2019 NBA Mock Draft: Tankers beware

Watching my first dose of highlights from the French wing, I was imagining how the conversation around him will follow the same lines as the one around Deandre Ayton this summer. People take one look at Ayton and think, “How could it not work?” On the other hand, it’s understandable to look at Doumbouya’s thick frame and wonder how he ultimately becomes the type of athletic playmaker he will need to be to excel at the NBA level.

Chicago’s entire roster is made more flexible by the presence of Lauri Markkanen, a mobile shooter and playmaker who could eventually be the crux of an efficient offense. It gives them the flexibility to add any sort of player to fill out their core, and with slashing point guard Kris Dunn setting the table and creating a defensive identity in the backcourt, they have the makings of a core set up right away.

That’s where Doumbouya fits in — an all-around athlete who can do a little of everything and be an excellent complementary player. He has tremendous positional size, but could truly be quick and athletic enough to fit as a wing long-term, even with the added emphasis the modern NBA places on athleticism at that position.

For all the jokes about how badly Chicago handles the draft, they haven’t truly botched a pick on draft night (except giving up No. 16 in the Jimmy Butler trade) since embarking upon a rebuild post-Tom Thibodeau.