Los Angeles Lakers land De’Andre Hunter in post-lottery mock draft
With the No. 4 overall pick in post-NBA Draft Lottery mock draft, the Los Angeles Lakers selected Virginia forward, De’Andre Hunter.
The Los Angeles Lakers were one of the big winners in the 2019 NBA Draft Lottery. Los Angeles went into the lottery with a 9.4 percent chance to move into the top-4, with the No. 11 pick being their most likely outcome.
Lady Luck was on their side, as the Lakers beat the odds. The Lakers landed the No. 4 overall pick, which they had a 2.8 percent chance of doing. As a result, the Lakers now have a ton of options leading up to the draft.
Some people will say to trade the pick. Having the No. 4 overall pick is a much better trade chip than the No. 11 overall pick. If they decide to hold onto the draft pick, they will be adding another high-level prospect to their young core.
Heading into draft season, there seems to be a consensus about who the top prospects are. Zion Williamson, Ja Morant and R.J. Barrett are expected to be the first three picks, in that order. That means the draft, in theory, really gets started with the Lakers at No. 4.
Vanderbilt point guard Darius Garland, Texas Tech shooting guard Jarrett Culver, Virginia forward De’Andre Hunter and Duke guard Cam Reddish are some of the players that will be considered at No. 4. In Bleacher Report’s post-NBA Draft Lottery mock draft, they have the Lakers selecting Hunter with the No. 4 pick.
This is a pick that makes sense. Hunter was a great 3-point shooter, connecting at 41.9 percent in his two seasons at Virginia. However, there wasn’t much volume, as Hunter made 0.9 3-pointers per game in his career, 1.2 per game as a sophomore.
Hunter averaged an efficient 15.2 points per game on 52 percent from the field, but where Hunter really makes an impact is on the defensive side of the ball.
Hunter was named ACC Defensive Player of the Year. With his 6’7″, 225 pound frame, he is ready to be a difference maker on that end of the court right away. Ask Culver, whom Hunter matched up with throughout much of the 2019 NCAA Championship game, how great of a defender he is. Culver shot 5-of-22 in that game, missing all six of his 3-point attempts.
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Hunter does need some improvements offensively, specifically in shot creation. Some of that could be attributed to the system that Virginia plays. Virginia is routinely among the slowest tempo teams in the nation, relying on their pack-line defense and ball movement to wear down teams.
A popular comparison to Hunter coming into the draft is Kawhi Leonard. They have similar profiles, as both are 6’7″ and within five pounds of each other. Both played dominant defense collegiately, giving them something to rely on right away at the next level. Hunter is actually further along offensively than Leonard was, as Leonard shot 25 percent in his college career from 3-point range.
Leonard has transformed himself into the best two-way player in the NBA, as his offensive game has come a long way since his days at San Diego State. Hunter has a chance to do the same, but he will need to be afforded the time to develop, just as Leonard was.
Can the Lakers afford to give Hunter that kind of time? It took Leonard essentially his full rookie contract to start playing like the Leonard we know today.
This pick will be the one that people keep an eye on. Los Angeles could already be on the phone asking who the New Orleans Pelicans like, as they will push for an Anthony Davis trade once again.
Next. 10 Greatest Draft Picks In Lakers History. dark
Hunter is a high-floor player that drew a ton of attention for his performance in the NCAA Tournament, similar to Mikal Bridges last year. To become more than a role player, his offensive repertoire will need to expand. Leonard is someone Hunter should be studying from the get-go.