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2019 NBA Mock Draft: Murray State’s Ja Morant is rising

By Brendon Kleen

CHARLESTON, IL - JANUARY 17: Ja Morant #12 of the Murray State Racers is seen before 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 is seen before 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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CHAPEL HILL, NC – DECEMBER 15: Rui Hachimura #21 of the Gonzaga Bulldogs shoots a foul shot during a game against the North Carolina Tar Heels on December 15, 2018 at the Dean Smith Center in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. North Carolina won 90-103. (Photo by Peyton Williams/UNC/Getty Images)
CHAPEL HILL, NC – DECEMBER 15: Rui Hachimura #21 of the Gonzaga Bulldogs shoots a foul shot during a game against the North Carolina Tar Heels on December 15, 2018 at the Dean Smith Center in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. North Carolina won 90-103. (Photo by Peyton Williams/UNC/Getty Images) /

If nothing else, Anthony Davis’ trade request this week solidified how the Pelicans ought to approach the draft. No longer will they have to balance keeping Davis happy or finding a player who fits with him with a more traditional pick based solely on talent. By asking out, Davis instructed New Orleans to go fully into a rebuild around Jrue Holiday and the rest of the roster.

In that case, Hachimura makes a lot of sense. While the junior swingman has handicapped his value slightly by shying away from taking 3s, he has raised his free throw efficiency and cut back considerably on his turnovers over the course of the year (from 2.1 per game in December to just one per game in January). Players who avoid 3s are hard to build around, but Hachimura has enough shooting touch from other parts of the court to grow confidence from deep.

Hachimura’s value on defense may be even greater than what he brings as a scorer. The Japanese import is nearing the vaunted 2.0 threshold for both steal and block percentage — not elite numbers but solid for someone who also handles a 27.9 percent usage rate on offense. He clinched a game for Gonzaga early in the year against Duke with a block but was late rotating out on the winning shot in a loss to Tennessee a few weeks later.

Inconsistency shouldn’t be so dramatic for Hachimura in his third college season but if you’re in the Pelicans’ position, you can bet on inconsistency for the sake of a player’s higher ceiling.

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