Which 2017 NBA Draft Storylines Are All Hype?
The NBA draft wouldn't be the highly anticipated event it has become without the polarizing storylines that lead up to it.
Lonzo Ball has unsurprisingly been in the thick of multiple arguments regarding both his talent and boisterous father. We've also heard conflicting news on the Los Angeles Lakers' interests and varying takes on Malik Monk's upside.
With the draft nearly two weeks away, it's important to figure out what's true and what's leaked smoke for deception. Let's clear the air on some of the biggest predraft debates raging on at the moment.
Buy or Sell: LaVar Ball Affects Lonzo Ball's Draft Stock
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Nobody is passing on Lonzo Ball because of his outspoken father, LaVar.
If the Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Lakers or Philadelphia 76ers do pass, it will be due to questions over Ball's scoring upside, explosiveness and defense. They could also consider Washington's Markelle Fultz, Kansas' Josh Jackson and Kentucky's De'Aaron Fox equally exciting prospects.
If any of those teams view Ball as the best player available when they're on the clock, LaVar's antics won't stop them from taking his son.
Once Lonzo is in the league, we likely won't hear as much from LaVar, as he won't need to appear on daily talk shows to increase his son's brand recognition. The NBA reaches a bigger audience and is far more powerful than the NCAA, which is limited when promoting its players.
LaVar may be a headache, but he's not one damaging enough to factor into a team's decision on Lonzo.
Verdict: Sell
Buy or Sell: Lakers Will Give Real Consideration to De'Aaron Fox, Josh Jackson
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Lonzo Ball is the presumptive favorite to go No. 2 to the Lakers, according to Bleacher Report's Kevin Ding. He played his way into that discussion at UCLA, and his ties to L.A. make the pairing seem even more likely.
However, Lakers fans shouldn't start ordering their Ball jerseys just yet. While scouts have viewed Markelle Fultz as the No. 1 prospect for most of the year, Ball hasn't been the only name mentioned at No. 2.
It's unclear how the Lakers' board stands roughly two weeks before the draft, but some front office members could prefer Josh Jackson or De'Aaron Fox, especially after the latter outplayed Ball in both of their matchups.
If the Lakers feel Ball, Jackson and Fox are all on the same level, fit and need could play into the equation. Given the Lakers' need for athleticism and defense—they ranked dead last in defensive efficiency this past season—Jackson and Fox could potentially gain an edge on Ball there. A Ball-D'Angelo Russell-Brandon Ingram-Julius Randle-Ivica Zubac lineup lacks both defensive upside and explosiveness.
If the Lakers do feel Ball is the best player available at No. 2, they'll take him. But L.A. will seriously consider other options, too.
Verdict: Buy
Buy or Sell: Markelle Fultz and Isaiah Thomas Can't Thrive Together
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Isaiah Thomas' presence won't stop the Boston Celtics from taking another guard with the first overall pick if general manager Danny Ainge deems him the best player available.
Markelle Fultz, who just met with the Celtics Monday and Tuesday, is widely viewed as the draft's No. 1 prospect. He's also a nominal point guard, the same position as the team's All-Star floor general. That shouldn't preclude the two from sharing a backcourt, however.
Fultz is around 6'4" with a monster 6'9 ¾" wingspan, fine measurements for a shooting guard. His size, length and ability to shoot off spot-ups and screens should allow him score off the ball next to Thomas. That ball-handling duo could combine for a ton of offensive firepower.
The growing trend and success of positionless basketball also suggests now is the time to experiment. Seeing as Boston head coach Brad Stevens has tinkered with four-guard lineups featuring Terry Rozier alongside Thomas, Avery Bradley and Marcus Smart, it should work with Fultz, too.
Verdict: Sell
Buy or Sell: Malik Monk Is One of the Draft's Must-Have Players
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There is a ton of flash to Malik Monk's game. He wowed this year at Kentucky with explosive dunks and offensive outbursts, including a 47-point outing against North Carolina and a 30-point half against Florida.
But Monk isn't viewed as one of the draft's must-have prospects; instead, he's more of a mid-lottery consolation prize. Despite his athleticism and microwave scoring, concerns over his tools and shot selection raise questions about his ceiling.
At 6'3" with short arms and a thin frame, he's undersized for a shooting guard. That doesn't hurt C.J. McCollum, but Monk isn't nearly the ball-handler or one-on-one shot-creator. Three-quarters of Monk's offense at Kentucky came off transition, screens or spot-ups, per DraftExpress' Mike Schmitz. Only 10 percent came off isolations or pick-and-rolls.
Monk's shot selection, which features a heavy dose of jumpers, will also make it difficult for him to stay consistent. He finished below 43 percent from the floor during 12 of Kentucky's final 14 games.
Monk will still carve out a long NBA career with his shooting and ability to generate offense in bunches, but he doesn't come off as a future All-Star. He projects more as a complementary scorer like JJ Redick or a streaky scorer like JR Smith.
Verdict: Sell
Buy or Sell: De'Aaron Fox's Shooting Isn't a Major Concern
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Shooting concerns come up in every conversation about De'Aaron Fox's NBA potential. Guards need jumpers in today's game, and Fox just shot 24.6 percent from three during his lone season at Kentucky.
But mechanically, Fox's form looks fine, if not promising. He actually shot better from the free-throw line (73.9 percent) than Lonzo Ball (67.3 percent), Dennis Smith Jr. (71.5 percent) and Josh Jackson (56.6 percent). And after a rough start from deep, his confidence and percentages began to rise down the stretch of the season.
Over his final 10 games at Kentucky, Fox went 9-of-20 from three-point range. In March, he shot 55 percent on pull-ups and 36 percent on spot-ups, per DraftExpress' Matt Kamalsky and Mike Schmitz.
Shooting was never a strength of Fox's in high school, but he still demonstrated enough shot-making ability to create room for optimism, like when he sunk 10 threes in a game back in February 2016.
Mike Conley, who made four more threes (21) as a freshman at Ohio State than Fox did at Kentucky on the same number of attempts (69), has progressively turned into one of the NBA's most consistent outside threats. It's premature to say Fox can't shoot from deep or improve his long-range accuracy.
Verdict: Buy
Buy or Sell: Harry Giles Can Still Rise into the Top 10 or Lottery
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Harry Giles could be a steal if his explosiveness returns, he stays healthy and he improves his skills. Regardless, impressive workouts won't help him save his draft stock.
Teams can't ignore how he averaged just 3.9 points per game at Duke and has only managed to play roughly two-and-a-half seasons of basketball since his freshman year of high school. Between his three knee surgeries, minimal production, limited experience and lack of polish, the risk is too great in the lottery.
The flashes from high school won't be enough, just as they weren't for Skal Labissiere, who entered Kentucky as a potential No. 1 overall candidate before having a quiet freshman year and falling to No. 28 last June.
A team could get away with robbery by taking Giles late, but don't count on anyone reaching early. He's likely going somewhere in the 15-30 range.
Verdict: Sell
Buy or Sell: The 2017 Draft Class Is Historically Stacked
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The bar is set high for the 2017 draft class—perhaps too high. It shouldn't be considered a disappointment if few of this year's prospects eventually become All-Stars.
Markelle Fultz comes off as the best bet in the field. A dozen others appear to possess the potential, too. But even Ball, Jackson, Fox, Smith Jr. and Jayson Tatum have questions or weaknesses that could prevent them from becoming franchise players.
There also appears to be a drop-off in upside outside the lottery. The mid- to late first round could feature an abundance of projected role-playing bigs.
Before the draft, no one sees guys like Jimmy Butler, Kawhi Leonard or Rudy Gobert becoming stars. But for the 2017 class to go down as one of the best, it'll need a few unforeseen picks in the teens, 20s or 30s to unexpectedly blow up.
Verdict: Sell
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