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2019 NBA Mock Draft: There’s movement in the top 5

By Brendon Kleen

CHARLESTON, IL - JANUARY 17: Ja Morant #12 of the Murray State Racers brings the ball up court during the game against the Eastern Illinois Panthers at Lantz Arena on January 17, 2019 in Charleston, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
CHARLESTON, IL - JANUARY 17: Ja Morant #12 of the Murray State Racers brings the ball up court during the game against the Eastern Illinois Panthers at Lantz Arena on January 17, 2019 in Charleston, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images) /
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BERLIN, GERMANY – MAY 14: Sekou Doumbouya, #14 of U18 Insep Paris during the Turkish Airlines Euroleague Basketball Adidas Next Generation Tournament game U18 Mega Bemas Belgrade v U18 INSEP Paris at Sportforum on May 14, 2016 in Berlin, Germany. (Photo by Patrick Albertini/EB via Getty Images)
BERLIN, GERMANY – MAY 14: Sekou Doumbouya, #14 of U18 Insep Paris during the Turkish Airlines Euroleague Basketball Adidas Next Generation Tournament game U18 Mega Bemas Belgrade v U18 INSEP Paris at Sportforum on May 14, 2016 in Berlin, Germany. (Photo by Patrick Albertini/EB via Getty Images) /

Sekou Doumbouya. 13. player. 18. . F. Limoges

Doumbouya is expected back some time in early-to-mid-February. That doesn’t give him a lot of time to get back into form and show NBA talent evaluators that he is more than a raw prospect and cement himself in the top 10.

Until then, it’s tough to know what you’re getting with Doumbouya. He is a delightful player to watch, doing a little of this and a little of that pretty effortlessly at age 18. The problem is he’s not great at any one thing. That’s fine. Many players fit this description when they enter the draft pool. But fewer are injured leading up to the draft and are as young as Doumbouya. There is certainly risk involved with picking him unless he shows more — and more consistently — the rest of his season.

However, Boston doesn’t need to worry about instant contribution. The Celtics’ roster is in constant flux, trading one youngster for another and building toward a championship. Their solid player development work and egalitarian culture would be nice for Doumbouya’s diverse skill set and he would become a fantastic asset for them if not an instant contributor.

This pick comes from the Kings, a byproduct of the Nik Stauskas trade and then the Markelle Fultz deal. It may not even end up in the lottery if Sacramento can battle into a playoff spot by the end of the season.