The latest NBA draft brought a lack of consensus to the light of day, particularly after the first few picks. Basketball fans and aficionados started raising some serious questions regarding the potential trades that went on during the first draft. Plus, the agreement between the New Orleans Pelicans and the Los Angeles Lakers brought up even more questions and concerns. The Pelicans bought No. 4 overall and enjoyed a high interest in the trade-related talks.
When the Memphis Grizzlies sealed the deal for the No. 23 overall pick in the yearly draft, more rumors started going on. Let’s take a look at a few of the main elements that could possibly influence future drafts.
Darius Garland at No. 4?
Numbers one, two and three appear to be on a lockdown according to the latest draft. When the Knicks brought in point guard Darius Garland to perform a workout on the 19th of June, some people interpreted this as a simple act of due diligence. According to the Wojnarowski report, the Knicks appear to have made up their mind on Barrett.
In other words, the draft is prone to be initiated once the Pelicans come back on the clock at No. 4. Darius seems to be one of the most sought after alternatives for the big teams.
Boston Celtics and the Chicago Bulls have both expressed their intention to get New Orleans’ No. 4 pick, along with the Minnesota Timberwolves. The draft was also assessed in accordance with Barretts’ dropout. Nevertheless, Darius Garland has only actively participated in five games during the previous season at Vanderbilt, as his MCL injury prevented him from making a new appearance for the remainder of the season. This helped him win favorable comparisons in terms of points scored.
Provided one of the Boston, Chicago or Minnesota teams gets No. 4, Garland would represent the best pick by far. This, however, does not automatically place Garland at the top of these teams’ picks. The process and final call also depend on the Hawks’ decision to move up. The team has a point guard that looks very promising in the person of Young.
The Hawk’s Picks – Predictions
If you are into some action when it comes to drafts, we recommend you keep a close eye on Atlanta. They might just win the title for the most intriguing team to watch. Since they hold picks Number 8, 10, 17, 35 and 41, all eyes will be on them. Since they do not need to add five newcomers to their team, things appear to be interesting enough to make the draft worth watching.
General manager Travis Schlenk had a successful draft the previous year, bringing the team No. 19 Huerter while trading back for No. 5, Young. It might just be that the Hawks are looking for some fresh contributors.
It is also possible for them to delay any additions to the roster, or move up for Darius Garland or a different wing player. The Hawks might also act aggressively and make their best pick on the very night of the draft, to keep things even more interesting.
Roster Constrained Contenders Movers
When a team makes a good pick in the 20th, it is regarded a bonus and not a real necessity. It is extremely difficult to select a player who will add to a team, and help it win. The Philadelphia 76ers, Brooklyn Nets and Golden State Warriors are all expected to make this difficult call on Thursday night. The 76ers need a better selection of players, so their main aim will most likely be to come across a more affordable draft pick.
Holding picks 24, 33, 34 and 42, the Sixers received their contributions from No. 26 Shamet from the previous year prior to his shipping in the Tobias Harris trade in the winter. The main goal is to come back with at least a couple of rotation players for the 2019, 2020 season.
Should they decide to go for any of the above picks, they will manage to move up and get the player they want.
As for Philadelphia, the main factor they should keep in mind is the fact that the roster is incredibly thin which means they should not concern themselves with getting any positional value. All they need to do is come across the right guys who can stand by their talent and play.
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