2019 NBA Mock Draft: 1st-Round Predictions for Landing Spots of Top Prospects
The top prospects in the 2019 NBA draft class will have a better idea of where they will land after Tuesday's lottery.
Whichever team earns the No. 1 pick is expected to select Duke forward Zion Williamson as a franchise-altering player.
The Blue Devils could have three players taken in the top five, and at minimum are expected to have R.J. Barrett join Williamson in the top three.
North Carolina, Gonzaga and Kentucky are the only other schools with a chance to produce a pair of top-10 picks, but none of their players are projected to go off the board before the trio of Duke stars.
2019 NBA 1st-Round Mock Draft
1. New York Knicks: Zion Williamson, PF, Duke
2. Cleveland Cavaliers: RJ Barrett, SF, Duke
3. Phoenix Suns: Ja Morant, PG, Murray State
4. Chicago Bulls: Jarrett Culver, SG, Texas Tech
5. Atlanta Hawks: De'Andre Hunter, SF, Virginia
6. Washington Wizards: Cam Reddish, SF, Duke
7. New Orleans Pelicans: Jaxson Hayes, C, Texas
8. Memphis Grizzlies: Darius Garland, PG, Vanderbilt
9. Atlanta Hawks (from Dallas): Sekou Doumbouya, PF/SF, France
10. Minnesota Timberwolves: Coby White, PG/SG, North Carolina
11. Los Angeles Lakers: Brandon Clarke, PF, Gonzaga
12. Charlotte Hornets: Rui Hachimura, PF, Gonzaga
13. Miami Heat: Romeo Langford, SF, Indiana
14. Boston Celtics (from Sacramento): PJ Washington, PF, Kentucky
15. Detroit Pistons: Kevin Porter Jr., SG, USC
16. Orlando Magic: Nassir Little, SF, North Carolina
17. Brooklyn Nets: Tyler Herro, SG, Kentucky
18. Indiana Pacers: Nickeil Alexander-Walker, SG, Virginia Tech
19. San Antonio Spurs: Bol Bol, C, Oregon
20. Boston Celtics (from Los Angeles Clippers): Goga Bitadze, C, Republic of Georgia
21. Oklahoma City Thunder: Bruno Fernando, C, Maryland
22. Boston Celtics: Grant Williams, PF, Tennessee
23. Utah Jazz: Keldon Johnson, SF, Kentucky
24. Philadelphia 76ers: Talen Horton-Tucker, SF, Iowa State
25. Portland Trailblazers: Cameron Johnson, PF, North Carolina
26. Cleveland Cavaliers (from Houston): Ty Jerome, PG/SG, Virginia
27. Brooklyn Nets (from Denver): Matisse Thybulle, SF, Washington
28. Golden State Warriors: Carsen Edwards, PG, Purdue
29. San Antonio Spurs (from Toronto): Luguentz Dort, SG, Arizona State
30. Milwaukee Bucks: Mfiondu Kabengele, C, Florida State
Top Prospects
Zion Williamson
Barring an unexpected change over the next month, Williamson will be the No. 1 overall pick June 20.
Williamson put himself in this position with a terrific freshman season at Duke in which he marveled crowds, opponents and NBA personnel with his athleticism.
The 18-year-old will immediately make a splash off the court, as the team with the top pick will begin to market him the second the selection becomes official.
On the court, Williamson should continue his mercurial rise to superstardom, and he could do it at Madison Square Garden.
If the Knicks land the No. 1 pick in Tuesday's lottery, they could also become a more intriguing destination for free agents.
Combining Williamson, 2018 first-round pick Kevin Knox and one or two of the top free agents would catapult the team up the hierarchy of the Eastern Conference.
Cleveland and Phoenix both have the same draft odds as the Knicks, and Williamson would make a different impact to both of those franchises than he would in New York.
Phoenix could see the Duke freshman as the final piece to a roster build that has included plenty of high first-round picks, while Cleveland could land another generational talent with the No. 1 pick.
The only other major market in which Williamson would be able to draw top free-agent talent to play alongside him is Chicago, which has 12.5 percent odds to win the No. 1 pick.
Ideally, the NBA would love to have the Duke star land in one of its top markets from purely an exposure perspective.
As far as the best on-court fit goes, the Knicks appear to be it as they have a budding star in Knox and the potential to add experience around Williamson to become a contender once again in the East.
R.J. Barrett
Once Williamson goes off the board, the team with the No. 2 pick will likely choose between his Duke teammate, R.J. Barrett, and Murray State point guard Ja Morant.
Morant is seen as the second-best prospect in the draft class by some, but he may drop to No. 3 based off the needs of the franchise that lands the No. 2 pick.
If the lottery goes to form with the Knicks landing the top selection, Cleveland would be in line for the No. 2 pick.
If that is the case, the Cavaliers would ideally go after Barrett since they drafted a point guard in Collin Sexton a year ago.
Atlanta is the other team with favorable odds to reach the top three that could land Barrett at No. 2.
It would not make much sense for the Hawks to draft Morant when they have other needs to fill around Trae Young.
Barrett's size and shot-making ability makes him a great wing prospect, and he should be selected no later than No. 3.
If Cleveland or Atlanta land the No. 2 pick, expect to hear Barrett's name called then, but if a team with a hole to fill at point guard selects second, the Duke freshman will drop below Morant in the draft order.
Regardless of where he lands, Barrett should not have to wait long to hear his name called since he is one of the most polished players coming out of college.
Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.
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