the Nuggets took Tyler Lydon in the 24th spot and Mitchell exploded as the draft's top scorer.
Lydon has played two minutes all season, unable to threaten for a spot in the rotation. The Nuggets also had the chance to grab Kuzma, another stretch 4, who's averaging 16.0 points per game.
Even next year, it's tough to picture Lydon earning minutes with Lyles, Paul Millsap, Mason Plumlee, Kenneth Faried, Juan Hernangomez and Nikola Jokic in Denver's frontcourt. Thoughts of a potential Mitchell-Jamal Murray duo could haunt the Nuggets for years.
Chicago Bulls
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The Chicago Bulls received cash in exchange for the rights to the No. 38 pick. And it's unlikely that cash will be more valuable than Jordan Bell, who's shooting 63.3 percent from the field and averaging 9.3 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 2.6 blocks and 1.6 steals per 36 minutes.
Bell adds a useful mix of athleticism and energy to the Golden State Warriors. The Chicago Bulls' No. 26-ranked defense (108.9 points allowed per 100 possessions) could have used his switchability and playmaking ability around the rim.
Even if Chicago never saw Bell as an NBA player, the team passed on Sterling Brown, Dillon Brooks, Dwayne Bacon, Tyler Dorsey, Sindarius Thornwell, Isaiah Hartenstein and Damyean Dotson, picks in the 40s who've either had promising flashes or performed well in the G League.
The Lauri Markkanen pick for the Bulls at No. 7 turned out to be a good one, but they're going to regret giving away their second-rounder in 2017.
Milwaukee Bucks
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Add D.J. Wilson's name to the list of college players (with Malachi Richardson and RJ Hunter) who were overvalued in the draft after big NCAA tournament games.
The Milwaukee Bucks took Wilson at No. 17 despite him averaging just 11.0 points and 5.3 rebounds per game his junior year at Michigan. The team must have been intrigued by the idea of a 6'10" face-up forward who could handle the ball and make open threes. But Wilson never excelled in any one area, and he was inconsistent all throughout college.
With Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jabari Parker, Khris Middleton and Tony Snell, Wilson hasn't even had a chance in Milwaukee, where he's played 69 minutes all season.
Regardless, the Bucks passed on John Collins, Jarrett Allen, OG Anunoby and Kuzma, rookies who've already established themselves as contributors and promising long-term prospects for their respective teams. At this point, it's difficult to picture Wilson making a positive impact in Milwaukee anytime soon.
