Looking toward the future and making some way-too-early projections for the 2019 NBA Draft.
The 2019 NBA Draft doesn’t happen until next June, leaving up approximately 10 months to analyze the incoming talent pool. As is the case every year, this draft will present unique storylines and intriguing twists, starting with the names gracing the top of most draft boards.
Duke’s recruiting continues to trump all others, with R.J. Barrett, Cameron Reddish and Zion Williamson all suiting up for Coach K’s team. Many, including myself, would dub them the best prospects in the 2019 NBA Draft.
The top three prospects are on the same team. It will be quite the experiment, with serious entrainment value almost regardless of the result. Heck, Williamson alone boasts an entertainment value that college basketball fans aren’t used to seeing.
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The top is as talented as every, but the depth in the 2019 draft isn’t comparable. Unlike last June, we won’t see as many teams primed for second-round. The talent pool, in its current state, falls off once the lottery concludes.
Generally speaking, projections this early in the season (well, not even season yet) are inaccurate. But that isn’t necessarily the point. I’m not trying to predict the order for next June — I’m trying to give you guys a sense of which players are worth watching and what certain teams may be targeting.
It’s an inexact science, and so in the lottery. So we simulated the lottery, using Tankathon, to keep things interesting in the early, early months. It’s worth noting that the odds for next season have changed. The bottom three teams will have the same odds for the No. 1 pick.
If the No. 1 pick belongs to Sacramento, it goes to the Philadelphia 76ers. If it falls outside the top-one, the Celtics get it.