Draft trades to look at: Why the enjoyable may begin as excessive as No. four
Tim BontempsESPN
NEW YORK — With an absence of consensus after the primary three picks, Thursday’s NBA draft (7 p.m. ET on ESPN) comes with main questions surrounding potential trades all through the primary spherical.
Final weekend’s Anthony Davis commerce settlement between the New Orleans Pelicans and Los Angeles Lakers solely added to these questions, with the Pelicans buying No. four general and having important curiosity in commerce talks with groups in regards to the decide, in keeping with a report by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Then on Wednesday, the Memphis Grizzlies acquired the No. 23 general decide on this 12 months’s draft in a deal that despatched level guard Mike Conley to the Utah Jazz, and preliminary reviews advised that decide might be on the transfer once more.
This is a rundown of among the largest issues that would shake up the festivities inside Brooklyn’s Barclays Heart, beginning with that fourth decide up for public sale.
1. Who needs Darius Garland (or one other prospect) at No. four?
Zion Williamson to the Pelicans at No. 1, Ja Morant to the Memphis Grizzlies at No. 2 and RJ Barrett to the New York Knicks at No. three is starting to look locked in. The Knicks introduced in Vanderbilt level guard Darius Garland for a exercise on Wednesday, although may simply be an act of due diligence. Wojnarowski reported on Wednesday that the Knicks stay locked in on Barrett.
The draft actually begins in earnest when the Pelicans are again on the clock at No. four. New Orleans VP David Griffin has been fielding calls from groups seeking to transfer up, with Garland wanting just like the prime goal for groups hoping to get there.
• Pelicans: 1, four (through LAL)
• Grizzlies: 2, 23 (through UTAH)
• Cavaliers: 5, 26 (through HOU)
• Hawks: eight, 10 (through DAL), 17 (through BKN)
• Celtics: 14 (through SAC), 20 (through LAC), 22
• Pistons: 15, 30 (through MIL)
• Spurs: 19, 29 (through TOR)
Full draft order »
One of many groups with probably the most property on this 12 months’s draft, the Atlanta Hawks, is thinking about swapping two of their picks — Nos. eight and 10 general — for the fourth choice, per a report by ESPN’s Jonathan Givony, which additionally famous the Knicks shot down the identical package deal for the No. three decide.
Along with Atlanta, the Minnesota Timberwolves, Boston Celtics and Chicago Bulls have additionally expressed curiosity in New Orleans’ No. four decide.
Because the draft has approached, it has broadly been thought-about to drop off in expertise after Barrett goes off the board. However Garland has intriguing upside, having performed simply 5 video games final season at Vanderbilt earlier than being shut down for the rest of the season with an MCL harm — and incomes favorable comparisons to scoring level guards with taking pictures vary like Damian Lillard and Trae Younger by ESPN draft analyst Mike Schmitz.
If a workforce akin to Minnesota, Boston or Chicago — all three want level guard assist — will get the No. four decide, Garland would seemingly be the selection. However that does not imply Garland is an computerized choice there — particularly if the Hawks transfer up, since they have already got a degree guard of the long run in Younger. Virginia’s De’Andre Hunter, Texas Tech’s Jarrett Culver and UNC’s Coby White even have garnered curiosity this excessive.
On the most recent Woj Pod, Wojnarowski mentioned the Pelicans are in search of a longtime participant in alternate for the No. four decide, and hanging onto veteran guard Jrue Vacation signifies they wish to stay aggressive. If somebody like Washington Wizards star Bradley Beal turns into actually accessible, utilizing the No. four decide as the bottom of a deal to accumulate him makes all of the sense on the earth for New Orleans.
Beal is each a game-changing expertise and beneath contract for the following two seasons. Outdoors of a blockbuster Beal commerce, it is powerful to discover a younger participant with star potential who’s beneath contract and accessible. Keep in mind, practically half the league is about to enter free company on June 30.
There are a variety of potentialities at No. four, together with level guard Darius Garland. AP Picture/Mark Humphrey
2. What if the groups with level guard wants strike out?
The Phoenix Suns (No. 6), Bulls (No. 7) and Wolves (No. 11) all have level guard wants which they may look to fill within the draft. One drawback: There may not be sufficient dependable PG prospects within the lottery.
Each Morant and Garland are prone to be off the board earlier than Phoenix’s decide. If that’s the case, that makes Coby White (No. eight in ESPN’s high 100 draft rankings) one of the best accessible major ball-handler. Virginia’s Ty Jerome is the following PG in ESPN’s rankings, however he is rated down at No. 25 — a severe hole.
Drafting for want, reasonably than taking one of the best participant accessible, is at all times dangerous enterprise — particularly in terms of groups which might be rebuilding (they’re within the lottery for a cause). However that does not cease groups from doing it, or from shifting as much as attempt to safe a place of want with a participant they like.
So will one among these groups make a deal to go seize Garland or White? If each are off the board, do they take into account shifting again? That is one thing to regulate — and never simply on draft evening. If, say, Phoenix bypasses a degree guard to seize a wing participant, is signal they’re going to goal a flooring normal in free company?
three. What’s going to the Hawks do with all of their picks?
Atlanta could be probably the most attention-grabbing workforce to look at on draft evening. The Hawks maintain picks Nos. eight, 10, 17, 35 and 41 (Atlanta’s No. 44 decide was traded to the Miami Warmth on Wednesday).
They definitely needn’t add 5 rookies to their roster. After normal supervisor Travis Schlenk’s profitable draft a 12 months in the past, when the Hawks traded again for Younger (No. 5) and hit on Kevin Huerter (No. 19), Atlanta feels assured it might discover extra contributors this time round.
Perhaps they strike the best deal to maneuver up for Garland or one of many wing gamers. They may commerce again into future drafts, delaying all these younger additions to the roster. There’s additionally the likelihood that Atlanta may package deal its picks for a longtime expertise to reinforce its younger core of Younger, Huerter and large man John Collins — although, like with New Orleans, discovering the best match there may be difficult.
Final 12 months’s commerce that noticed Atlanta cross up on Luka Doncic to pick out Younger and add a future first-round decide (now this 12 months’s No. 10 decide) was proof Schlenk has no drawback making an against-the-grain transaction. It additionally serves as a reminder that the Hawks might be aggressive in making their finest strikes on draft evening, no matter exterior notion.
Will Celtics president Danny Ainge swing a deal on draft evening? AP Picture/Elise Amendola
four. What’s going to the Celtics do with all of their picks?
A 12 months in the past, the Celtics seemed to be higher positioned than any workforce within the NBA to contend long run. Then Boston flamed out in 5 video games towards the Milwaukee Bucks within the second spherical of the playoffs, Anthony Davis ended up with the Lakers, Kyrie Irving appears prone to depart in free company and Al Horford is probably becoming a member of him.
Briefly: Boston’s future is now extremely murky. The Celtics maintain picks Nos. 14, 20, 22 and 51. Coming into this week, the Celtics weren’t anticipated to have an curiosity in carrying 4 rookies on their roster subsequent season. However with Irving, Horford and Marcus Morris doubtlessly out of the image, Boston has six returning gamers age 25 or youthful. They may look to pivot right into a full youth motion.
If Boston chooses to take action, there definitely are gamers in the course of the primary spherical — together with Gonzaga ahead Brandon Clarke, Oregon heart Bol Bol and Kentucky guard Tyler Herro — who may assist increase the workforce’s present younger core of Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Marcus Sensible.
However given the historical past of Boston president of basketball operations Danny Ainge, who has by no means been afraid to make a deal, do not be shocked if the Celtics wind up shaking issues up earlier than draft evening is thru.
5. Will the contenders with roster constraints transfer up or down?
Making profitable picks within the 20s or later within the draft is often thought-about a bonus, not a necessity. It is onerous sufficient to reliably discover lottery expertise that may assist a workforce win. However there’s added strain on three groups — the Philadelphia 76ers, Golden State Warriors and Brooklyn Nets — to drag off this troublesome activity on Thursday evening.
Prepare for Zion, Morant and extra. 
• 2019 mock draft
• Scouting doubtless first-rounders
• Full draft order
• Prime 100 draft rankings
Philly wants a greater bench, and hitting on comparatively low-cost draft picks can be an effective way to construct that depth. The Sixers acquired fast contributions from 2018’s No. 26 Landry Shamet earlier than delivery him out within the Tobias Harris commerce on the February deadline. Now, as they ponder spending effectively into the posh tax to maintain free brokers Harris, Jimmy Butler and JJ Redick, they should come away from draft evening with at one or two potential rotation gamers for 2019-20.
They maintain picks Nos. No. 24, 33, 34 and 42, which supplies the Sixers a few paths to tread. In a single, they may package deal a few of these choices collectively to maneuver up and get a selected man they like. In one other, they may use all 4 and get a number of bites on the apple to search out one other participant or two like Shamet.
One factor that helps Philadelphia’s decision-making: The roster is so skinny behind the star-studded beginning 5 that there isn’t any want to fret about positional worth. The Sixers simply want to search out guys who can step in and play.
In the meantime, Golden State merely wants our bodies. If Klay Thompson and/or Kevin Durant return, the Warriors might be over the cap with a workforce that was already skinny this previous season when each had been wholesome. Following accidents within the NBA Finals, they’re prone to miss most or all of subsequent season. With Shaun Livingston doubtlessly retiring on high of that, the Warriors want to search out low-cost choices to fill out the rotation. Their choice at No. 28 takes on added significance now, whether or not they decide there or make a transfer.
Then there are the Nets, hoping to strike it wealthy in free company with a pair of max contract stars after sending two first-round picks to the Hawks to dump Allen Crabbe’s contracts earlier this month. Large spending like that necessitates discovering low-cost contributors on long-term offers to mess around them — one thing the Nets have had success with in recent times by choosing Jarrett Allen, Caris LeVert and Rodions Kurucs within the 20s and past.
The Nets might be hoping to strike gold once more this 12 months in the event that they use their picks at Nos. 27 and 31, or package deal them for extra fascinating items.