Chicago Bulls’ 2019 NBA Draft prospects: The underrated Dedric Lawson

Kansas forward Dedric Lawson is projected to be selected in the second round of the 2019 NBA Draft. Should the Chicago Bulls consider taking him?

Most of the draft talk right now is about the lottery, but building a successful team goes beyond lottery picks. Thus, the second round will be incredibly important for the Chicago Bulls. One guy they should take a serious look at is Kansas forward Dedric Lawson.

Lawson doesn’t do anything flashy. You won’t see him posterizing dudes, knocking down fadeaway threes or throwing behind the back lobs. He’s just not that kind of player. But don’t mistake his lack of pizzazz for a lack of skill. Lawson is as good as they come.

During the 2018-19 season, Lawson averaged 19.4 points per game on .490/.393/.815 shooting splits. He also reeled in 10.3 rebounds per contest.

Lawson was undoubtedly the best player on a Kansas Jayhawks team that entered the season with extremely high expectations. Unfortunately for KU, they ended up having a relatively disappointing season, getting knocked out of the NCAA Tournament in the second round. None of the team’s struggles, though, were Lawson’s fault. He did everything and more for the 2018-19 Jayhawks.

NBA potential

Dedric Lawson isn’t the type of guy that’s going to look good at the NBA Draft Combine or individual workouts, but when you watch him in 5-on-5 games, he jumps off the screen. He’s not all that quick, he’s undersized for his position and he doesn’t jump very high. But his basketball IQ is off the charts, he’s a good teammate, he’s a skilled rebounder and he can score from all three levels of the court.

Plus, don’t let his low assists numbers (1.7 per game) for the 2018-19 season fool you, he’s an elite passer. The Jayhawks just needed him to score the ball because nobody else was going to.

Lawson doesn’t project as a future All-Star in this league, but his versatile skill set combined with his basketball IQ make him an extremely intriguing second-round prospect that could develop into a long-time starter.

Another positive thing about Lawson: the moment never looks too big for him. He’s always cool, calm and collected and ready to make winning plays. Words can’t describe how much I love that about him.

Lawson isn’t one of the typical high-risk, high-reward players that you often see taken in the second round. He’s a safe pick. He might not ever make an All-NBA team, but I would be shocked if he ends up having a bad career. He’s too skilled, too smart and too competitive to be bad.

If the Bulls want to bolster their second unit and bring in a versatile four that can also play the five in small-ball lineups, Dedric Lawson is the guy for them. He’s a consummate professional and an incredible basketball player. Chicago would be lucky to land him.