KJG 2019 NBA Draft roundtable: Top 10 prospects Cavs should target

Jackson Flickinger’s 2019 NBA Draft Top 10

1. Zion Williamson

Zion has dominated college basketball in a way we haven’t seen in years. Despite the narrative, comparing Zion to LeBron James is completely unfair. A more fair comparison is to Ben Simmons or Giannis Antetokounmpo. He has the ability to get to the rim with ease like both players, but Williamson has a much better outside shot than both of them. However, Zion isn’t the passer that Giannis or Simmons is. I believe his offensive ceiling is more predicated off how he develops as a passer as opposed to how he develops as a shooter.

2. R.J. Barrett

Barrett would probably be the consensus number one pick in a normal year. He has the size and athleticism to dominate on both ends of the court. He’s shown an exceptional ability to get to the basket while being an excellent facilitator. The biggest concern with Barrett is his outside shooting as he’s shooting just 30.9 percent from three. The ability to become a consistent shooter from the outside will determine his ceiling.

3. Cam Reddish

Reddish has been the forgotten man at Duke this year and has struggled to find his role as the third scoring option. With that said, Reddish has tremendous offensive tools and size for his position which will translate nicely to the NBA.

4. Ja Morant

Morant has been a cross between Russell Westbrook and MVP Derrick Rose at Murray State. He may be the pound for pound most athletic person in this draft. Morant has struggled this year with turnovers and his outside shooting but that won’t scare teams away. I wouldn’t have a problem with the Cavs drafting him if they don’t end up with the number one pick. Some will say that he has a similar skill-set as Collin Sexton, but it’s important for rebuilding teams to draft the best available player regardless of current fit. Besides that, Sexton has shown the ability to be a good cutter off-ball and could be better served in that roll anyways.

5. Romeo Langford

Langford has the tools to be a great prospect, but his lack of outside shooting and defensive lapses have held him back so far. With that said, he is shooting an unbelievable 78% at the rim and is a very explosive offensive player. It’s almost impossible to find a guard that can finish at the rim at that level of efficiency.

6. De’Andre Hunter

Hunter is the most NBA ready player in the draft. He is one of the best and most versatile defenders in college with the ability to guard almost anyone on the floor. He’s also an excellent three-point shooter (42.1 percent) and can be a prototype three-and-D player. The downside with Hunter is that he’s already 21 years old and is the third scoring option on UVA.

7. Bol Bol

Bol is one of the most gifted offensive players I’ve ever seen at his size. His footwork and offensive skills for his size are completely unprecedented. Bol is unfortunately missing most of the season due to foot surgery. His injury history combined with his thin frame make him one of the riskiest prospects in the draft. Bol could be a steal of the draft, but there’s enough red flags to make me think he could fall much further than this.

8. Kevin Porter Jr.

Porter has the ability to be the best offensive player in the draft, but his off-court issues are a huge red flag. He missed time with a mysterious injury at the beginning of the year and then followed that up by being suspended indefinitely for undisclosed reasons. He has the skills to be a star, but his off-court issues will make teams think twice before investing a lottery pick in him.

9. Nassir Little

Nobody’s draft stock has fallen as far as Little’s. He came into the season as a consensus top four pick, but he hasn’t even cracked the starting lineup yet at UNC. Little has the size and athleticism to be a star at the next level, but his inability to adjust to his role at UNC and his terrible shooting from the outside are big red flags.

10. Jarrett Culver

Culver is one of the safest picks in the draft. He has the ability to be a versatile defender and a good shooter. I wouldn’t be surprised if he rose up team’s draft boards as the season progresses.