Picks 21-25
21. Boston Celtics: PF Eric Paschall- Villanova; Sr
Earlier, the Celtics drafted Charles Bassey to potentially replace Al Horford. Marcus Morris will be an unrestricted free agent in the offseason and Boston takes Paschall to avoid having to pay Morris. The first senior taken, Paschall has been averaging 15.0 PPG to go along with 7.0 RPG. Last season during Villanova’s title run, he shot 35.6 percent from behind-the-arc. Another Draymond Green-like player, he runs the floor well and has all the intangibles to be an effective role player in Boston. A quickly-improving offensive arsenal has convinced GMs of his worth.
22. Indiana Pacers: PG Lindell Wigginton- Iowa State; So
I realize that Indiana took Aaron Holiday in last year’s draft, but the former first-round pick will be the only point guard on the roster next year, as of right now. Although not a true point guard yet, Wigginton can score in a variety of ways; he attacks the basket efficiently and shot just over 40.1 percent from deep last season as a freshman at Iowa State. It’s unknown what Wigginton’s role will be early on with Holiday primed to get important minutes, but his advanced offensive repertoire will find him on the court. His style of play is like that of Victor Oladipo, which the Pacers wouldn’t mind at all.
23. Los Angeles Clippers: PF Jalen McDaniels- San Diego St; So
The Clippers addressed their backcourt woes by taking Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jerome Robinson in the first round of last year’s draft; with Tobias Harris, Marcin Gortat, and Boban Marjanovic all set to become free agents in the summer, McDaniels makes sense. There is no doubt that the 6-foot-10 forward will have to add weight to his 195-pound frame, but his length and athleticism outweigh that concern. McDaniels’ high motor and ability to finish around the basket will get him in the first round. Even with possibility of being a future prospect, Los Angeles is building up for the long-run.
24. Boston Celtics (via Memphis): SG Kevin Porter Jr.- USC; Fr
Porter Jr. is a true NBA shooting guard prototype and he gives them depth in the backcourt. Not necessarily needed in a huge role as Boston’s last pick of the 2019 NBA Draft, Porter Jr. will be an explosive scoring option off the bench. His athleticism and scoring ability from near the basket and behind-the-arc are too appealing the pass up. The freshman has been opening eyes at USC and will continue to do so in the NBA.
25. Oklahoma City Thunder: SF Jaylen Hoard- Wake Forest; Fr
Although Paul George will be in OKC for years to come, Hoard and his 7-foot-1 wingspan allow the Wake Forest freshman to play multiple positions. The French native does all of the dirty work such as defense and rebounding, but offensively he is becoming more of a force. Good at handling the rock, Hoard can also score in multiple ways; he is shooting 33.3 percent from three, making him an appealing replacement for Andre Roberson down the road.
Next Up: 26-30
