2019 NBA Mock Draft: March is here
Darius Garland. 8. player. 142. . G. Vanderbilt
“Bradley Beal is playing at a superstar, superstar level with everything he’s doing and how much he’s put on his shoulders,” John Wall told NBC Sports Washington two weeks ago.
And you all thought they hated each other! Beal and Wall honestly seemed to decide years ago to grin and bear their partnership to try to win together. More likely is that the issue was how the stars meshed with role players Otto Porter Jr. and Kelly Oubre Jr. Both of those wings are gone now, leaving a hole there that the likes of Tomas Satoransky and Troy Brown will try to fill.
It’s understandable if you favor another wing in this draft for the Wizards. We’ve put everyone from Nassir Little to Jaxson Hayes in this slot to add more athleticism and versatility to Washington’s roster. But adding another guard has to be in play here because of the uncertainty surrounding Wall’s future.
Few players come back from Achilles injury and bring their athleticism with them. We are seeing it with Wall’s college teammate, DeMarcus Cousins, and the same problem will arise before the All-Star break next year when Wall returns. If he cannot improve his shooting and commit to Beal as the on-court leader, there will be issues. Wall will likely never be worth his near-$50 million contract.
If the Wizards can nab Garland and develop him behind Wall, they insulate themselves a bit from his regression.