The NBA trade deadline came and went but the strength of the upcoming draft caused it to be a mainstream topic of conversation during the deadline. The Boston Celtics were at the forefront of trade talks but were reluctant to part with the Brooklyn Nets pick they have the right to swap with this off-season. The Celtics were linked with Jimmy Butler and Paul George, but Boston opted to hang onto the Nets pick. As things stand now, Boston (thanks to Brooklyn's poor record) will have the most ping-pong balls in the lottery as teams fight for the top pick. With less than four months remaining before the June 22 draft, two point guards have emerged as the top two prospects. Washington's Markelle Fultz and UCLA's Lonzo Ball are the consensus top pro prospects. Draft junkies were anxious to see the two players square off to conclude the regular season but a knee injury for Fultz prevented that from happening leaving the fall matchup as the lone time the two faced off in college. Ball and Fultz may be garnering the majority of the attention, but there are plenty of additional talent. Forwards like Kansas' Josh Jackson, Florida State's Jonathan Isaac and Duke's Jayson Tatum are other talented players projected to go in the top ten. In Heavy's latest mock draft, we use the current NBA standings to determine the draft order. We factor in draft pick trades and team needs to predict where the top college players will land. The players listed are the top prospects, but their NBA availability will depend on whether they declare for the draft after the college basketball season ends. Click the arrow on the right side of the above image to see Heavy's latest NBA mock draft. (Getty)
No. 10 Dallas Mavericks: PG De'Aaron Fox
School: Kentucky
Position: Point Guard
Size: 6'3"/187 pounds
Class: Freshman
2016-17 Stats: 15.4 ppg, 5.2 apg, 4.2 rpg, 1.6 spg, .462 FG%, .189 3P%
Outlook: In our last mock draft, we had Fox going to the Mavs but two spots higher. He would be in the top five conversation if he had a 3-point shot. Lack of shooting aside, Fox has plenty of skills he brings to the table. He loves to attack the rim and will give an NBA team an extra boost of aggressiveness. With his sub-par shooting, Fox needs to continue to show his court vision and strong ability to get his teammates involved. Fox also has the potential to be a good NBA defender. (Getty)
No. 9 Portland Trail Blazers: PG Frank Ntilikina
School: Strasbourg (International)
Position: Point Guard
Size: 6'5"/170 pounds
Class: Freshman
2016-17 Stats: 3.9 ppg, 1.6 rpg, .6 apg, .473 FG%, .429 3P% (13.9 minutes per game)
Outlook: We have the Blazers going with Ntilikina over De'Aaron Fox because Ntilikina has more ability to play multiple positions. Given the Blazers have a strong core of point guards, they need a player that can be inserted into the lineup at multiple spots. In his latest mock draft, ESPN's Chad Ford speaks about Ntilikina's strength's. "Ntilikina won MVP honors at the European under-18 championships, scoring 31 points in the title game against Lithuania and making 17 of his 29 3's in the tournament. He's big, aggressive and tough, with a high basketball IQ. There are a few teams that have him in their top five," Ford explained.(Getty)
No. 8 Minnesota Timberwolves: SF Jayson Tatum
School: Duke
Position: Small Forward
Size: 6'8"/205 pounds
Class: Freshman
2016-17 Stats: 15.4 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 2.3 apg, 1.3 spg, 1.3 bpg. .439 FG%, .352 3P%
Outlook: After missing the beginning of the season with an injury, Tatum has started to heat up. He could really benefit from a strong performances in the ACC and NCAA Tournaments. Tatum has had a few noteworthy performances over the last few weeks. He had 28 points and eight rebounds against Virginia on February 15. He had another well-rounded outing against Syracuse on February 22 where he posted 19 points, 13 rebounds and six assists against the Orange. Minnesota has plenty of talent so fans can expect them to likely go with the best player available. With two young point guards on the roster, that could be the one position the T-Wolves look to avoid if all things are equal. (Getty)
No. 7 New York Knicks: SF Jonathan Isaac
School: Florida State
Position: Small Forward
Size: 6'10"/210 pounds
Class: Freshman
2016-17 Stats: 12.6 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 1.0 apg, .528 FG%, .377 3P%
Outlook: When Isaac's resume is compared to most of the top ten players in this draft class, he falls short. The team that selects Isaac will mostly be basing the pick on the kind of player he could develop into. He has just three games this season with 20 or more points but has shown flashes of his potential. The Knicks must continue to surround Kristaps Porzingis with talent. New York's attempt to do this with veterans like Joakim Noah and Derek Rose failed. New York fans hope they can get another star in this summer's draft to help get the Knicks over the hump and back in the playoffs. The question the Knicks have to answer in this situation is whether they can afford to take a chance on Isaac's potential versus a more proven player. (Getty)
No. 6 Sacramento Kings (via Pelicans): PF Lauri Markkanen
School: Arizona
Position: Power Forward
Size: 7'0"/230 pounds
Class: Freshman
2016-17 Stats: 15.4 ppg, 7.4 rpg, .490 FG%, .444 3P%
Outlook: The Kings are getting roasted for the Boogie Cousins trade. While Sacramento did not get fair market value for Cousins, it was clear the Kings were not going anywhere with Cousins as the team's centerpiece. Providing the Pelicans miss the playoffs, this pick could be a key piece as Sacramento looks to rebuild. That is if the dysfunction of the Kings' front office does not get in the way. Markkanen finished the regular season with a rough eight game stretch. When he flashes, he shows the star potential of a Kristaps Porzingis but that is not all the time. All signs point to Markkanen being the first big man off the board in June. (Getty)
No. 5 Philadelphia 76ers: SG Malik Monk
School: Kentucky
Position: Shooting Guard
Size: 6'3"/200 pounds
Class: Freshman
2016-17 Stats: 21.7 ppg, 2.4 apg, 2.5 rpg, 1.1 spg, .469 FG%, .416 3P%
Outlook: Monk is the biggest riser in our latest mock. Monk has his flaws whether it is his size or all-around game. For all his flaws, Monk is the best scorer in the draft. If a team is willing to take a chance on his inconsistency, they could wind up with a player with star potential. The Sixers' current roster slants heavily towards forwards and centers. Philadelphia needs to add guards, and Monk is the best one available at this spot. Given his boom or bust nature, it will be interesting to see how Monk plays in the tournament. (Getty)
No. 4 Orlando Magic: PG Dennis Smith Jr.
School: NC State
Position: Point Guard
Size: 6'3"/195 pounds
Class: Freshman
2016-17 Stats: 18.7 ppg, 6.3 apg, 4.3 rpg, .461 FG%, .372 3P%
Outlook: Smith goes to the Magic for the second straight mock. Orlando's addition of Terrance Ross has them playing better than before the trade deadline. The Magic find themselves in a dilemma. Orlando is seven games back from the final playoff spot meaning they are quite a long-shot to make the postseason. However, just three games separate teams four through eleven in the lottery. A winning streak could push the Magic way back in the odds to land a top pick but not be enough to push them into the playoffs. As it stands now, Smith gives the Magic a point guard to build the franchise around. For as good as Jameer Nelson was in Orlando, it is a luxury the franchise has not had since Penny Hardaway. Smith closed the regular season in a bit of a scoring slump. He only scored 20 or more points in one of the last six games. Smith looks to be battling Kentucky's De'Aaron Fox to be the next point guard off the board after Markelle Fultz and Lonzo Ball. (Getty)
No. 3 Los Angeles Lakers: SF/SG Josh Jackson
School: Kansas
Position: Small Forward/Shooting Guard
Size: 6'8"/207 pounds
Class: Freshman
2016-17 Stats: 16.3 ppg, 7.2 rpg, 3 apg, .504 FG%, .373 3P%
Outlook: Jackson has some similarities to Brandon Ingram, but Jackson offers enough of a different skill set that would allow the two players to coexist. Like a few of the top prospects, Jackson plays on one of the top college basketball teams and will be able to use the NCAA Tournament to his advantage. Jackson is one of the best all-around players in the draft with the ability to score, defend and rebound. NBA teams will ask questions about his recent misdemeanor property damage charge, but it is unlikely to hurt his draft stock. ESPN's Chad Ford notes Jackson still has the potential to move into the discussion for the first pick. (Getty)
No. 2 Phoenix Suns: PG Lonzo Ball
School: UCLA
Position: Point Guard
Size: 6'6"/190 pounds
Class: Freshman
2016-17 Stats: 14.8 ppg, 7.6 apg, 6.2 rpg, .548 FG%, .414 3P%
Outlook: Whoever winds up with the second pick may have the easiest decision of the draft. In this scenario, the Suns will pick whoever is left between Ball or Fultz. Point guard is not ideal for the Suns given the team has a plethora of guards, but when a team has a chance to get a franchise player they are going to do it regardless of position. This is especially true given today's NBA with more flexibility among positions. The pick gives the Suns the ability to move other assets with the addition of Ball. He is still in the running to be the first player off the board in June. Ball has the best court vision of any player in the draft drawing comparisons to a young Jason Kidd. With apologies to Mr. Ball, his son will only go the Lakers if they end up with one of the top two selections. (Getty)
No. 1 Boston Celtics (Via Nets): PG Markelle Fultz
School: Washington
Position: Point Guard
Size: 6'4"/195 pounds
Class: Freshman
2016-17 Stats: 23.2 ppg, 5.9 apg, 5.7 rpg, 1.6 spg, 1.2 bpg, .476 FG%, .413 3P%
Outlook: Fultz has battled injuries down the stretch. A knee injury prevented basketball fans from seeing a rematch against Ball in a battle of the top two NBA prospects. Fultz has a hold of the top spot for now, but he is not a lock to go number one. Ball will likely get to use March Madness as a stage with UCLA projected to make a deep run in the tournament. Why do most prefer Fultz over Ball at this point in the process? Fultz has more athleticism and is a better all-around scorer. It is a debate that will likely heat up in the coming months. The Celtics knew the value of this pick and opted to pass on a deadline deal to acquire an established star like Paul George. Boston will look to embrace the Fultz and Ball debate if they are able to land the top pick. (Getty)
NBA Mock Draft 2017: Fultz & Ball Are Top 2 Picks