Mock Draft 3.0 – Predicting how the dominoes fall, with view to fit, shifts, and OKC Thunder best bet
156. . SF. Virginia. De'Andre Hunter. 5. player
If you’re starting to detect a trend here you wouldn’t be wrong. Darius Garland who many pundits assumed teams were clamoring to add either as their fourth or fifth pick may suffer the free fall which players like Justise Winslow endured in his draft year.
light. Related Story. Recent trade could vault talented De’Andre Hunter up the board
It’s not that Garland doesn’t remain a coveted prospect, rather it’s a simple matter of need. In this case with Collin Sexton already in Cleveland, De’Andre Hunter simply makes more sense as the fifth pick.
.@WindhorstESPN on whether Love will be back with the Cavs next year: "He's been out there in some trade talks, but it's hard to find the right deal for him...I'd say it's 50/50."
— Aaron Goldhammer (@HammerNation19) June 18, 2019
Arguably I’m also being influenced by the Cavs desire to trade up for RJ Barret (another forward) but adding a wing who can score, hit from deep and possesses defensive prowess seems like the practical choice. After several years of abysmal defense, the Cavs need to turn the corner in that respect and Culver will help in these efforts.
Also of note, rumors floating out of Cleveland also have them shopping Kevin Love so again, I won’t be surprised by any shifts occurring at this stage.