2019 NBA Redraft: Zion, Ja and Garland battle for top pick
Power Forward. San Antonio Spurs. P.J. Washington. 19. player. 29.
Original Pick: Luka Samanic, Croatia
The San Antonio Spurs have found great success drafting international players, but Luka Samanic was not a part of that success and is out of the NBA. Instead, the Spurs will take P.J. Washington here, a player many would have higher in this redraft. He is a good enough player as a small-ball 5 or big 4, but he doesn’t do anything at a very high level. Still, solid is worth a look at this point in the draft.
93. . Power Forward. Philadelphia 76ers. Rui Hachimura. 20. player
Original Pick: Matisse Thybulle, Washington
If either could develop a reliable 3-pointer, both the original pick of the Philadelphia 76ers and their new pick here would both go much higher. Rui Hachimura appears to be a floor-raising volume scorer, except he showed on the Lakers that perhaps he can thrive as a role player on the right team. The Sixers will hope they can provide that system here, developing Hachimura as a bench player behind Joel Embiid and Tobias Harris.
. Shooting Guard. Memphis Grizzlies. Terance Mann. 21. player. 211
Original Pick: Brandon Clarke, Gonzaga
The Memphis Grizzlies love their original pick of Brandon Clarke here, but in our redraft he is long gone. In his stead the Grizzlies slide up the positional spectrum to take one of this draft’s best backcourt defenders in Terance Mann. If his shot steadies out at league average or better he could be a reasonable starter; as it is he is a crucial rotation piece on a contender.
player. 18. . Wing. Boston Celtics. Talen Horton-Tucker. 22
Original Pick: Grant Williams, Tennessee
The Boston Celtics whiffed on their first pick in the 2019 draft but nailed their second, and they will be quite foolish if they let Grant Williams walk in free agency this summer. This time around, with a big man already in tow, they go after a high-upside wing in Talen Horton-Tucker. The potential is still more than the production with Tucker, but he is young and has shown flashes of becoming a defensive wing with an insane wingspan who can create offense on the other end. It’s more likely than not that ideal picture never comes together, but the possibility keeps him in the first round since the floor is still useful.