Now if you are one of the four Albanians who have kept up with this sporadic dumpster fire of a blog for its six years, you've read my senseless love for the Draft poured out on numerous occasions. Favorite day of the year. Better than Christmas. Yada yada yada. But if you are one of the four people that have spent more than two drafts in my presence in the same period of time, you know that the day I supposedly love the most makes me the most fucking miserable. From telephone pole superkicks to hat spikes to Goldberg-esque headbutts of architecture, I'm quite the shitty person after Adam Silver reads the Knicks pick. And to be frank, most of the picks made during my lifetime have been better than the ones I craved. You can comb through old tweets, blogs, and podcasts of mine and find some pre-draft takes that should for all intents and purposes make me a perfect candidate for ESPN First Take.
So why do I love the Draft so much? Because I'm a fucking moron. There is no other logical explanation. I was originally going to say masochist, but I am not a fan of getting beat up. Getting latched on to a certain player at a certain spot and get irrationally upset at any deviations is my version of Groundhog Day. Year after year of following college basketball as closely has only produced the conclusion of me being a fairly miserable judge of NBA fit. But hell, it is mock draft season so what's another on the pile for shits and giggles. So without further ado, here is a moron's mock draft with some trade crack sprinkled in because if I'm going to do this wrong, I'm going to do it REALLY WRONG. If you've made it through these two paragraphs of self-deprecation without closing out your browser window, enjoy.
EDIT: Of course the Lakers had to fucking go trade for Anthony Davis and muck my shit up. This will probably come out five minutes before the fucking draft at this rate. Check out the Davis related changes in RED.
EDIT EDIT: My selection of Carsen Edwards for Utah at 23 took a kick in the dick with Mike Conley's trade to the Jazz. Conley related changes are in GREEN. I really hope I get this up before another trade happens, but I doubt it.
1. NEW ORLEANS PELICANS- Zion Williamson, F (Duke) No matter how much the NBA doomsdayers would love it, Zion Williamson will not Eli Manning the New Orleans Pelicans. Yes, his selection may expedite the process of the team trading Anthony Davis (YUP). No, Zion isn't going to force his way out of town (yet). Williamson is far and away the best prospect in this Draft. He is easily the most fun player I've watched over the course of multiple viewings over the 2018-19 NCAA season. His finishing at the rim is sometimes indefensible. His touch in the low post is underrated. He is an exceptional ball-handler for a player his size. However, there is a fine line between being the next Zach Randolph or the next Charles Barkley. Neither of those two is a bad option, if you're picking number seven. But with the first pick, that divide is fucking huge. I am a firm believer that Zion's talents translate well to the NBA, and that he will improve on the perimeter and mid-range, both offensively and defensively, within a couple of years. Motivation, or lack thereof, can be a dangerous thing though. If he truly doesn't want to be a Pelican, and there are no inroads to an exit, the former player comparison is much more likely than the latter. |
2. MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES- Ja Morant, G (Murray State) Consider this pick the Old Yeller-ing of Mike Conley in Memphis (YUP). As much as Zion is locked in at #1, Ja is at #2. The most famous Ja since Rule was a player that I was skeptical about all year. I never saw him play as a freshman and the only reference point I had early on was Murray State's pre-game dunk ritual that looked like a closing number from Stomp. But however cliche it sounds, you just need to watch the kid play once in a big game to know he's gonna be just fine at the next level. That game for me was against then #7 Auburn. We've all seen people described as volume scorers in action. Shot after shot goes up and at the end of the day they have a ton of points. Everything else is sacrificed so that the number in the scorebook that gets the most eyeballs is the highest. Early on Morant was on his way to one of those games. A few awkward heaves from deep combined with some bad turnovers left me at the time unimpressed. Didn't take long into the second half for that tide to turn. Auburn, a team that was seconds away from the NCAA Final, could not stop Ja Morant from getting to the basket. Nothing worked in the second half. Nothing. Ultimately they won out because the rest of Murray State couldn't hack it, but Morant went 10-for-11 from the line and kept his team in striking distance in a game they had no business being in. As so many folks smarter than me have said, and it was illustrated in the game I referenced above, Morant needs to up his outside game. But that's about it. Chris Paul has carved himself out a Hall of Fame career with a shaky three point stroke and Morant is far and away the better athlete than him coming out of school. Plus he hasn't punched anybody in the dick yet so there's that. |
3. NEW YORK KNICKS- RJ Barrett, F (Duke) Get your pessimism pants on folks, it is time for the New York Knicks to pick! When I was watching the NBA Draft Lottery (or had to switch to Twitter because the lovely barstaff at BJ's Brewhouse decided that I fell under the category of "nobody wants to watch this shit" while actively watching it) I knew the Knicks weren't going to get the first or second pick. Three was the best case scenario. It just was. So I started brushing up on my RJ Barrett because barring a trade, which I haven't made here, he's gonna be the guy. Coming into the season, the Canadian Destroyer was my "consensus" #2 pick and to be honest it was closer than I'd care to admit. I'm not a super high school basketball guru. I don't stop what I'm doing every time a Ball Is Life Instagram video comes out. But I loved what I saw from RJ Barrett. He can get to the basket with relative ease. Defending three positions in a pinch is no problem. Over the course of the 2018-19 season he did little to sway me from this position. And please, despite my constant glass half empty mood, don't take this next paragraph as slander. These are top three picks and this year they are all going to be really good NBA players. But... Fuck, RJ Barrett can sometimes not stop gunning. Case in point the game Duke lost to my beloved Syracuse in January. It is almost as if Justise Winslow (mostly for the size and handedness) was possessed by the spirit of John Starks from Game 7 of the 1994 NBA Finals. Now don't get me wrong, Barrett nearly put up a triple double that night, but he went an abysmal 8-for-30 from the field and 4-for-17 from three. Zion scored 35 that night and sliced through Cuse's zone like a Ginsu knife through a tin can. But RJ couldn't help himself. I may have drunkenly called him Launchpad McQuack that night. Ol' Launchpad had equally stinky arc performances in a loss to UNC several weeks later and against Virginia Tech in the NCAA tournament. In the end, I'll be happy to have him as a Knick as he'll surely pair well with Kemba Walker and Tobias Harris next season. Oh you thought I was going to say Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant? You're funny. |
4. ATLANTA HAWKS (FROM LOS ANGELES)- Cam Reddish, G (Duke) Davis Effect: Pelicans get pick instead of Hawks With the first three picks being nearly set in stone, it is time for the Lakers to go full Heath Ledger Joker and introduce a little anarchy into the NBA Draft. That is why I am having the first trade here at #4 with no better partner than the Atlanta Hawks. But why Atlanta? Why give up assets, presumably a future first round pick with not nearly enough protections, to move up for a guy who by all accounts should be there when you'd pick at 8? Because it's the fucking Hawks that's why! They traded away Luka Doncic last year and have slowly evaporated what little confidence the fans had in their front office. And while I may poo poo this fake trade, the pick is not a bad one for the Hawks. They have a third first round pick from the Allen Crabbe salary dump and lack a consistent third option behind Trae Young and John Collins. Reddish was the third banana at Duke and arguably his skill set fits better with Atlanta than it did with the Blue Devils. Cam is a really good spot up shooter and an above average perimeter defender. He is good coming off screens, which Collins is great at setting, and off kickouts, which Young showed improvement last year with Kevin Huerter. Reddish won't be an immediate All-Star and unless he finds a niche may never be. But the Lakers want no part of a rebuild as long as LeBron is in town and I feel he'd be better suited in a situation like Atlanta than the young player purgatory that is the Staples Center. I have Atlanta giving up 8, potentially that future first, and maybe a player like DeAndre' Bembry to move up. But let's face it this is the NBA Draft and it is the current front office of the Lakers. This has a chance to be 1000x more convoluted than it needs to be. (YUP) EDIT: The Anthony Davis trade sends this pick to New Orleans. I think Reddish is still the pick with his history with projected #1 pick Zion Williamson. The Pelicans are just as devoid of shooting as Atlanta. Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, and Josh Hart aren't the snipers they are looking for. Reddish still works. |
5. CLEVELAND CAVALIERS- DeAndre Hunter, F (Virginia) Picking a primarily defensive guy in the top five usually scares the crap out of me. But if you are a team that had the worst point differential in the NBA in a league that features the current zero defense iterations of the Phoenix Suns, New York Knicks, and Chicago Bulls, you just HAVE TO. That is why Cleveland will take ACC Defensive Player of the Year and All-NCAA Tournament Team player DeAndre Hunter from National Champion Virginia. Now Hunter alone isn't going to pull Cleveland out of the defensive dark ages, but it is a damn good start. He has the quickness to switch onto both sets of guards. Just go back and watch the NCAA title game and see the fits he gave Jarrett Culver, a player you'll see very soon on this mock. Hunter is long and hard enough (cue outdated Sean Elliott meme reference) to guard players taller than him in the block if need be. While I've lauded his defense so far, Hunter has the chance to be a really effective 3 and D guy. He hits the corner three with regularity, a must for an NBA wing in today's game. He improved his percentage from deep from his freshman to sophomore year by five percentage points. The knock on his offensive game though is his true lack of ability to make his own shot. Collin Sexton may be able to get him the ball in good spots for the Cavs, but he is still going to have to work really hard to get free off the dribble. |
6. PHOENIX SUNS- Darius Garland, G (Vanderbilt) The Suns are up and from the looks of it are in no rush to get better. With that being said, it makes sense for them to take a guy that they may have to wait on to pay full dividends in Vanderbilt PG Darius Garland. Garland, son of former NBA PG Winston Garland, only made it through five games (four games and two minutes) at Vandy before tearing his meniscus. His showcase game came against Liberty in an early season tournament that Vanderbilt hosted. So it should suffice to say that I have never seen Darius Garland play a game as it was happening. But if you listen to draft experts and scouts, something you have to do whenever you've never seen a player with your own two eyes, Garland's skill set translates to the NBA incredibly well. He's an adept outside shooter and keen user of the pick and roll. He can run the floor as effectively as he can run a half court offense. Garland would allow Devin Booker to stop being a point shooting guard which is bad news for those charged with taking him on. Nevertheless, without a full sample size of NCAA games to gauge things on though, I can't say much more than this on that side of the ball. But what I can say with a bit more certainty is that unlike the pick at five, there is no consideration for improving team defense with pick six. Garland is listed at a generous 6'2". While he has a decent enough wingspan to cover passing lanes, his knee injury scares me about potential pitfalls with lateral quickness going forward. I am and never have been even Bulgarian league quality at basketball, but I know bad knees. If being preemptive with your movements on defense is your bread and butter, having a torn meniscus this early in your career is going to be a dark cloud waiting to storm. Knees are like Pringles cans sometimes, once you pop...you know the rest. |
7. CHICAGO BULLS- Coby White, G (North Carolina) I may be making a rough estimate, but as of right now the Bulls roster is entirely composed of wings and Robin Lopez. If the Bulls draft anything other than a point guard at #7, Gar Forman should be investigated for basketball malfeasance. With Morant and Garland off the board, the top available point guard for Chicago is UNC's Coby White. He isn't a traditional pass-first point guard, but he does his best to make sure his offense leads to offense for others. White beat the absolute bag out of Syracuse in their one matchup this past season. (I assure you all these profiles won't feature me waxing poetic about people who lit up the Cuse, but so far through seven picks my Orange have taken quite the beating.) If you are sad that Tony Parker's quirky running leaners and teardrop shots are gone, fear not as White will bring them back into your life. The only thing that worries me about White is what I like to call "The Luis Mendoza Effect." If that reference goes miles over your head, I understand. But the crux of it is that White may be too fast for his own good. Similarly to the speedy Mighty Ducks wing, White has trouble stopping himself. Transition offense is great and all, but recognizing when that isn't an option is near the top of the priority chart for a useful point. It's a nitpick, but it wouldn't be a prospect profile without some sort of negativity. |
8. LOS ANGELES LAKERS (FROM ATLANTA)- Bruno Fernando, C (Maryland) Davis Effect: Hawks keep pick and take Jarrett Culver, G (Texas Tech) If LeBron James plans to see out his time in Tinseltown, he is going to want to have players drafted that can contribute immediately. Oh you thought Rob Pelinka was the man with the power in Los Angeles with Magic Johnson resigning? You are a funny one you. Even with my hypothetical trade, I believe that whoever the Lakers draft in the lottery will more than likely immediately go into their starting five. A lot of draftniks like Reddish or Jarrett Culver to be that guy, but unless there are huge trades on the horizon, LA's biggest deficiency will be their big men. Bruno Fernando is now what the departing Tyson Chandler and Javale McGee were a decade ago. He's a big man that can run the floor, block shots, and be a target on the post and in the air from any angle on either side of the basket. In terms of stuff to worry about, it stinks to say, but the Angolan international doesn't have much of a shot on him. I remember simpler times (Pepperidge Farm does as well) when we didn't expect centers to have three point range. But with the likes of Brook Lopez and company turning into three point trebuchets, it is nearly a requirement for league entry. He has the mid-range touch to make one think that like the aforementioned Lopez it could happen one day, but we're not even close yet. EDIT: Without being able to move up and get Reddish at 4, the Hawks are going to stay put at 8 and take the best available shooting guard. Some scouts even rate the Texas Tech product above Reddish. However, as you'll see below with the full Culver "profile", be wary of a man that can shrink in bright lights. |
9. WASHINGTON WIZARDS- Jaxson Hayes, C (Texas) Outside of Bradley Beal, I haven't the foggiest fucking clue what the Wizards are going to look like next year. They have a ton of reclamation projects, spare parts, and bad contracts. In the end I decided that giving them one of the biggest projects of the lottery is probably most Wizardsy thing they can do. Jaxson Hayes' most used NBA comparison, including where I ripped this photo from, is Jarrett Allen. Both played at Texas. Both were offensively limited in college. Both have big hair. Both are above average shot blockers. I know, real in-depth analysis on this one. Hayes had as many double-doubles as he had three pointers this season. ZERO. His free throw percentage (74%) shows that he has decent enough form, so that zero is alarming. I've seen a couple of highlight packages that show he can be a menace on following up missed jumpers. But for real, this is the pick that would get the Wiz GM fired...if they had one. He could be a solid NBA player if introduced to the correct environment. A clusterfuck of Ian Mahinmi, Dwight Howard, and Thomas Bryant mixed with an "anybody is trade bait" philosophy is not that environment. |
10. ATLANTA HAWKS- Bol Bol, C (Oregon) Davis Effect: Hawks shift gears and take Sekou Doumbouya, F (Limoges CSP) In a league moving more and more towards position-less basketball, this moronic mock has three bigs going in a row in the middle of the lottery. But trust me, from Atlanta's perspective this isn't that dumb of a move. Like Darius Garland, Bol's freshman campaign was cut short by an injury. Before that, Bol Squared was a sight to behold. His handle is remarkable for someone pushing 7'3". His shooting range is DEEP. While it should be a given for somebody so tall, he's a really good rebounder on both ends of the floor. And whaddaya know, he killed Syracuse! There was a good chance that if he didn't get injured he was going in the top five no doubt about it. However, with that injury looming large, and the league's recent history with banged up ultra-bigs, there is a decent chance that even pick 10 is too high. But the Hawks won't have much to lose here by taking Bol. In this mock they already have Cam Reddish and another pick on the books for next year. There is no better team to take a chance on a potential boom or bust player. I just hope for the sake of the entertainment of all, the Hawks sign Kay Felder this summer so we can get us a modern day recreation of this picture featuring Bol's famous father. EDIT: Losing out on the ability to move up to four significantly alters the Hawks' draft strategy in my opinion. While Bol still makes sense at 10 in my mind, I think getting a player like Culver instead forces them to try to trade this pick or use it for the best draft and stash player available, Sekou Doumbouya. Everything I have to say about the Frenchman is down about four picks from here. I know, this is going to be tough to follow. |
11. MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES- Jarrett Culver, G (Texas Tech) Davis Effect: They see Culver go before their time and instead go Brandon Clarke, F (Gonzaga) If this fall actually happens, I think the Timberwolves may pass on him just because they don't actually believe he's available like it is a crappy version of NBA Punk'd. Jarrett Culver is probably one of the five best players in this draft. With that being said, his shortcomings in the National Championship, and to be brutally honest the two games prior as well, may still be fresh in the minds of NBA executives. It is a shame that three games may paper over one hell of a season for the shooting guard. He's a plus defender and a better shooter than his percentages show. There were times during the season, and in the tournament, where Culver ran himself ragged getting guarded by and guarding the other team's best player. He willed Texas Tech through some really tough patches. Culver has future team captain written all over him, a role that is overwhelmingly needed for Minnesota. Even if he turns out to be 75% of the player he was in college, this is highway robbery at 11. EDIT: Pair up Clarke with Karl-Anthony Towns and you have yourself a formidable frontcourt in a conference where those are starting to fade away. Clarke and Towns complement each other's play and cover each other's faults. Losing out on Culver may end up being a win after all. |
12. CHARLOTTE HORNETS- Nassir Little, F (North Carolina) If Jaxson Hayes wins the gold medal for the biggest project in the lottery, let me introduce you to the silver medalist: Nassir Little. You would think a team in a small market would be better in the draft. But if you look through the Hornets/Bobcats recent drafts, they've either traded, stashed, or whiffed on every pick since Kemba Walker. They've never reached that true bottoming out point either, which would have allowed them shots at some real franchise altering talents over the past eight seasons. With Walker now probably out the door and the drafting of another "athlete" in Nassir Little, they may just hit that point next season. Now don't get me wrong, Little shows flashes of a guy that could play a role on an NBA franchise for a decade. He's your prototypical energy guy off the bench. Not what you want to hear at pick 12, but let me finish. He sat behind a rare pair of seniors at North Carolina and had to make the most of his time as a sixth man. He made the most of his limited time, but that limited time is why his stat sheets were never jaw dropping. In comparison to the other combo guard athletes Charlotte drafted in recent years, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and Malik Monk, he's not as good a defender as MKG or shooter as Monk. But he is already better at getting into good spaces in the paint and has the body to take beatings that his contemporaries have fallen by the wayside from. On the plus side, he won't have to move very far to start off-season training camp. |
13. MIAMI HEAT- Rui Hachimura, F (Gonzaga) The old guard of the Miami Heat is walking off into the sunset this summer. They leave a legacy of winning the city of Miami never saw before and may possibly never see again. So while that little bit of doom and gloom swirls around your brain for a second, let's get to their pick, a consensus All-American from last season. Rui Hachimura is the type of player that if he's on your opponent's team he pisses you off. He hustles "too much". He screams like he just placed the last Atlas Stone in the World's Strongest Man with each dunk. You can't really Hack-a-Shaq him late in games. The Japanese international made a huge impression at everybody's former favorite mid-major last year, Gonzaga. He was the best player on the nation's best team for the vast majority of the 2018-19 campaign. The only reason he is likely going to be available at the end of the lottery instead of earlier is because of his limited skill set on the offensive end of the floor. It will be difficult for him to square up a player and take them on with his dribble. He was barely able to do it consistently in the WCC, never mind the way faster NBA. If he can't work off the dribble with his shot, he's going to have to improve his three point shooting, a shot he maxed out at three during a game this past season. |
14. BOSTON CELTICS- Sekou Doumbouya, F (Limoges CSP) Davis Effect: After not getting AD, this pick is getting traded. I say this one goes to Philadelphia instead of Pick 20 where the Sixers take PJ Washington, F (Kentucky) With three first round picks in his back pocket, Trader Danny is going to be itching to swing a draft day deal like a fiend. For this particular mock (SPOILER ALERT), I have the Celtics' GM moving the second two of those three picks in separate moves and taking a stash guy with the lottery selection. With Sekou Doumbouya, Boston has the chance to get their own Guinea Genie. (I know it doesn't roll off the tongue like Greek Freak, but I'm fucking trying people!) He won't turn 19 until December and some say he may grow another two to three inches over the next year or so. He gets regular minutes for Limoges in France, and has pushed his way into the starting lineup over the past month in a half. Everything about his game is still raw, but he showed recently against Paris-Levallois what happens when everything clicks. He went 13-for-18 from the field, 5-of-7 from three, scoring 34 points against a team that had neutralized him earlier in the season. Boston can afford to leave him in France for another year or two and carve out a true place on their roster for him. He could also come over right away if the roster is gutted like it could potentially be. At the very worst, he would be an interesting trade chip to use in a deal. You never know with Ainge at the helm. EDIT: Philadelphia will be looking to move up in the first round and snag an impact player. PJ Washington is that type of player and could be a starter right away if Jimmy Butler leaves town. |
15. DETROIT PISTONS- Romeo Langford, G (Indiana) This is my least favorite part of the NBA Draft. The teams in the mid-teens are playoff teams, but still have holes. It is just that those holes aren't glaring enough to really hone in on one player that could help push them to the next level. It's usually a combination of filling the least deep position and best player available unless someone inexplicably slides down the board. Without the latter being the case, we have Indiana's Romeo Langford. If you look at Langford without statistics, he is what you want as a modern day two-guard. He's nearly 6'7", built like a tank, and fearless going at defenders. He steps right into the hole Kentavious Caldwell-Pope left when he departed for Los Angeles two years ago. But to his detriment, statistics are a part of a player profile. And the most alarming statistic, like many of the prospects thus far entering the draft, is his below average three-point shooting. I know that it is something that can be improved with focused NBA coaching, but his 27.2% from deep is really bad. From what I've read, he's prone to bad step-back threes instead of setting his feet. This is troubling because in the one full game I saw from Langford this season, against Marquette last November, he showed an ability to get inside the key at his leisure. But outside of one time where he got set to shoot from three, most of his efforts were sloppy and poorly taken. It isn't a shooting form thing. It's a mindset and footwork thing. |
16. ORLANDO MAGIC- Nickeil Alexander-Walker, G (Virginia Tech) The Magic have been one of those teams that I would put in the "limbo" bracket over the past few years. They had the talent and system to succeed, but could never gel the two correctly. Now making it to a seven seed isn't earth shattering, but it is a sign that the gelling may have finally began. And once you have those pieces in place, you can go from just throwing darts at the draft board to actually drafting for players that complement your play style. Nickeil Alexander-Walker, who I'll call NAW the rest of this profile and fight the urge to call AW NAW, is a player who could be impactful for the Magic early. He's very good without the ball. There is no issues making his own shot or getting open for creators. He would integrate well into a backcourt that allows its members to move pretty freely. His defense isn't top notch, but when you will have the rim protectors that Orlando has his mistakes will get covered up. Many want to point to NAW's ineffectiveness in big games to a lack of poise in important situations. He filled his pants in both the penultimate and final games of the NCAA Tournament against Liberty and Duke. But the game I go back to is what I'd call his worst game of the year against Syracuse. GASP! A first round draft pick played badly against Syracuse?! It was a game where the Hokies still won by 22 despite NAW blanking from the field, but shows that it isn't just the bright lights that can bring out a bad game from him. |
17. ATLANTA HAWKS- PJ Washington, F (Kentucky) Davis Effect: Atlanta still gets their man Bol Bol, C (Oregon) seven picks cheaper Now in this mock the Hawks moved up unnecessarily to get Cam Reddish early on before snagging a boom or bust Bol Bol. And since there is no justice in this world, they will parlay taking on Allen Crabbe into snagging one of the most NBA-ready prospects left: Kentucky's PJ Washington. Saying Washington is NBA-ready is by no means pegging him as the next big superstar. If that was the case I wouldn't have him going at 17. What I mean is that Washington is the kind of player that could very well be in this league for a Juwan Howard-ian length of time. His ability to keep his teammates accountable at Kentucky never went unnoticed. That is usually a role meant for upperclassmen, but he was doing this as a sophomore. That is a trait that can keep you in the league for a long time, even if certain aspects of your game don't jump off the page. Now in Atlanta he'll be asked to spot up and give Trae Young an option on the wings or with corner threes. His three-point percentage leaped almost 20 percentage points from his freshman to sophomore seasons which is impressive. Factor in that Washington did this primarily as a power forward or small-ball center at Kentucky, and you'll be a regular Brent Rambo. In the league he'll be asked to match up more with small forwards. That could expose some of his lack of over the top athleticism. EDIT: I had him going at 10 so why would I not give them Bol again at 17 after the shifts in the draft allow for such a slide? |
18. INDIANA PACERS- Ty Jerome, G (Virginia) The Pacers were looking as if they were going to be the usurpers of the East last season. That all changed when Victor Oladipo went down in January. Sadly, Oladipo could very well be one of only two guards on the roster after free agency comes and goes. So to keep the ship steady I have the man who steadied the ship for the current National Champions: Virginia's Ty Jerome. When Indiana's star returns, a pairing with Jerome could give them one of the Eastern Conference's best defensive backcourts. The second-team All-ACC point showed in college that he could play a lot of minutes and be effective throughout. He has continually improved his three point shooting and was a 90% free throw shooter his sophomore year. His vision is first-rate and he only turned over the ball more than three times thrice during Virginia's run to the National Championship. Jerome's biggest weakness is his lack of burst and athleticism or as some assholes would refer to it: "being white." There is enough guile and willingness to defend to cover up that deficiency, but there will be times where Jerome will get left with the Wile E. Coyote sign. Notwithstanding, I think he will be just a good of value for Indiana here as teammate DeAndre Hunter was for Cleveland in the lottery. |
19. SAN ANTONIO SPURS- Goga Bitadze, C (Mega Bemax) Raise your hand if you knew what this pick was going to be before you even scrolled down. It should have been all three of you that read this because this is the most Spursy thing that could be done with the 19th pick. No team does better with late round picks than the San Antonio Spurs. Whether it be slipping prospects or international talents they have to wait on, San Antonio rarely swings and misses. Even though the franchise is in a bit of flux at the moment, that will never change their philosophy. With the logjam in the frontcourt right now, there is no reason to rush Bitadze over. The reigning EuroLeague Rising Star is your stereotypical European big man. His range has expanded with age. Around the basket Bitadze makes his money with an array of hooks and shoulder drops to cover his athletic shortcomings. He will improve as a rebounder as he bulks up, but even in his current state he can get to the glass better than his contemporaries. Unless the Spurs trade this pick, or Bitadze goes prior to this slot, I can nearly guarantee that this will be the pick. (You might as well screenshot this last part for when it inevitably blows up in my face.) |
20. PHILADELPHIA 76ERS (FROM BOSTON)- Brandon Clarke, F (Gonzaga) Davis Effect: Bruno Fernando's loss is Boston's gain as the center from Maryland slides from 8 to 20 with the Lakers trading away their pick. Full disclosure, I have a pretty good buzz going. I am trying to not only simulate how I will feel by this juncture on draft night, but how every GM will feel that comes at Danny Ainge with a trade offer. The Sixers have second round picks en masse this year, assets that Ainge somehow flips into usable players. Philly is going to potentially have major roster turnover this summer, so they need not only bodies, but good ones. Brandon Clarke is a player they should covet and trade up to get. Rui Hachimura was the headline grabber with the Zags, but Clarke was the player you had to worry about the most. He cleaned up everything on the offensive end for his team. Clarke was never held to single digits all season. He saved his best performance for the NCAA tournament. Against Baylor, Clarke went 15-for-18 from the field and 6-of-8 from the line for 36 points. This one game might as well be his highlight tape for the entire fucking season. The stat sheet stuffing didn't stop there as he added 8 boards, 3 assists, and 5 blocks. But Clarke is very similar to somebody Philadelphia already utilizes quite a bit in Ben Simmons. He isn't the ballhandler or playmaker Simmons is, but he is just as averse to taking shots from long range. Clarke took 15 threes all year and missed 11 of them. Clogging up the paint further isn't great, but I think Clarke has enough savvy to attack rebounds and lobs without getting in his teammates' way. If he develops even a B- jumper, this will be a pick that helps solidify Philadelphia as an Eastern power for the next five years. EDIT: The Lakers got their center so taking Fernando in the lottery was a non-starter. From there it was going to be a big drop to either picks 19 or 20. Since I wanted to keep Goga Bitadze as the Spurs' pick, Fernando goes to Boston. I'll feel even better about this pick if Boston is unable to unload Al Horford before or during the draft. |
21. OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER- Luka Samanic, C (Olimpija Ljubljana) Barring multiple trades or releases before the start of the season, OKC is pretty much going to run it back with what they had last year. Their current roster, and cap situation, leaves them little to no wiggle room so a stash guy is the optimal move. The best stashable player at pick 21 is Croatian center Luka Samanic. Samanic is a player that if given time could perfectly complement Steven Adams down low for the Thunder. His offensive game is developing just the way you'd want to see a big man in today's NBA develop. Luka is becoming more comfortable around the three point line and more effective at the foul line. He has a tremendous basketball IQ at a young age gauging from the few videos I've seen of him in game action. Samanic always seems to know where all his teammates are on the floor at all times and his handle allows him to get to the basket or to said teammates with efficiency. If he is going to be effective in the post even slightly, the 19 year old needs to put some meat on his bones. He's rail thin but there is plenty of time for that bulking to occur. The more worrying knock that I've read in a couple draft profiles is his tendency to sometimes, and pardon my lack of eloquence here, stop giving a shit. A player that talented that can just miss three shots and mail a game in is beyond frustrating. I'm sure that would go over beautifully with Russell Westbrook. |
22. BOSTON CELTICS- Tyler Herro, G (Kentucky) Remember when I said that the Celtics were going to ship both of these picks? I changed my mind. I decided over the course of the night unless Boston lands a superstar or can become unencumbered from Al Horford's contract, they'll more than likely make one of their two picks in the twenties. The Celtics have a ton of guards who can't shoot, so why not finally take one that can in Kentucky's Tyler Herro? While he has some qualities that annoy the crap out of me, I love Herro's gunner mentality. There is no shot he is afraid to take. The freshman showed that he could get open in all phases of offense: transition, off screens, late in the shot clock. A huge plus is that unlike many of his college contemporaries, Herro already has ice in his veins from the foul line. He shot 93.5% from the charity stripe in 2018-19, a total of six misses all season. The big knock on the guard is his body and its effect on his defense. He's not big enough to guard most wings nor quick enough to stick with points. It is a horrible catch 22 late in games because there is no player in this draft you more want on the court to draw fouls, but there may not be a bigger defensive liability. |
23. UTAH JAZZ- Carsen Edwards, G (Purdue) Conley Effect: Fuck it, send him to the Grizzlies now The Jazz massively overachieved last year. Keeping their roster intact was a massive impetus for this. However, this summer could see big changes for the Jazz, especially at point guard. Carsen Edwards would be the smallest player taken in the first round, but could make a huge impact for Utah (woof, did I really just do a fucking size pun?). Edwards was a scoring machine at Purdue. He is a two guard in a point guard's body. There is no shot he shies away from. Having Edwards and Donovan Mitchell on the floor at the same time, especially at the end of quarters, would create nightmares for perimeter defenses. Utah has had the reputation for years of being an uninventive, boring offense. Edwards would immediately kickstart their attack, especially as a sixth man, but that comes at a cost. He turns the ball over quite a bit, and usually does so in positions that leaves both himself and his teammates at a disadvantage. And there is the elephant in the room: his height. He'll often be the subject of mismatches. Utah's team defense can only cover so many cracks. EDIT: Trade one point guard, draft the next. It's kinda like Hydra, but it's not. |
24. BOSTON CELTICS (FROM PHILADELPHIA)- Mfiondu Kabengele, F (Florida State) The Seminole power forward may be the 24th pick in this mock, but he is the clubhouse leader in one thing. No player's name will cause both the pundits and interviewers on draft night to shit themselves more than Mfiondu Kabengele. I could be a nice guy and but a phonetic pronunciation right here, but what's the fun in that? Boston will surely use at least one of their first round picks on a big guy with Al Horford's situation in flux. There are few players his size that make the most of their minutes than Kabengele. His stock began to soar in the NCAA Tournament, but I see some fatal flaws in his game that may plague him next season. He is a good defender, but still fouls A SHIT TON. He fouled out of five games last year. Against Gonzaga, his foul trouble neutered him on the defensive end and the combo of Brandon Clarke and Rui Hachimura ate him alive. And all this fouling is coming from the sixth man spot. God forbid somebody tries to start this man with regularity. Another thing that I didn't notice (and how I didn't is scary) from the NBAdraft.net profile is his knee pads. Remember before when I said I know bad knees? Mfiondu is one step away from Stone Cold Steve Austin knee braces. |
25. PORTLAND TRAILBLAZERS- Keldon Johnson, G (Kentucky) Portland took that next step this year, making it to the conference finals. They are in the same bracket as Denver looking to take advantage of both Houston and Golden State's respective vulnerabilities next season. The main thing to help that propulsion for the Blazers will be getting players in who will be able to spell the overworked Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum. Keldon Johnson is a lottery-level talent that could slip because of teams having log jams at the wing. Johnson would be the perfect player to provide cover for Portland's dynamic backcourt and be a spark on the second unit. He is big enough to play the 1 through the 3. His shooting stroke will allow him to shoot over a lot of players at those spots as well. Now he isn't dropping this far without a couple of warts. There are times where he'll overpass when he has a shot. This is probably why with this mock, he probably can't be on the floor with Lillard at the same time. Trying to force the ball every time just because that is "the guy who shoots" leads to turnovers and offensive stagnation. In a less technical assessment, like Kabengele one pick above him, Johnson picks up a lot of dumb fouls. No player with his skills should foul out or get in foul trouble as much as he did in his one year at Kentucky. |
26. CLEVELAND CAVALIERS- Eric Paschall, F (Villanova) The Cavaliers are primed for a complete roster tear down. They have Kevin Love locked in for the next millennia it seems, but past that, and 2018 1st rounder Collin Sexton, there are no Cavs that are locks to be in wine and gold in 2019-2020. To keep this destruction from being for naught, a culture of winning has to be rebuilt during this time. Instead of bringing in high priced vets from winning teams, I say that they should draft a former NCAA Champion: Villanova's Eric Paschall. Paschall isn't a player that you are going to rush out and buy their jersey. He is never going to be your team's best player. But what he will be is the player that you can count on in a big spot to make the right play. Paschall will fit into any offensive set that the Cavaliers could run. He is tremendous in the pick and roll. He can space the floor very well and knock down jumpers from the corner. With that being said, Cleveland is going to have to rely on their lottery pick in this mock, DeAndre Hunter, to cover for the deficiencies of Paschall. He's not tall enough to work the post or agile enough to play first string wings. Over time if the Cavs work the market correctly, which is a big ask, taking Paschall in the first round will be a worthwhile risk. |
27. BROOKLYN NETS- Matisse Thybulle, F (Washington) The Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Award has only been around two years, and so far it hasn't garnered much respect from us draft folks. Last year's winner, West Virginia's Jevon Carter, lasted until the second round. This year's victor goes five picks earlier to the Nets. Matisse Thybulle made his name as a junior when he won the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year for Washington. He took it another step further this season leading all of D-1 with 3.5 steals a game. He also blocked over two shots a game at just 6'5". There is no question that Thybulle will be able to guard three positions at a near elite level in the NBA. BUT... His offensive game needs work. There are flashes that he could grow into his game, but there is a significant lack of consistency. As the season wore on his shot got worse and worse and the selection worsened even more so. I may have been a bit inebriated at the time, but he might as well have just been subbed off offense/defense against North Carolina in Washington's second round exit. He wasn't much better against Utah State, but was able to shut down their leading scorer to make up the difference. |
28. GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS- Dylan Windler, F (Belmont) This pick just doesn't seem fair. How? How? How in a season where we could possibly see the Warriors go away could they get a player at this juncture of the draft that fits their team so fucking well? Welcome to the Bay, Dylan, you son of a bitch. Dylan Windler is everything that the Warriors would love. He's left-handed, can make his own shot or spot up, rebounds, and can pass. You can play him at any stage of the game and he won't look out of place. He knocks down threes, free throws, and floaters in mid-range. So how is a guy who put up 35 and 11 in the first round proper of the NCAA Tournament still here at 28? Honestly, I don't have a good answer for you. He may not be big enough to work in the post in the NBA, but that's not really what he's going to be asked to do. There is more athleticism than meets the eye, but he is still going to have issues with NBA speed on occasion. Let's just chalk this up to all of us being really shitty at the NBA Draft and move on. |
29. SAN ANTONIO SPURS- Grant Williams, F (Tennessee) You know how I said earlier that the middle part of the first round pisses me off? Well, the end of the first round pisses me off for a different reason. Watching the good teams fill their coffers with players like Dylan Windler and Grant Williams is fucking infuriating as a fan of a team that may fuck up the easiest pick they've had in a decade. Grant Williams steps in perfectly if Rudy Gay chooses to leave the club or acts as a one year apprentice if Gay stays. Like Windler, Williams is an undersized forward that just gets buckets. He is nimble all around the key and can post up comfortably. His defense is still improving, but he takes great angles to block shots and generate turnovers. I wouldn't be surprised if the Spurs tempted fate here and trade down here because Williams could be had a bit later potentially if concerns over where he'll play at the next level cause him to slip further. I personally think the Tennessee junior should go much earlier than this, but my mock draft style is attempting to predict what NBA GMs are going to do. Henceforth, here we are at 29 seeing this shit happen. |
30. MILWAUKEE BUCKS- Cameron Johnson, F (North Carolina) I'm not going to lie, I was originally going to do two rounds of this. Now I can't even be bothered to finish the last pick of the first round with any sort of flourish. I am the epitome of professionalism. Cameron Johnson is a really good player but he's already 23 which in NBA rookie terms means he might as well start filling out his AARP paperwork. A lot of people see that number and gloss over the fact that 50-45-80 shooting splits aren't regular occurrences for wing players. Make him Giannis' stunt double and be done with your first round. |
If you've gotten all the way to the bottom of this mock draft, I want to thank you. It has been a while since I've done any writing and it felt nice to get back in the swing of things, even if this took a week and a half and two late edits. I hope to see at least some of you tonight throughout Westerly, more than likely Cleats or Danny's. I'll probably be tweeting throughout, but more than likely only when bad things happen (AKA the Knicks pick anybody but RJ Barrett). Thank you for your patience, readership, and time. Man this got really sappy. Sorry about that.
All player photos except for Matisse Thybulle taken from NBADraft.net. Thybulle from ESPN.com.