With some of the best talent coming out of the 2019 NBA draft class and those players
now entering their 4th year in the league, we will take a look at how teams would now
pick their players if they could do a redraft.
1st Pick: New Orleans Pelicans pick Zion Williamson
New Orleans has not really gotten what they expected out of their 2019 1st pick in Zion
Williamson, but they are surely working on him. With Zion being still a very young
player, he has the potential to break out of his shell still, and become one of the best
players in the NBA. If Zion can get healthy, master the small game of pick and roll and
show his facilitation that he had when he was in college, Zion will be an absolute terror
down low and whenever he touches the basketball.
Williamson has the best player efficiency rating from 2019 and has shot the ball well
with a 63% shooting percentage and of course, people know him for his bounce, putbacks, rebounding abilities. Zion still has a lot of time on the table to improve his game as he has played 85 games in 3 seasons.
This is a tough draft class for Zion to still remain number 1, as there are players who
shoot, handle, and lead with the ball better than he has. If Zion gets back to being
healthy and brings back the same athletic ability we know he has, he will soon be back to make some noise in those categories. That is why he remains the 1st overall pick to the Pelicans.
2019 Pick: Zion Williamson
2nd Pick: Memphis Grizzlies pick Ja Morant
An explosive player, with a large amount of swagger and talent, Morant is going to make
statements as one of the best guards in the game of basketball. Even though we just put Zion Williamson above Ja Morant again, there can be a statement made for him to come in at the number 1 spot.
The real question is though, what can’t Ja do? He scores the ball very well, he can pass
when needed, and the outstanding ball handling along with some of the best finishing,
puts him at being one of the best point guards. The athleticism is there for Morant, but
we have never seen a player like his caliber ever lead a team to the NBA finals and win
a ring.
Morant finished his rookie season with over 17 points per game and 6 assists to go
along with it. He is an amazing player with unimaginative talent and poise, has already
claimed himself as the Memphis Grizzlies untouchable player and makes an
outstanding case to be the number 1 redraft pick, but Zion Williamson just out does him
even though he hasn’t played that many games, because experts believe that Zion is on a whole other level when it comes to basketball. This is why he is still taken 2nd overall to the Memphis Grizzlies.
2019 Pick: Ja Morant
3rd Pick: New York Knicks pick Darius Garland
It is no secret that the New York Knicks have needed a point guard, they may have just
found one in Jalen Brunson, but they could have grabbed one about 3 years ago, and
quite possibly could have changed their team right then and there.
Garland made a statement after a rocky start to his career and became an all star
proving he is a worthy guard. Garland more than likely was the worst player in the NBA,
but he really turned everything around and has now made his way into a starting role on
the Cavaliers. Garland is a proven playmaker with a tremendous amount of shooting
ability and good decision making. He has amazing ball handling ability that goes along
with his great vision on the floor which makes him the versatile guard New York would
need. That is why he would be taken 3rd overall to the Knicks in a redraft.
2019 Pick: RJ Barrett
4th Pick: Los Angeles Lakers trade pick to Atlanta: Atlanta picks Tyler Herro
Tyler Herro was an outstanding player at Kentucky, and he was originally selected 13th
overall, but his overall talent and determination at Miami puts him at the 4th pick to the
Lakers, who make a combined trade with the New Orleans Pelicans to Atlanta.
His statistics are outstanding and show that he can play the 2 spot just as good as
anyone in the league. He is improving his passing skills as we speak and has great skill
on and off the ball getting open and having good handling as well. He gets to his spots
when needed and can come off a screen very hard to get an open shot. The Hawks do
love Deandre Hunter, but Tyler Herro would have been a much better option.
2019 pick: De’Andre Hunter (courtesy of Lakers and Pelicans)
5th Pick: Cleveland Cavaliers pick RJ Barrett
RJ Barrett goes 5th overall as the Knicks select Garland. Barrett isn’t exactly the player
who has been a standout, but he has surely made big jumps every year he has been in
the league. Barrett is definitely one of those players who has playoff caliber in him, and
with the Knicks run coming up short in 2021, there is no doubt that he has now gotten a
taste of what the playoffs could be like if he made it further.
His game is slowly coming along, and he is a talented player, with the ability to score,
high passing rate and solid defense, Cleveland grabs RJ Barrett at 5th in hopes of filling
the void of that wing player they have so desperately wanted.
2019 Pick: Darius Garland
6th Pick: Phoenix Suns pick Keldon Johnson
Even though they got Cameron Johnson in 2019 with a trade, Keldon Johnson goes 6th
overall in this draft. This is because Johnson has made a name for himself as he is the
guy who shoots the 3’s and makes them, then runs back to get on defense and locks up
his opponents.
You could say he plays defense just about as well as he shoots, which makes him a
very versatile player. He goes between the small forward and power forward positions, as he is big enough and it throws teams off guard whether he is going to pull up from deep or drive inside. This puts him at the 6th overall spot as he is a player that would help out Devin Booker and Deandre Ayton a lot when it would come time.
2019 pick: Jarrett Culver traded to Minnesota for Cameron Johnson
7th Pick: Chicago Bulls pick Cameron Johnson
Johnson was taken later in the 2019 draft, at the 11th spot by Minnesota but was soon
traded for the 6th overall spot and went to the Phoenix Suns with Dario Saric. This pick
may shock a lot of people but the 6’8” forward has made a huge role for himself.
Johnson has shot very well beyond the arc and he is now 2nd in total made threes and
shot percentage of those who have shot at least 100 deep balls. That has almost
earned him the top spot in the 2019 draft class for shooting and it’s no surprise
especially what he brought from North Carolina.
Johnson has been one of the top players for the Phoenix Suns and that is why he is
moved up to 7th overall for the Chicago Bulls, as the young 25 year old has improved
not only his 3 point ability but also his defense as well.
2019 Pick: Coby White
8th Pick: Atlanta Hawks pick Brandon Clarke
Clarke is definitely one of those players who has not actually found what he is supposed
to be in the NBA yet, but he is figuring it out.
While Brandon Clarke possesses incredible athleticism, and the ability to get off the
ground and dunk the ball, he is finding that a lot of people can do that in the NBA just as
well as he can. Although, the Memphis player does have quite the high IQ for the sport,
and that means he can find different ways to get open if the first option is not working as
well and can help if he is not scoring. His shooting is a huge problem though, as he is
declining rapidly and this could pose an issue. He was shooting very well his rookie
season and if this redraft was earlier, he would probably be a top 3 pick just behind Ja
Morant.
The only reason he is inside the top 10 now though is because of that rookie season.
He shot 36% from deep and 76% from the charity stripe and that’s enough for a rookie
to have heads turning. The only reason Clarke is at the 8th spot is because of his rookie season and the talent he possessed then, that will surely come about again sooner rather than later.
2019 Pick: Jaxson Hayes traded to New Orleans
9th Pick: Washington Wizards pick P.J. Washington
No he was not selected 9th overall to the Wizards because of the similar name, P.J.
Washington possesses pure talent and although Hachimura was drafted at the 9th spot,
the Wizards still look to have a forward who wants to score first.
Hachimura is definitely more of a player to stay in one spot, but Washington is a stretch
big and can defend anyone, even the center position. The Hornets started Washington
right after they drafted him at the 12th spot and he made a big impact quickly. His NBA
debut, he knocked in 7 seven threes and passed the ball well, earning him double-
doubles.
Hachimura is definitely a player that should have been in the top 10 originally and that
is why he is selected 9th overall to help out Beal and the Wizards spread the floor and
create more scoring opportunities.
2019 Pick: Rui Hachimura
10th Pick: Atlanta Hawks pick De’Andre Hunter
Now it may be hard to believe, but De’Andre Hunter was originally drafted by the Hawks
at the 4th overall pick. Which is why he is put at 10th overall to keep him at Atlanta while
also having Tyler Herro.
Hunter has battled with a lot of injuries but he is far from not being a great player in
Atlanta. Averaging 17 points a game with 5 rebounds and 2 assists, Hunter is a player
that Trae Young has always connected with. Young can pass the ball and even if he
shoots and misses, Hunter will be there to clean up with boards and grab rebounds to
put back.
The power forward has made giant leaps in his game and excelled in many categories
that were simply not there when he first started playing. He can do pretty much anything
from shooting beyond the arc, attacking the basket and playing really good defense at
the other end. This puts him at the 10th spot and it would be higher if other teams
needed him badly, but staying in Atlanta is the best decision.
Putting Young, Herro, and Hunter together would be more deadly than having Reddish
on the squad, the increased offensive versatility would be a nightmare for opponents.
2019 Pick: Cam Reddish
What pick would you change if you could? Let us know below or on our socials.
