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2019 NBA Draft: Pre-NCAA Tournament Mock Draft 2.0

By Aaron Peterson

CHARLOTTE, NC - MARCH 16: Duke Blue Devils forward Zion Williamson (1) and Duke Blue Devils guard Tre Jones (3) at the end of the of the ACC Tournament championship game with the Duke Blue Devils versus the Florida State Seminoles on March 16, 2019, at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, NC. (Photo by Jaylynn Nash/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
CHARLOTTE, NC - MARCH 16: Duke Blue Devils forward Zion Williamson (1) and Duke Blue Devils guard Tre Jones (3) at the end of the of the ACC Tournament championship game with the Duke Blue Devils versus the Florida State Seminoles on March 16, 2019, at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, NC. (Photo by Jaylynn Nash/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA – MARCH 16: RJ Barrett #5 of the Duke Blue Devils cuts down a piece of the net after defeating the Florida State Seminoles 73-63 in the championship game of the 2019 Men’s ACC Basketball Tournament at Spectrum Center on March 16, 2019 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA – MARCH 16: RJ Barrett #5 of the Duke Blue Devils cuts down a piece of the net after defeating the Florida State Seminoles 73-63 in the championship game of the 2019 Men’s ACC Basketball Tournament at Spectrum Center on March 16, 2019 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /

3: Cleveland Cavaliers- R.J. Barrett, G/F, Duke

Cleveland would love to get their hands on the number one ranked high school player in the class of 2019, and in my opinion, the most NBA-ready player in the draft. Barrett is a pure scorer, posting averages of 22.9 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 4.1 assists on 45.7 percent from the field.

Adding Barrett to complete their backcourt of the future would allow Collin Sexton to focus on playing a more traditional point-guard role and allowing Barrett to do his thing- score the basketball. Barrett could someday take the mold of a James Harden-type player, as an elite bucket-getter who has shown the ability to get his teammates involved.

Concerns for Barrett include his three-point shooting and his defensive abilities. But with a solid mid-range shot and athleticism already present, there is no reason why Barrett wouldn’t be able to fix both of these flaws. The Cavs would be stoked to land Barrett if they miss out on the Williamson sweepstakes.

4: Chicago Bulls- Darius Garland, G, Vanderbilt

Garland is an unbelievably overlooked prospect. Suffering a torn meniscus just five games into his collegiate career, he was unable to show the world why he was top-15 player in the class. In his short time as a Commodore, Garland posted 16.2 points per game, 3.8 rebounds, and 2.6 assists on 53.7 percent from the field and 47.8 percent from three.

Some have gone as far as to compare Garland to the great Stephen Curry. Garland is very talented, but it can be argued that top four may be too high. However, the Bulls fill a very apparent need here with Morant off the board, and Garland is clearly the next best option.

Concerns for Garland include his knee injury suffered a few months ago, his lack of ability as a distributor, and his defense. As a point guard who plays a lot like an undersized two guard and shoots the ball unbelievably well, it is clear why he draws the Curry comparisons.

Falling out of the top three would not be ideal for Chicago, but Garland would be a very exciting piece to slide in with Zach LaVine, Otto Porter Jr., Lauri Markkanen, and Wendell Carter Jr.

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