If everyone knew who the next Donovan Mitchell was in the NBA Draft, he wouldn’t be the next Donovan Mitchell. He’d be the next Kyrie Irving, chosen high in the draft and delivering upon that investment.
So finding the finds in the 2018 draft is no easy feat, especially when teams either did really smart stuff (like Memphis taking Jaren Jackson Jr. with the fourth pick, exactly where he belonged) or really shaky stuff (like Orlando betting on Mo Bamba, who wasn’t an overwhelming scorer in college or AAU).
There might not have been a lot of steals in this draft, but there at least was some petty crime transacted...
NBA DRAFT 2018: Complete analysis of all 60 selections
Collin Sexton, PG, Cavaliers (eighth overall)
Whether Sexton will outperform the player chosen directly ahead of him, Wendell Carter Jr. of Duke, is not the point. It’s more about point guard vs. point guard. Trae Young was chosen in the No. 5 overall spot and traded to Atlanta. It’s always was going to be a matter of taste when choosing between Young and Sexton. But Sexton comes with fewer concerns.
He is electrically quick, can get past his man almost at will, is tough and physical and has deep range. Not crazy range like Young, but Sexton can hit from deep. He needs to become more consistent as a shooter, but he played in an offense that did not always flow beautifully and often had to create opportunities for himself under shot-clock pressure.
Young has amazing range and is as good a passer as has entered the league in a decade. However, his frail build and indifference to defense could become problematic for him when winning games matters more than merely performing. Sexton is a few percentage points as a shooter away from being an exceptional two-way point guard.
Miles Bridges, F, Hornets via trade (12th overall)
Bridges has every quality one would want in a 3-and-D forward. He makes 3-pointers and plays defense. But more than that, he has length, power, toughness and character. He is an exceptional athlete who can invent a scoring opportunity when none seems available.
Bridges is not elite at driving the ball. It’s still a developing skill for him. He does not always trust himself when he gets beyond one or two dribbles. But it’s not out of reach for him to become better in that area.
As a shooter, he declined a bit from a percentage standpoint as he played more frequently as a perimeter player, from 38.9 to 36.4, but he finished his two seasons at Michigan State with 127 made 3-pointers. In his two seasons at San Diego State, Kawhi Leonard made 41.
Donte DiVincenzo, G, Bucks (17th overall)
He has size, hops, guts and a sweet shooting touch. His willingness to sacrifice for the team led to him accepting a role as a reserve for Villanova during its 2018 NCAA championship run, even though it was obvious he was one of the team’s five best players.
He embraced that role so beautifully he turned around two tournament games this spring, scoring 18 off the bench in the first half against Alabama, when two starters were in foul trouble, and then repeating that in the title game against Michigan.
He’s as dynamic as players chosen ahead of him because of his quickness, and he’s a better shooter. He’s not as long, though. So he may not be as disruptive a defender as Zhaire Smith, say, but Smith has a lot of improvement to do to catch up as an offensive player.
Robert Williams, PF, Celtics (27th overall)
When I saw Williams projected as a lottery pick, I was kind of horrified. Meager skills, balky motor, dubious engagement with his team — was all that worth one of the precious picks at the high end of a loaded draft?
But for the Celtics to get a player with this sort of explosive athleticism so deep in the draft is a remarkable bargain. He isn’t a perimeter shooter, can’t make free throws and will have to be convinced to consistently perform for the benefit of his teammates. But even if he never makes all that much progress with the first two, the strong culture in the Celtics organization assures he’ll have almost no choice but to conform to the standard set there.
There still is a place in the league for a big man who can rebound, defend and move.
Jacob Evans, G, Warriors (28th overall)
Smart organizations do smart things. We’ve seen that for a couple decades with the Spurs, and the Warriors have earned that reputation this decade with excellent pickups like Jordan Bell as a second-rounder last year.
In Evans, they’re getting a player who can play all three perimeter positions. Many don’t know Evans can play point guard, but he did it occasionally last season for Cincinnati and would have had a shot at playing there full-time had he returned to the Bearcats for his senior year. Evans not only can function on offense in those three roles, but he can also defend them, as well.
His only issue at Cincinnati was a sense of discomfort with being "The Man." It was out of character for him. He took on big moments occasionally, but he never embraced the possibility of serving as the team’s first option or star.
That won’t be a problem now. Kevin Durant is there. Stephen Curry is there. Evans can be a player who fills whatever role is assigned to him. He’ll eagerly embrace that role and do it as well as the Warriors can hope.
The best team in the NBA just got better. Again.
