46. New Orleans Pelicans: Jalen Hudson SG Florida
Big Board Rank: 37
The Pelicans have an opportunity to make the playoffs this season. Also, they have the opportunity to not make the playoffs and lose Demarcus Cousins in the offseason. I’m assuming Cousins stays, but whether he stays or goes the Pelicans take Jalen Hudson.
Hudson is just way too good of a shooter and an offensive player to still be on the board in the middle of the second round. This is the Pelicans only pick and at this point in the draft New Orleans is just praying whoever the select becomes a bench player.
47. Los Angeles Lakers: Jerome Robinson SG Boston College
Big Board Rank: 42
We’re going a a little stretch of shooters at this point in the draft. Jerome Robinson has been putting up inhumane shooting and scoring numbers lately. He can get into the lane too and score off the dribble averaging 20.5 points a game at Boston College.
48. Dallas Mavericks: Kris Wilkes SG/SF UCLA
Big Board Rank: 48
Dallas still has Harrison Barnes under contract for next year, and Wesley Matthews has a player option. Assuming Matthews opts in the Mavericks can hide Kris Wilkes on the bench and in the G League for a year or two. Wilkes has a lot of potential, and hopefully bringing him along slowly will maximize it.
49. Philadelphia 76ers: Isaac Bonga SF/PG Germany
Big Board Rank: 51
I’m not sure how many picks it is possible to have stashed at one time. If there’s no limit the 76ers are going to make Adam Silver set one. Bonga is a point forward that handles well for his size and is working on improving his jumpshot, scoring, and decision making.
50. Phoenix Suns: Goga Bitadze C Georgia
Big Board Rank: 47
The Suns have already selected DeAndre Ayton, Lonnie Walker, and Aaron Holiday which sounds like a pretty good draft to me. It’s been rumored that the Suns are in the market for Aaron Gordon next year. That’s why they stash Goga Bitadze with this pick who is from Georgia the country and not the college. Bitadze is a being bodied almost 7 foot center that plays below the rim, but has a little bit of a jump shot and post skills offensively.