Well, the big night ended. The impressions are yet to be sorted, as there were several big surprises. But in general, there weren’t any shocking deals or trades. We might as well said that this draft ended much calmer than predicted.
There weren’t any doubts when it came to the first three places. Zion, Morant, and Barrett ended where everyone expected.
New Orleans picked Williamson, the NCAA player of the year, and one of the most dominant prospects in the last few decades. David Griffin, the Pelican’s GM, stated that from now on, his team is only going to be better and better.
“We are [beginning to] crescendo now,” Griffin said. “I think it is only going to continue to grow.”
Pelicans traded picks with the Hawks, giving them the No.4 they acquired from the Anthony Davis’ trade, and in return getting the 8th, 17th, and 35th pick. They would spend those on Jaxon Hayes the athletic center from Texas, Nickeil Alexander-Walker shooting guard from Virginia Tech and Marcos Louzada Silva from Brazil, a sharpshooting guard.
.@KristenLedlow talked to David Griffin about the @PelicansNBA's #NBADraft night and his goals for his New Orleans squad as it enters a new era. pic.twitter.com/q0KhVxlrSA
— NBA TV (@NBATV) June 21, 2019
Ja Morant was picked second. The Grizzlies decided to make a completely new look, and Morant’s arrival was expected, especially after Mike Conley went to Utah. The first ever college player who averaged 20 points and 10 dimes per game during one season, will become the centerpiece of the new Grizzlies, who are now loaded with talent. In that trade with the Jazzers, Memphis received the No.23 pick on this draft, and they used it to move two places up, taking Gonzaga’s Brandon Clark from there. With this guy, they will have one of the most athletic young cores in the league, including Jaren Jackson Jr there.
RJ Barrett goes to New York. There was a mutual desire for this move because the young Canadian has family ties with NY. His mother is from Brooklyn, and his grandfather was a die-hard fan of the Knicks. Young RJ would often go to Madison to watch his current club and was always encouraged by grandad that one day he too will play there.
“That was one of the reasons why I was crying because my grandfather and I used to watch the Knicks growing up and he would always tell me I was going to be a Knick,” Barrett stated.
"You have to be proud, very proud. I'm proud of you, son."
RJ Barrett couldn't hold back tears while his dad, Rowan, spoke with @MariaTaylor. #NBADraft pic.twitter.com/mqPSuhp59F
— ESPN (@espn) June 21, 2019
Atlanta Hawks might just be the next best thing in the NBA. The Hawks made another excellent move, and we can say with certainty that their GM Travis Schlenk does a fantastic job in creating a talented team. Hawks traded up to get No.4 from the Pelicans and took DeAndre Hunter one of the best, if not the best defenders in this draft. The power forward from Virginia, and one of the key pieces in their NCAA championship quest will be a significant boost for Atlanta’s crew. But that is not all. The Hawks also took Cam Reddish on the 10th place, forming a fantastic group of guys who will be able to play one very fast and attractive basketball.
Reddish one of the best shooters on this draft and an excellent defender will add more options on both sides of the court for the Georgia-based franchise.
Darius Garland ended up in Cleveland as the 5th choice, and that is a huge risk for the Cavs.
Jarrett Culver is in Minnesota as the 6th pick(traded Dario Saric and the 11th pick to Suns). The former Red Raider is expected to replace Andrew Wiggins, who is at the exit doors from Minneapolis.
Coby White will play for Chicago as the 7th pick. North Carolina’s point guard is projected to take the spot in the starting lineup immediately.
Rui Hachimura became the first Japanese player to be drafted. The Washington Wizards selected him from the 9th place, and Hachimura could quickly emerge as a leader of this team. The Wizards are in a bad position, and this guy could be a breath of fresh air to them.
With the 9th pick, we’ve selected Rui Hachimura!
Welcome to D.C., @rui_8mura! pic.twitter.com/dutWTP9Kfc
— Washington Wizards (@WashWizards) June 21, 2019
Big slips were Nassir Little who goes to Portland from the 25th position, and Bol Bol who ends up in Denver as the 44th pick of the draft, regardless of being projected to be top 5 at the early stage of the season.
Tacko Fall and Dedric Lawson weren’t picked at all.
Nikola Velickovic is a sports journalist who loves to write and read on all sports. Nikola contributes both news updates and functions as a sports breaking news writer at WagerBop.
Email: nikola@wagerbop.com
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