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Reverse Mock Draft: What if prospects chose their NBA teams?

theScore

In the current, inflexible draft system, the players spend the lead-up to the draft putting on the beauty pageant, while teams circle them like lascivious, eager-to-be-impressed judges.

But what if teams were forced to show themselves off, while players arched their eyebrows and stroked their (very slow-growing) beards in contemplation? What if, instead of various NBA franchises picking the 30 best players, the 30 best players chose their own NBA destinies?

Of course, to avoid total anarchy - and to avoid letting teams that already dealt their own draft picks off the hook - the reverse draft would need rules. Players could only choose to go to teams with available draft picks, and then only as many times per round as the team had picks in that round. Teams that had no picks at all would be totally off the board.

So in 2017's first round, the Orlando Magic, L.A. Lakers, Sacramento Kings, Utah Jazz, and Portland Trail Blazers would eventually be picked by multiple players, while the Golden State Warriors, Cleveland Cavaliers, Houston Rockets, Washington Wizards, L.A. Clippers, Memphis Grizzlies, and New Orleans Pelicans would be unavailable as landing spots.

Using the top 30 players on the DraftExpress Top 100 as our first-round selectors, and factoring in everything from roster fit to team culture to market attractiveness to hometown proximity, let's look at how such an unlikely scenario might go down (pick allotment as of Wednesday morning).

At the very least, here's a mock draft where there's still some room for argument about the No. 1 pick.

1. Markelle Fultz (PG, Washington)

Goes To: San Antonio Spurs

The first pick in our reverse draft pushes open the window for the Warriors' only true Western Conference threat by another couple years.

Fultz picking the Spurs is almost as much of a no-brainer as the 76ers picking him: He can go there and both start and win instantly, with the league's best team culture and staff and karmic NBA winds all at his back.

Other teams could perhaps offer him an immediate chance to make the playoffs, but none are true contenders, and none are currently staring at a Fultz-shaped hole in their projected '17-'18 starting lineup.

That said, market could be a concern; San Antonio certainly can't compete with the promotional and lifestyle opportunities offered by some of the NBA's marquee cities. But Fultz previously committed to Washington over bigger programs, due in part to staff relationships. That shows he's not all about largesse, and after enduring a 9-22 Huskies season, his top priority is probably winning soon and winning big.

2. Lonzo Ball (PG, UCLA)

Goes To: Los Angeles Lakers

Could he really go anywhere else? LaVar Ball has talked up Lonzo-to-L.A. enough that he could be the first figure in NBA history not directly employed by any of the league's teams who still gets fined for tampering.

And after the Spurs, there's a pretty big drop-off to the next borderline-contending team with an available draft pick and an obvious gap at point guard. The Jazz qualify, perhaps, as long as George Hill's status stays in question, but the Ball family in Utah? Doesn't really compute.

The only arguable Los Angeles alternative would've been Golden State - just so Papa Baller could claim his kid would steal Steph Curry's starter role by the All-Star break - but there's no GSW pick, so no dice.

3. Josh Jackson (SF, Kansas)

Goes To: Oklahoma City Thunder

The first really tough decision here: Would Josh Jackson try to team up with Lonzo in L.A.? Give in to the temptation of Pat Riley and South Beach? Join the Celtics' glut of defensive-upside wings to throw at LeBron, as Jackson might end up doing Thursday night anyway?

Instead, we have him steer away from the big markets and stay in the Midwest, where he could join Russell Westbrook as the league's most blindingly athletic one-two punch, and potentially grow into the franchise's next Kevin Durant.

OK, yeah, without the whole shooting thing, but even Andre Roberson can look knockdown for stretches with Westbrook driving and kicking; it's one of the best chances Jackson will ever have to at least get to league average.

4. Jayson Tatum (SF, Duke)

Goes To: Boston Celtics

You can only be compared to Paul Pierce so many times before it starts to go to your head. Boston makes sense for Tatum on both sides. He might not start right away, but unlike Jackson, he gives the Celtics something none of their other wings do: the ability to get buckets for himself, which could prove immeasurably valuable during the team's next postseason run.

Maybe Tatum throws that over for the more attractive market and less-crowded roster of the Miami Heat - but it's hard to watch that last Clippers game in Boston last season and not start imagining what your own tribute video might look like one day.

5. De'Aaron Fox (PG, Kentucky)

Goes To: New York Knicks

It's hard to assert that any player would voluntarily go to the Knicks when they're currently fielding calls to potentially undo the only good decision they've made in the last four seasons.

Nonetheless, the pull of Madison Square Garden remains strong, and for a guy used to playing at Rupp Arena, those bright lights may hold sway - especially with New York's obvious vacancy at point guard, and Fox being essentially the best-case version of what the Knicks hoped they were getting in Derrick Rose.

Fox couldn't turn the Knicks around on his own, but he could give them the faint echo of excitement again - assuming Phil Jackson was banned from using the "T" word at any point in his point-guard development.

6. Malik Monk (PG/SG, Kentucky)

Goes To: Philadelphia 76ers

In this alternate universe, the Sixers kinda played themselves by dealing a future pick to move up in a draft in which they now have no control over the drafting order.

They don't get screwed too badly here, though: They lose out on Fultz but still end up with Monk, a player who can instantly step in and be the Sixers' lead guard, profiting off the passing of Ben Simmons (if he stays healthy), the gravity of Joel Embiid (if he stays healthy), and the unflinchingly rabid fandom of the Process Trusters (if they stay sane).

For Monk, it's likely worth rolling the dice on a lottery team.

7. Dennis Smith (PG, NC State)

Goes To: Dallas Mavericks

Smith would be wise to select the Mavericks, the last potentially good team without an obvious incumbent PG.

The combo of Rick Carlisle and Dirk Nowitzki has a sensational track record of getting the most out of Dallas' lead guards - even guys like Vince Carter and Monta Ellis who, like Smith, weren't necessarily thought to be natural-born winners.

The Mavs are probably praying he drops to No. 9 on real-world draft night so they can prove their culture can make a star out of him; here, he chooses Big D two picks earlier.

8. Lauri Markkanen (PF, Arizona)

Goes To: Phoenix Suns

Most mock drafts seem to have Markkanen ticketed for the wintry north of Minnesota; in our reverse draft, he gets to remain toasty in Arizona.

Aside from allowing him to stay in the Southwest, choosing the Suns lets him serve as the stretch-four alongside Alex Len (or maybe DeAndre Jordan???), a role for which Marquese Chriss may be underqualified and Dragan Bender still seems woefully unprepared. That could earn the Finn a couple Channing Frye comparisons to go with those annoying Dirk comps.

9. Jonathan Isaac (SF/PF, Florida State)

Goes To: Miami Heat

The FSU alum stays in Florida and gets to be the rich man's James Johnson (or the rich man's Justise Winslow, depending) for Riley and Erik Spoelstra's next great Heat team. With Isaac slotting alongside Hassan Whiteside, Goran Dragic, and a still-swagged-out Dion Waiters, it might not even take Miami that long to get there.

10. Frank Ntilikina (PG, France)

Goes To: Utah Jazz

Speaking of the Jazz's potential point guard vacancy, Ntilikina could slot in for Hill about as seamlessly as any other defensive-minded guard in this draft. Alongside Dante Exum and Raul Neto, they'd have the most international point-guard rotation ever to appear on a Salt Lake City depth chart. Plus, Ntilikina gets to hook up with countryman Rudy Gobert for who knows how many alley-oops; just imagine the nickname potential.

11. Donovan Mitchell (SG, Louisville)

Goes To: Atlanta Hawks

If you're an athletic guard or wayward wing looking to expand your range and offensive game, Atlanta has long been the place to go to grow into a near-max-contract guy in a year or two. Mitchell can follow in the example of Kent Bazemore and Tim Hardaway Jr. under Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer, evolving into a two-way player and still getting to catch ACC games on local television.

12. John Collins (PF, Wake Forest)

Goes To: Toronto Raptors

Whether or not Serge Ibaka re-signs, the Raptors always seem to be in need of power forwards, and Collins can give them close to what they hoped they were getting with Jared Sullinger last summer - an offensive-minded post scorer, rebounder, and sporadic second-unit anchor. It's unclear if he's a Drake fan yet, but there's plenty of time for Raptors teammates to sway him with their personalized "More Life" playlists.

13. Luke Kennard (SG, Duke)

Goes To: Los Angeles Lakers

Lou Williams is gone. D'Angelo Russell is gone. Jordan Clarkson might be headed to Indiana soon. Even with Ball in tow, the Lakers might suddenly be in drastic need of guards not named Nick Young. Kennard thrived in the spotlight at Duke, and would be beautiful spotting up around Lonzo, whose feeds should greatly assist in acclimating him to NBA 3-point length.

14. OG Anunoby (SF/PF, Indiana)

Goes To: Indiana Pacers

If Anunoby chooses the Pacers come reverse-draft night, that means Paul George is long gone, and a spot in the Pacers' forward rotation has suddenly opened. Anunoby won't step in and provide PG-13 flashbacks right away, but with his length, athleticism, and 3-and-D potential, he can at least get Indiana about halfway there - without even having to leave his IU backyard.

15. Ike Anigbogu (C, UCLA)

Goes To: Los Angeles Lakers

The last of L.A.'s three draft vacancies is filled when Ball's old UCLA teammate joins him down the road at the Staples Center. Anigbogu won't start anywhere, but as a big man in L.A., he can at least offer the Lakers pretty much everything they're still missing out on with recent center acquisition Brook Lopez: rim protection, rebounding, and a low likelihood of being distracted by sweet dreams of Disneyland during practices.

16. Justin Jackson (SF, UNC)

Goes to: Chicago Bulls

The Bulls badly lack forward dynamism beyond Jimmy Butler, who might not be around for that much longer anyway. Jackson could walk into Fred Hoiberg's rotation pretty quickly, and become the first Tar Heel since You Know Who to be "drafted by" the Bulls (and actually play for them - apologies, Shammond Williams).

17. Zach Collins (PF/C, Gonzaga)

Goes To: Portland Trail Blazers

The Blazers have three first-rounders in this draft and haven't been selected once - so let's end that streak with Collins, who played for (relatively) nearby Gonzaga and sees a frontcourt rotation situation that's hardly uncrackable.

18. Jarrett Allen (C, Texas)

Goes To: Milwaukee Bucks

If length remains the governing principle of the Milwaukee Bucks' roster, they should be thrilled to have Allen and his 7-foot-5 wingspan join next season - both for the much-needed presence he can bring in the middle, and the drama he can add to the team's already epic games of tag.

19. Isaiah Hartenstein (PF, Germany)

Goes To: Portland Trail Blazers

Hartenstein is another stretchy four who could thrive in Portland's unsettled frontcourt and would probably become best friends with Meyers Leonard.

20. Semi Ojeleye (SF/PF, SMU)

Goes To: Minnesota Timberwolves

Ojeleye is an athletic, versatile defender and finisher who occasionally needs a fire lit under his butt. Seems like he'd be a pretty solid Thibs guy.

21. Anzejs Pasecniks (C, Latvia)

Goes To: Denver Nuggets

There's no better proving ground these days for late-draft big men from Eastern Europe than Denver. Too bad Pasecniks can't join former national teammate Kristaps Porzingis in New York, though maybe Zinger will have been traded to the Nuggets by then anyway.

22. Tyler Lydon (SF/PF, Syracuse)

Goes To: Brooklyn Nets

At last, a local New York guy who might actually have reason to optionally go to the Nets! He's roughly in the lineage of Bojan Bogdanovic, too - or, at the very least, Brian Scalabrine.

23. D.J. Wilson (PF, Michigan)

Goes To: Detroit Pistons

Wilson's a Michigan guy - well, a Michigan collegian - who would have to be thrilled about joining Stan Van's band of malaise-stricken malcontents. A sweet shooting forward with guard skills would thrive in the coach's preferred system.

24. Terrance Ferguson (SG, Australia)

Goes To: Utah Jazz

A potential knockdown shooter with defensive upside, Ferguson is the kind of complementary player who can prosper around the Jazz's primary scorers and playmakers - and one who could possibly be attracted to Utah by good word-of-mouth from fellow Aussies Exum and Joe Ingles.

25. Derrick White (PG/SG, Colorado)

Goes To: Sacramento Kings

We're officially entering "he has to go somewhere" territory, but Sacramento keeps White in the Northwest (sort of) while giving him a chance to get minutes straight away in the Kings' permanently unsettled guard rotation.

26. Harry Giles (C, Duke)

Goes To: Charlotte Hornets

It's not that Giles' experiences at Duke were so overwhelmingly positive that he'd yearn to stay close in Charlotte. Among the remaining choices, though, he might have the most faith in MJ and Steve Clifford to get the most out of his unrealized potential - and maybe in his own ability to be the new hotness to Dwight Howard's old-and-busted within two years.

27. Caleb Swanigan (PF/C, Purdue)

Goes To: Orlando Magic

The Magic seem to have one of every type of player at the moment - to their detriment, perhaps - but do they have a bruising power forward that used to weigh over 300 pounds? Not since Glen "Big Baby" Davis, probably.

28. Justin Patton (C, Creighton)

Goes To: Portland Trail Blazers

Everybody in the Portland big-man pool! At least the raw, high-upside Patton is from a different mold than the team's present (and incoming) stockpile of skyscrapers - except for Festus Ezeli, of course, though it's unclear if the team remembers he's on the roster.

29. Jawun Evans (PG, Oklahoma State)

Goes To: Orlando Magic

Another better-shooting point guard to steal Elfrid Payton's starting role for 10 games in February when Frank Vogel wants to give his PG1 an uncomfortable nudge.

30. Ivan Rabb (PF/C, Cal)

Goes To: Sacramento Kings

Sorry, Ivan.

(Photos courtesy: Action Images)

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