While the top three prospects in the draft appear likely to go down as expected, the Anthony Davis trade has thrown things at the top of the draft into flux as the Pelicans are rumored to be shopping the No. 4 pick, and numerous teams have been mentioned as candidates to move up the board.
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The middle of the first round features even more uncertainty, which makes quite a bit of sense given the flat nature of prospect values in this year’s class. There may not be much difference in the value of picking 10th and 22nd.
Below is an attempt to make sense of the madness, and it starts with the one thing we can feel certain about heading into Thursday night.
NBA Mock Draft 2019
- Pelicans — Zion Williamson, Forward, Duke
Height: 6-7 | Weight: 284 | Age: 18.9
Winning the draft lottery has positioned New Orleans and its new front office with an opportunity to recover quickly from the recent Davis trade. Williamson is a slam dunk No. 1 pick with the potential to be a franchise changer. He’s the best college prospect the league has seen since at least Davis in 2012, and I’d be willing to place him above Davis as a prospect given the current dynamics of the NBA.
Two different player archetypes largely shape the modern NBA — the lead guard with a live dribble pull-up threat and the oversized offensive initiator. The first category is shaped by players like Stephen Curry, Damian Lillard and on the younger end, Trae Young. The second category is filled by the likes of LeBron James, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Kawhi Leonard. Williamson has the potential to find his way into that group, and even if he comes up short, he’ll still be extremely useful.
The 6-7 forward possesses an impressive handle for his size and high-level agility that allows him to weave — an odd, but accurate term for a nearly 300-pounder — through opposing defenses. He has the court vision to find teammates and the strength and athleticism to finish through opponents. It’s worth seeing if he can become that type of special initiator.
Even if he doesn’t, Williamson has outs to being a star. There’s little doubt Williamson should be able to succeed as a secondary offensive option as he did at Duke this season, which combined with Defensive Player of the Year potential thanks to his impressive free safety play could see him fit in some sort of Draymond Green-esque role on a title contender.
The New Orleans front office should spend the five minutes it has allotted to make its selection doing cartwheels before selecting Williamson at No. 1.
- Grizzlies — Ja Morant, Point, Murray State
Height: 6-3 | Weight: 175 | Age: 19.9
Morant is both the No. 2 prospect on our latest big board and our projected selection at No. 2 for Memphis. The 6-3 sophomore has tremendous potential as a lead guard thanks to a dazzling combination of athleticism, ball handling and passing acumen.
Morant generated nearly half of his half-court field goal attempts at the rim this season and finished them at a 56.0 percent clip, per Hoop-Math. He’s able to generate space going downhill thanks to impressive handle that features plenty of moves to change both direction and pace.
Perhaps his most underrated skill, though, is his passing. One season removed from raving about Young’s potential as a distributor, more people should be talking about how much Morant makes his teammates better. Murray State entered the season projected to have the 117th best offense in the country, per KenPom. The Racers finished it ranked 41st in large part thanks to Morant.
There remain questions about how Morant’s shooting will translate and whether he’ll be too much of a negative on the defensive end, but his offensive upside is significant and pairing him with last year’s lottery pick, Jaren Jackson Jr., is an enticing option.
Recent reporting from The Athletic’s Shams Charania suggests the Grizzlies are still seeking out a landing spot for incumbent point guard Mike Conley, which would open up a hefty amount of playing time for their projected No. 2 pick.
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- Knicks — RJ Barrett, Wing, Duke
Height: 6-7 | Weight: 208 | Age: 19.0
After losing out in the Davis sweepstakes and seeing one of their top free agent targets go down with an Achilles injury, the Knicks will be looking toward the draft to provide a glimmer of hope. Barrett has the potential to offer some respite, as his freshman season at Duke has probably gone underappreciated.
The 19-year-old became the first freshman since at least 1992-93 to average better than 22.0 points, 7.0 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game. Critics will rightfully point to Barrett’s lack of efficiency and some high-profile mistakes late in games as reasons to be down on him as a prospect, but his production was genuinely unique. Combine that with a tremendous work ethic and desire to improve, and the conversation surrounding Barrett should probably shift to a more positive tone.
Where Barrett can fit in on a winning team is the question that remains unanswered. He obviously excelled as a lead initiator at Duke, but it’s not clear his athleticism and decision-making will translate to the next level. If it does, though, he has the potential to be a real star, especially on the offensive end.
- Pelicans — Jarrett Culver, Wing, Texas Tech
Height: 6-7| Weight: 195 | Age: 20.3
The pick the Pelicans acquired in the Davis trade from the Lakers has reportedly already been shopped around heavily, and with other reports indicating several teams have some interest in moving up, it wouldn’t be surprising to see someone other than New Orleans make this selection on draft night.
For now, though, Culver is the pick. There are some fit concerns here as statistical projections don’t portray the Texas Tech wing as likely to be a quality outside shooter, which is magnified by the lack of perimeter shooting the Pelicans received in the Davis deal, but he’s otherwise a quality two-way piece who could combine with Lonzo Ball and Jrue Holiday to form a nice defensive trio.
- Cavaliers — De’Andre Hunter, Forward, Virginia
Height: 6-7 | Weight: 222 | Age: 21.6
There’s reporting out there suggesting Cleveland is interested in point guard Darius Garland at this spot. It’s early enough in the Cavaliers’ rebuild that snagging Garland as the best player available and amassing talent could make sense even after having spent a high first-rounder last year on Collin Sexton.
One can’t help but wonder, though, if the Garland messaging is designed to convince one of Phoenix or Chicago — two teams who need a point guard — to move up in the draft order.
It would seem odd to take Garland and undermine last season’s young starting point guard. Plus, a backcourt of Garland and Sexton would likely not be a successful fit, so Hunter is the projection here. The 3-and-D forward could go a long way toward helping Cleveland improve on the defensive end, as he’s one of the best defenders in the class. He also possesses some sneaky offensive upside if he can smooth out his creation skills.
- Suns — Coby White, Point, North Carolina
Height: 6-5 | Weight: 185 | Age: 19.3
Phoenix is in the market for a point guard to pair with Devin Booker in its backcourt, and while a veteran might be the preferred option for next season, it will be hard to turn down selecting one with a pair of them on the board here. Reporting from ESPN’s Jonathan Givony suggests the Suns prefer White to Vanderbilt’s Garland.
White is a speedy point guard who can excel in transition, generating extra points each game simply by beating defenders down the floor. He also flashes the ability to knock down shots out to NBA range off a live dribble. It’s a skill that’s becoming a must for the best point guards in the league these days. In the half court, White is also capable of working off the ball, so Phoenix won’t suffer if it wants to let Booker handle the bulk of those creation opportunities.
There would rightfully be concerns about how a Booker-White backcourt matches up defensively, but the hope is White’s size is enough to put him in position to at least compete on that end.
- Bulls — Darius Garland, Point, Vanderbilt
Height: 6-3 | Weight: 173 | Age: 19.4
This would represent a bit of a fall for Garland, who has widely been panned as the fourth-best prospect in this class primarily on the basis of his pull-up jumper. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see someone — perhaps even Chicago — move up in a deal with either New Orleans or Cleveland to snag Garland earlier.
The 19-year-old played just five games for Vanderbilt this season, but his skill set (and frankly the inability to pick his game apart) has benefited him in the draft process. The rookie success of Young as well as the playoff success of Lillard has emphasized just how important the ability to shoot off a live dribble is for point guards. Garland is the best option for that skill in this draft.
He’ll fit in nicely in Chicago where he can slot into the backcourt with Zach LaVine and allow the veteran to handle the bulk of the playmaking responsibilities in the half court while using his jumper as a gravitational force against defenders.
- Hawks — Cam Reddish, Forward, Duke
Height: 6-9 | Weight: 205 | Age: 19.5
Assuming the Hawks don’t move up the board to target a prospect like Culver, they should have a wing prospect available to them here, whether it be Hunter or Reddish. Either player would theoretically slot into Atlanta’s system well.
There’s more safety in selecting Hunter as a more traditional 3-and-D piece and arguably more upside in landing Reddish thanks to the playmaking he showed in high school. Hunter’s obviously off the board here, so Reddish is the pick.
The 19-year-old struggled in a more traditional 3-and-D role at Duke last season, so it’ll be important for Atlanta to find ways to build some of the strengths he showed as a prep prospect. Reddish should be capable of working as a secondary playmaker if he’s willing to shed his habit of fading in and out of contests.
The remainder of his skill set is an obvious fit, as he should develop into a viable outside threat and a competent multi-positional defender.
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- Wizards — Sekou Doumbouya, Forward, Limoges
Height: 6-9 | Weight: 210 | Age: 18.5
Washington appears to be straddling the line between trying to stay competitive and embracing a rebuild, one of the more difficult tight ropes in the modern NBA. It’s especially hard to imagine the Wizards being successful when saddled with one of the worst contracts in the NBA. Still, reporting seems to indicate the franchise isn’t eager to cash in Bradley Beal for assets, so how they’ll handle this pick is difficult to predict.
The math just doesn’t add up with an injured Wall and his super max on the books. For now, we’re going to shade them toward the rebuild, which means taking a shot on the long-term potential of Doumbouya.
The 6-9 forward offers a tremendous combination of length, athleticism and youth to mold into something valuable. He has the potential to be a multi-positional defender with some level of an offensive game. Doumbouya is raw, but if the Wizards embrace rebuilding, they could be in a position to give him time to develop.
- Hawks — Jaxson Hayes, Center, Texas
Height: 6-11 | Weight: 220 | Age: 19.1
As one of the teams with three first-round picks, it’s no certainty Atlanta will be the franchise that makes this selection on draft night, but we’ll proceed as if the Hawks do. Hayes would give the Hawks an upside play at the center position. He can act as a rim runner and shot blocker and hopefully develop some of the touch he’s flashed on his jumper.
Despite Hayes’ impressive freshman season, he’s still viewed as a bit of a development project because of the strength he needs to add to compete on the glass. There are also some reasonable concerns about fit here, as Atlanta already has John Collins, a player it’s already invested some capital in developing and who doesn’t fully space the floor.
Still, the upside of Hayes may prove too much to turn down.
- Timberwolves — Nassir Little, Forward, North Carolina
Height: 6-6 | Weight: 224 | Age: 19.4
Little tumbled down NBA Draft boards throughout the season, as he struggled to adapt to the college game and his 3-point shot abandoned him — he converted just 26.9 percent of his attempts. A strong pre-draft process, though, has seen him rebound into a potential lottery pick. Little measured well athletically at the NBA Draft Combine, and he has reportedly shot better in workouts.
The 19-year-old has worked out for Minnesota and could fit in well at either forward spot in lineups with Karl-Anthony Towns. He needs to improve his feel for the game, but length and athleticism can make up for some of that in the interim. Plus, Little is one of the few wing-sized players in this class who has shown legitimate creation potential against quality opponents at some point in his career.
- Hornets — Rui Hachimura, Forward, Gonzaga
Height: 6-9 | Weight: 234 | Age: 21.3
Productive college players with a year or two of experience under their belt have a habit of finding their way to Charlotte. Hachimura represents a quality fit for the Hornets, as they could use some additional depth at power forward.
The 6-9 21-year-old is a divisive prospect in large part because the analytics don’t line up well with the raw scoring ability, size and athleticism that pops when Hachimura’s on the floor. Hachimura is old for a college prospect, but he’s certainly still developing and has improved each season in college. Charlotte would be betting he can take another step forward.
- Heat — PJ Washington, Forward, Kentucky
Height: 6-7 | Weight: 236 | Age: 20.8
Stuck with plenty of contracts and not much to show for it, Miami has waded its way into being one of those middling franchises in the NBA that most teams want to avoid becoming. The Heat will need to do some work to dig themselves out of the hole, but finding a starter this late in the 2019 draft will be difficult.
Instead, Miami snags a prospect many consider to be a safe bet to become a productive role player at the next level. Washington has the size and length to defend multiple positions as well as a developing jump shot that could help space the floor from the power forward spot. He should make for an intriguing frontcourt partner to fellow Kentucky product Bam Adebayo.
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- Celtics — Goga Bitadze, Big, Buducnost
Height: 6-11 | Weight: 251 | Age: 19.9
With Kyrie Irving and Al Horford seemingly on the way out, Boston fans will be looking for some good news on draft night to soothe their sorrows. Three potential first-rounders could help, although it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the Celtics do some maneuvering around the board.
Bitadze was a productive player in Europe this season and won the MVP of the Adriatic League. His ability as a threat in ball screens and as a rim protector should serve him well as he takes a step up in competition. In theory, the 19-year-old offers the Celtics a solution at the center spot with Horford gone.
- Pistons — Romeo Langford, Wing, Indiana
Height: 6-7 | Weight: 202 | Age: 19.7
Detroit needs to pick up some wing players to complement a star-studded frontcourt. There should be plenty of them available at this juncture in the draft, but none of them are perfect. Langford is the prospect in the group with the highest upside, so he gets the nod.
The 19-year-old can comfortably create shots for himself off the bounce, which is a valuable skill for a wing player with sufficient size. His shooting rates at Indiana were poor, but there’s some hope a thumb injury was at least a partial cause of those failings. Langford also outperformed expectations on the defensive end, although that’s largely related to the low bar he set in high school.
Several other prospects, including Tyler Herro, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Kevin Porter Jr. and Keldon Johnson would make sense here.
- Magic — Tyler Herro, Wing, Kentucky
Height: 6-5 | Weight: 195 | Age: 19.4
Terrence Ross is set to enter free agency, which means the lone above average 3-point shooter the Magic have on the wing could be set to depart. It’s a scenario that could set them up perfectly to select Herro here at No. 16.
The Kentucky product is one of the draft’s best shooters with the ability to knock down jumpers on the move, off the catch or out of ball screens. He can even occasionally operate as a tertiary ball handler on pick-and-rolls. It might physically pain some in Orlando’s front office to select a prospect with a negative wingspan, but Herro’s skill set is just too important for what the Magic’s roster needs.
- Hawks — Brandon Clarke, Forward, Gonzaga
Height: 6-8 | Weight: 215 | Age: 22.8
As mentioned, the Hawks will likely be active on draft night given their open desire to not bring a ton of additional young players onto a roster already full of them. Turning 23 before the season starts, Clarke might break the mold and at No. 17. His value is too good to pass up.
The Gonzaga forward has the potential to contribute at an NBA level right away and in ways that contribute to winning. He’s a quality rebounder, excellent defender and efficient scorer. Offensively, he doesn’t require the ball, and while he needs to work out a bit more of a jump shot, he shouldn’t be a liability. On defense, Clarke is one of the smartest players in the draft and has a habit of creating events.
It’s certainly possible the Hawks don’t make the pick here, but if they do, Clarke would be a terrific addition.
- Pacers — Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Wing, Virginia Tech
Height: 6-6 | Weight: 210 | Age: 20.8
Alexander-Walker is an interesting prospect thanks to his length and offensive versatility. While he’s not the quickest and probably won’t work out as a primary creation threat, he’s good enough at scoring in advantage situations that he can generate some on ball equity. He’s also a plus outside shooter. Defensively, once he adds a bit of strength, he should be able to guard multiple positions.
Nearly every Indiana wing is set to enter free agency this summer, so finding one in the draft at No. 18 could be a priority.
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- Spurs — Nic Claxton, Big, Georgia
Height: 6-11 | Weight: 217 | Age: 20.2
With Dejounte Murray, Derrick White and Lonnie Walker on the roster already, the Spurs have allocated plenty of their recent assets toward improving their backcourt. It will likely make sense for them to go in a different direction in 2019.
Claxton would be one such option, and given how much his draft stock has improved during the pre-draft process, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him in the teens here. He has real defensive versatility at the center spot, which is a prized trait, plus the potential to do some ball handling in transition in time.
Claxton’s a unique big man, and winning teams benefit from having those types of players on the roster.
- Celtics — Kevin Porter Jr., Wing, USC
Height: 6-6 | Weight: 218 | Age: 19.1
The Celtics have a trio of first-round picks, so all caveats about the possibility of one of their picks moving apply here as well.
Porter is one of the draft’s toughest prospects to peg. He has unreal moments highlighting his ability as an on-ball creator, including getting to the basket at will and generating space for his stepback. There are also questions regarding his approach to the game and things that happened while he was at USC.
Boston is one of the franchises in the NBA you can bet on to nurture prospects to reach their potential, and with three first-rounders, the Celtics can afford to take a risk on Porter here.
- Thunder — Keldon Johnson, Wing, Kentucky
Height: 6-7 | Weight: 210 | Age: 19.8
The Thunder have reportedly explored moving off this pick in order to shed some salary for next season, so it may not end up being them making this selection at No. 21. However, if they do, Johnson would be a positive fit due to his versatility.
The Kentucky wing isn’t great at any one thing — other than his high character — but he’s good enough at plenty of valuable things, including shooting from the outside, scoring in straight-line drives and defending multiple positions. Oklahoma City’s needed to expand its collection of two-way wings for quite some time. Johnson would help.
- Celtics — Bol Bol, Big, Oregon
Height: 7-2 | Weight: 208 | Age: 19.6
One risk might not be enough for the Celtics, so we’ll slot them with another one here. Bol has seen his stock slide from potential top-10 pick thanks to a broken foot, poor frame and concerns about his approach off the floor. It remains hard to deny the talent.
At 7-2, Bol has tremendous offensive ability thanks to his guard skills on the ball and outside shooting. He should be a healthy mismatch at the center position. The concern is he might give up as many points defensively as he earns on offense. He struggles to stay with opposing players on the perimeter and hasn’t shown consistency in his rotations. Maybe Boston could play some zone in Bol’s minutes to limit those weaknesses.
Bol is one of the 20 players invited to the green room, which suggests he’ll likely go higher than we have him on our big board. No. 22 would qualify.
- Grizzlies — Cameron Johnson, Forward, North Carolina
Height: 6-8 | Weight: 210 | Age: 23.3
The Mike Conley sweepstakes came to an end on Wednesday with Utah sending this pick plus Grayson Allen, Kyle Korver, Jae Crowder and a future first-rounder to Memphis in exchange for the veteran point guard. With Ja Morant set to take over ball-handling duties, it’s time to find talent that can space the floor. That’s where Johnson fits in.
The 6-8 23-year-old is one of the best shooting prospects in the class with a diverse shot portfolio off movement and a high release point that allows him to avoid the arms of outstretched defenders. Using him as an off-ball threat should open up the floor for Morant to break down defenses and put his playmaking to use.
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- 76ers — Matisse Thybulle, Wing, Washington
Height: 6-5 | Weight: 200 | Age: 22.3
Thybulle skipped out on the NBA Draft Combine back in May, which generated plenty of conversation about a potential promise being given to the Washington wing somewhere in the first round. Perhaps it was Philadelphia who came calling?
The fit would make sense given what the 76ers need to add to their roster. Thybulle projects to develop into a quality spot-up shooter at the next level given he made 35.8 percent of his college 3-point attempts and connected at a 78.2 percent clip from the foul line. He also has the potential to be a disruptor on the defensive end. Thybulle averaged 4.5 steals and 2.8 blocks per 40 minutes as a senior, although it’s not clear how well he’ll translate out of Washington’s zone scheme.
- Trail Blazers — KZ Okpala, Wing, Stanford
Height: 6-9 | Weight: 215 | Age: 20.2
Portland’s front office took a shot on another high-risk, high-upside prospect last year in the first round, and the Blazers are slotted with another one here in the hopes of striking it rich.
Okpala isn’t a player who will be ready to contribute right away, but he has the size and athleticism to turn into something promising. The 20-year-old can create a bit of offense and guard multiple positions. He’ll need to be develop a more reliable jumper to be truly impactful in the NBA.
- Cavaliers — Ty Jerome, Combo, Virginia
Height: 6-5 | Weight: 195 | Age: 21.9
Jerome is one of my favorite players in this range because his game seems likely to translate. The 6-5 guard is a high-IQ player who can really shoot it. He made 39.2 percent of his college 3-point attempts. He’ll offer the Cavaliers some flexibility in the backcourt, as he’s capable of playing both on and off the ball.
- Nets — Mfiondu Kabengele, Big, Florida State
Height: 6-10 | Weight: 256 | Age: 21.9
Kabengele is a prospect who impressed during the NCAA Tournament and throughout the pre-draft process. His combination of outside shooting and rim protection is unique. He’d offer Brooklyn an option behind Jarrett Allen in case Ed Davis leaves during free agency.
- Warriors — Dylan Windler, Forward, Belmont
Height: 6-8 | Weight: 200 | Age: 22.8
When the Raptors start pulling out the junk defenses in the NBA Finals because your role players aren’t threatening enough from beyond the arc, it might be time to find some shooting to fill out your rotation.
At this stage, Windler is probably the Warriors’ best bet, especially if they’re looking for a prospect with some size. The 22-year-old was a career 40.6 percent 3-point shooter in college and closed out his career shooting 84.7 percent from the foul line as a senior.
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- Spurs — Luka Samanic, Big, Olimpija Ljubljana
Height: 6-10 | Weight: 210 | Age: 19.5
As mentioned previously, the Spurs are seemingly set in the backcourt having made a number of selections to bolster their forces there in the past few drafts. Samanic provides another skilled frontcourt option for them.
He impressed during the lone scrimmage he played at the NBA Draft Combine, should be able to provide some creation on the offensive end and possesses the tools to be a capable defender.
- Pistons — Darius Bazley, Forward, N/A
Height: 6-9 | Weight: 208 | Age: 19.0
The Pistons acquired this pick on Wednesday night as a reward for taking on the contract of Tony Snell. They are reportedly discussing Bazley even as high as No. 15.
The 19-year-old prospect took a unique route to draft night, skipping out on college and interning at New Balance. His performance during pre-draft workouts appears to have reminded NBA teams why he was a heralded high school recruit.
Bazley has always had the workings of a jump shot and flashed a face-up game from the perimeter (even if he preferred his jumper), plus there’s a possibility he’s able to defend multiple positions. He’d be a fine flier late in the first round.
