Pippen Ain’t Easy’s 2017 NBA Draft: Mocking the first round for every team
The Portland Trail Blazers have three (!) first-round picks in this draft, so don’t be surprised if they look at a potential project or two with one of their picks. UCLA’s Ike Anigbogu fits that mold and could help the Portland defense tremendously. Although Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum are one of the league’s best tandems, Portland’s defense struggles. Jusuf Nurkic’s addition helped the Blazers down the stretch, but moving into next year, the Blazers need help defensively. Anigbogu is one of the youngest players in the draft, a hard-working rebounder and possesses one of the draft’s most ridiculous wingspan at 7-foot-6.25.
RELATED: Our own Michael Whitlow on the what the mock drafts are saying about the Bulls at No. 16, along with a look at UCLA’s Ike Anigbogu
16. player. 24. . SG. Duke. Luke Kennard
If you’ve been following us closely, you’ve noticed that we’ve done a bunch on potential Bulls draft situations and that Luke Kennard has been one of more focal points in our analysis here at PAE. He’s not only the projected pick for the Bulls at No. 16 for Draft Express, many mock drafts have the sophomore guard from Duke as the pick for the Bulls right outside of the lottery. Ever since the days of Keith Bogans starting next to a younger and healthier Derrick Rose, the Bulls have been looking for a guard that could knock down shots. Although Jimmy Butler has become the face of the franchise, he’s seen more as a 3 than a shooting guard. With Butler, Rajon Rondo and Dwyane Wade all likely to be back plus the front court depth (before free agency begins), the Bulls could look to address their well-documented shooting issues. Kennard can help fix that.