2017 NBA Mock Draft: Post-Lottery edition

Washington. Markelle Fultz. 1. player. 18. There’s no telling how many phone calls Danny Ainge takes over the Boston Celtics picks from the Brooklyn Nets. After winning the 2017 NBA Lottery, it’s going to go up exponentially. Whether Boston keeps or trades the pick, the reality is Markelle Fultz is the number one pick in this draft. <p>Should Boston keep him, Fultz can coexist with any of the Celtics’ guards and can grow into stardom with less pressure on him. Fultz can facilitate and score, the perfect foil for both Isaiah Thomas or Avery Bradley.</p> <p>Should Boston trade the pick, they have higher value with Fultz in a package than someone like Lonzo Ball or Josh Jackson. Winning this lottery is about flexibility. It gives them the chance to extend their winning basketball or rev up to challenge Cleveland with the addition of someone like Jimmy Butler.</p> <p>But Boston might not trade the pick. If they don’t, Fultz gives them a complete pick-and-roll guard that only makes Boston’s future brighter. He has the potential to grow into the best player drafted by the Celtics since Paul Pierce. That’s someone they may want to hold on to. Fultz is the type of prospect you hope you end up with after securing those picks from Brooklyn.</p>. PG