NBA Draft 2019: 5 targets for the Washington Wizards

1. Brandon Clarke, PF, Gonzaga

The Step Back Big Board Ranking: 9

Clarke is the clear best case scenario for the Wizards at this slot. He’s a player who makes sense for the team’s spot in the league, fits the players we know are on their roster and can offer some upside moving forward. Clarke is a natural fit as an elite finisher in the pick-and-roll for Wall and Beal to work with, and he offers the defensive upside to be the team’s anchor on defense at the 4.

Clarke should fit in nicely to the Wizards’ offense, filling a similar role to what Bryant was able to do at the 5 last season. His finishing and ability to create for himself in the midpost should make him a nice play-finisher, and while he’s probably not going to extend his shot out to the 3-point line, he could still be a useful pick-and-pop weapon in the midrange, especially with his ability to handle out of those situations. Much like Williams, his fit with Beal on offense is pretty superb, and there’s upside for him to grow thanks to his latent shooting upside.

Defensively, Clarke should be able to slide in as a rim protector that can switch onto the perimeter, and should be the Wizards’ best team defender right away. He can certainly play next to Dwight Howard or Ian Mahinmi defensively and can save those two from having to switch pick-and-rolls and defend perimeter-oriented big men. The plan would be to play Clarke as a 4 early on, and then shift him potentially to the 5 and go full small-ball, or pair him with a perimeter-oriented big later on.

The Wizards might have a difficult time securing a real building block in the 2019 NBA Draft, but Clarke could be that guy. He would help give the team defensive identity, and offensively he might help improve the flow and efficiency of the team’s ball movement. Clarke would be a really nice outcome for the Wizards at nine.