Los Angeles Lakers: 5 options for pick No. 4 in 2019 NBA Draft

3. Darius Garland

Mo Williams. Mario Chalmers. Kyrie Irving. James has played and thrived alongside a point guard who can hit shots from outside, providing spacing as well as the ability (except for Chalmers) to create offense when James is sitting or tired.

Darius Garland experienced an extremely abbreviated freshman season at Vanderbilt, going down with a knee injury after five games. Yet in that short time he flashed what could be a truly elite shot, knocking down shots from outside and mid-range with a smooth efficiency. Either off-the-catch or on the pull-up, Garland looks like the kind of player who can knock down shots alongside LeBron James.

His knee injury may give some teams pause, but it happened early enough last year that he should be fully recovered for his rookie season. He brings to the table a tight, confident dribble he can utilize in traffic, with good playmaking ability to set up teammates. He’s just 6’2″, but it’s conceivable he could play in two-guard lineups with Lonzo Ball sliding to the 2.

A head coach like Frank Vogel should also be good for engaging Garland on defense, and as smart as he is, Garland should be able to play better on that end — and certainly recognize its value. Assuming health and normal development, it’s not crazy to think he could become the best point guard to come from this draft.