The Best Draft Situations

The 2019 NBA Draft has come and gone, and it was an interesting night. Projected lottery picks fell to the end of the first round and some fell further. If this draft showed us anything, it is that if you cannot shoot or fit into today’s NBA than you do not matter. A player’s situation is crucial when it comes to the success of their career. The obvious cases could be pointed out here like Zion going to the Pelicans or Morant to Memphis, but some guys can be stars because of where they landed. Lebron was going to be Lebron no matter where he landed, but for guys like Draymond Green and Kawhi Leonard, they were helped by their situations.

Cam Reddish- Atlanta Hawks

Cam Reddish was and still is thought of by many guys as a top-five talent, he just did not show it while at Duke during his freshman year. Talent wise this man is everything you want in a player in today’s league. He is 6’8, 208 lbs, with a 7’0 wingspan. He passes all the measurements like Josh Allen does in the NFL. Physically these guys are just different than their contemporaries, and they pass all of the test needed, but they could not apply those gifts to actual games. Reddish has a pure shooting stroke and can get up and down the court. Coach K put the ball primarily in RJ Barrett’s hands and ran little to no plays for Cam. He expected the talent of his three freshmen to show and prove which it did. They made it to the Elite Eight, but that was on just talent and not an actual system. The spacing on his team was not there and it will be there on the Hawks.

The Hawks are in the midst of creating the Warriors East if you let the media tell you that. Actually, they are just creating what the NBA is becoming before everyone adjust to it. Trae Young and Kevin Huerter are very good shooters and teams need shooting and the Hawks already have it. Reddish has the ability and talent to be the best guy on this team. The development he could see with a willing passer like Young could help Cam’s game a ton. This is why I think this spot is great for Cam, and in a few years, we could be saying he is the best player in this draft.

Brandon Clarke- Memphis Grizzlies

Jaren Jackson Jr had an amazing rookie season and showed many individuals why some thought he was the best big man prospect in the 2018 NBA Draft. He is the quintessential five in today’s game, and Brandon Clarke is his perfect counterpart. Clarke can guard all positions at a high level. In his only season at Gonzaga, he averaged 3.2 blocks and 1.2 steals per game. Predicting future defensive output can be shown in their steals and blocking numbers. It shows activeness and output which Clarke has in an abundance. Pairing him with Jackson creates a frontcourt that most teams would give everything for. Both can protect the basket, but also switch onto opponents guards whenever in pick and roll situations. Pairing that with Ja Morant and you now have a foundation for pick and roll basketball. Clarke also is a low usage offensive player and will not take away from Morant or Jackson because all of his shots come from hustle. He lives around the offensive glass and will get his numbers from that. Clarke probably was not the flashy prospect his teammate Rui Hachimura, but he will probably be the better pro.

Nassir Little- Portland Trailblazers

Little had a very bad season at North Carolina because he did not meet expectations that many had for him. He was projected to be a top-five pick before the season started and dropped out of the lottery in many mock drafts prior to the draft. What hurt Little the most is that he never improved on the skills scouts knew he had before the season. His physical tools are there, but his shot is non-existent and he tends to lose his place on offense and defense. With that being said, he should’ve been drafted before this. Falling to the end of the first round could be a blessing in disguise for the forward. Something like this can give talented players like this fuel to get better. The Blazers needed a swingman to help them get the next level and taking a shot on a talent like Little was needed. The Blazers had him 12th on their draft board, so they were delighted by his fall. Now the situation is ideal because there is not much competition in that building for him to compete with. Little has to compete with himself and that will determine how far his career goes. Working out in the offseason is not the only thing a player like him needs to do. He loses himself on defense and needs to watch film and learn. Learn why he needs to be in specific places and learn how to be a smarter defender. Developing his instincts will help him show the doubters wrong.

 

Nic Claxton- Brooklyn Nets

Claxton should not be as gifted of a ball handler for his size, but he is. He is a quick seven-footer who can run the fast break. He is a very dominant defensive rebounder but has to polish out his offensive rebounding. The Nets needed to get a backup Center for Jarrett Allen, and they did that. Claxton will help fill the role of Allen whenever he’s injured or on the bench. The intrigue on Claxton is his ability to lead the fast break. In his last year at Georgia, he was the primary ball handler for the team. Refining the other parts of his game will have to come with time, but right now he can run and catch lobs. The Nets need another big because they were exposed in the playoffs against the Sixers. They were not able to run another body at Joel Embiid and he torched them every time. Claxton does not have to be the best but he can work on being a solid backup big man. Playing that role on a good playoff team gets many players paid in the long run.