2019 NBA Draft Lottery Results
The Knicks, Suns, Cavaliers, and Bulls finished with the four worst records in basketball, as we saw tanking go wrong at its finest. The Knicks still landed a top three draft pick, but the other teams fell out of the first four picks. You still have to think the Knicks are disappointed missing out on Zion Williams. We have them settling for the other Duke star, RJ Barrett. Mocking a draft is always going to be tough, and we fully anticipate teams to move around a bit. The Lakers will be looking at all options with the fourth overall pick. New Orleans landing the number one pick really shakes things up. Boston also has three first round picks, but nothing inside the top ten. The NBA Draft will be on June 20th, and here is a starting point to see where teams draft, and what their potential options are.
| Pick | Team | Mock Draft Pick | Quick Thoughts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Orleans Pelicans | Zion Williamson, PF, Duke | One of the top prospects over the last few decades will make his way to New Orleans. He averaged 22.6 points per game at Duke, and will slide into a New Orleans team with a lot of question marks over the offseason. It was a big surprise to see New Orleans at one to get Zion, but they will look to replace their franchise player Anthony Davis. |
| 2 | Memphis Grizzlies | Ja Morant, PG, Murray State | Many saw Ja Morant thrive in the NCAA tournament. With the looking departure of Mike Conley, it makes sense for Memphis to go after a future franchise point guard. Averaging 24 points per game and 10 assists per game, he is going to bring a lot to the table for Memphis. |
| 3 | New York Knicks | RJ Barrett, SG/SF, Duke | The Knicks will miss out on Zion, but they will get the next best Duke product from this year. Barrett possesses strong skills to get to the basket, but his shooting can be inefficient at times. It will be interesting to see who is playing with Barrett on this Knicks team moving forward to help take some of the pressure off. |
| 4 | Los Angeles Lakers | De'Andre Hunter, SF, Virginia | Los Angeles might be looking to move this pick, and overall this draft could get thrown around with trades. Either way, Los Angeles getting a tremendous two-way forward would be helpful for him. He shot well from three, and can play on both sides of the ball. Something the Lakers desperately need. |
| 5 | Cleveland Cavaliers | Jarrett Culver, SG, Texas Tech | Cleveland slipped out of the top four, but will get a pretty good player in Jarrett Culver here. He is a lanky shooting guard who can play both ways. Sliding him next to Collin Sexton is an interesting backcourt to start looking at for the future, it isn’t any of the top four guys, but Cleveland gets a nice grab here. |
| 6 | Phoenix Suns | Darius Garland, PG, Vanderbilt | Phoenix desperately needs a point guard, even though Devin Booker can play the position. Darius Garland is your next best bet, who plays with speed and can push the floor. He is a scorer as well, and will be an interesting fit next to Booker for the upcoming few seasons. |
| 7 | Chicago Bulls | Coby White, PG, North Carolina | Chicago needs a point guard that they can trust for the future, and there are not any on the Bulls that fit the bill. Coby White is a bigger point guard at 6’5, who can play both guard positions. He fits in with Chicago, especially because he can play on and off the ball. It is disappointing for Chicago to get seventh and miss out on some of the better point guards. |
| 8 | Atlanta Hawks | Cam Reddish, SF, Duke | Atlanta has looked to hit on John Collins and Trae Young already. Cam Reddish has a lot of potential, especially as a scorer. The Hawks getting Cam Reddish would benefit their need for some wing help and more scoring. Only knock here is that there are questions around his urgency of play and effort. |
| 9 | Washington Wizards | Jaxson Hayes, PF, Texas | Washington could go a number of ways as their organization is in a weird spell with the John Wall injury, but a high upside pick with Jaxson Hayes in the front court I like for them moving forward. He was efficient around the rim and shows great potential as a shot blocker. |
| 10 | Atlanta Hawks | Sekou Doumbouya, SF, France | Atlanta has another chance to get a winner here, as combo forward Doumbooya shows strong upside both offensively and defensively. Atlanta will look to bolster up their forward and wing positions through the draft, and I like the upside picks they have taken within the first 12 picks. |
| 11 | Minnesota Timberwolves | Romeo Langford, SG, Indiana | Romeo Langford has had some issues with consistent shooting, but is one of the better players at getting his own shot off. He averaged 16 points per game at Indiana, and would be a fit to play alongside Andrew Wiggins and Jeff Teague. Like this spot for Langford’s development. |
| 12 | Charlotte Hornets | Bol Bol, C, Oregon | Going down early in the season put a damper on Bol Bol in this draft. The man was built to block shots at 7’2, but has shown to have a nice touch around the rim as well. I have concerns with him playing the modern NBA where we have seen centers like him exposed. Charlotte needs an interior defender with upside, and Bol Bol offers that. |
| 13 | Miami Heat | PJ Washington, PF, Kentucky | PJ Washington made a big stride in his second year at Kentucky, and is a 6’8 power forward that can stretch the floor a bit. Washington can score in various ways, which Miami is in need of some more versatile offense. It would be a bit of a logjam at times for Washington here, but I expect the Miami front court to weed itself out soon. |
| 14 | Boston Celtics | Brandon Clarke, PF, Gonzaga | Brandon Clarke is an older prospect at 22, and showed he could hang on both sides of the court. He averaged 17 points per game in 28 minutes this past season and had 3.2 blocks per game. Boston needs to sort itself out, but have three picks in the first round. His teammate Hachimura is a better offensive player, but Clarke fits more the style for Boston. |
| 15 | Detroit Pistons | Kevin Porter, SF, USC | Kevin Porter is a bigger prospect that can handle the ball as a shooting guard. He has potential as a scorer, and Detroit desperately needs scoring on the outside, and Porter can take shape in this role. He will need some work, but with Langford already gone for me, Porter is the next best option. |
| 16 | Orlando Magic | Tyler Herro, SG, Kentucky | Ty Herro gives the Magic some backcourt depth, which should be the area of focus for the draft. Herro can shot from long range, and his overall shot was a plus at Kentucky. He had to share the court with other options, but averaged 14 points in his freshman season. |
| 17 | Brooklyn Nets | Rui Hachimura, PF, Gonzaga | Rui Hachimura brings a lot of offense as a shooter, shooting over 50% from the field and 40% from three. He could really fit off the bench for a number of teams, and Brooklyn is a bit thin at the front court positions. Hachimura could easily be snagged in this mid-range by teams who are looking for offense off the bench. |
| 18 | Indiana Pacers | Nassir Little, SF, North Carolina | I have Nassir Little going a little higher than most, as he is more of a raw athletic prospect who will need time to adjust. No better place to do that right now than Indy. Indy lacks a more built driving forward, and Little can fit that role. I think we see a team reach for him rather than him slip. |
| 19 | San Antonio Spurs | KZ Okapala, PF, Stanford | KZ Okapala is someone I wanted to see fall to the Spurs, and here he is. I do think the Spurs could potentially get him with their later pick, but he is a really interesting prospect long term. He continues to improve shooting and is a mobile forward that can get to the rim. Okapala is a perfect fit for San Antonio who need to add to the front court. |
| 20 | Boston Celtics | Nickeil Alexander-Walker, SG, Virginia Tech | Boston’s three picks aren’t going to add immediate value, that is unless they bundle up the picks for a trade. Either way, Nickeil Alexander-Walker has the ability to play both guard positions and the three. He can play on and off the ball, and averaged 16.2 points per game. |
| 21 | Oklahoma City Thunder | Keldon Johnson, SG, Kentucky | The Thunder are in need of adding a guy like Keldon Johnson to their team. He shot well from three, and won’t be asked to take on a huge role. He played really well defensively, and that is where he could help the Thunder given Andre Roberson’s injury troubles. Johnson would benefit a few teams in this range, and I think Boston would be another place he could land. |
| 22 | Boston Celtics | Legeuentz Dort, SG, Arizona State | Boston loves to nab these players who can play multiple positions in the backcourt, and have the ability to play on both sides of the ball. He averaged 16 points per game and was able to show the ability to get to the rim. With Irving likely leaving, their backcourt is going to have a lot of usage, minutes, and production to fill. Look for them to take some shots in the draft. |
| 23 | Utah Jazz | Ty Jerome, PG, Virginia Tech | Ty Jerome showed the ability to hit from three, shooting nearly 40% in college. He averaged 5.5 assists per game, and Utah desperately needs to add some scoring behind Donovan Mitchell. Jerome would be a short term pairing with Ricky Rubio, but has potential to be a starting point guard on a team like Utah. This is a great fit in my opinion. |
| 24 | Philadelphia 76ers | Cameron Johnson, SF, North Carolina | Cameron Johnson is a prolific shooter, which Philadelphia desperately needs to add more. Johnson could easily come in and space the floor for Philly, and open up things offensively. He is a senior who has had some trouble with injuries, but a 24th pick on someone who can help immediately is worth the risk here. |
| 25 | Portland Trail Blazers | Talen Horton-Tucker, SF, Iowa State | The backcourt is set, but the forward positions still need a lot of work. He is a bit of an in-betweener for a shooting guard and small forward, but in the modern NBA he could play both. He has the scoring ability and has a high motor. Could easily see Horton-Tucker being of value to a Portland team that needs some help. |
| 26 | Cleveland Cavaliers | Grant Williams, PF, Tennessee | Grant Williams played three years at Tennessee, and improved his stats each season. He finished his Junior year averaging 18 and 7, but also chipped in with 3.2 assists per game. Williams was an SEC All-Freshman, and two-time player of the year in the division. He is a smart basketball player who can help the Cavs front court. |
| 27 | Brooklyn Nets | Chuma Okeke, PF, Auburn | A major knee injury hurts Chuma Okeke’s draft stock, but he bounced back last season averaging 12 and 6 with 1.8 steals per game. Okeke shoots really well for his frame, shooting 38% from three last season and 57% from two. Brooklyn should be looking to take some upside forwards in the draft given they have numerous guards and wings. |
| 28 | Golden State Warriors | Bruno Fernando, C, Maryland | What really can you add to Golden State? Well, they could get a bruiser defensive center to help out the bench. That is what I see happening here, as Bruno Fernando is a 6’10 PF/C who made a strong jump in his sophomore season. He increased each of his stats in a minutes increase. |
| 29 | San Antonio Spurs | Neemais Queta, C, Utah State | As mentioned, San Antonio needs to bolster their front court. Neemias Queta is an out of country talent, but played college at Utah State. He averaged 11 and 8 in his rookie season, and added 2.4 blocks per game. All of this was in 27 minutes a game. He was an all-defensive player, and is worth a look late here. |
| 30 | Milwaukee Bucks | Daniel Gafford, C, Arkansas | Milwaukee doesn’t have a ton of positional needs, but Daniel Gafford is a big center who can be the opposite of what Brook Lopez brings. He is a good rebounder, and has the ability to finish easy buckets. There is some shot blocking upside here as well, and Milwaukee. |
