Follow Mike @MikeElworth24. For site updates follow @walterfootball.
April 11, 2023.
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Philadelphia 76ers: Jayson Tatum, F, Duke 
Actual Pick: Markelle Fultz
Tatum is ranked somewhere No. 4-7 among NBA players, and the 76ers simply missed on a superstar. To be fair, the guy Philadelphia picked isn’t a bust; I just cannot see how two teams said “no” to him for Fultz and Lonzo Ball. Luckily, the 76ers drafted a guy named Joel Embiid a few years earlier, and he is carrying them and is a one of two true contenders for MVP this season.
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Los Angeles Lakers: Donovan Mitchell, G, Louisville 
Actual Pick: Lonzo Ball
Lonzo Ball pre-injury had turned himself into a heck of a two-way player. He became an elite shooter and defender, plus he ran his team well, but at the time he was drafted, he was incredibly overrated. Donovan Mitchell, on the other hand, was not. He is a smallish shooting guard, but he is one of the NBA’s elite athletes and scorers, and he has the Cavaliers in fantastic shape. They traded a lot to get him, but he has become a star for them. The Lakers could have used a win here, but this was one more bust of a pick. -
Boston Celtics: Lauri Markkanen, PF, Arizona 
Actual Pick: Jayson Tatum
Markkanen looked like a star when drafted, as he had moments of brilliance with the Bulls, but it took him awhile to become a star. He’s become an elite offensive big man now in Utah. He’s an elite shooter, scorer and a big-time athlete who is an all-star and franchise player for the Jazz in his first Utah season. The Celtics may miss Tatum here, but Markkanen would at least have given them a huge talent. -
Phoenix Suns: Bam Adebayo, PF/C, Kentucky 
Actual Pick: Josh Jackson
Adebayo is a fantastic big who is more traditional than Markkanen, as he gets his points the hard way, because he isn’t a shooter. Adebayo is a 20-10 big man who defends, and he would have given the Suns a second young star to-go with Devin Booker. I personally thought Jackson would be a star, and I think he was my top-rated prospect, oops. -
Sacramento Kings: De’Aaron Fox, PG, Kentucky 
Actual Pick: De’Aaron Fox
Fox is an all-star point guard who has helped lead this team to the playoffs for the first time in almost two decades, so yes I think he would be drafted again by them. He is adored in Sacramento. -
Orlando Magic: Jarrett Allen, C, Texas 
Actual Pick: Jonathan Issacs
Allen isn’t near Embiid, Jokic or Sabonis, but is still an all-star big man. An excellent and efficient scorer and a big time shot-blocker amd rebounder, Allen would be a franchise center for the Magic if they had drafted him. -
Minnesota Timberwolves, O.G. Anunoby, SG, Indiana 
Actual Pick: Lauri Markkanen
Anunoby is a truly special two-way player who half the NBA seems to want to trade for, but the Raptors have turned them all down. I wouldn’t want to trade away a guy who averages 17 points and is an ace perimeter defender if I were in Toronto as well. This pick was traded to Chicago, and I would have loved Anunoby on my team. -
New York Knicks: Dillon Brooks, SF, Oregon 
Actual Pick: Frank Ntilikina
Brooks sees hinself as the NBA’s tough guy and is really, really annoying and getting more so. But maybe it means his annoyance is working. He is a fantastic defender and a solid player on offense. Brooks would have been quite popular with the Knicks and is an improved jump shot from being an elite small forward. -
Dallas Mavericks: John Collins, PF, Wake Forest 
Actual Pick: Dennis Smith Jr.
John Collins is a talented player in a really tough situation because he isn’t a fit with the Hawks but they cannot trade him. I think he could be an 18-10 guy in the right situation. Dallas has not had much big-man talent recently, and he could’ve been excellent with the Mavericks. -
Sacramento Kings: Kyle Kuzma, PF, Utah
Actual Pick: Zach Collins
Kuzma took quite awhile to become the 20-point scorer he is now, and he is a strong shooting big. Kuzma would be a perfect fit today next to Domantas Sabonis and De’Aaron Fox. -
Charlotte Hornets: Josh Hart, SG, Villanova 
Actual Pick: Malik Monk
I considered Monk, but he was a bust with Charlotte and is now an elite sixth man with the Kings. Hart is a swiss army knife who can run an offense, play three positions, is a fantastic rebounder and a strong scorer. -
Detroit Pistons: Johnathan Issacs, F, Florida State 
Actual Pick: Luke Kennard
Isaccs has dealt with a lot of injuries, but he is a heck of a player when healthy and would have really helped the Pistons. -
Denver Nuggets: Lonzo Ball, G, UCLA 
Actual Pick: Donovan Mitchell
If it wasn’t for his knee injury, which is pretty severe, he would be eighth, as he is an elite defender, an excellent shooter and playmaker, and a fantastic NBA point guard. Yes, the Nuggets had – and still have – Jamal Murray, but he’s a scoring guard, and although they have Nikola Jokic, they could have – still could – used a pure point guard like Ball. -
Miami Heat: Derrick White PG, Colorado 
Actual Pick: Bam Adebayo
White is currently a starter for the Celtics, so his career is going very well. He was developed by Greg Popovich and turned into a strong role player. White is a solid shooter and scorer, plus an efficient playmaker who defends. The Heat had a really odd roster in 2017 and could have used a guy like White. -
Portland Trail Blazers: Markelle Fultz, G, Washington 
Actual Pick: Justin Jackson
Fultz was the first pick in the 2017 NBA Draft and was considered a failure, but he’s become a solid guard and is nice value here. He was too talented to not make it.
Go to Mike’s 2017 NBA Mock Re-Draft: Round 1 – Picks 16-30
Sorry for cutting this into two halves; I’ve received complaints about load times and putting the mock draft on two pages saves bandwidth.
By Mike Elworth.
Follow Mike @MikeElworth24. For site updates follow @walterfootball.
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