NBA Draft 2019: Best and worst fits for all potential lottery picks

5. Jarrett Culver, 6-6 G/F, Texas Tech

BEST: Atlanta Hawks, Phoenix Suns, The Entire NBA

Jarrett Culver can play with anyone on any team in any city. Texas Tech’s breakout star has the shot creation, patient ball-handling and play navigation, positive positional and team defense, and unselfish playmaking abilities that make him a perfect fit essentially anywhere. Culver has ideal size (6-6 with a 6-10 wingspan) and strength to go up against anyone on the wing and has the playmaking versatility that makes him a prime candidate for regular usage as a secondary facilitator.

Picking just one team as an ideal fit for him is difficult, if not impossible. If the Cavs want a backcourt mate to pair with Collin Sexton, then Culver would offer the ‘yin’ to Sexton’s ‘yang’, complementing the young point guard’s ferocious score-first offense with his poised, unselfish passing. If the Grizzlies want someone capable of playing next to Mike Conley right away, or someone that could pair incredibly well with Jaren Jackson Jr., then Culver fits there, too.

Do the Bulls want to run a big lineup featuring two big guards in the backcourt? That works, too. Could Scott Brooks put Culver next to John Wall (when healthy) and Bradley Beal (if he’s not traded) in Washington? He certainly could. Would Danny Ainge want to add another versatile wing to Boston’s roster if Culver is available wherever they pick in the lottery? Of course he would.

If any teams were to truly stand out, however, it would be Atlanta and Phoenix. Culver’s fit into a team dynamic with his other admirable traits on both ends of the floor make him an ideal addition to the young core that the Hawks are building around, and he’d fit seamlessly into a wing spot next to Kevin Huerter. If he’s still available wherever the Hawks are picking, they shouldn’t pass him up.

For the Suns, his fit isn’t an obvious one, considering how many mocks have the Suns drafting a point guard instead of anyone else. Devin Booker does need another passer next to him to limit his offensive load, but his significant leap forward as a facilitator (6.8 APG) suggests that adding another point guard isn’t necessary from a team building standpoint. Instead, playing two strong passers together in the backcourt should theoretically work fine, and Culver stepping into the fold in Phoenix would give them an intelligent team player.

Having Booker and Culver take turns running pick-and-rolls with DeAndre Ayton would be a wonderful sight for Suns fans — so wonderful that it likely won’t happen considering the poor decision-making the franchise has displayed for the past decade, but it’s nice to daydream about it nonetheless.

WORST: New York Knicks

The Knicks ended up being too tempting of a choice to not include here due to the toxic upper management and wild expectations and media attention placed upon the franchise. Culver and New York would be a flawed pairing, not because of any shortcomings of faults of Culver, but for the volatile situation in New York. Although Culver would play fine alongside the likes of Dennis Smith Jr. and Kevin Knox, it’s the impatience of the franchise and its fans that makes this fit troubling.

The city of New York wants stars to return to the Big Apple via free agency, and if that plan falls through, then the young players would receive heaping amounts of pressure to show something that would give fans hope. I’m not so sure that Culver should be exposed to an environment such as that, an environment that recently chewed up and spat out former lottery selection Frank Ntilikina. From a basketball standpoint the fit would be fine — but nothing is ever just about basketball in New York.