2019 Lottery Redraft: How high does Darius Garland go?

The Memphis Grizzlies made the no-brainer pick to take Ja Morant three years ago, and they haven’t looked back. They were a play-in game away from the playoffs in Morant’s rookie season, won a play-in game to get a taste of the playoffs last year, and were a legitimate threat to beat the Golden State Warriors in the second round this year. There is no regret from their selection of Morant.

That being said, their team is not much worse for taking Darius Garland here in the redraft instead. While Morant won the Most Improved Player award this season, Garland finished third after breaking out in a major way in his third season.

The offensive centerpiece of a Cleveland Cavaliers team that defied expectation this season in finishing eighth in the Eastern Conference, Garland averaged career-highs in points, assists, rebounds, steals, 3-pointers and free throws, improving across the board and taking full advantage of the vacuum left when Collin Sexton went down with a knee injury 11 games in.

Garland has become a pinpoint passer, especially in lob situations, and his perimeter shooting (38.3 percent this season on 6.7 attempts per game) makes him an ideal pick-and-roll guard. He also thrived off-ball alongside Ricky Rubio early this season, which would unlock plenty of options for the Grizzlies in running Garland off screens while Tyus Jones, Desmond Bane or Kyle Anderson handled. He made his first All-Star Game this season and would be an excellent consolation prize for Memphis here in the lottery redraft.