The NBA Finals wrapped up just a few days ago, but already the focus is shifting to the 2019-2020 season. There has been a blockbuster trade with Anthony Davis heading to the Los Angeles Lakers, and the reverberations of that deal will be felt in the NBA draft.
The New Orleans Pelicans already held the No. 1 overall pick and now have the No. 4 selection as it came via the trade from Los Angeles. There is basically no drama with the No. 1 overall selection as the Pelicans are widely assumed to be taking Duke star Zion Williamson. However, there is plenty to figure out after that as teams throughout the league are hoping to add a key piece to the puzzle to help improve their fortunes in 2019.
The NBA draft will be held at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York at 7 p.m. ET on Thursday, June 20th, 2019. The NBA draft will be nationally televised on ESPN.
We'll have NBA Odds at BookMaker.eu available for every game of the 2019-20 NBA season.
Odds Analysis
There will be odds soon on where any different number of prospects will land in the draft. Williams and Murray State point guard Ja Morant are looked upon as the consensus top two picks, with Morant projected to go to the Memphis Grizzlies. R.J. Barrett is projected to go No. 3 overall to the New York Knicks. The drama of the draft may not start until the fourth pick.
However, there is so much intrigue there that a prop bet has been made asking if the Pelicans will stay at No. 4 and use the pick on a player. The “yes” option is actually the underdog at +176, with the likelihood of dealing the choice more likely. The “no” choice is listed as the -246 favorite. If New Orleans signals its willingness to deal the pick, any number of teams could make an offer to grab it and add a certain piece.
There is some unknown after the top three picks. Some of the players in the next batch of prospects include Darius Garland, Jarrett Culver, DeAndre Hunter and Coby White. The Cavaliers have the No. 5 pick, the Suns are at No. 6 and the Bulls are at No. 7, so it would be relatively easy for any of them to move up to No. 4 if there is a player that tickles their fancy.
The Suns had the No. 1 overall pick a year ago and grabbed Deandre Ayton. Marvin Bagley III, Luka Doncic and Trae Young were among the other top picks a season ago. While those are good players, Williamson is seen as one of the best prospects in multiple years. He is an athletic dynamo who figures to make a quick impact in New Orleans. Pelicans fans may have dreamed about a pairing of Williamson and Davis, but that’s not going to happen. However, now the team has Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, Josh Hart and a handful of new draft picks.
New Orleans will be the team to watch in the NBA draft and while Williamson seems like a lock, it will be interesting to see how it handles the No. 4 pick.
Free NBA Pick
The Pelicans have a new GM in David Griffin and he seems to have a clear plan. There are reports that he is open to dealing the No. 4 pick, and with the top three picks seemingly locked in, Griffin obviously wants to get some value back for the choice but the likelihood is that he deals the pick. New Orleans will likely only make one top-5 selection in the NBA draft.
NBA Draft Pick: New Orleans “no” on keeping the Lakers’ No. 4 overall pick at -246 odds
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