NBA Draft Order 2017: Fresh Mock Draft After Lottery Results

After winning their second-round series against the Washington Wizards with a seventh-game victory Monday night, the Boston Celtics were back in the winner's circle Tuesday when they were awarded the No. 1 pick in the NBA's Draft Lottery.

The Celtics have much to think about before making their selection, but it is clear that things worked out superbly for team president Danny Ainge when the envelopes were opened and the Celtics had the No. 1 pick. 

"I think the most exciting thing is getting the No. 1 pick," Ainge said, per Julian Benbow of the Boston Globe. "It’s very fun. It’s very exciting. We’ve never had that before, so that’ll be a lot of fun to explore those options."

Their long-time and traditional rival Los Angeles Lakers have the No. 2 pick, and the Philadelphia 76ers have the third pick.

The top selections in the draft could be point guard Markelle Fultz of Washington, point guard Lonzo Ball of UCLA and power forward Josh Jackson of Kansas.

Here's a look at our mock draft following the lottery, with a more detailed look at the top three picks.

Pick	Team	Player
1	Boston Celtics (via Nets)	Markelle Fultz, G, Washington
2	Los Angeles Lakers	Lonzo Ball, G, UCLA
3	Philadelphia 76ers	Josh Jackson, F, Kansas
4	Phoenix Suns	De'Aaron Fox, G, Kentucky
5	Sacramento Kings (via Sixers)	Malik Monk, G, Kentucky
6	Orlando Magic	Jonathan Isaac, F, Florida State
7	Minnesota Timberwolves	Jayson Tatum, F, Duke
8	New York Knicks	Dennis Smith Jr., G, NC State
9	Dallas Mavericks	Frank Ntilikina, G, France
10	Sacramento Kings (via Pelicans)	Tyler Lydon, F, Syracuse
11	Charlotte Hornets	Lauri Markkanen, F, Arizona
12	Detroit Pistons	John Collins, F, Wake Forest
13	Denver Nuggets	Justin Jackson, F, North Carolina
14	Miami Heat	TJ Leaf, F, UCLA
15	Portland Trail Blazers	Ivan Rabb, F, California
16	Chicago Bulls	Harry Giles, F, Duke
17	Milwaukee Bucks	OG Anunoby, F, Indiana
18	Indiana Pacers	Dwayne Bacon, F, Florida State
19	Atlanta Hawks	Terrance Ferguson, G, Australia
20	Portland Trail Blazers (via Grizzlies)	Sindarius Thornwell, G, South Carolina
21	Oklahoma City Thunder	Luke Kennard, G, Duke
22	Brooklyn Nets (via Wizards)	Josh Hart, G, Villanova
23	Toronto Raptors (via Clippers)	Jarrett Allen, C, Texas
24	Utah Jazz	Moritz (Moe) Wagner, F, Michigan
25	Orlando Magic (via Raptors)	Donovan Mitchell, G, Louisville
26	Portland Trail Blazers (via Cavaliers)	Bam Adebayo, F, Kentucky
27	Brooklyn Nets (via Celtics)	Jonathan Jeanne, C, France
28	Los Angeles Lakers (via Rockets)	Justin Patton, C, Creighton
29	San Antonio Spurs	Zach Collins, C, Gonzaga
30	Utah Jazz (via Warriors)	Hamidou Diallo, G, Kentucky

1. PG Markelle Fultz, Boston Celtics

Fultz appears to be the best player in the draft, but this is still not an easy pick for the Celtics. Their best player is point guard Isaiah Thomas, and his ability to take over a game with his shooting, passing, driving and flat-out energy cannot be overstated.

Thomas is also a major defensive liability because of his lack of height, but he is the primary reason the Celtics have reached the Eastern Conference Final and will challenge the Cleveland Cavaliers Wednesday night.

Fultz averaged 23.2 points and 5.9 assists per game as a freshman for the Huskies last season, and he is a solid 195 pounds on a 6'4" frame. Additionally, Fultz is a long-limbed athlete who may prove quite difficult to defend over the years.

Fultz appears to be the best prospect in this draft, but he plays a position where the Celtics are most dynamic. The Celtics have options, but veteran Boston Globe sports columnist and NBA historian Bob Ryan pointed out that when the Celtics drafted future Hall of Famer Kevin McHale, he was not immediately inserted into the lineup. 

2. PG Lonzo Ball, Los Angeles Lakers

Ball appears to be tailor-made for the Lakers, and this is clearly the team that he wants to play for in his professional career.

When it comes to running the show, Ball appears to have all the weapons. His ability to see the court and distribute the ball has been compared to former NBA star and current Milwaukee Bucks head coach Jason Kidd.

Ball has an awkward-looking outside shot, but it is an effective weapon, and he averaged 14.6 ppg for the Bruins last season. He also had 7.6 assists and 6.0 rebounds per game.

Ball's father, LaVar, has been a controversial figure throughout his son's year at UCLA, and some may consider him a distraction or a negative. However, he may also be a master promoter who helps his son develop his brand.

Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka says that his team may be better off with the No. 2 pick than the No. 1 position.

"The harder call may be the first one," Pelinka said, per ESPN's wire services. "Sometimes having the second pick is better than the first. We're sitting in a fantastic position. "I think there are four, five guys that are well suited to be [drafted] at the top."

3. PF Josh Jackson, Philadelphia 76ers

The Sixers improved quite a bit in the 2016-17 season, and they should continue to make progress in the next. The selection of Jackson could give them a dynamic presence in the front court that includes remarkable athletic ability and impressive scoring.

Jackson was at his best during the NCAA Tournament, when he showed off his talent and ability to take over the game. Jackson averaged 16.3 points and 7.4 rebounds per game for the Jayhawks during the season.

He has a huge presence on the defensive side of the ball, and he will make the 76ers a much more athletic team. While his outside shooting needs to improve, Jackson has the kind of intensity that is needed over the course of an 82-game schedule.

"I think we're in a pretty good position, as there is some turnover on the horizon to ultimately be a power in the East," said Sixers team president Bryan Colangelo, per Keith Pompey of Phillynews.com. "How long that takes, we've got a couple of paths we can take here."