Mavericks can’t miss with Doncic
Here are some observations and projections from Thursday’s NBA draft held here.
The Dallas Mavericks dealt the fifth pick and a protected future first for Luka Doncic, who this corner believes will be a flat-out stud. While Trae Young also could be solid (he’s not Jimmer Fredette, but he’s not Stephen Curry either) and Atlanta might come away with a nice asset with that future pick, Doncic’s resume is impeccable.
The Hawks desperately need to capture some interest and get some fans to show up, which is why Young, an offensive maestro, appealed, but Doncic would have drawn supporters in short order, too. Dallas says the Slovenian will sit out Summer League and head coach Rick Carlisle said getting Doncic marked a “defining moment in this rebuild.” Adding a winner in Villanova’s Jaylen Brunson didn’t hurt either. Atlanta also grabbed Kevin Huerter, who is an elite shooter, so the team might score some points at least.
Denver is going to wait on Michael Porter Jr. and at 14th overall, the end of the lottery, it was a swing worth taking.
New York and Knicks fans will be happy with Kevin Knox, even if so many in the building wanted Porter Jr. at the No. 9 spot. Like Porter, he is a big-time scorer, but he doesn’t have any of the injury issues. He’ll help space the floor around Kristaps Porzingis with no risk of fighting with the Latvian big man for top billing on the Madison Square Garden marquee, which one day might have been an issue with Porter, who believes he is the best player in this draft class. Knox is also only 18 with plenty of upside.
Orlando and former Raptors GM Jeff Weltman did fine work. Mo Bamba projects as a stud, Tulane’s Melvin Frazier can fill it up and Toronto’s own Justin Jackson has first-round talent, but fell because of his shoulder injury.
The Toronto Raptors did not have a draft pick, but quickly moved to sign Rawle Alkins, a six-foot-four swingman who the team worked out a year ago. Alkins returned to Arizona and averaged 13.1 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.3 steals, despite battling a foot injury.
Alkins will try to make the Toronto roster, but signed an Exhibit 10 contract, per Raptorsrepublic. com’s Blake Murphy, which allows Toronto to convert his contract to a two-way deal.
Alkins was regarded as one of the best players to go undrafted on Thursday and Toronto is extremely thin on the wing, so this seems like a smart bit of work by Dan Tolzman and the front office.
The team also added Andrew Rowsey and the superbly named Giddy Potts to its Las Vegas Summer League roster.
Montreal native Chris Boucher was released by Golden State after a year spent with the team’s G League franchise. Boucher would be a smart pickup if the Raptors could repatriate him and send him to Raptors 905 (or possibly to the main roster with a camp invite).
Mississauga’s R.J. Barrett is the favourite to go No. 1 next year and right now Atlanta looks potentially like the worst 2018-19 team in basketball.
Atlanta also potentially has firstround picks from Cleveland and Dallas (though both have some protections), while mighty Boston might have Memphis and L.A. Clippers firsts in addition to its own late first.
Brooklyn finally will be back in the mix after dealing so many recent firsts to Boston or Cleveland and Phoenix will have its own first and potentially Milwaukee’s as well.