2019 NBA Mock Draft: No one in the lottery wants to lose

Teams in the top four shouldn’t panic. Talk all you want about the lack of depth in the 2019 class but it doesn’t really start until the fifth pick. Reddish has firmly entrenched himself in the cluster up top that all could become All-Stars in the draft and while Cleveland may feel desperate with their lack of young depth, landing Reddish would be stellar for them.

The Cavaliers have a real opportunity to develop a good defense with rookie Collin Sexton pressuring the ball at the point of attack, and Reddish would join he and Larry Nance as a legitimate defensive core. Reddish also needs a situation — if he’s going to reach his offensive ceiling — where he can do a little bit more with the ball than he gets to do at Duke. Sexton is a ball-dominant player but with so little young talent in Cleveland, there will be plenty of possessions to go around. We will get the version of Reddish that we’ve seen without Zion Williamson in the lineup for Duke — the guy that is launching step-back 3s and igniting transition possessions out of nothing.

Now, Reddish is clearly inconsistent. He scored just six points Tuesday night against Wake Forest in a game Duke nearly lost after smothering the Demon Deacons earlier in the year. They need Williamson badly, and Reddish is as susceptible to bad habits with the team’s best playmaker out as anyone. But a lot of young players have bad habits.

Not a lot can move, create and defend at such a high level at Reddish’s age. Cleveland should lock in this once-in-a-draft prototype.

Check out our full scouting report on Cam Reddish.