2019 NBA Mock Draft: Predictions for Prospects Who Will Sneak into 1st Round

The Brooklyn Nets, Golden State Warriors, San Antonio Spurs and Milwaukee Bucks have the last four picks in the first round of 2019's NBA draft.

In addition to competing in this year's playoffs, all four will be hoping to find a gem with their late-first round draft picks. 

Success with the late picks in the first round is not assured, but it is not hopeless. While 2018 first-round picks Robert Williams (27th), Jacob Evans (28th), Dzanan Musa (29th) and Omari Spellman (30th) have not become influential players yet, two of the four players drafted with the final four picks in the 2017 first round have flourished. 

Josh Hart was selected with the 30th pick in 2017 by the Utah Jazz, and after being traded to the Los Angeles Lakers, he has become a key player off the bench. Hart, a 6'5" guard from Villanova, averaged 7.9 and 7.8 points per game the past two years, respectively, while averaging 24.4 minutes per game.

Meanwhile, Kyle Kuzma is on his way to becoming a star after two excellent years with the Lakers. He was drafted with the 27th pick in 2017 by Brooklyn after playing his college basketball at Utah. He has since averaged 16.1 and 18.7 points per game, respectively, in his first two years with Los Angeles while averaging 32.1 minutes per game. Kuzma started 68 of the 70 games he played in 2018-19.

Here's a 2019 NBA mock draft, followed by a look at two prospects who will sneak into the first round.

1. New York Knicks: PF Zion Williamson, Duke

2. Cleveland Cavaliers: SF RJ Barrett, Duke

3. Phoenix Suns: PG Ja Morant, Murray State

4. Chicago Bulls: SG Jarrett Culver, Texas Tech

5. Atlanta Hawks, SF Cam Reddish, Duke

6. Washington Wizards, C Jaxson Hayes, Texas

7. New Orleans Pelicans, SG Romeo Langford, Indiana

8. Memphis Grizzlies, PG Darius Garland, Vanderbilt

9. Atlanta Hawks (from Dallas Mavericks), PF PJ Washington, Kentucky

10. Minnesota Timberwolves, PG-SG Coby White, North Carolina

11. Los Angeles Lakers, SG Kevin Porter Jr., USC

12. Charlotte Hornets, SF De'Andre Hunter, Virginia

13. Miami Heat, PF/SF Sekou Doumbouya, Limoges CSP

14. Boston Celtics (from Sacramento Kings), C Bol Bol, Oregon

15. Detroit Pistons, SF Nassir Little, North Carolina

16. Orlando Magic, SG Tyler Herro, Kentucky

17. Brooklyn Kings, C Bruno Fernando, Maryland

18. Indiana Pacers, SF Nassir Little, North Carolina

19. San Antonio Spurs, C Goga Bitadze, Buducnost

20. Boston Celtics (L.A. Clippers), PG-SG Ty Jerome, Virginia

21. Oklahoma City Thunder, PF Rui Hachimura, Gonzaga

22. Boston Celtics, PF Grant Williams, Tennessee

23. Utah Jazz, SF Talen Horton-Tucker, Iowa State

24. Philadelphia 76ers, SF Keldon Johnson, Kentucky

25. Portland Trail Blazers, C Daniel Gafford, Arkansas

26. Cleveland Cavaliers (from Houston Rockets), SF KZ Okpala, Stanford

27. Brooklyn Nets (from Denver Nuggets), PG Carsen Edwards, Purdue

28. Golden State Warriors, SF Matisse Thybulle, Washington

29. San Antonio Spurs (from Toronto Raptors), SF-PF Isaiah Roby, Nebraska

30. Milwaukee Bucks, SG Luguentz Dort, Arizona State

Carsen Edwards, Purdue

Edwards is a big-time scorer who carried the Boilermakers on his shoulders for much of the 2018-19 season and was at his best during the NCAA tournament.

The 6'1", 200-pound guard averaged 24.3 points per game for Purdue last season, along with 3.6 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game.

Edwards shot 39.4 percent from the field, but while his shooting percentage was not elite, he has shown the courage to keep firing away no matter what the situation has been for the Boilermakers.

Purdue made it to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament, and they were ultimately defeated by the eventual national champions Virginia Cavaliers 80-75 in overtime. The heartbreaking defeat could not overshadow how well Edwards played in tournament.

He scored 26 points in Purdue's first-round victory over Old Dominion, and that set the stage for a remarkable performance against the Villanova Wildcats. Edwards scored 42 points in Purdue's 87-61 victory, making 12-of-21 shots from the field and all nine of his free throws.

The 21-year-old led the Boilermakers to a 99-94 Sweet 16 victory over Tennessee with a 29-point effort, and while he did not have a great shooting night as he made just 8-of-22 shots, the Boilermakers continued to look for him when the game was on the line. 

Edwards tied the game and sent it to overtime by making two free throws with two seconds left, and he had six points in overtime.

He had another 42-point effort in the season-ending loss to the Cavaliers, making 14-of-25 shots from the floor, including 10 three-pointers.

He impressed the future national champions. "I told him after the game that I had a lot of respect for him and that he's a bad dude" Virginia's Kyle Guy said, per Howie Kussoy of the New York Post. "He's got nothing to hang his head about. A performance for the ages by him. … I've never witnessed anything like that."

Edwards is an offensive dynamo and can get his shot at the next level as a result of his strength and low center of gravity, per NBAdraftroom.net.

He has weaknesses when it comes to ball distribution and defense, but a player who can provide instant offense always has a chance to make his mark in the NBA.

Prediction

Edwards will show off his ability to score right from the start, and he will make shots as he comes off the bench and plays a key role. He should reach double-figures in his scoring average as he approaches 20 minutes per games during his rookie season 

Long-time basketball fans may be reminded of Vinnie Johnson, who was known for his ability to come off the bench with a hot shooting hand for the Detroit Pistons, earning him the nickname of the Microwave. Edwards could follow a similar pattern.

Luguentz Dort, Arizona State

The Sun Devils finished second in the Pac-12, and they were led by a powerful 6'4", 215-pound guard who averaged a team-high 16.1 points along with 4.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game.

The Montreal native shot 40.5 percent from the field this season, but NBAdraftroom.net assessed Dort as a player with "focus, intensity, BBIQ and all-out hustle."

That website listed additional strengths, such as being "excellent" in the open court, as well as a "stout" defender who can guard "2-3 with ease and 1-4 if necessary."

Dort is far from a finished product, and he has areas where he has to get better. That includes his ball handling, as he had more turnovers (99) than assists (79), and his three-point shooting was just 30.7 percent. 

Jeremy Woo of Sports Illustrated listed Dort as a No. 22 pick earlier this year and made this assessment:

"His shooting struggles and overall skill level needs to improve, but people are comfortable with him as a floor-based pick—there aren't many players with his heavier body type who are as athletic as he is. Dort is sort of a half-empty/half-full player, depending on what you value, but he has the right type of profile to succeed as a role player."

Dort said he wants to enhance his draft status in the NBA's pre-draft camp, per Jonathan Givony of ESPN.com: "During the pre-draft process, I would like to show NBA teams that I got better with my 3-point shot, my decision-making and also being the good defender that I am. I hope to solidify myself as a first-round pick and will be grateful for wherever I end up."

Prediction

Dort has the kind of strength and defensive tenacity that should win over his coaches quickly. He will make an impression in that area of the game and put in the work to gain playing time off the bench.

He needs to improve his shooting, but he will find himself in his team's rotation and play at least 15 minutes per game by the mid-point of the season.