17. Brooklyn Nets (via Milwaukee) - Drake Powell, G, North Carolina
In addition to their pick, which is currently set to be outside the lottery, the Brooklyn Nets will also get the benefit of Milwaukee's first-round selection if it does fall outside of the top 4 which seems like a pretty safe assumption. But as they look to establish a core to begin building around, I wouldn't be all that surprised to see Brooklyn take a flier on a prospect like Drake Powell. The 6-foot-6 wing out of North Carolina has a ton of potential and is one of those prospects that won't likely be on full display with as much talent as the Tar Heels have on their roster.
In the small role that he's been given at North Carolina, Powell is averaging six points and three rebounds on 48 percent shooting from the field and 39 percent shooting from 3-point range. Again, the sample size is extremely small and it will be interesting to see how his role on the team blossoms as we get deeper into the season, but there's no question this type of selection is all about his potential. The idea is that Powell will truly be able to blossom at the NBA level once he gets under the direction of a strong developmental coaching staff.
18. Atlanta Hawks (via Los Angeles) - Hugo González Peña, F, Spain
It's actually not the worst thing in the world that the Atlanta Hawks have performed over expectation so far this season considering they don't own their first-round pick. Without protections, their pick is automatically going to go to the San Antonio Spurs. Fortunately, the Hawks will own the Los Angeles Lakers pick no matter where it lands. For now, it's outside the lottery but there's a very realistic chance that it does end up improving over the course of the season. With this spot, Huge Gonzalez Pena could be in play for the Hawks.
For now, Pena remains a player that could be selected late in the first round but he's not a lock. With a ton of upside, he'll have to prove that he's worthy of a selection. With the way he's trending, he may have a ton of work to do in the pre-draft process. There's much to like about Pena and his potential. However, the production isn't there yet as is the case with many of the other players that are expected to be first-round selections. A lot can change between now and the start of the pre-draft process though.