Post-Lottery NBA Mock Draft 1.0

New Orleans hit the lottery Tuesday night, while the Grizzlies and Lakers won big too. It’s mock draft time…

It was the wildest NBA Draft Lottery in recent memory (math!!) and the New Orleans Pelicans were the huge lotto winners. New Pels GM David Griffin won the lottery for his fourth time, and now instead of trading Anthony Davis for Zion Williamson, the Pelicans have a shot at playing both of them together. It’s an unbelievable stroke of luck for a team that had just a 6% chance at the top pick entering the night. The Grizzlies and Lakers were lucky too, each moving into the top-4 after a big leap. Even the Knicks were lucky if you believe in math. Their #3 pick was a better expected outcome than the odds would’ve given, though you’ll never convince New York fans of that.

With our pick order finally in place, allow me to be the first one on the internet to put forth a brand new 2019 NBA mock draft. Wait, someone else has already done this? Shoot. Well, guess we’ll have to do this one different then. Unlike ESPN or The Athletic, I don’t get scuttlebutt from any agents feeding information they want out on their clients. I rely on my own scouting instead after watching 5 to 20 games on most of these guys below. This mock draft isn’t what I think will happen — it’s what I think should happen, if I were in charge of each pick.

A lot will change between now and draft day. The combine is this weekend, and plenty of interviews and team workouts await. Add to that an endless stream of trade talks with the Lakers, Knicks, and Celtics, and there’s still plenty of shakeups to come. For now, let’s run through the first round and make a pick for each team.

Once more for the people in the back — these are MY picks, the guys *I* would take for each team right now. I don’t care if you think I took a guy too high or too low. Do your own mock draft (or just leave your comments below).

1. New Orleans — Zion Williamson

Duh. The Pelicans were THE story Tuesday night. They got the biggest lottery prize since at least Anthony Davis, which, you know, they also got. Zion changes everything for New Orleans. He immediately becomes the top Pelicans asset, no small feat considering the presence of Anthony Davis. Is there a better pair of assets in the league? Steph and Draymond (KD and Klay are free agents)? Dame and C.J.? Embiid and Simmons? Honestly, the New Orleans pair is at the top of the list. And that is a shocking turn of events.

Anthony Davis says he still wants out, but if I’m David Griffin, I’m not in any rush to trade him. Brow, Zion, and Jrue Holiday is the core of an awesome team and an absolutely filthy defense. It’s a very modern trio with shooting, handling, and big switchable defenders, and New Orleans actually has some cap room this summer too. Is Davis really going to find a more competitive team elsewhere? That could be a top 3-to-5 defense and an above average offense. That’s a top-10 team, something like Oklahoma City this year. Why can’t that trio finish as high as the 3-seed in the West next year? Heck, if Durant goes East, why can’t they have a realistic shot at coming out of the West? Griffin should let Davis play another 40 games with the Pels and see how much he likes playing next to Zion. It could change everything.

2. Memphis — Ja Morant

The Grizzlies have exactly one long-term piece on the roster, a good one in Jaren Jackson, Jr., plus whatever they get for Mike Conley in a trade. I really like players like Brandon Clarke and Jarrett Culver as team building blocks but this is a team that needs to take a swing on big upside and that means taking the plunge on Morant or R.J. Barrett. I like Morant better, and the Grizz aren’t going to be good for a few years so they can take their time and develop him.

The Grizzlies jumping to this spot in the draft was a win for Boston too. The Celtics own Memphis’s pick next year, top-6 protected, or it goes unprotected in 2021. This leap should push the Grizz to trade Conley and turn the page to the youngsters for good. Memphis will be pretty bad for a few years. That pick may not convey next year, and it could be incredibly valuable in 2021. The Memphis pick may have just become the best pick trade asset in the league.

3. New York — R.J. Barrett

It’s impossible to know what to expect with this pick right now since New York is such a blank slate. There’s a good chance this pick moves in a trade, and Knicks fans will prefer it that way. That’s because it would probably mean Kevin Durant and at least one more star are coming, and adding the #3 rookie to stars in their prime is not a winning recipe so it’s better at that point to trade the pick for another star.

Maybe that star is Anthony Davis. The Knicks should feel free to trade pretty much every asset they’ve got for Davis now. New York’s pick “dropped” from Zion to #3 and still remained the top asset on the team by a sizable margin. It’s like if you grabbed what you thought was a $100 bill out of your wallet and it was actually a $5, but all you have other than that is a couple bucks, some coins, and a free Wendy’s Frosty coupon.

If New York keeps the pick, it’s probably because they didn’t get a superstar. At that point, the team absolutely has to swing for upside, which means whichever one of Morant or Barrett is there. Neither of those two is top-3 on my board right now, but it’s a superstar league and the the Knicks have none.

4. Los Angeles Lakers — Jarrett Culver

This would make me physically ill, but Culver looks like an excellent fit on the Lakers roster. This is another pick that looks likely to move in a deal for a star. Los Angeles only has a few years to maximize their LeBron window, and they have enough young talent already. This pick will likely be the centerpiece in an offer for Brow, Bradley Beal, or Mike Conley, in that order. Beal doesn’t sound exciting but he would be an awesome fit with LeBron.

The Lakers need wing help and Beal would add shooting gravity and some handling and secondary creation the team lacked this year. If they keep the pick, Culver could fit a similar role, and he’s been #2 on my board much of the year. The Lakers will be in play for names like Jimmy Butler, Kyrie Irving, and Klay Thompson, so what they do with the pick here (if they keep it) might telegraph their top free agent target.

5. Cleveland — De’Andre Hunter

This is the toughest pick in the mock for me because none of the picks really make a ton of sense here. Brandon Clarke is my favorite non-Zion player in the draft, but he just doesn’t make sense on this roster at all. Cleveland seems to think they can contend for the playoffs now, and perhaps they’re right in a terrible East if they can magically get 75 games out of Kevin Love next year. The biggest need is on the wing, and Hunter is ready to step in and play good minutes right away.

6. Phoenix — Brandon Clarke

I hadn’t really considered this option before, but I really like Clarke’s fit next to Deandre Ayton in Phoenix. Ayton is developing a useful shot and should keep trending in that direction if he’s going to become valuable, and an inside-out big man is exactly the sort of center you’d want to pair Clarke with. This is basically giving Phoenix the player they thought they were drafting in Marquese Chriss, but actually good — someone to protect the rim and just do a lot of off-ball stuff, finishing chances as they come to him. Clarke and Mikal Bridges are the perfect sort of low-usage don’t-need-the-ball guys to fit next to Ayton and Devin Booker.

7. Chicago — Coby White

That’s the end of a draft tier for me with Clarke, and that’s unfortunate for the Bulls. Chicago’s lottery tumble dropped their 2019 pick from their most valuable asset to their fifth most valuable on my board — both the drop from 4 to 7 and obviously missing out on Zion. Coby White has moved ahead of Darius Garland on my board as a player with more realistic outcomes, and I like him better next to Zach LaVine anyway. He adds some serious shooting and can do more without the ball in his hands, which fits the roster well.

8. Atlanta — Grant Williams

The Hawks pick at #8 and #10 so they’re grabbing two guys here to pair with Trae Young, John Collins, and Kevin Huerter. That needs to be at least one wing, plus either a second wing or a big man. I’m going here with a guy that might be a little bit of both. Atlanta is trying to build Golden State East under Travis Schlenk, and Williams has some Draymond Green equity to him. He’s a high-IQ player and a terrific passer and he plays smart, stout defense. They’re different players but could be used in a similar role, and a Grant-Collins pairing would unlock some intriguing small-ball lineups.

9. Washington — Darius Garland

I’m not a huge Garland believer yet — he’s a player likely to still move significantly up or down my board depending on what we see over the next month as we find out more information — but he feels like a no brainer here. Washington can’t hold out too much hope for John Wall at this point, and Garland gives them a dynamic young point guard to pair with Beal (if they keep him), plus Garland is a high-upside pick with his archetype if he hits.

10. Atlanta — Jaxson Hayes

I’m not totally sold on this pick yet because I’m not sure Atlanta needs to take a center here, but the possibility of Jaxson Hayes as a rim-running center adding a vertical threat to a team with a lot of spacing is really intriguing. Hayes has huge defensive potential if he can put things together, and Atlanta can take the time to develop him and Trae Young. He also fits better next to John Collins now that Collins is starting to shoot a bit. Picking Williams and Hayes would be a bit odd because it still leaves Atlanta pretty lean on the wing, but Rome wasn’t built in a day.

11. Minnesota — P.J. Washington

As a Timberwolves fan, my dream pick in this spot is Brandon Clarke all the way — but that’s because he’s top-3 on my board, and there’s no way I’d “let” Clarke slide all the way to #11 if I were in charge of the picks. P.J. Washington would give Minnesota another long rangy wing to pair with Robert Covington and a real defense with those two and Josh Okogie plus an improving KAT. Think of Washington like a Taj Gibson replacement with more offense and versatility.

12. Charlotte — Jontay Porter

The Hornets have a blank canvas as far as I’m concerned. I like Miles Bridges and Malik Monk but see no need to build around them, and with a bunch of old, expensive veterans going nowhere, this team just needs to take a shot at developing a star. Jontay Porter is that shot. I had Porter top-5 on my board before he re-injured his knee. His basketball IQ and passing are off the charts for a big man, and Charlotte can afford to be patient and see if there’s some Nikola Jokic equity here.

13. Miami — Nickeil Alexander-Walker

Nickeil-Alexander Walker is one of my favorite team-building picks in the 2019 draft, reminiscent of Josh Okogie and Kevin Huerter who I ranked in this range last year. He’s not going to be a star but he’s a good shooter with plus defense on the wing and would fit nicely into the Miami rotation where there’s now a hole with Dwyane Wade’s retirement.

14. Boston — Chuma Okeke

The Celtics are an impossible team to predict at this point because they have three mid-1st picks and because we have no idea if Kyrie Irving or Al Horford will be back, whether they’ll keep these picks, or where the future is headed. It’s extremely unlikely Boston just keeps and makes all three picks, or if they do, they’ll need at least one international draft-and-stash. I’m not a Sekou Doumbouya believer yet here, nor Goga Bitadze and he looks like he’ll come over this year anyway. Instead I’ll let Boston wait out Okeke’s ACL recovery and slot in another versatile, switchy wing to a team that always wants more of them.

15. Detroit — Kevin Porter Jr.

We’re out of the lottery so we’re going to start rapid-firing this thing. KPJ is a shot at big upside, something the Pistons badly lack.

16. Orlando — Talen Horton-Tucker

I love THT, and Orlando loves super long, theoretical players that don’t know how to shoot. A match made in heaven.

17. Brooklyn Nets — Isaiah Roby

This pick will surprise most, but I’ve been high on Roby all season and have him a tier above the past two picks, and I like his fit as a possible starting four for this team.

18. Indiana Pacers — Cam Reddish

Reddish slots in as a Tyreke Evans replacement. At worst, he’s shooting and potential defense off the bench. At best, maybe he’s the next in the growing line of mid-1st Pacers wing star projects, a la Danny Granger and Paul George.

19. San Antonio — Goga Bitadze

I’m not a Goga believer yet but haven’t had the chance to watch much of his games from this year. Insert GIF of Gregg Popovich running to select a talented international big man here.

20. Boston — Matisse Thybulle

The second Celtics pick goes to an absolute pitbull Brad Stevens can bring off the defense. Imagine having to play your bench unit against Marcus Smart and Matisse Thybulle. Good luck scoring.

21. Oklahoma City — Tyler Herro

The joke pick is slotting in Bol Bol or Nic Claxton as a long, developmental big man, but I love Herro’s shooting in OKC too much to pass on his fit here. It’s really indescribable how much his shooting could open up this offense.

22. Boston — Nassir Little

I’m not a Nassir Little believer at all, but if anyone’s going to get the best out of him, it’s probably Brad Stevens and Boston.

23. Utah — Rui Hachimura

I like Rui Hachimura as a bench scoring option at the four, and he could be more than that as a great spacing fit in Utah with plenty of defensive protection he can hide behind.

24. Philadelphia — Neemias Queta

I’m honestly surprised Queta fell this far in my own mock draft as I still think he could be the best big man in the draft. He’s going to take some time to develop but might be ready to absorb those Embiid bench minutes soon as an elite defensive prospect. Philly has two more picks at the top of the second round, so they can afford to spend a pick on a center here.

25. Portland — Jalen McDaniels

I’ve cooled a bit on Jalen McDaniels as the season has worn on, but Portland needs help at forward in a bad way and he’s the best one on my board.

26. Cleveland — Romeo Langford

The Cavs need upside, and for a second straight pick, the best upside here is at a position they don’t really have room for (center, this time). I have zero interest in Romeo Langford and I know he won’t fall this far but he may as well stop sliding here.

27. Brooklyn — Nic Claxton

I like Jarrett Allen, but he’s going to top out around 30 minutes, so another center with upside makes sense. I like Claxton’s upside more than Bol’s personally, in that I think he has a better chance of getting there.

28. Golden State — Dylan Windler

It’s clear the Warriors need some more shooting and scoring off the bench, and Windler is ready to walk in and contribute right away.

29. San Antonio — Sekou Doumbouya

I mean, some picks just write themselves.

30. Milwaukee — Bol Bol

Move over Thon Maker, there’s a new theoretical big man in town. I don’t believe in Bol but maybe he can fill the Brook Lopez role in time, playing like a shooting guard on offense and protecting the rim on D.

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