2019 NBA Mock Draft: The lottery order is officially official
C. Oregon. Bol Bol. 14. player. 18.
Trades, trades trades. After grabbing Keldon Johnson and Goga Bitadze in the late first-round, this pick is about maximizing star talent to put in a trade for Anthony Davis. That’s what the Celtics need.
Bol brings that. He probably has a top-five ceiling in this class, bringing a 3-and-D unicorn big man’s skill set to an NBA that values those players more than ever before. In the nine games he was healthy at Oregon as a freshman, the son of NBA big man Manute Bol averaged 21 points, 9.6 rebounds and 2.7 blocks per game on .561/.520/.757 shooting. In a league where Kristaps Porzingis just went for two first-round picks and a former lottery pick in Dennis Smith Jr., big men who can protect the rim and space the floor are one of the most valued assets available.
Still, picking Bol is a gamble. In this scenario, it’s all about pleasing New Orleans, so perhaps a deal with Bol as a centerpiece is not appetizing to the Pelicans. Certainly, someone like Nassir Little, Tyler Herro or Talen Horton-Tucker brings significant upside in this spot with considerably less risk.
Many seem to believe the Pelicans will have a deal in place with the team of their choice on draft night and these picks will be made by David Griffin and New Orleans. So, it may be more apt to consider things from that point of view.
From our vantage point, with this second lottery pick, maximizing star potential is key for the rebuilding Pelicans, making Bol the right pick.