2019 NBA Mock Draft – Walt’s

2019 NBA Mock Draft – Real Version (David Kay’s)
Updated: Thursday, June 20, 2019, 6:40 p.m. Follow me @walterfootball for updates.



  1. New Orleans Pelicans: Zion Williamson, F, Duke, 6-6, Fr.
    I must note that this is not this Web site’s real mock draft. Click here for the real 2019 NBA Mock Draft with some great analysis and breakdowns from David Kay. This is a fake 2019 NBA Mock Draft, although unlike last year, I’ll be able to offer more real analysis, thanks to my degenerate gambling tendencies. I put a ton of work into my NBA Picks this year, which were on fire prior to the playoffs. I also gambled away quite a bit of money on Draft Kings.

    The Pelicans didn’t need a big man when they won the lottery, but they do now in the wake of the Anthony Davis trade. Here’s the NBA Trade Grades page where you can see my grades for the deal.


  2. Memphis Grizzlies: Ja Morant, PG, Murray State, 6-3, Soph.
    I’ll once again point to the NBA Trade Grades page for grades in the Mike Conley deal. The Grizzlies trading Conley effectively locks them into Ja Morant.




  3. New York Knicks: R.J. Barrett, SF, Duke, 6-7, Fr.
    The Knicks quite literally lost games on purpose to land Zion Williamson in the 2019 NBA Draft. Whoops! New York was screwed out of the top pick, landing the No. 3 selection instead. The Knicks will continue to be terrible, though R.J. Barrett will be a nice addition.

    Barrett has refused to work out for any other team except the Knicks. He wants to go to New York no matter what. If I’m the Knicks, I see this as a negative. New York is a terrible city, so it shows that Barrett has poor character traits that he’d want to go there.


  4. Atlanta Hawks: DeAndre Hunter, SF, Virginia, 6-7, Soph.
    Atlanta can address its horrid wing situation with this pick. You have to feel for the Hawks, who had a better chance to land a top pick rather than the No. 8 overall selection. I wanted to see Atlanta add some great talent to join Trae Young, but that doesn’t look likely to happen.

    The Hawks reportedly have tons of interest in DeAndre Hunter, so they have moved up to acquire him.


  5. Cleveland Cavaliers: Jarrett Culver, SG, Texas Tech, 6-5, Soph.
    I’ve seen some mocks project Ja Morant to the Cavaliers prior to the lottery. Morant might be the best player, but Cleveland just drafted Collin Sexton. I’ve lost many a dollar plugging Sexton into the point guard slot of my Draft Kings lineups, but it’s not like Cleveland is going to give up on him. The Cavaliers need a backcourt mate for Sexton, and they might be able to trade down to obtain one, perhaps doing so with Atlanta.




  6. Minnesota Timberwolves: Darius Garland, PG, Vanderbilt, 6-2, Fr.
    The Timberwolves need a point guard of the future. They almost certainly have moved up for Darius Garland or Coby White.


  7. Chicago Bulls: Coby White, PG, North Carolina, 6-3, Fr.
    Kris Dunn is just a middling point guard, so the Bulls could be interested in finding an upgrade with the seventh pick in the 2019 NBA Draft.


  8. New Orleans Pelicans: Cameron Reddish, SF, Duke, 6-7, Fr.
    New Orleans’ starting lineup in 2019-20 figures to be Lonzo Ball, Jrue Holiday, Brandon Ingram, Zion Williamson and this pick. The Pelicans could trade down, however, as there are rumors that the Bulls and Suns want to move up.




  9. Washington Bullets: Jaxson Hayes, C, Texas, 6-11, Fr.
    John Wall tore his Achilles, so the Bullets – please don’t call them the Wizards – could draft another guard to take over Wall’s duties. However, getting a legitimate big man could be the greater priority.


  10. Atlanta Hawks (from Dallas): Sekou Doumbouya, F, France, 6-9, 2000.
    The Hawks could add a player to their front court to complement John Collins. Sudoku Doumbouya gives me horrible flashbacks of not being able to finish those horrible number grids.


  11. Phoenix Suns: Rui Hachimura, F, Gonzaga, 6-8, Jr.
    The Suns will need a replacement for T.J. Warren, whom they just traded to Indiana.




  12. Charlotte Hornets: Nassir Little, SF, North Carolina, 6-7, Fr.
    The Hornets’ small forwards are always priced at $4,000 or so on Draft Kings because they suck. Because they suck, they’re making tons of money. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, for example, is set to earn $13 million next year, which is ridiculous. If everyone was paid this well for being terrible at their job like Kidd-Gilchrist, all of the people in the world would be millionaires.


  13. Miami Heat: P.J. Washington, F, Kentucky, 6-8, Soph.
    I agree with David Kay that Miami needs to just pick the best player available. The Heat needs to find someone who can provide an offensive punch, and P.J. Washington can shoot well from three. Man, it’s strange providing actual NBA analysis. This is weird.




  14. Boston Celtics (from Sacramento): Mfiondu Kabengele, PF/C, Florida State, 6-10, Soph.
    Al Horford is a 32-year-old who will enter free agency next summer. The Celtics could grab a young big man to take his place.


  15. Detroit Pistons: Keldon Johnson, G/F, Kentucky, 6-6, Fr.
    The Pistons are so desperate for a wing that they may have to go all the way to France to find an upgrade over what they currently have at the position if that Sudoku guy is available. Luckily, they get to settle for a domestic option instead.





  16. Go to 2019 NBA Mock Draft: Picks 16-30
    Sorry for cutting this into two halves; I’ve received complaints about load times and putting the mock draft on two pages saves bandwidth.


    Or… Visit a 2019 NBA Mock Draft with actual NBA analysis.




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