2019 NBA Mock Draft: December Edition

Phoenix Suns: Zion Williamson 20.8ppg, 8.8rpg

The Suns are at the point in their rebuilding process where they need to commit to a direction. Ayton and Booker are undoubtedly great young talents, but every young core needs it’s definitive leader. The jury is still out on whether either of the young stars will be able to fill those shoes. Although you could argue Zion isn’t going to be the best NBA player in this draft, his tenacity, skill and personality warrant him going number one, especially to a franchise who already has a surplus of raw talent.

2. Cleveland Cavaliers: R.J. Barrett 23.1ppg, 6.3rpg

I hesitate drafting R.J. to the Cav’s in this mock because it would be such an unfair situation for him to walk into. The narrative is enough to crush anyone. I really think the Cav’s would be best off getting a group of decent young players to build around similar to the Bulls situation right now. This would avoid anyone having to fill the shoes of LeBron, but at the same time R.J. is oozing with potential. It’s already clear that if you have the first or second pick in this draft, you best go with Zion or R.J.

3. Chicago Bulls: Cameron Reddish 16.3ppg, 1.6spg

The Bulls already have a great young core. Carter, Markkanen, Dunn, LaVine and Parker are already enough to make you a decent eastern playoff team in 3–5 years. However one position is needed to be filled, the Small Forward, particularly a good shooter. Cameron Reddish has one of the smoothest shots in this class and his ceiling is quite high. No brainer.

4. Atlanta Hawks: Kevin Porter Jr. 11.7ppg, 3.3rpg

The Atlanta Hawks may have one of the worst rosters right now. Trae Young seems to be the guy who they are building around, but his shooting percentage has been awful so far. It seems that they will commit to building around Trae for the next few years, and while Price, Collins and Len are a decent young front court, they still need a good wing. Porter Jr.’s game looks like the type that is better fitted for the NBA rather than college. He has an energy and natural athleticism that sets him apart from other players at his position in the draft.

5. New York Knicks: Ja Morant 27.2ppg, 8.2rpg, 8.4apg

What Morant has done in his first five games this year is outstanding. While he may not have the frame of a dominant franchise point guard, he has a punch to him that is worthy of investing in, especially for a franchise like New York who haven’t had a point guard thats stood out since the infamous yet brief few weeks of Linsanity.

6. Brooklyn Nets: Rui Hachimura 21.9ppg, 6.1rpg

Rui has been in some big games and he’s lead his team to an 8–0 record so far. There are some tempting young prospects to go with this high in the draft, but Brooklyn may as well go with a guy who is a proven leader that also has the intangibles to become a great NBA player. It isn’t exciting to draft a Junior or Senior in the lottery but it’s a sensible pick, and that is what Brooklyn needs after being out of the lottery for so many years.

7. Miami Heat: Luguentz Dort 21.7ppg, 6.6rpg

I want to put Dort higher. His game is seriously underrated. People are comparing him to Lance Stephenson, but aside from looking exactly like Lance, the comparison is unfair because Dort is a great scorer/shot creator. Although the competition hasn’t been top notch, Dort has dominated as a freshman this year as Arizona State goes 7–0 to start the season. The only freshman who has been dominant in the way Dort has is Zion. For Miami this pick is an attempt to pass the torch from Wade to Dort, similar to how Nowitzki is doing so with Doncic.

8. Washington Wizards: Bol Bol 21.6ppg, 9.6rpg

Who knows what happens with the Wizards between now and late June. Everyone is up for grabs on their roster, but lets assume they keep everyone for some reason and still end up in the lottery. Bol Bol is a puzzling prospect. His stats are great for a freshman, but many look at his frail frame and think that his game won’t translate into the NBA. If there is any team willing to throw a hail Mary in the lottery it would be the Wizards. You could be getting the next Kristaps in Bol, but it’s a high risk high reward pick.

9. San Antonio Spurs: Romeo Langford 18ppg 5.8rpg

Romeo has fallen in this mock and thats partially due to the stacked freshman class he happens to be in. His game is smooth and he very well could develop into an all star wing. We will have to see if the Spurs end up in the lottery, but if they do there is no question that they will take a guy who is able to contribute right away.

10. New Orleans Pelicans: Keldon Johnson 15.9ppg, 6.1rpg

Keldon Johnson is a great addition to the Pelicans. They need star power at the wing, and while Johnson may not be a star, he could certainly develop into a good starting wing on a contending team. The Wildcats have gone 7–0 since their opening loss to Duke and Johnson has been the clear leader so far.

11. Utah Jazz: DeAndre Hunter 16.6ppg 6.1rpg

If the Jazz miss the playoffs the season is a disappointment. There is no time for them to go with some raw talent, they need a winner and Hunter has been a focal point in a great system for what will be two years by draft night.

12. Minnesota Timberwolves: Sekou Dounmbouya

Minnesota’s offseason will be focused on exploring options on what to do with a failing young core. There isn’t anyone at this point in the draft that they can add to make the current Wolves team work. Dounmbouya is only 17 years old and is a very raw talent. This pick is a just an investment that may pay off which is all they can ask for. International players are usually a dice roll, and Sekou has been raved about by some which is enough to get him into the lottery.

13. Atlanta Hawks: Nassir Little 11.8ppg, 4.8rpg

Little is hard to figure out. It’s unclear how his game will translate to the NBA. Many put him higher in mocks but I think he’ll fall just because his contribution at UNC has been underwhelming compared to other freshman. That being said he’s got an NBA body and could be malleable if coached right.

14. Boston Celtics: Daniel Gafford 19.8ppg, 8.7rpg

The Celtics have an overload of talent, but they still need more depth at the Power Forward position. Gafford is a 6–11 sophomore that is leading his team confidently as they start the season 5–1.

15. Orlando Magic: Nickeil Alexander Walker 17.9ppg, 5.0rpg

Nickeil won’t change the Magic all that much but he would be another versatile player to put in the lineup. His sophomore season at VT has started off strong and he’s led them to a 6–1 start.

16. Houston Rockets: Kris Wilkes 17.6ppg, 4.3apg

The Rockets need a guy who can contribute right away. Wilkes is another sophomore that could go high based off of a consistency that started in his freshman year. At 6'8 he could be a nice offensive addition to have at the SF position they’ve been trying to fill.

17. Charlotte Hornets: Jaylen Hoard 16ppg, 8.3rpg

The Hornets are in a weird situation where they have one star player and a mix of decent young players. They won’t be looking for backcourt players as Walker, Lamb, Monk and Parker are good enough for now, but adding a young prospect like Hoard could end up paying off in a few years, while they remain a competitive team.

18. Boston Celtics: Jalen Smith 12.6ppg, 7.3rpg

A 6–10 freshman with the talent level of Smith would be a great player for Boston to develop. Since Boston has a plethora of picks, look for them to draft a diverse set of talent.

19. Indiana Pacers: Bruno Fernando 15.4ppg, 10rpg

Fernando was briefly a top 5 pick in this draft last year. His tenacious rebounding ability and NBA body is not to be avoided. The Pacers will be looking to develop a deeper roster to battle through the playoffs and a guy like Bruno would be ideal for that type of roster.

20. Portland Trailblazers: Simi Shittu 16ppg, 8rpg

Shittu is an under the radar freshman. Vanderbilt won’t be getting as much attention as they were thought to receive after Darius Garlands season ending injury, but Shittu is still a valuable prospect and for a team like Portland who is looking for slashing wings, Shittu might fall right into their hands in the latter part of the draft.

21. Los Angeles Lakers: Moses Brown 13.1ppg, 9.9rpg

The Lakers already have enough prospects for what is supposed to be a contending team. Ball, Kuzma, Imgram and LeBron all shift the attention on draft night to finding a good young big man. Brown is in LA already and might be a good back up centre they can work with right away.

22. Boston Celtics: Coby White 15.3ppg, 3.6apg

Coby White’s game is fast paced. Whoever he falls to will be a lucky team. With Rozier’s contract coming to an end, the Celtics will likely pick up a point guard to fill for his place with one of their first round picks.

23. Golden State Warriors: Jarrett Culver 19ppg, 5.3rpg

Culver’s game is something that can be integrated into the Warriors lineup. He’s got an unusual frame and a decent shot that could be effective off the bench for Golden State. His scoring is exceptional for a sophomore and it’s paying off as Texas Tech starts the year 7–0.

24. Detroit Pistons: Tre Jones 9ppg, 6apg

The Pistons quest to find a good point guard has been a struggle as they’ve gone with Reggie Jackson for almost five years now. Don’t forget about Tre Jones. There have been games this year where he is the leader on the court. The fact that he’s averaging 9 points a game on a team with the three best offensive players in this draft speaks volumes. He’s healthily selective and is a mature player for a freshman. He could be the ideal backup point guard.

25. Oklahoma City Thunder: Carsen Edwards 24.4ppg, 4apg

Carsen has been a scoring machine for the Boilermakers this year. His college career has been solid and one that playoff teams should look at when wondering who to spend their late first round pick on.

26. Philadelphia 76ers: Kellan Grady 19.4ppg, 4rpg

The Sixers need shooting and Kellan Grady can give them just that. He’s also a great scorer. He averaged 18ppg in his freshman year and has steadily improved a bit in his sophomore year, but more importantly is the record that Davidson has. At 7–1 it’s clear that he has the ability to effectively lead a team, which pared with talent is valuable in the late first round.

27. Brooklyn Nets: Naz Reid 11.6ppg, 4.6rpg

Naz Reid started off strong but has since been hard to watch. There is no question that he has raw talent and could develop into something special. Brooklyn will most likely spend their late first rounder on a young player who most will pass on. They’ve lost out on so much young talent over the years, that they will look to make up for their past mistakes.

28. Milwaukee Bucks: Grant Williams 21.5ppg, 8.8rpg

Grant is a sturdy junior that many will pass on, but his steady improvements have been great for the Volunteers. Tennessee is a top 10 ranked school because of his efforts on the court.

29. Boston Celtics: Zach Norvell Jr. 18.6ppg, 5.5rpg

Norvell Jr. has been an integral part of the Bulldogs offence this year. At 8–0 someone will take a chance on the 6'5 guard, as he’s shown an ability to shoot that will be sought by NBA teams.

30. San Antonio Spurs: Ignas Brazdeikis 16.3ppg, 5.3rpg

This guy has done something quite special this year. The Wolverines weren’t looking for a freshman star, but Iggy has come in and played great basketball for them this year. He’s the type of guy who is a hit or miss at the NBA level but placed into the right franchise, he could be a great role player/sixth man.