Getty Purdue guard Carsen Edwards
When the 2019 NBA Draft rolled around, there were a number of top prospects who had the attention of fans. The likes of Zion Williamson, Ja Morant and RJ Barrett were headliners, but there’s talent to be found throughout this draft. And that’s a part of what makes former Purdue Boilermakers guard Carsen Edwards very interesting to watch.
Edwards is an electrifying prospect who put on a show during the 2019 NCAA Tournament and placed himself squarely on the radar of NBA scouts. But while the 6-foot-1 guard averaged 24.3 points during the 2018-19 season, he’s widely viewed as a late first or early second round selection.
Part of this could have to do with the shooting percentage Edwards posted last season, knocking down just 39.4 percent of his attempts from the field. He did make 45.8 percent the season prior along with 40.6 percent of his attempts from 3-point range. If he’s able to bump his shooting percentage back to where it was in 2017-18, he could be a steal for whichever team selects him.
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Carsen Edwards NBA Draft Projections & Mocks
Edwards is one of many prospects who appears to have worked their way up in mock drafts and projections during the latter part of the college basketball season. His strong play down the stretch led to The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie pegging the Purdue star as an early second-round selection, sending him to the Phoenix Suns at No. 32.
Our own Jon Adams offered an even higher projection for Edwards, sending him to the Milwaukee Bucks with the No. 30 pick in the first round. There’s no question that Edwards can be an exceptional option for both teams, and would likely see a decent amount of playing time specifically with the Suns.
Another interesting pairing which was projected came from ESPN’s Jonathan Givony, who has him listed as the No. 36 selection and heading to the Charlotte Hornets. If the Hornets don’t manage to re-sign Kemba Walker in free agency, they’ll need to add a point guard who can produce early on, so Edwards would make sense.
Carsen Edwards NBA Draft: Suns, Lakers Among Best Fits
The Suns are unquestionably a great option for Edwards, and appear to be a realistic potential new home for the 21-year-old guard. But looking beyond those teams listed above, the Los Angeles Lakers could be a strong option if they are able to trade into the second round. Currently, the Lakers don’t own a second-round selection, but rumblings are that they have an interest in adding one.
Along with Lakers and an obvious choice in the Suns, it would be interesting to see Edwards land with the Philadelphia 76ers. The Sixers need depth and scoring from the second unit, especially if they manage to re-sign both Jimmy Butler and Tobias Harris to big contracts. With that said, Edwards may benefit more from landing with the Suns, as he’d have the opportunity to see increased playing time immediately.
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