Re-drafting the 2019 NBA Draft: Matisse Thybulle rises, Sixers grab scorer
. G. San Antonio Spurs. Garrison Mathews. 29. player. 29
Re-drafting the 2019 NBA Draft — 29. Garrison Mathews, San Antonio Spurs
The Spurs originally selected Keldon Johnson here, making this a pretty sizable downgrade. That doesn’t mean Garrison Mathews is a nobody. He came from a small college in Lipscomb, and he hasn’t garnered much recognition in the NBA yet, but he’s another knockdown shooter. This late in the draft, knockdown shooting is enough to get you selected.
San Antonio has been far too dependent on mid-range shots over the past couple seasons. DeMar DeRozan’s departure will obviously change the calculus of Gregg Popovich’s gameplan, but even still, a shooter of Mathews’ caliber would be immediately welcome.
At 6-foot-5, Mathews has enough size to play either wing spot. He’s not super athletic and isn’t going to lock anyone up on the ball, but he competes hard. The effort level is there, and again, 3s are the lifeblood of NBA basketball. Mathews will make a lot of them if afforded the opportunity.