It’s officially NBA Draft season, with the combine and draft lottery inching ever so closer. For the few prospects hoping to hear their names called within the first 14 selections, what teams are the best and worst fits for their services?
On the summer evening of June 20, the Barclays Center in New York will be full of thousands of spectators and a plethora of young men hoping that their names will be one of the 60 that will be selected at the 2019 NBA Draft.
In a draft with so much uncertainty and no clear stars outside of Zion Williamson — and, really, no players that stand out as guaranteed future starters — fit seems to be more important than ever for players hoping to reach their peaks and not crash and burn. The landing spot, whether it’s based on team outlook or culture or personnel or whatever, is crucial for this year’s crop of draft prospects.
If you’re a prospect needing time to progress and improve, then landing on an impatient team with unreasonably lofty expectations could be troubling. Land in a spot where you’re expected to play a larger offensive (or defensive) role than what you’re accustomed to (or capable of, for that matter), then you’re in trouble. Land in a spot that has continuous personnel and roster upheaval and a poor culture and, yes, you’re in trouble.
Really, “fit” is far more than just X’s and O’s on the court — it encapsulates so much more, which is why it’s a tricky thing to figure out, even for professional scouts and executives. At times, teams nail it. Jaylen Brown with the Celtics, Trae Young and Kevin Huerter with the Hawks, and Pascal Siakam with the Raptors are recent examples from the past few drafts of players that landed in perfect situations. And, at times, teams get it completely wrong. Dennis Smith and the Mavericks, Dragan Bender and Marquese Chriss with the Suns, and Josh Jackson and the Suns (sorry, Phoenix) being recent examples of player-team pairings that just didn’t work out for one reason or another.
With the steep talent drop-off after Zion Williamson (and even Ja Morant and RJ Barrett) at the top of the draft, the rest of the lottery is a complete crapshoot without any real consensus regarding what prospects truly stand out among the rest. For the 15 teams with potential lottery selections, there’s plenty of work to do to figure out what prospects fit and which ones don’t, as the “best player available” strategy might not be applicable for many teams this year.
1. New York Knicks
2. Cleveland Cavaliers
3. Phoenix Suns
4. Chicago Bulls
5. Atlanta Hawks
6. Washington Wizards
7. New Orleans Pelicans
8. Memphis Grizzlies* (top-8 protected)
9. Atlanta Hawks* (top-5 protected, via Dallas)
10. Minnesota Timberwolves
11. LA Lakers
12. Charlotte Hornets
13. Miami Heat
14. Boston Celtics* (top-1 protected, via Sacramento)
Other: Philadelphia (if Boston’s pick jumps to No. 1), Dallas (if their pick jumps into top-4), Boston (if Memphis’ pick drops out of the top-8)
Now, to the process of deciding teams that are the best and worst fits: Let it be known that it’s fairly obvious that some teams and some prospective draftees are automatically poor fits for one another based on who all is on the team.
For example, a team like the Cleveland Cavaliers will likely look to draft someone other than a point guard, since they currently have Collin Sexton as their building block at the same position. Of course Cleveland would be a bad fit for the likes of Ja Morant and Darius Garland — that’s pretty obvious.
For the sake of not stating the obvious (and for the sake of being able to add some substantive analysis), some teams will automatically be removed from consideration from the “worst fit” section of this piece … because it’s pretty obvious that some teams won’t need a player of a certain position.
This is mainly applicable for teams that already have centers or point guards, two positions that are rather stiff and set in stone; wings and forwards are more malleable in role and playstyle (theoretically speaking, that is), so it’s more likely that they could be squeezed onto teams that may already have an abundance of talent at those positions. (Really, you can never have too much wing depth in the NBA.)
And, of course, players that have no business being discussed in the top-3, top-5, top-10, and so on, won’t be mentioned with certain teams. Someone like, say, Stanford’s Kezie Okpala likely isn’t going top-10 in the draft, as he’s in the outside looking in and is one of the many candidates to either miss the lottery entirely (likely) or barely squeak into the tailend of it (possible). So, he’ll be connected to the few teams at the back of the lottery, and other players will be sorted in a similar manner.
Hopefully, this piece will do a good job of weeding out the obvious and explaining everything well, so that this word salad of an introduction isn’t all for naught. We decided to use the top 20 players from our last mock draft for this project. Why? Well, the NBA typically invites up to 20 draftees to the greenroom for every draft, since there’s always uncertainty regarding who will get selected in the first 14 picks, so we decided to follow a similar structure.
There will be some trends that pop up in this piece, with some teams (i.e., Atlanta, Miami) offering better developmental structures for prospects over others (i.e., Chicago, Washington). Some teams will be mentioned several times for both best and worst fits, which isn’t a result of being lazy or ill-spirited (sorry, Chicago): Some teams really are great landing spots for prospects, and some aren’t. Sometimes it’s just that simple, and it’s applicable to various prospects of differing skills and positions. Additionally, some prospects have more than one team that stands out as a strong or weak fit, for one reason or another, so some sections will be far more detailed than others.
So, with that said, what are the best and worst possible fits for the 2019 NBA Draft’s top prospects?
20. Kezie Okpala, 6-9 F, Stanford
BEST: Miami Heat
Would going thirteenth overall in the 2019 NBA Draft be early for Stanford’s Kezie Okpala? Despite showing desirable size (6-9) and length (7-2) with room to grow into his frame while also posting respectable averages (16.9 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 37.5 3P%) as a sophomore, it’s questionable whether or not he’s worthy of a top-14 selection. The lottery would be pretty high for him, especially considering how there’s no consensus pertaining to his draft stock — some mocks have him going as high as the teens, while others have him slipping deep into the second round.
If he were to go early in the draft, Miami would be the ideal landing spot. One of the biggest concerns about Okpala is his frame (and translatable skillset, for what it’s worth), as he needs to gain strength if he’s to operate as a big combo-forward at the next level. With Miami having one of the best training staffs in the entire NBA, it’d be a strong bet to believe that they could get the most out of Okpala’s size and skill set.
WORST: Los Angeles Lakers
Okpala’s fit in Los Angeles is pretty poor for two reasons. One, he wouldn’t be that attractive as a trade piece if the Lakers were solely using this pick to draft a prospect that other teams (New Orleans, Washington) would want as a throw-in for a bigger trade. And, two, a shooting-needy Laker team may have better options with this pick than Okpala, who’s shot profile isn’t that impressive. LA needs shooting along the perimeter, and grabbing someone with impressive shot versatility would be ideal if they are in fact drafting someone for their shooting — Okpala’s shot versatility isn’t that great, and his three-point percentage isn’t that impressive considering the types of shots he was putting up.
According to Synergy, Okpala scored 0.918 PPP on all jump shots (50th percentile) and 0.823 PPP on spot-ups (36th percentile), and only ran off screens on 1.9 percent of his possessions as a sophomore. Unless he drastically improves as an overall shooter, Los Angeles just doesn’t make much sense for Okpala.
19. Rui Hachimura, 6-9 F, Gonzaga
BEST: Miami Heat
As mentioned in the introduction, the Heat are getting some love on this list, especially if you’re a combo-forward with several flaws and a serious need for patient development. Rui Hachimura is no exception. With Eric Spoelstra regularly throwing out lineups featuring immense size and length — whether it’s playing two 6-7 wings in the backcourt or pairing two 7-footers in the frontcourt, he’s done it — Hachimura would fit right in.
Miami has the culture, roster, coaching staff and training personnel that would be ideal for someone like Hachimura who, while 21-years-old, is a rather “young” 21 based on his limited time in the U.S. after growing up in Japan. The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie has covered Hachimura’s story extensively, and noted that the forward’s first two seasons at Gonzaga were rough from a developmental standpoint due to the fact that he was still learning English while trying to learn basketball concepts from head coach Mark Few.
And it seems like both player and team recognize the fit — Hachimura is skipping the draft combine altogether, instead going on the private workout route, and it may be due to already receiving a promise from some team. There’s speculation that this team could be the Miami Heat, and, well, that seems like a pretty reasonable bet.
WORST: Minnesota Timberwolves
Standing big and tall with his 6-9, 235-pound frame, Hachimura should seamlessly slot in as a power forward in the NBA, and teams with vacancies at the ‘4’ spot will be paying attention at how he could fit into their offensive and defensive system. A front court pairing of Hachimura and Karl-Anthony Towns would surely pack a punch — both from an offensive standpoint and physicality standpoint — but would be severely lacking on the defensive end. Towns has shown himself to be offense-first, second, and third, both due to mindset and skill set.
Throughout his three-year career at Gonzaga, Hachimura hasn’t shown much promise on that end, although he did improve somewhat throughout his junior campaign. Nonetheless, his lateral quickness and overall defensive awareness is subpar, and pairing two mediocre defenders next to one another in the frontcourt is a recipe for disaster for Minnesota.
18. Nickeil Alexander-Walker, 6-5 G, Virginia Tech
BEST: Boston Celtics
With a pair of point guards — all-star Kyrie Irving (23.8 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 6.9 APG) and backup Terry Rozier (9.0 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 2.9 APG) — heading into an uncertain free agency period where their futures in Boston are in doubt, the Celtics front office could (and should) be looking to adding another piece to the backcourt via the 2019 NBA Draft. While the fourteenth overall pick could be early for someone like Nickeil Alexander-Walker, who could be available in the early 20s where the Celtics own two other picks, the fit sure does make since.
Alexander-Walker is a competent combo-guard with the potential to grow into a secondary-playmaker who could run bench units at the next level, thanks to underrated playmaking vision/touch, adequate point-of-attack defense and solid spot-up shooting that would allow him to play next to both 1’s and 2’s. And considering head coach Brad Stevens’ long-chronicled infatuation with playing multiple playmakers at a time, it’s fair to say that he’d be happy with finding a complementary piece for the backcourt, too.
WORST: Charlotte Hornets
This isn’t so much as an indictment on the basketball fit between Alexander-Walker and the Charlotte Hornets, but more so a concern over team-building philosophy and expectations. Kemba Walker’s (25.9 PPG, 5.9 APG) impending free agency looms large over the organization, as there is absolutely no guarantee that the eight-year veteran will return to a franchise that has proven incapable of reaching the postseason on a regular basis.
Because of this, the Hornets will likely be eyeing some of the 2019 Draft’s guards, understanding that it may be time to draft someone to be Walker’s longterm replacement. Alexander-Walker is a fine player, but would he live up the challenge of replacing Walker? Probably not, especially since the fanbase would likely hope that he could be the point guard of the future (a heavy load for any player).
As mentioned previously, he profiles more as a solid backup; he could surpass that projection, of course, as he’s certainly talented and has the chops to be a nice complementary guy. But for a team looking to add a star, he’s not it, and that’s certainly not a knock against him, it’s more so a knock against this draft class. (Plus, would Alexander-Walker, a skinny combo-guard, be viable defensively next to Malik Monk, a skinny combo-guard? Probably not.) Really, if the Hornets are to find their next lead guard through the draft, it’d be wise to wait until next year to do so.
The 2020 Draft class is overflowing with lead guard talent (Cole Anthony, Nico Mannion, Theo Maledon, Killian Hayes, RJ Hampton, Tre Jones, etc.), so it’d be wise to draft a wing/forward in June, sign a stop-gap veteran in July, and just wait it out until next offseason when you have a plethora of talented guards to choose from.
17. Nassir Little, 6-6 F, North Carolina
BEST: Miami Heat
Miami, again? Yes, again. If Nassir Little gets picked in the lottery — a significant ‘if’ at this point, due to how wide his range of outcomes is — then there’s one team that stands out among the rest, and it’s not particularly close. The Miami Heat have a great culture established top-to-bottom thanks to Pat Riley’s stringent and disciplined personality, a great training staff that would get him in peak physical condition (and to an ideal playing weight, something he may have struggled with while trying to play the ‘3’ and ‘4’ at UNC), and a development program that’s proven itself adept at extracting whatever latent offensive talent a player may have.
Josh Richardson transformed from a second-round afterthought into a legitimate two-way option and leading scorer; Justise Winslow transformed from an energetic, defensive-minded small forward into a point guard; and Bam Adebayo is showing signs of all-star potential due to hidden offensive polish and versatility. If any team could get the most out of Little, who showed flashes of pull-up shooting and switchable defense as a high schooler, it’s the Heat.
WORST: Washington Wizards
Washington, who will likely be looking at wing talent on draft night, has a notably poor track record with wings. What could go wrong? Just this past season alone, the Wizards dealt Kelly Oubre to Phoenix — where’s he’s looked much, much better than he did in Washington — and Otto Porter Jr. — who’s also looked much, much better with the Chicago Bulls.
There’s a palpable lack of patience when it comes to the development of guards and forwards on the perimeter, coupled with unreasonable expectations for what the team’s draftees are capable of. Most of the blame can be placed on upper management — the ousting of Ernie Grunfield is a positive, to be sure, since that ushers in a new era for Washington Wizards basketball, but there’s still too much uncertainty hovering around the franchise.
If the Wizards were to slide on draft night, or were to simply reach for a wing such as Little, that could spell trouble. Little fits a position of need, but the cultural and managerial aspect of this pairing is far too delicate for a prospect that needs patience and nurturing as he improves several aspects of his game.
16. Kevin Porter Jr., 6-5 G/F, USC
BEST: Miami Heat
Miami!? Again!? I’m sorry, I couldn’t resist. Porter didn’t exactly build a stellar reputation during his lone year with the Trojans after getting suspended in January for unspecified conduct issues. A vaguely-termed suspension is a red flag for any franchise looking to pick up a talented wing with top-notch scoring potential, and is something that teams will want to suss out during the pre-draft interview process. Ideally, it would be a team with a well-established culture that would roll the dice on a player with dazzling potential and frightening downside such as Porter, and that team, as outlined many times already, would be the Miami Heat.
(If this thought experiment extended to all NBA teams and not just those in the lottery, then Brooklyn would definitely be mentioned here due to their culture and coaching staff. Porter could realistically fall to No. 17 on draft night anyway, so it’s worth mentioning.)
WORST: Los Angeles Lakers
The trip from USC’s LA campus to the Staples Center is only six miles, and it would be a great story to see a West Coast kid live out his dreams with a storied franchise such as the Lakers. Rob Pelinka and Jeanie Buss should be looking to add shooters and shot creators, and Porter fits the bill (41.2 3P%) and more. So, why wouldn’t this pairing work out? Well, a lot of reasons.
Mentioned above, Porter’s reputation is not as clean as one would hope that a potential lottery pick would be, nor is his attitude, and character concerns are certainly difficult to ignore for NBA teams. But, to be fair, the concerns regarding the fit between Porter and LA isn’t a one-way street — the Lakers themselves have garnered attention for not-so-great reasons, be it Magic Johnson’s surprising resignation from his position as team president, the expedited ousting of former head coach Luke Walton, the poor communication that saw contract talks with former Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Ty Lue abruptly fall through, or the constant trade rumors that saw team morale plummet as the season went on.
For the sake of Kevin Porter Jr. the basketball player and Kevin Porter Jr. the person, he needs to end up somewhere with a great culture and great front office — that place, unfortunately, is not LA.
15. Keldon Johnson, 6-6 G/F, Kentucky
BEST: Boston Celtics
Kentucky’s five-star wing is another player who’s unlikely to climb this high on draft night; realistically, he’ll be picked somewhere in the late teens or early/mid-twenties, with a team selecting him solely with the expectation that he’ll be molded into a solid wing option off the bench.
If a team was to fall in love with him at the backend of the lottery, the Celtics wouldn’t be a bad fit for the 6-6 gritty forward who profiles as a complementary offensive piece and a high-effort defender. They could use another wing on the roster for the sake of depth, and with several players already holding prominent spots in the rotation, it would remove any high expectations for the 19-year-old. He’d be able to learn from a bright head coach and a pair of two other young wings (Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum), which could prove beneficial for someone like Johnson.
WORST: Los Angeles Lakers
Similar to the reasoning for Kezie Okpala’s imperfect fit with LA, Johnson’s troublesome fit with the Lakers comes down to his shooting. Johnson shot 38.1 percent from beyond the arc over 37 games as a freshman, which is fine. But as the season wore on, fans saw inconsistency plague the young wing over the second half of his freshman campaign — after shooting 42.5 percent (31/73) in his first 21 games, his average plummeted to just 31.1 percent (14/45) through the season’s final 16 games.
Quite the drop-off, even more discouraging when his average free throw percentage (70.3%) and full track record (he wasn’t known as a real shooter in high school) is considered. It’s unlikely that LA would want to draft someone who won’t contribute in a meaningful area right away, not when LeBron James demands excellence and nothing short of a championship-contending roster. If the Lakers are looking for a shooter with their lottery pick, they should look elsewhere; if they’re looking for someone merely to use as trade bait, then they should look elsewhere, too.
14. Coby White, 6-5 G, North Carolina
BEST: Dallas Mavericks*, New Orleans Pelicans
One of the strongest allures to Coby White‘s game is that he offers positional versatility on the offensive end that translates beyond just being able to play the ‘1’ and ‘2’. The 19-year-old inferno is adept at scoring both with and without the ball in his hands, showing flashes of on-ball creation and spot-up shooting (1.339 PPP on catch-and-shoot jumpers per Synergy) while averaging 16.1 points per game at UNC.
Being able to play either backcourt spot makes him desirable, as does being able to play with the ball out of his hands — this positional and shot versatility is valuable for building a team, which is why so many teams would love to have someone such as White in their backcourt. Both the Dallas Mavericks and New Orleans Pelicans stand out as superb fits for White’s offensive services for similar reasons.
Dallas’ inclusion is solely based on the Mavericks jumping up into the top-4 on lottery night, since their pick will convey to the Atlanta Hawks if it falls outside of the top-5. (The pick is currently ninth in the lottery standings, so it’s a long shot). If the Mavs’ pick was to jump up into the top-4, it would be mighty rich to select North Carolina’s prized scoring guard with a top selection, but from a team-building standpoint it would make perfect sense.
With Luka Doncic operating as the de facto lead guard and primary playmaker, White would fit in nicely as the perfect secondary option, capable of creating his offense or just playing off the ball next to Doncic. Former NC State point guard Dennis Smith Jr. was moved earlier this past season due to stylistic clashes, since he and Doncic are both guards who excel with the ball in their hands, so finding a backcourt mate that can spot up and cut would be ideal.
For New Orleans, White makes sense as a lottery selection for the freshly-hired David Griffin, who will be overseeing basketball operations for the Pelicans moving forward. A backcourt pairing of White and Jrue Holiday would showcase an intriguing mix of offense, defense, and positional versatility since either player can play as the ‘1’ or ‘2’ on both ends of the floor. If Alvin Gentry is kept as head coach, that would make the fit even better — the Pelicans ranked second in the entire NBA in pace this past season (103.92 possessions per game), with Gentry endorsing a breakneck pace that would accommodate White’s athleticism nicely. And, even if the Pelicans were to embrace a length rebuild, White wouldn’t be a bad place to start.
WORST: Memphis Grizzlies
Coby White and Roy Williams proved to be a dynamite pairing at the college level, serving as one of the best examples of a player and coach meshing beautifully to produce tangible results on the court. White helped spearhead one of the fastest teams Williams has ever coached throughout his long Hall-of-Fame career, and his translation to the next level hinges greatly on his ability to play at different speeds for whoever drafts him. As pace skyrockets across the league, there aren’t too many teams that play a slow, grinding style in the half court, so there are few teams that would present challenging learning curves for the offensive-minded guard that excelled in the open court and showed inconsistency when forced to slow down.
Memphis is one of those exceptions, however. Ranking dead-last in pace this past season, the Grizzlies don’t offer an uptempo style that would accommodate the stylings and preferences of a prospect who they would be drafting as a franchise cornerstone. Although White and Jaren Jackson Jr. would make for a really, really interesting (i.e., fun) pick-and-roll combo due to White’s pull-up ability and Jackson’s perimeter shooting, the overall schematic fit is questionable. Of course, this fit would look a whole lot better depending on who management brings in as the next head coach — letting go of J.B. Bickerstaff could signal a move away from the grit-and-grind stylings that become synonymous with Memphis basketball over the past decade, but that’s still up in the air.
Having White and Jackson as your two primary building blocks for the future would be great, but the pair would need the right coach to make everything fit together, and with that seat still vacant as of today, the Grizzlies stand out as the “worst” fit for Coby White. Really, the coaching situation is the real — and only — dealbreaker here. It’s not even that Memphis is a horrible fit, or even a bad one; it’s simply the “worst” of the bunch.
13. Romeo Langford, 6-6 G/F, Indiana
BEST: Minnesota Timberwolves, Boston Celtics
The Timberwolves already boast a quartet of long-limbed athletes on the wing (6-8 Andrew Wiggins, 6-4 Josh Okogie, 6-9 Robert Covington, 6-9 Keita Bates-Diop), so why not grab another with the tenth pick of the draft? Coach Ryan Saunders helped guid ether young T-wolves to a vastly-improved defense following the January firing of former head coach Tom Thibodeau, and Langford‘s sturdiness and +5 wingspan (6-6 height, 6-11 wingspan) is attractive when attempting to construct a defensive unit around an offensive-minded center such as Karl-Anthony Towns.
Langford’s feel for the game on offense is rather rudimentary at this junction and his shooting must improve, but latent playmaking upside (specifically as a pick-and-roll ball-handler) and impressive touch around the basket make his offensive potential undeniably intriguing for a team like Minnesota. The Timberwolves would likely prefer a lead/combo guard or power forward at this spot — say, Coby White or Brandon Clarke — but if they choose to select a wing instead, Langford poses as a fine option.
If Romeo Langford is available at pick No. 14, the Boston Celtics could be interested in adding yet another hard-nosed wing to their young roster, too. Team president Danny Ainge has long been stocking his roster with defensively versatile players with the size, length and athleticism to defend up and down the lineup, and Langford would fit that model to a ‘T’. Adding a capable driver (64.1 FG% at the rim, largely on unassisted looks), cutter (1.667 PPP on a limited sample, per Synergy), and pick-and-roll threat (80th percentile on pick-and-rolls including passes) would help the bench units offensively, as the team is currently far too reliant on jump shooting. Getting a guy who’s unafraid of driving into contact could be valuable, although Langford would need to craft a respectable jumper to make the threat of him as a pick-and-roll ball-handler and fierce driver all the more real.
WORST: Los Angeles Lakers
Following the signing of LeBron James during the 2018 offseason, Magic Johnson and Rob Pelinka saw the entire history of James’ playing career and the teams he found success with — rosters that surrounded James with shooting at positions ‘1’ through ‘5’ — and decided that they knew what was better for him, and subsequently signed a cast of total non-shooters. The rest, of course, is history. LA ranked 29th in three-point shooting (33.3%) and 20th in three-pointers made (10.3 per game), dreadful marks for a franchise that hoped to reinstate a magical offensive system.
This offseason, the Lakers brass should learn from their mistakes and turn to shooting on the wing, and the draft is a spot where they could find a player with the potential to contribute in that area. Indiana star Romeo Langford, however, doesn’t look the part of a perimeter shooter, not after hoisting up a poor 27.2 three-point percentage on high volume (3.9 attempts per game) as a freshman. He’s no different from Okpala and Johnson when it comes to fit; although Langford is undoubtedly more attractive as a prospect compared to the other two wings, and has the potential to rise into the lottery, he’s still not a great fit in LA.
12. Sekou Doumbouya, 6-9 F, Limoges CSP
BEST: Boston Celtics
Positional size and versatility on the wing is at a premium in the NBA, with teams constantly hunting for forwards with the defensive chops to stick to multiple positions seamlessly the and the offensive tools to be a plus on that end. Is Sekou Doumbouya the next international prospect to blow away NBA teams? He certainly has the size (6-9, 230 pounds) and length (6-11 wingspan) that teams clamor for, and his above-the-rim athleticism makes him a strong bet to finish at the basket and deter shots on defense.
He also runs the floor hard, shows glimpses of acute weak-side recognition on defense, and has steadily improved as a shooter over the past few seasons playing overseas as a teenager. Doumbouya is still incredibly raw and needs to improve essentially all aspects of his game, from the fundamentals to basic skills and understandings of the game. At 18 years old, he’s the youngest eligible player in the 2019 NBA Draft — he won’t even turn 19 until December 23. His age makes him an intriguing prospect but a poor bet to contribute right away.
The Boston Celtics would be an ideal landing spot in the lottery, considering that they could either stash him overseas for another year or two so he can continue developing his body and game, or they can bring him over immediately and let him play his first season out in the G-League with the Maine Red Claws. Boston isn’t in any hurry with their prospects, and they’re not afraid of using picks on European players that they don’t intend on bringing over right away.
The Celtics own as many as four first-round picks and could spare one on a draft-and-stash candidate as promising as Doumbouya. Whenever he’s ready to play in the NBA, he’d be heading to a team that prioritizes versatility from its wings/forwards, and he could prove to be the team’s best option at power forward if everything goes right for him.
WORST: Washington Wizards, Phoenix Suns
Mentioned previously when discussing Nassir Little’s fit in Washington, an organizational lack of patience pertaining to the development of young players, specifically forwards, is worrisome for a prospect as raw and unpolished as Doumbouya.
Phoenix slots in quite obviously as a poor fit due to their track record with drafting projects and raw prospects in the lottery — Dragan Bender (2016 No. 4), Marquese Chriss (2016 No. 8) and Josh Jackson (2017 No. 4) haven’t panned out as planned. Chriss was traded to Houston (and then to Cleveland) after his second season, Bender had his fourth-year team option declined, and Josh Jackson is getting inconsistent minutes off the bench and has an uncertain future with the organization based on the wing talent ahead of him in the rotation.
Phoenix’s pick could slide as far back as seventh in the draft order if luck is against them on lottery night, which is right where Doumbouya’s draft range starts. For the sake of the Suns and Doumbouya, hopefully they don’t view him as a power forward of the future to pair with DeAndre Ayton in the front court — history is not on their side. General manager James Jones doesn’t seem to be much of a scouting enthusiast, anyway, so it’s reasonable to believe that he hasn’t even heard of Doumbouya, which could either be good for the 18-year-old — if they were to pass on him — or absolutely horrible for him — if they were to select him anyway without knowing anything about his play style or development outlook.
11. PJ Washington, 6-8 F/C, Kentucky
BEST: Charlotte Hornets
Sometimes when you have a lottery pick it simply pays off to nab a guy that projects to be a good role player for years and years and years. Stars are hard to come by, and taking reckless swings at players with “upside” and a total lack of feel or skill is dangerous for a team that’s on the verge of entering another lengthy rebuild shrouded in uncertainty. The big-bodied bruiser out of Kentucky looks to be a fine prospect at the tail-end of the lottery and a solid fit for Charlotte.
Washington‘s decision to return for a second go-around at Kentucky was unequivocally a huge success, as the 20-year-old forward averaged 15.2 points, 7.6 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 0.9 steals and 1.2 blocks per game while also posting an intriguing 52.2-42.3-66.3 shooting clip. If Washington’s strong 6-8, 230-pound frame (and ridiculous 7-3 wingspan) gets coupled with legitimate outside shooting touch, then Washington profiles extremely well as a modern-day ‘4’ who can provide a positive impact on both ends of the floor.
He’d be a fine addition to the current cache of young building blocks (6-3 off-guard Malik Monk and 6-7 combo-forward Miles Bridges) and would be selected with the hope of being the franchise’s starting power forward relatively soon — a sensible proposition since Michael Kidd-Gilchrist will be leaving the team as a free agent either this summer or the next.
(And, yes, Miami and Boston would be great fits for the bulky forward, too. Minnesota and Memphis wouldn’t be horrible fits, either. There’s plenty of room for a player like PJ Washington in the NBA.)
WORST: Atlanta Hawks
Atlanta isn’t necessarily a “poor” fit, per se, but there are aspects of Washington’s positional ambiguity that wouldn’t be resolved if he were to be a Hawk. Throughout his two-year career at Kentucky, Washington spent essentially every single minute exclusively manning the paint as a power forward or “small” center, where he was visibly quiet effective (and dare I say overpowering on many occasions).
Large sample size aside, some NBA draftniks are fascinated by the idea of playing the 6-8 mammoth as a ‘3’ at the next level, sliding him up a position to play on the perimeter. This idea isn’t unfounded, as his ball skills and shooting have both progressed rapidly our the years, lending credence to the legitimacy of such a daring idea. It is certainly worth trying out at the next level — but is Atlanta the place for this experiment to be held?
As is, the Hawks have John Collins locked in as the franchise’s starting power forward — he’s not a rim protector or rim deterrent by any means, so he wouldn’t be sliding down to play the ‘5’ anytime soon, especially not to accommodate a rookie. And although Washington played as a center often in college and dominated whilst doing so, his combination of size and strength, when compared to the other NBA-caliber bigs that he’d square up against, render him more of a forward who’s capable of playing spot minutes at center every now and then depending on in-game situations.
This would effectively Washington into the ‘3’ spot, putting a lot of faith into the hope that he can make the proposed idea a distinct reality. If he were to fail to break out as a legit NBA small forward, then he’d be left to serving as a backup — since a lottery (and likely top-10) selection is mighty rich for a potential backup, Atlanta makes for a shaky fit for Washington. Landing somewhere where he’d have ample room to play both forward spots until he finds his ideal NBA position would be best for him, which is why Charlotte — a team that could realistically switch both Bridges and Washington between forward sports — stands out as an optimal landing spot. Is this nitpicking? Sure, but it’s a valid observation nonetheless.
10. Darius Garland, 6-2 PG, Vanderbilt
BEST: Chicago Bulls, Memphis Grizzlies
As the weeks go by and the NBA Draft gets ever so closer, more and more people — be it fans or members of the media — are connecting Darius Garland to the Chicago Bulls at No. 4 (if they end up picking there, of course), and really, it makes perfect sense. The Kris Dunn experiment has been a failure, with his limited (i.e., bad) scoring ability being too much of a hindrance for the Bulls’ offense. Finding a backcourt mate for Zach LaVine is a must for John Paxson and Gar Forman, and Darius Garland profiles as an electric pick-and-roll scorer and potentially lethal pull-up shooter.
He’s a small point guard at only 6-2 and has his defensive limitations, but he at least competes on that end, which is an admirable trait. Garland’s translation to the next level will hinge on his shot-making proving to be legitimate and his playmaking for others improving rapidly. Right now he’s score-first and is displays limited vision as a passer, but his scoring alone would be a huge boost for the Bulls. Grabbing a small guard is always a gamble, since their scoring needs to be great (or even elite) to make up for defensive shortcomings, but if the Bulls are looking for talent, then Garland makes sense.
If the Grizzlies’ pick stands pat at No. 8 or jumps up into the top five after the lottery, then Garland would make sense as their point guard of the future, too. Although he fits the similar mold as Coby White, he’s shown — albeit in a limited sample — superior capabilities of picking apart defenses in the half court thanks to deft ball-handling and shifty movement. White is impressive nonetheless, but he’s at his best when he’s pushing the tempo and putting pressure on opposing defenses; considering Memphis’ knack for slowing things down, Garland fits what they could be looking for as their future point guard and Mike Conley replacement.
WORST: Phoenix Suns
Darius Garland and Devin Booker would make for an exciting tandem of legitimate long-range bombers who can spot-up or pull-up from the perimeter and maneuver ball-screens with effortless agility and nimble ball-handling. Garland’s implementation in Phoenix would lighter the offensive load for the Suns franchise star and would give the organization a potential long-term option at the point that meshes well with coach Monty Williams’ offensive scheme (e.g., pick-and-roll, pull-up, isolation, etc).
All of this sounds grand, but Phoenix is a team without any notable defenders beyond a pair of 2018 draftees (Mikal Bridges and De’Anthony Melton), and Garland’s wiry 6-2 frame and physical shortcomings would only make matters worse. Pairing two porous defenders together in the backcourt while placing an unproven center behind them is a recipe for open threes and layup lines for opposing teams.
If the defense stays a problem, then the offense would need to be genuinely special in order to actually compensate, and that’s too tall of a task for such a young and inexperienced team. NBA point guards are typically bad for a large chunk of their first contracts: Would Booker be willing to wait and undergo more and more losing until Garland becomes a legitimate impact player?
9. Brandon Clarke, 6-8 F/C, Gonzaga
BEST: Minnesota Timberwolves, Boston Celtics
Brandon Clarke‘s meteoric rise up draft boards this season is not a result of over-exaggeration or over-rating — Clarke was undeniably one of the most impressive players to suit up in the NCAA this past season, posting obscene offensive (16.9 PPG on 69.9% TS) and defensive numbers (8.6 RPG, 3.2 BPG, 1.2 SPG) for one of the best teams in the country. His elite functional athleticism and incredible defensive instincts make him a perfect bet to play the ‘4’ or ‘5’ in the NBA, and considering his age (he’ll be 23 on draft night), he should be able to step in right away and contribute for whatever team drafts him.
Both the Minnesota Timberwolves and Boston Celtics stand out as two phenomenal fits for Clarke’s talents, as they offer starting centers (Karl-Anthony Towns in Minnesota, Al Horford in Boston) that can spread the floor in a way that would give Clarke the space he needs to operate as a dive-man on offense. Clarke would mask the defensive shortcomings of Towns in Minnesota and would give Towns free rein to focus solely on scoring (something he would probably appreciate very much), and Towns’ perimeter shooting would mask for Clarke’s inconsistent shooting while simultaneously opening up plenty of diving lanes.
Likewise, Clarke and Horford would mesh just as well, as the perimeter-oriented Horford would be able to operate beyond the arc while Clarke has plenty of room in the paint. Plus, such a pairing would be elite defensively, as both players are capable of defending the paint, perimeter, and pick-and-roll effectively. It’s rare that you find two bigs that are so versatile defensively, which makes this fit perfect for Boston — and, if Clarke were to be available at the tail-end of the lottery, it would be a no-brainer for the Celtics to use the No. 14 pick on him.
WORST: Miami Heat
The Miami Heat listed as a poor fit? No, that has to be a typo, right? Wrong. Although the Heat are a haven for several wings in this draft class, they don’t have much room for a player such as Brandon Clarke, no matter how skilled and promising he may be. A front court pairing of Bam Adebayo and Brandon Clarke would be menacing in the paint on both ends of the floor, as both players are great athletes, rebounders, finishers, and interior defenders, and they would truly make for what would be an exciting combination in South Beach.
Yet, this pairing would need for Clarke to hit his absolute ceiling — as in 99th percentile outcome — which hinges on him truly learning how to shoot the ball. It’s promising that he managed to completely overhaul his mechanics between his time at San Jose State and Gonzaga, and he’s flashed incredible touch around the basket while also improving his free throw numbers over the years, so shooting isn’t an unreasonable outcome, but hoping that a current non-shooter becomes a viable shooter is a lot to bank on in order to make this pairing work offensively.
8. Bol Bol, 7-2 C, Oregon
BEST: ???
Finding the right fit for Bol Bol is … difficult. While his offense fits on every single team in the league thanks to his absurdly strong handle, touch, and shooting stroke at his size, his porous defense is something that is very, very difficult to scheme for. Bol’s high block averages (2.7 BPG) seem impressive on the surface, but they lose luster upon contextualization, and, really, blocks (and steals, for that matter) should never be relied upon as the sole indicator of whether or not someone is good at defense or not.
Bol’s length makes him great at blocking jumpers (which is where most of his blocks came from), but his pencil-thin frame and alarming lack of lower-body strength make his potential as a rim-protector and post-defender murky, and that’s before even mentioning his atrocious defensive instincts. Bol possesses poor technique (and awareness) defending the pick-and-roll and often gets blown by consistently, is often lost on rotations and regularly gets caught out of position, and is genuinely helpless out in space — masking these deficiencies is practically an impossible task, but for the sake of his viability on the court, it’s vital that he finds a team that would be able to cover for his defensive woes, even at a marginal rate.
When it comes to finding a fit for Bol Bol, the key is finding a place that would maximize his potential, and of course, that means maximizing his abilities on both ends of the floor. In order for a center in 2019 to be playable in the playoffs, they need to either be insanely lethal offensively, offering astronomically high shooting splits, or they need to be semi-respectable on the defensive end (specifically defending the pick-and-roll). Finding a team that plays a zone-esque setup and/or a drop pick-and-roll coverage would do a great deal to mask some of Bol’s weaknesses, yet, it’s hard to pinpoint just one team.
Miami is one of the only teams in the league that employs a zone defense occasionally, which could help cover for him by sticking him down low. Boston turns to zone at times, too, and has a bevy of perimeter defenders that could help shield him from cutters and drivers; plus, having Al Horford to learn from would be incalculably valuable, since Horford turned into one of the best defensive bigs of the last decade. The Hornets are looking for talent anywhere, and if they can’t find a replacement for Kemba Walker then drafting for talent and upside wouldn’t be a bad idea, even with the glut of (impermanent) bigs currently on the roster.
WORST: Atlanta Hawks
With potentially two top-10 selections in the 2019 NBA Draft, the Atlanta Hawks have a great shot at adding two long-term pieces to a team that already features an offensive core of Trae Young, John Collins, and Kevin Huerter that figures to be pretty, pretty good as the young trio grows together. With those two picks, it’s reasonable to speculate that the front office will be looking at two specific areas of need — another player along the wing and a long-term center.
In the lottery, center options are pretty thin between Jaxson Hayes, Goga Bitadze and Bol Bol. Of the three, the player with the clearest all-star potential is the 7-2 Bol, who feasibly could be the next “unicorn” to grace the NBA hardwood. Bol’s touch on his shooting stroke (13-of-25 from downtown in nine games) is apparent, which is why he’d be the ideal offensive center in today’s three-point-happy league that prioritizes shooting above all else. The Hawks core of Young (32.4 3P% on 6.0 attempts), Collins (34.8 3P% on 2.6 attempts), and Huerter (38.5 3P% on 4.7 attempts) are all capable shooters themselves (with Young and Huerter flashing the potential to be great shooters one day), and adding Bol to the mix would make for a wildly-potent offensive core to build around for years to come.
It sounds great, and would be fun to watch, but let’s not forget about the defense. Mentioned above, his defense requires a team and scheme that would shield him from getting picked on constantly. Without adequate defenders lining up on the perimeter, it’s hard to envision a marriage between Bol and the Hawks that doesn’t result in a historically-bad defense. (E.g., Trae Young and Bol Bol would be put in pick-and-roll actions until the end of time and would get scored on endlessly.) As flashy as the offense would be, there are just too many defensive shortcomings that would only be magnified if Bol were to join the Hawks, making this a rather poor fit, all things considered.
7. Cam Reddish, 6-8 F/G, Duke
BEST: Atlanta Hawks
A shot creator and spot-up gunner like Cam Reddish needs adequate floor spacing in order to create for himself off het dribble, whether it’s quick dribble pull-up inside the arc or a hard drive to the basket. Duke provided practically no spacing whatsoever, as the team shot a hideous 30.8 percent from downtown, ranking 327th in the country. Although all players benefit from improved spacing, the sentiment is especially applicable for Reddish, who struggled to finish at the rim at a historically anemic rate (51.2 FG% at the rim, per hoop-math).
Much of Reddish’s poor finishing comes down to his severe lack of lower-body strength, vertical pop, and a quick first step. All of these physical limitations manifest rather noticeably on his drives to the basket, since he struggles to get by defenders of all shapes and sizes. This, of course, exacerbated by opposing defenses packing the paint and sagging off of Duke’s perimeter shooters, thus giving Reddish even less room to navigate.
Surrounding himself with the shooters that Atlanta boasts is ideal, no only for his driving and finishing, but for confidence. After posting an alarming 35.6-33.3-77.2 shooting split, many fans and media members question whether or not Reddish is the offensive star that he was dubbed out of high school — it seems like Reddish, too, questioned his abilities as an offensive player, as his confidence noticeably waned as the season wore on and his shooting woes continued. Playing within a set offensive scheme that generates good looks for its shooters should help him find open looks and chances rebuild his confidence, which figures to be a huge element of his development.
The Hawks also run a fair share of pick-and-roll sets between Trae Young and John Collins, and although Reddish’s on-ball role was limited while playing next to Zion Williamson, RJ Barrett, and Tre Jones, he posted sneakily-great numbers scoring out of the pick-and-roll (1.114 PPP on 49 possessions; 96th percentile), which suggests that he could find shots for himself through screen actions with a number of Atlanta’s bigs. Regardless of how he gets his shots, Atlanta presents itself as a promising destination for someone in need of a significant confidence boost.
WORST: New York Knicks
The New York Knicks are reportedly interested in Cam Reddish and would consider drafting him if they were to not land a top-2 or top-3 selection on draft night. Why? Because they view him as the next Paul George. The problem? Cam Reddish is, in fact, not the next Paul George, and making such far-fetched player comparisons often leads to unreasonably high and unattainable expectations that aren’t rooted in reality and rarely end in satisfaction.
The last thing Reddish needs is a team that would burden him with too much pressure from Day 1, and the star starved Knicks and brutal New York media don’t seem to be in the mood for maintaining a patient approach. New York isn’t exactly the best place for players who are hoping to regain confidence in themselves — he’d be better off somewhere else, for the sake of his progression and for the sake of his happiness in general.
6. Jaxson Hayes, 6-11 C, Texas
BEST: Atlanta Hawks
This past season, no team played at a faster pace than the “Baby” Hawks of Atlanta, with the 21-and-under cast of Trae Young, John Collins and Kevin Huerter flying around the court, hoisting up threes and attacking the basket early in the shot clock and in transition. Despite having talent in the backcourt and in both forward spots, Atlanta is missing a long-term option at center: Neither Mason Plumlee or Alex Len project to be anything more than limited stopgaps at the position, and Dewayne Dedmon (who was effective as a veteran presence on defense) could walk as a free agent.
Enter Jaxson Hayes, a prototypical athlete at his size with the rim-running and shot-blocking abilities of a modern-day center. Giving Young two 6-11 sky-walking lob threats and rim-runners would be ideal based on how the Young-Collins pairing meshed offensively this past season in the open court and pick-and-roll. Hayes would give the team another great at-rim finisher (86.7 FG% at the rim this past season, per hoop-math) and a potential short-roll playmaker: Although he wasn’t utilized as a passer that often, Hayes flashed glimpses of positive decision-making in that department, which could be unlocked in a free-flowing offense with multiple cutters and shooters. With potentially two picks in the top-10, Atlanta could have two shots at grabbing a legitimate NBA center — if he’s available, they shouldn’t hesitate for even a second.
WORST: Memphis Grizzlies
A frontcourt pairing of Jaren Jackson Jr. (6-11, 7-5 wingspan) and Jaxson Hayes (6-11) would be a force to be reckoned with defensively, with both bigs featuring advanced mobility, length, recognition, timing, and functionality at their size. Both are phenomenal shot blockers and rim deterrents and have the fluidity to step out on the perimeter to occasionally guard switches. This would undoubtedly be a fun pairing, and the offensive upside — Jackson can space the floor, and both bigs have hinted at upside as passers from the post and short-roll — wouldn’t be half-bad either.
Yet, the whole point of drafting Jackson as the franchise cornerstone is to unlock both your offense and defense because of his aforementioned strengths, so that the team could have a potential “unicorn” anchoring the defense and not possessing any glaring weaknesses that so many bigs have. Drafting Hayes in the top-half of the lottery would be a move that willingly negates the advantage of playing Jackson in the first place. Would this be a bad duo? No, not at all. But would pairing two players such as Jackson and Hayes limit the maximum upside that the franchise could reach from a team-building standpoint? Yes, yes it would.
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.
4. De’Andre Hunter, 6-8 F, Virginia
BEST: Cleveland Cavaliers
The name “De’Andre Hunter” and the word “defense” often find themselves together in the same sentence quite often, and for good reason. On a great defensive team playing under a great defensive coach, Hunter proved himself to be Virginia’s best defender and one of the best in the nation, leveraging his 6-8 frame to defend multiple positions without fouling or making undisciplined mistakes like many other players his age.
He’s a fine shooter off the catch (albeit not lethal due to his slow gather and prolonged release) and a solid passer, making him a good bet to stick wherever he lands on draft night. For a Cleveland team that literally just put up the worst defensive numbers in NBA history, looking for a building block on the wing should be a priority this summer, and the 2019 NBA Draft gives them a legitimate shot at adding a difference maker in De’Andre Hunter.
He’s not flashy by any means and there are other players purported to have higher “upside” than Hunter, but with valuable baseline skills as a floor spacer and multi-positional defender, he projects to be ready to contribute from the jump in the NBA, even in a limited role. Plenty of other teams could use a player such as Hunter, and he’d realistically be able to find a home anywhere, but Cleveland stands out as the ideal fit for both player and team.
WORST: Washington Wizards
Not to pick on the Wizards further for their front office ineptitude, but their extensive track record mismanaging wings is too much to overcome, even for a polished player such as Hunter who wouldn’t need much nurturing and growth to become a useful rotation piece. His defensive intangibles and spot-up shooting would be useful alongside John Wall and Bradley Beal, but the same was said about Otto Porter and Kelly Oubre, and yet the team still chose to ship them out.
Contractual matters were involved, of course, and opting for a cheaper wing would be preferable for the cap-strapped Wizards and could perhaps enhance their willingness to be patient, but that’s just not a safe bet to make when there’s so much history saying otherwise. Would this be a terrible fit? No, because there aren’t really any teams that could actually be terrible fits for Hunter due to his skill set and positional versatility — but Washington stands out as the worst by a significant margin.
3. Ja Morant, 6-3 PG, Murray State
BEST: Chicago Bulls
It’s quite difficult (i.e., impossible) to trust Jim Boylen as a coach, or Gar Forman and John Paxson as talent evaluators and team builders, but the current roster in place quite literally has only one whole in the starting lineup, and that’s a facilitating point guard who can set up positions ‘2’ through ‘5’ on what amounts to be a team full of young talent. Zach LaVine (24), Otto Porter Jr. (25), Lauri Markkanen (21) and Wendell Carter Jr. (20) make for a solid core (particularly the two bigs still on their rookie deals), but the point guard play of Kris Dunn (as well as Ryan Arcidiacono, Walter Lemon Jr., and Shaquille Harrison) left a lot to be desired.
Morant’s stellar vision and passing craft (9.9 APG as a sophomore) should fit nicely on a team full of play-finishers: All four players can spot-up from the perimeter, LaVine is a fearless gunner and cutter, Porter stepped up as a scorer after his move to Chicago, and both Markannen and Carter pose as solid screeners and passers. Morant fits best on a court surrounded by floor spacers and rim runners, and he’d get just that in Chicago. The coaching fit is far from ideal, and Boylen would need to adapt to the athleticism that his players possess, but roster-wise, it makes a ton of sense.
WORST: Phoenix Suns
By all accounts, the Phoenix Suns are absolutely enamored by Ja Morant’s open-court athleticism and spectacular passing vision, and they view the 6-3 Murray State product as their potential point guard of the future to pair next to Devin Booker (26.6. PPG, 4.1 RPG, 6.8 APG) in the backcourt. Phoenix’s pursuit of a starting point guard is well-chronicled, as they added four different point guards (Tyler Johnson via trade, Jimmer Fredette via free agency, Elie Okobo and De’Anthony Melton via the 2018 Draft) to the roster in the past calendar year alone.
Morant is obviously talented, but is he ready to step in right away to be a full-time starter? And, more importantly, does he fit the system that Monty Williams will be bringing with him to Suns? Not exactly. Williams has proven himself to rely on pick-and-roll and isolation sets on offense, and although Morant is gifted as a passer, he needs the threat of a reliable pull-up jumper to truly unlock his potential as a pick-and-roll playmaker, and his shot needs quite a bit of work to even get to that point in an NBA setting. If Morant isn’t feared as a legit shooter, and if 2018 No. 1 pick DeAndre Ayton isn’t feared as a shooter, either, then that makes the 1-5 pick-and-roll too predictable and far too easy to defend for opposing defenses.
And, speaking of defense, another one of Monty Williams’ main sticking points, there is much to be done before Morant — who’s frame and decision-making aren’t ideal at this junction — is a net-neutral on that end. A Morant-Booker pairing in the backcourt would bleed points, and the team itself is rather poor defensively overall due to inexperience and a lack of defensive-minded talent. It seems probable that the Suns would select Morant if he were available wherever their pick lands on draft night, and the thought process of doing so isn’t inexcusable — there’s just a lot of kinks to work out in order to make the pairing of player and team fit. Could Morant grow into the player he’s capable of being in a few years? Sure, but a pertinent question still remains — is Devin Booker willing to wait that long?
2. RJ Barrett, 6-7 G/F, Duke
BEST: Atlanta Hawks
RJ Barrett is far and away the most divisive draft prospect in this year’s crop of amateur talent. Duke’s 6-7 power wing and on-ball initiator constantly drew ire from onlookers for alleged “ball-hogging,” offensive tunnel vision and inefficient shooting, ultimately earning (justly or unjustly) the harsh label of being “selfish.” This isn’t exactly fair to the Canada native. Still only 18, Barrett has a ways to go as a player, yet already possesses immense talent that manifested itself on the court on a regular basis, hence why his usage rate and production (22.6 PPG, 7.6 RPG, 4.3 APG) was notable for a Duke freshman. He’s an effective athlete in transition, a physical driver who absorbs contact and gets to the charity stripe, a fearless competitor, and a promising ball-handler and passer at his size.
Efficiency and decision-making are two areas needing the most nurturing, as he has a troublesome habit of falling into spells where he distrusts the abilities of his teammates and tries to push the issue on offense. Landing in a spot where he could develop more as a facilitator and less as a forceful scorer could be the ideal scenario for him, which is why Atlanta figures to be a strong fit for his talents. Atlanta, as mentioned throughout this post, is a team overflowing with individual talent and a burgeoning organizational culture that seems to be beneficial for the youth that the front office brings in.
Allowing Barrett to play next to floor spacers would open up the driving and cutting lanes he relies on so often to score; a fast tempo would allow him to get out and run, with plenty of talented teammates running alongside him; and playing next to a cast full of exceptional and selfless passers (specifically Trae Young and even Kevin Huerter) should rub off on the young wing in a positive way. Some players manage to reach their full potential regardless of the situation that they land in, but Barrett’s progression as a player seems to be heavily linked to wherever he ends up on draft night, as he needs to go to a team that will do what it can to empower him while simultaneously teaching him to actively remove me-first tendencies from his game for the sake of playing an efficient style of winning basketball. Atlanta jumps out as just the place to do that for him…
WORST: New York Knicks
…and New York jumps out as just the place that would do the exact opposite for Barrett’s evolution as a player and teammate. New York wants a star and outside of Zion Williamson, Barrett may just be the only other player from the 2019 draft class that has the clearest route to reaching that upside due to physical traits and natural skills. However, the Knicks pose as an environment that wouldn’t use a patient approach to the maturation of Barrett’s game. Rather, New York’s front office and coaching staff would likely place the load of “franchise cornerstone” onto Barrett’s shoulders from Day 1, which would essentially give him free rein and total control over the offense — which, as seen at Duke, can be quite problematic.
Playing as the team’s top option while under immense pressure can lead to the development of bad habits, especially if the team isn’t rounded out with veterans to lead the way. Empowering rookies is necessary for their maturation and growth as a player, but too much all at once can prove to be harmful in the long-run. Don’t just give any rookie the keys to the offense — they need to earn it first, and I’m not so sure that would be the case in New York.
And from a pure roster standpoint, attempting to build a cohesive offense around several young players who currently prefer to have the ball in their hands to score (Dennis Smith Jr., Kevin Knox, Barrett) is a pretty tough job for any head coach. Winning over star free agents could benefit young players like Barrett, since he’d be forced into a complementary role and would need to learn how to play winning basketball on a contending team, but banking on huge unknowns isn’t an ideal draft strategy, or an ideal team building strategy in general.
1. Zion Williamson, 6-7 F/C, Duke
BEST: Atlanta Hawks, New York Knicks
Listen: Zion Williamson will be a human wrecking ball that petrifies opponents and delights fans no matter where he goes. He’s special. He’s one of a kind. He’s generational. Plug him into any situation and he’ll find a way to dominate and impose his will through his natural skill set and historic athleticism. Every team would love to have him — but only the owner of the No. 1 overall selection in the 2019 NBA Draft will get him, and two possible winners of the “Not Tryin’ For Zion” sweepstakes stand out as electrifying landing spots due to the on-court and cultural impact that Williamson would bring: Atlanta and New York.
Unleashing Williamson in a free-flowing run-and-gun offense would be a match made in basketball heaven. Running Williamson alongside John Collins would be wholly unfair to the invented of the basketball rim, as every single rim in every single arena would be ripped from the backboard from the sheer force of the duo’s highlight-worthy dunks. Add in the fact that Trae Young would be the orchestrator of this youth-studded offense and that makes matters even more daunting for opposing defenses.
How do you stop a guard who can pull up from 30 feet or hit his bigs with every single pass in the book? How do you stop a pair of streaking, athletic phenoms running with reckless abandon in the open court and out of the pick-and-roll? The Hawks would automatically jump into the upper echelon of must-watch television, ushering in a new era of NBA basketball by having what could be the brightest young core the League has seen in quite some time. This team would be fun, plain and simple.
If Zion Williamson landing in Atlanta would be a match made in basketball heaven, then Zion Williamson landing in New York would be a match made in marketing heaven. Williamson would have the chance to be the face of a franchise in one of the biggest markets (if not the biggest) in all of basketball, the so-called “Basketball Mecca,” and would have universal branding appeal that would boost the league’s popularity immensely. Williamson would be an absolute ratings darling and would bring eyes like never before. His impact on the court would be stellar, too: He’d likely usher in the next great team to play on the historic hardwood of Madison Square Garden, whether he’s the lone star or the first of many to join the Knicks in the near future. Whether he’s lining up with the likes of Dennis Smith Jr. and Kevin Knox, or the likes of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, Williamson’s magnetic pull will be felt on and off the court, no matter who he suits up with.
WORST: Chicago Bulls
If it were not for the presence of John Paxson, Gar Forman and Jim Boylen, Zion Williamson would be fine in Chicago even with the current glut of frontcourt pieces. Any normal front office would simply sort through their options, make a few phone calls and ship out whoever they view as expendable. But if the Chicago Bulls are any one thing, they are definitely not normal.
Expecting “GarPax” to trade one of Otto Porter Jr. and Lauri Markkanen is a rather dim proposition, since Porter was just brought in via trade and Markkanen was brought in as a key piece of the 2017 Jimmy Butler trade. Would they be willing to move on from either player, or would they inexplicably believe that Boylen could make the pieces fit? Perpetually stubborn, the front office duo would likely trust in their coach, which could prove to be quite messy and suboptimal for a unique player such as Williamson. Expecting Boylen to figure out how to utilize point guards such as Ja Morant and Darius Garland is far more reasonable than expecting him to utilize a multi-positional force of nature like Williamson.
Bottom line: Zion Williamson deserves a better coach than Jim Boylen.