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Undrafted NBA Free Agents 2019: Latest Rumors, Reports on Biggest Signings
June 22, 2019
Like any year, the pool of interesting prospects for the 2019 NBA draft was deeper than the 60 selections could accommodate.
So, no sooner had the talent grab ended then whispers started to emerge about the best players who weren't taken.
The road from going undrafted to having a successful career is a rocky one that's rarely traversed successfully, but players sometimes slip through the cracks. Four-time Defensive Player of the Year Ben Wallace wasn't drafted. Ditto for recently crowned NBA champs Fred VanVleet and Jeremy Lin.
In other words, even if the odds are against the undrafted group, these players shouldn't be ignored. We'll examine some of the recent rumors and reports around the best players of this year's undrafted bunch.
Luguentz Dort To OKC?
While Bol Bol's plummet from potential lottery pick to mid second-rounder was this draft's steepest decline, Luguentz Dort's descent wasn't too far behind.
The powerful scoring guard out of Arizona State had late first-round potential and a floor that figured to set somewhere in the upper half of the second round. He didn't reach the 40s on the final mocks from Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman (37th) and ESPN's Jonathan Givony (34th).
To the surprise of no one, Dort didn't go unclaimed for long after the draft, with Givony reporting he'd reached a two-way deal with the Oklahoma City Thunder:
While Dort's shot selection and decision-making can get the best of him, he's long, athletic, powerful and as competitive as they come. In other words, he sounds like a Thunder player through and through.
Terence Davis To Denver?
If you said a few months ago Terence Davis would go undrafted, it wouldn't have been a shocking claim.
His four years at Ole Miss were inconclusive about his NBA outlook. He had encouraging stretches and frustrating ones. Nothing jumped out from his final numbers: 12.5 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.1 assists over 121 outings.
But once the pre-draft process started, Davis seized the opportunity and seemed to catch a bigger boost than anyone. He made the All-Tournament team at the Portsmouth Invitational to earn a spot in the G League Elite Camp. He pounced on that opportunity too and punched his ticket to the NBA combine, where he impressed once again.
Clubs were calling for multiple workouts, and Wasserman dubbed him "arguably the biggest pre-draft riser." Davis landed 34th on Wasserman's final mock, but he couldn't crack the official top 60. He did at least land a summer-league spot with the Denver Nuggets, according to Givony.
Based on Davis' recent track record, it feels safe to wager on him again making the most of an opportunity. He's athletic, active on defense, capable of initiating offense and improving as an outside shooter.
Tacko Fall To Boston?
As far as undrafted deals go, this is about as literally large as they can get.
Tacko Fall took over the combine with record-setting measurements for wingspan (8'2¼"), standing reach (10'5½") and height with shoes (7'7"). With that kind of length, he can be a force on the interior.
"This past season he ranked in the 99th percentile in points per possessions around the basket, per Synergy Sports," Wasserman wrote. "No player to average three or more post-up attempts shot anywhere close to Fall's 69.3 percent. He converted 46 of 61 putback opportunities."
Fall isn't an NBA athlete. He'll have trouble defending in space, and he's not a threat as a shooter or passer.
But you can't coach size, and he offers an incredible amount. Teams could convince themselves they can find a specialist role for him, and it sounds like the Boston Celtics will take the first crack. They will ink him to an Exhibit 10 contract, per Givony, and may have a spot for him after trading Aron Baynes and possibly losing Al Horford in free agency.