This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2017, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

The Tribune's Tony Jones offers his final mock NBA Draft before the real thing happens Thursday night in Brooklyn.

1. Philadelphia 76ers

The pick • Markelle Fultz, 6 foot 4, 190, point guard, Washington

The skinny • Maybe the best point guard prospect to come into the NBA since Kyrie Irving. Offensively, Fultz has the entire package. He can score from all three levels, is a fantastic playmaker and has all-star upside. The Sixers thought so highly of Fultz that they surrendered two high first-round picks to move up two spots to acquire him.

2. Los Angeles Lakers

The pick • Lonzo Ball, 6 foot 6, 190, point guard, UCLA

The skinny • A fantastic point guard prospect, and one of the best passers to enter the NBA in years. There are questions. Can he defend? Can he actually score? Will his father, Lavar Ball, ever stop talking? Don't let that distract you from the fact that this kid really can play. His first workout for the Lakers didn't go so well. His second went much better, and the tea leaves have been trending this way for the last few days.

3. Boston Celtics

The pick • Jayson Tatum, 6 foot 8, 205, small forward, Duke

The skinny • Tatum has the ability to be a dominant scorer in the NBA, and that's precisely what the Celtics need: A guy from that small forward spot who can light it up. This causes a slight slide for Josh Jackson, but it won't last long.

4. Phoenix Suns

The pick • Josh Jackson, 6 foot 8, 205, shooting guard, Kansas

The skinny • Jackson is the second-best talent in this draft, which means Phoenix goes with the best player available. Here's another thing: The best players in the NBA are wings — LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Kawhi Leonard. Wings help you win in this league, and Jackson has the chance to be a very good two-way player.

5. Sacramento Kings

The pick • De'Aaron Fox, 6 foot 4, 170, point guard, Kentucky

The skinny • The Kings should be doing backflips. For once, they are in such good draft position that they won't be able to draft poorly. Fox, like Ball, is a fantastic point guard prospect. He and Ball are different. Fox is much more of a scorer. He's a superb athlete, and the Kings, after trading DeMarcus Cousins, get themselves a new potential franchise piece.

6. Orlando Magic

The pick • Jonathan Isaac, 6 foot 10, 210, small forward, Florida State

The skinny • The Magic should be drooling over the prospect of pairing Isaac with Aaron Gordon. That would give a young team two versatile, athletic forwards who can do a lot on both ends. Isaac has some concerns. He's been injury prone in the past, and he plays a little too lax at times. But small forwards with his physical measurements don't grow on trees. If he hits his ceiling, he can be a star.

7. Minnesota Timberwolves

The pick • Lauri Markkanen, 7 foot, 230, power forward, Arizona

The skinny • This is a great fit. The Timberwolves desperately need two things: A power forward and a knockdown perimeter shooter. Markkanen checks both boxes. He would step in with people like Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins and Kris Dunn and Zach LaVine right away.

8. New York Knicks

The pick • Dennis Smith, 6 foot 2, 195, point guard, North Carolina State

The skinny • Forget that Smith had terrible physical measurements. Forget that he's a point guard that doesn't run an offense all that well. Smith can be a terrific scorer and is an elite athlete. The Knicks need a guy their fan base can rally behind, and Smith is that guy.

9. Dallas Mavericks

The pick • Frank Ntilikina, 6 foot 5, 190, point guard, France

The skinny • The Mavericks need a point guard they can build around. Good thing the draft has a lot of them. Ntilikina isn't yet a great offensive talent, but he's already the best defensive point guard in the draft and has good playmaking instincts. He would represent the future in Dallas.

10. Sacramento Kings

The pick • Malik Monk, 6 foot 3, 200, shooting guard, Kentucky

The skinny • The Kings do backflips for the second time in the lottery. Monk and Fox comprised a terrific backcourt at Kentucky. They would do the same in the NBA. Monk can fill it up, whether it be from the 3-point line or driving to the basket. Sacramento basketball is looking up.

11. Charlotte Hornets

The pick • Donovan Mitchell, 6 foot 2, 210, shooting guard, Louisville

The skinny • Mitchell doesn't have great size, but his 6-foot-10 wingspan and terrific athleticism makes up for that. He can play both guard spots and is dynamic on both ends of the floor. The Hornets need that. And they need someone who can shift Nic Batum back to the small forward spot. Mitchell would be a very good get here.

12. Detroit Pistons

The pick • Luke Kennard, 6 foot 6, 195, shooting guard, Duke

The skinny • Detroit didn't have a ton of backcourt depth or shooting this season. Kennard helps with both of those needs. Not only is he a very good shooter, he can handle the ball and make plays. He's a scorer.

13. Denver Nuggets

The pick • Zach Collins, 6 foot 11, 230, power forward, Gonzaga

The skinny • Collins eventually pairs with Nikola Jokic to form a supremely skilled frontcourt. Collins can play next to Jokic, and it's a good bet he develops his perimeter game. The Nuggets also get the best player available here.

14. Miami Heat

The pick • TJ Leaf, 6 foot 10, 220, power forward, UCLA

The skinny • With Chris Bosh gone and uncertainty at the power forward spot, Leaf would have the chance to make an immediate impact. The Heat need a shooting big man next to Hassan Whiteside, and Leaf is that.

15. Portland Trail Blazers

The pick • Jarrett Allen, 6 foot 10, 235, center, Texas

The skinny • A very good prospect and athlete. The Blazers need big men and depth behind Jusuf Nurkic, their one functioning center. Allen will need a few years to develop, but he has a chance to be a good one.

16. Chicago Bulls

The pick • Justin Jackson, 6 foot 8, 193, small forward, North Carolina

The skinny • A very good shooter and someone who can blend in with Jimmy Butler. Jackson is a mature player, someone who improved substantially in his three years at North Carolina. He can score on the move or knock down spot-up 3-pointers. The Bulls, in case anyone hasn't noticed, need shooting.

17. Milwaukee Bucks

The pick • Harry Giles, 6 foot 10, 230, power forward, Duke

The skinny • The Bucks have a bunch of young talent. They can afford to gamble here. Drafting Giles is shooting for the stars. If he pans out, he's a potential star. There aren't many better athletes at his size. But injuries are a concern, as is the fact he couldn't make an impact in his one year at Duke.

18. Indiana Pacers

The pick • OG Anunoby, 6 foot 8, 235, small forward, Indiana

The skinny • Anunoby had his last collegiate season derailed by injury, but he's an outstanding two-way prospect. Whether it be this upcoming season or next summer, the Pacers are going to lose Paul George. May as well draft his potential replacement and start grooming him.

19. Atlanta Hawks

The pick • Bam Adebayo, 6 foot 10, 245, power forward, Kentucky

The skinny • A very talented athlete who still needs to learn the game. It serves as irony that Adebayo lands in Atlanta because he's been compared more than once to Dwight Howard. He offers insurance in the unlikely case Paul Millsap leaves this summer in free agency.

20. Portland Trail Blazers

The pick • Anzejs Pasecniks, 7 foot 2, 229, center, Latvia

The skinny • Is skilled and athletic with impressive physical dimensions. He needs to add weight but can be an offensive force and rim protector. Those aren't all that common in the NBA.

21. Oklahoma City Thunder

The pick • Derrick White, 6 foot 4, 190, point guard, Colorado

The skinny • OKC desperately needs a credible backup to spell Russell Westbrook and allow him shooting guard possessions. This pick can either be White or Jawun Evans from Oklahoma State. The pick is White because he's bigger and a better defender.

22. Brooklyn Nets

The pick • Justin Patton, 6 foot 11, 230, center, Creighton

The skinny • He can shoot and block shots. He was projected in the top 15 but slid down this draft board. And the Nets need a center. This is a really good fit for both sides.

23. Toronto Raptors

The pick • Terrance Ferguson, 6 foot 7, 185, shooting guard

The skinny • Ferguson spent his year removed from high school overseas. He's a terrific athlete and shooter but not much else at this point. He's a little like Terrence Ross, whom the Raptors traded this season. That hurt them because they missed Ross' scoring off the bench. Can Ferguson provide that?

24. Utah Jazz

The pick • Tony Bradley, 6 foot 10, 250, center, North Carolina

The skinny • Is leaving school after just one year, but he had a very impressive workout with the Jazz. He showed the ability to shoot the ball and do some things offensively that weren't on display with the Tar Heels. He will have a shot right away to be Rudy Gobert's backup.

25. Orlando Magic

The pick • Jawun Evans, 6 foot, 185, point guard, Oklahoma State

The skinny • With questions concerning Elfrid Payton's ability to run the point long term, the Magic take Evans. At the very least, he pushes Payton. At the most, he replaces him at point guard.

26. Portland Trail Blazers

The pick • DJ Wilson, 6 foot 10, 235, power forward, Michigan

The skinny • He'll remind Jazz fans a bit of Trey Lyles with his shooting ability and playmaking ability from the power forward spot. Wilson is also a pretty credible athlete and someone who can complement the offensive wizardry of Damian Lillard.

27. Los Angeles Lakers

The pick • Jordan Bell, 6 foot 8, 235, power forward, Oregon

The skinny • The Lakers traded Timofey Mozgov and D'Angelo Russell to get into this spot. Bell has to develop a bit more offensively, but he has a chance to be a contributor right away defensively.

28. Los Angeles Lakers

The pick • John Collins, 6 foot 10, center, Wake Forest

The skinny • Here's a little-known fact about Collins: The son of military parents was born in Utah. He's grown up to be a potential first-round NBA draft pick. The Lakers happily snatch him here. His draft stock could land him as high as the late lottery.

29. San Antonio Spurs

The pick • Josh Hart, 6 foot 5, 210, shooting guard, Villanova

The skinny • Danny Green could be traded. Manu Ginobili may retire. Jonathan Simmons may leave in restricted free agency. So the Spurs may need another shooting guard. Hart is one of those under-the-radar seniors the Spurs always draft and turn into a rotation player. He can play two positions offensively and guard all three perimeter positions.

30. Utah Jazz

The pick • Isaiah Hartenstein, 7 foot, 250, power forward, Germany

The skinny • The Jazz have worked out everyone but Hartenstein but settle on him because he's the best talent available at this spot. Hartenstein has lottery-pick ability, but there have been past concerns about his attitude and defense. Still, he can shoot it, handle the ball and is a very good athlete for his size. He's a draft-and-stash prospect.