2019 NBA Redraft: Zion, Ja and Garland battle for top pick
11. player. 66. . Wing. Phoenix Suns. Lugentz Dort
Original Pick: Cameron Johnson, North Carolina
Lugentz Dort becomes our first undrafted player to break into the first round of the redraft, climbing as high as No. 11. He is one of the league’s toughest perimeter defenders, able to use his length, strength and confidence to knock fast guards off of their game and harry large forwards out of rhythm.
The Phoenix Suns are the first true “losers” of the redraft, getting a worse player than the one they originally drafted, but it’s certainly a solid consolation prize to get one of the best young defenders in the league. Dort would have been an excellent rotation player for the Suns, and the defensive combination of Dort and Mikal Bridges would have been terrifying.
player. 170. . Shooting Guard. Charlotte Hornets. Max Strus. 12
Original Pick: P.J. Washington, Kentucky
The second undrafted player of the redraft is not far behind, as Max Strus rose the most of any player over the past few months to make it into the lottery. This past season’s playoff run with the Miami Heat cemented the two-way value of Max Strus, and the contract he earns in free agency this summer will harden that cement even further.
Strus is a solid defender and solid shooter, and that kind of player is immensely valuable. He has the potential to pop off for monstrous shooting games, and that upside is ideal for a team looking to win playoff games. The Charlotte Hornets haven’t had that kind of role player, with Strus a more reliable and less shot-dependent version of what Kelly Oubre Jr. has provided over the past few seasons.