The 2019 NBA Draft has come and gone. There were some winners and some losers, but this particular draft needs time to marinate in order for anyone to definitely grade the draft. This is true in all drafts, but this one in particular will need a long grace period thanks to the perceived low quality of the prospects.
Still, on paper, there appear to be more than a few natural fits in this year’s draft as far as what the prospects are projected to bring to the table. Zion Williamson, Ja Morant, and R.J. Barrettare obvious fits, but there are other prospect-team pairings that may have gone under the radar due to lack of overall hype. Here are four teams that should prove to be perfect fits for their prospects.
De’Andre Hunter and Cam Reddish, Atlanta Hawks
Yes, having two prospects for one team is cheating a bit, but Reddish and Hunter fit so well into what the Hawks are doing it would be a disservice to include one without the other. Trae Young has the look of a future superstar, but he’ll always suffer on the defensive end of the floor due to his size. To make up for that, Atlanta GM Travis Schnlek is building a lineup filled with versatile wings. Hunter and Reddish will join Kevin Huerter as the defenders in charge of making Young’s life as easy as possible on that end of the floor, similar to how Golden State’s lineup allows for Steph Curry to hide on the least threatening opponent against most teams.
It’s obviously early to make any sort of Golden State comparisons, but Schnlek worked for the Warriors before heading to Atlanta, and Young’s profile as a small player and offense unto himself present a clear parallel for the blueprint of a good team. Picking up both Hunter and Reddish gives Atlanta a dangerous lineup with shooting from 1-4 and the ability to switch just about anything. Buying low on Reddish should prove to be one of the best moves of the draft, too; Reddish has all the talent to be one of the better two-way role players in the game, he just needs time to develop those skills in an low-pressure environment. He’ll have that in Atlanta. Schnlek clearly knows what he’s doing, and it showed in this draft.
Brandon Clarke, Memphis Grizzlies
Widely projected as a lottery pick, Clarke ended up sliding to the 21st pick, but it will be for the better. His biggest knock as a player coming into the draft was lack of shooting, and that won’t matter in Memphis. Paired with Jaren Jackson Jr., Clarke will be free to dive into the paint on the pick and roll with little hindrance giving Jackson’s shooting. Defensively is where things get really exciting for the Grizzlies, though. Jackson averaged 1.4 blocks per game in his first season, and has the right combination of length and instincts to grow into a good, if not great, rim protector. Clarke’s calling card coming into the draft was his defensive prowess after blocking more shots than he missed during his career at Gonzaga.
They should be a switchable combo to start and will eventually grow into one of the stingiest frontcourts in the league. Clarke’s development as a player hinges on his three-point shot, but he’ll have the time to work it out in Memphis; the rebuild is on after shipping out Mike Conley and taking Morant to be their next franchise point guard. Even if Clarke tops out as a high-end role player, he’s a great fit next to Jackson and in Memphis.
Matisse Thybulle, Philadelphia 76ers
The Sixers have just about every piece they need to be regular members on the short list of title contenders each year. The one thing they’re missing? A high-level and versatile defender on the wings. Ben Simmons is good and getting better on that end of the floor, but isn’t fast enough to chase smaller wings around, and the same goes for Jimmy Butler, should he stay in Philly. Enter Thybulle, who was tagged as one of the best defensive prospects in this draft. He put up ridiculous numbers at Washington, averaging 3.5 steals and 2.5 blocks per game. That was predominately in a zone defense scheme, though, so it may take him some time to adjust to man-to-man and NBA-level defensive rotations.
Still, he fills a valuable role for a team that already has its stars. If Thybulle can prove his senior year of shooting was a fluke, then he’s as close to a ready-made 3-and-D defender you’ll find in the 20s, and the Sixers will be very happy to have him.
Coby White, Chicago Bulls
The Bulls came into the draft needing a point guard, and they found one. White dropped to Chicago at seven after rising up draft boards, and is a natural fit with the rest of Chicago’s young core. Young teams in the NBA are suited to a fast-paced offense that can outrun any opponent, and White is the perfect guard for that sort of offense. His blazing speed and ability to get by anybody will set the pace in Chicago, and he’s a good enough shooter to keep the offense spread out around Lauri Markannen and Zach LaVine.
His skills as a ball-dominant point guard overlap with LaVine, but White’s potential as an off-ball threat is what has teams really excited about him, and he’ll have plenty of time to develop those as a Bull. He could become a well-rounded threat soon, and if he can develop the passing skills of even an above-average NBA point guard, he could become the driving force behind a dangerous offense.
