The NBA officially puts the 2018/19 season in the rearview mirror on Thursday night in Brooklyn with the 2019 draft. Expect a very busy night in terms of trades – we’ve already seen the New Orleans Pelicans send superstar Anthony Davis to the Los Angeles Lakers for three young players and three draft picks. One of those picks is No. 4 overall on Thursday.
Odds courtesy of OddsShark.com
Because that trade can’t be made official until the new league year early next month, whomever the Lakers take at No. 4 overall will actually be for the Pelicans … unless the Pels have arranged their own trade of that pick, and they are shopping it.
There aren’t expected to be any surprises in the first three picks. New Orleans will take its Davis replacement at No. 1 overall in Duke forward Zion Williamson, who is considered by many the best prospect to enter the NBA since Davis was picked No. 1 overall in 2012.
The Memphis Grizzlies are expected to take Murray State point guard Ja Morant at No. 2, after reportedly trading incumbent veteran point guard Mike Conley to the Utah Jazz on Wednesday afternoon. The Jazz had been an aggressive suitor.
At No. 3 overall, the New York Knicks have been linked to Duke’s R.J. Barrett, who was actually the top-rated recruit in his class, not Williamson. But Zion overshadowed everyone in college basketball this past season. The Knicks did just bring in Vanderbilt point guard Darius Garland for a workout, but most believe that’s a smokescreen.
Still, that leaves the possibility that the Pelicans could take Barrett at No. 4 overall if they stay there. There’s a prop on whether the Pels do land both Barrett and Zion, with Yes at +750 and No at -2000. There’s also a prop on whether Knicks fans boo the team’s first pick because that’s what Knicks fans love do to unless it’s Patrick Ewing. Yes is +155 with No at -220. If that pick is Garland, who barely played as a freshman at Vandy due to a serious knee injury, there are going to be a lot of Knicks fans booing.
Another Duke freshman, Cam Reddish, also is a lock to be a lottery pick and most likely in the Top 10. That he goes in the Top 7 along with Williamson and Barrett is +180 with No at -270. The Chicago Bulls would be the cutoff point as they currently pick No. 7 overall and have been linked to Reddish if one of their preferred point guards is gone. The OVER/UNDER for total freshmen selected in Round 1 is 12.5, with both options priced at -120. For a point of comparison, 14 freshmen were selected in the first round last year.
This isn’t considered an overly strong international class, with raw French forward Sekou Doumbouya the top prospect. The OVER/UNDER for international players taken in the first round is 2.5, with both options at -120 on the moneyline.
