Pelicans: Scouting NBA Southwest Division Rivals Draft Results

The New Orleans Pelicans won the 2019 NBA Draft, and hope the new core win many Southwest Division titles. How did the division rivals fare in this year’s draft?

The New Orleans Pelicans led off the 2019 NBA Draft with the most obvious pick of the night. The selections after Zion Williamson had his name called will affect the Pelicans for at least a couple of seasons.

In order to secure playoff berths, New Orleans needs to finish in a top two spot in the Southwest Division. The Pelicans need to out-draft those teams to get a head start on winning games. The divisional foes had drastically different 2019 NBA Draft experiences.

The Bourbon Street versus Beale Street rivalry will be entertaining for the next half-decade. The Memphis Grizzlies stuck to the script, and as expected used the second pick on Ja Morant. Memphis arguably had the best draft, non-Zion division.

Ja Morant will be given the ball as much as he likes and will be pushed as the new face of the franchise. He could never replace Mike Conley, the hope is he will ease the transition by making the team exciting if not competitive.

Morant will have help. Memphis made a move up in the draft, taking Gonzaga’s Brandon Clarke with the 21st pick. It’s almost inexcusable Clarke fell this far. He was arguably the best big man in the draft and will be a problem for opposing second unit front courts immediately.

The San Antonio Spurs used the 19th pick on KK Olimpija big man Luka Samanic. Samanic is listed as a power forward, but will surely see time at the five. His 6 foot 10-inch size, with room to grow, already carries a solid 227 pounds.

Samanic has already stated his desire to play in the NBA next season, not be stashed in Europe. According to Jeff McDonald’s twitter report, Samanic is aiming to join the Spurs in time for NBA Summer League action.

Small Forward, Keldon Johnson, was the 29th pick announced. He is a bit short for a three in some rotations, but the Spurs can usually scheme around a height shortcoming. He can balance his 216-pound frame to keep small-ball fours at bay in the post, and the quickness to track guards. Johnson has All-Star potential in the Spurs system.

The Spurs spent the 49th pick on 6’3” shooting guard, Quinndary Weatherspoon, from Missouri State. San Antonio has a roster now loaded with guards. Weatherspoon is a likely G-League developmental candidate.

There are worse franchises to trust with refining a role player career. Weatherspoon averaged 18 points a game, shooting 40% from deep. He will be given plenty of chances to earn a bench role. If he falls short, he could be a G-League star until he is ready for the Spurs rotational role.

The Dallas Mavericks chose 37th, bringing in small forward Deividas Sirvydis from Vilnius Rytas (Lithuania). Sirvydis would have added to the Mavericks foreign contingent, but he was traded to Detroit for the 45th pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, and future second rounders.

It seems the plan is to keep that 45th pick, Nebraska product Isaiah Roby. Roby is listed as a power forward, standing 6-7. Roby is a 214-pound package of mostly rebounding and defense. His understanding of NBA offenses is still in the elementary stages.

He was one of the best athletes at the 2019 NBA Draft Combine but really needs to work on his shot. His only average offensive skill is cutting off a driving guard.

Waiting on the block for dump off passes will only clog the lane for Luka Doncic drives to Kristaps Porzingis. Hanging out in the mid-range area is not allowed in a Rick Carlisle offense unless you’re Dirk on the decline. Roby needs a shot to stay on the court.

Roby could be the Mavericks plan to develop a new defensive stopper in the Draymond Green mold. With Zion Williamson in the division, that’s not a bad bet this late in the second round.

Dallas also picked up a few extra future assets in the process. A few extra flyers on second-round picks might produce a gem.

The Houston Rockets are strapped and did not even purchase a second-round pick in the 2019 NBA Draft. Their future apparently relies on Daryl Morey working the phones, not the scouting reports on rookies.

Only Memphis definitely got better through their draft picks alone. The Spurs machine cannot be doubted, but the evaluation on their draft process will take years. Dallas took a flyer, while Houston took the night off.

David Griffin has won the NBA off-season so far this summer. The 2019 NBA Draft results were a resounding win for New Orleans, on a divisional scale. After the draft, the Pelicans are arguably the newest well-run darling of a small market franchise.