2019 NBA Mock Draft: Is R.J. Barrett right for the Knicks?
Ja Morant. 3. player. 66. . G. Murray State
Not to jump too far ahead, but as we gauge Morant’s value heading into the final few months of his college career, it’s to March we already must look. Morant will fall victim to mistrust about the level of competition he’s faced in the Ohio Valley Conference and will be expected to win games for his team in the NCAA tournament to cement his top-five status in this class.
Think about the numerous mid-major guard prospects to come through the NBA in recent years — they’ve all had to prove themselves in this way. From Damian Lillard to CJ McCollum to Elfrid Payton, it takes big games in the tourney against elite competition for talent evaluators to seriously consider these guys.
However, Morant’s 25-7 performance against Auburn and his monster 38-9-5 against Alabama will go a long way in limiting his draft floor. He’s clearly a lottery pick at this point thanks to Garland’s injury, Quentin Grimes’ falloff and his own stellar play doing everything for the Racers.
You may have heard the Suns need a point guard. It’s not even a secret anymore — it’s the most direct reason the team is losing games at a record rate the past two seasons. Since trading Eric Bledsoe in November 2017 the Suns have not had a starting-caliber point guard on the roster.
Morant would solve that and more, potentially giving the Suns a playmaker to grow with Devin Booker long-term.