2024 NBA Draft: Predicting what each team should do with their first-round pick
By Ryan McCrary
19. Toronto Raptors - Rob Dillingham, Guard, Kentucky
The Raptors have a very fun roster with a lot of depth. Let’s make it even more fun, by giving them Rob Dillingham, an extremely skilled point guard who combines great perimeter shooting with very good playmaking. Dillingham could fall on draft night due to his size and underwhelming finishing and defense, but he is too good to fall further than this.
20. Cleveland Cavaliers - Johnny Furphy, Wing, Kansas
The Cavaliers have an interesting situation as it isn’t clear how long Donovan Mitchell will be in Cleveland and the team has yet to make a deep playoff run despite having a strong roster. One of their biggest flaws last season was a lack of three-point shooting, so let’s give them Johnny Furphy, an effective three-level scorer who can space the floor at a high level. Furphy doesn’t need the ball in his hands to be effective, making him a good fit next to Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland.
21. New Orleans Pelicans - Yves Messi, Big, Baylor
The Pelicans have shown glimpses of being a great team in recent years, but they have yet to get over the hump and make a deep playoff run. With this pick, they could target a center and if they do, they will likely target Zach Edey or Yves Messi. Messi is an athletic big man who loves to dunk the ball and is an awesome offensive rebounder. He’s also a decent shot blocker and he does a good job of limiting turnovers. He could be a decent backup for Jonas Valanciunas for the time being.