2020 NBA Mock Draft: Predicting Round 1 of the NBA Draft

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The Warriors are in a wildly interesting situation of having the first overall pick AND returning to full health for the 2020-21 season. There have only been a few teams that have had a similar situation as title contenders AND holding the No. 1 overall pick. Unfortunately for the Warriors, this is a relatively guard heavy top of the draft. There isn’t really a need there with Steph Curry and Klay Thompson.

With that said, if they do choose to keep the pick, and that would be a big if, seeing that they could likely move back and pick up more of a need. While Ball's talent is unquestions, fit would be a question and it seems like a very real possibility that his family baggage prevents him from being the top pick. His father, Lavar, certainly has been a bit quieter now as opposed to when Lonzo was selected by the Lakers a few years back, but it's surely something any team picking LaMelo will have to think about. 

The Cavs face a similar dilemma as the Warriors with this being a guard heavy draft. In each of the past two drafts they’ve selected undersized backcourt players in Collin Sexton and Darius Garland. Unlike the Warriors, the Cavs are years away from contention of any kind, so positional fit should matter less to them. With that said, they’re in the position where they can afford to take a swing on a guy with higher upside, at any position they please.

Wiseman may fit this the best of any prospect. He was a top recruit out of high school that played only three games at Memphis before being declared ineligible for improper benefits. He’s a 7-footer that could be a walking double-double right away on a Cleveland team that may lose a couple of frontcourt pieces this summer. That said, it’s not hard to envision any of the guys slated to go in the top 10 suiting up with the Cavs. 

Another team that already has a full backcourt drafting in the top three of this draft makes this look a little funky. The Wizards are a team that, if healthy, should be a playoff team in the East with both Bradley Beal and John Wall. There are a couple of different directions the Wizards could go here.

A guard could make sense, given the serious nature of the injury Wall is coming back from, but if he’s 80% of the guy he was before the injury, he’ll still be pretty good. The Wizards do need some frontcourt help regardless, and Okongwu could be a guy that gives a team that’s been pretty clueless defensively a pulse on that end of the floor. Not needing to be a focal point offensively early on could be a good thing for the 19-year-old, too.

The Knicks right now have RJ Barrett, Mitchell Robinson, Dennis Smith Jr., and maybe Kevin Knox in terms of a bright future. A franchise that has been seemingly rebuilding forever continues to do such. Edwards is the most talented guy on the board, and certainly could have gone No. 1 overall had the lottery fallen a different way.

Edwards will be able to help carry the load offensively for the Knicks. Even if New York isn’t exactly a low-pressure environment, there shouldn’t be super high expectations for the Knicks next year, and that’s a good thing for Edwards. 

The Hawks already have a star in Trae Young, terrific complimentary players in John Collins and Clint Capela in the frontcourt, and a need for better defenders on the wing. Last year’s No. 4 overall pick DeAndre Hunter hasn’t had a particularly great rookie season on either end of the floor. Vassell sort of fills the same role that Hunter does. He’s a strong defender both on and off the ball and shot the 3-pointer this year at Florida State at over a 40% clip.

If the Hawks are going to transform into a playoff team like many across the NBA expect, they’re going to need more than just Young to get them there. 

The Pistons are just at the beginning of a rebuild that has already seen them trade away Andre Drummond, and could see them trade away Blake Griffin at some point in the future too. There isn’t a spot on the floor where they don’t need additional help moving forward.

The two pieces they have that will likely be part of their future foundation are Luke Kennard and Sekou Doumbouya. Avdija likely won’t blossom into a star the way Luka Doncic did, but he should be able to contribute at a decent level in the NBA for a long time. 

It turns out that the Bulls might actually have their future backcourt in Coby White and Zach LaVine. But both of those guys fit more of the score-first role than someone that makes other players better. Haliburton could be the guy that helps those two get better when some combination of the three of them is on the floor.

There are concerns that he may not be someone that can go and get a bucket whenever he needs to, but he’ll have no problem helping others do so. Haliburton also could do some damage off the ball as a spot up shooter. He knocked down over 40% of his threes over two years at Iowa State. His form isn’t picture-perfect, but it certainly has gotten the job done thus far. 

The Hornets had a season (if it is actually over) that wasn’t anything special, but it was better than many expected. With the emergence of Devonta Graham and the hefty price tag of Terry Rozier, it’s unlikely they’ll be looking for help in the backcourt at this spot.

What the Hornets do need to improve upon is defense, and Okoro is one of the best options in this spot for them. In today’s game that requires many players to be super-switchy, the 6-foot-6 Okoro fits that mold pretty well. Offensively, his game needs work, but with the aforementioned backcourt, as well as PJ Washington in the frontcourt, the Hornets don’t need this pick to be instant offense. 

Devin Booker has struggled to find someone that fits with him in the backcourt throughout his entire career. This season, Ricky Rubio was tasked with doing that, and ultimately did help a lot. Rubio will still be around for the foreseeable future, but he’s already 30 years old and not getting any younger. Hayes looks a lot like a D’Angelo Russell type player at first glance of his game.

The lefty has a pretty polished step-back that resembles James Harden’s and can find teammates in open spaces pretty well. He didn’t shoot the ball particularly well from deep this past season in France, but he made nearly 90% of his attempts from the free throw line, suggesting that his jumper should improve with a bit of work. 

Welcome to the NBA Draft Lottery, San Antonio! It’s been a loooooong time since you’ve been here. The Spurs are set to miss the playoffs for the first time in forever and are rewarded with the 11th pick in this mock. They aren’t getting as lucky as the last time they were in the lottery and picked Tim Duncan, that’s for sure.

Williams is a guy on the wing that could turn into a really strong player for San Antonio through development, which is the Spurs’ specialty as we all know. Right now, Williams is good at a few things: running to the rim and finishing around it, blocking shots, and moving the basketball. The Spurs can work on his shooting and defensive versatility and turn him into a real player. 

The Kings have been an afterthought for such a long time in the NBA it’s easy to forget about just how good De’Aaron Fox and Buddy Hield can be. They don’t really need much help in the backcourt when you add Bogdan Bogdanovic into the mix as well. That said, they desperately need some help on the wing and haven’t been able to find it.

Nesmith could be that guy to help as a 3-and-D type player. He doesn’t need the ball in his hands to be successful offensively, and knocked down over 50% of his shots from deep as a sophomore at Vandy. He won’t be someone that can lead offenses, but he could be a perfect complimentary piece that most teams will covet. 

The Pelicans are oozing with young talent. With Zion Williamson, Jaxson Hayes, Lonzo Ball, and Brandon Ingram all set up to be pieces of a successful core for years to come, the need to add talent mostly comes in the form of shooting. Sure, JJ Redick is still around and he’s about as lights out as they come, but he can’t possibly play forever. Sure, they have Jrue Holiday as well, but it’s unclear how long he’ll be on the Pelicans too.

It makes sense for the Pels to go after some shooting and some instant offense in this spot. Anthony didn’t play with a very talented North Carolina squad this season and missed time due to a knee surgery. But it’s plausible to think that he’ll improve at the next level when surrounded with more talent and space. Whether he’s an instant offensive creator off the bench or a spot up shooter with Williamson on the floor, this seems to be a pretty good fit. 

The Blazers have had a disappointing year – thanks in large part to injuries – after reaching the Western Conference Finals a season ago. Damian Lillard has been as electric as ever, but they just haven’t had enough firepower for the most part this season. Their wing depth should be restored a bit next year with Zach Collins and Rodney Hood returning from injury at some point. The most tradeable asset they have right now is guard Anfernee Simons.

By drafting Terry, the Blazers are taking another shot with an undersized guard – something they’ve shown they can handle. Terry’s game combines nifty passing and vison with terrific shooting and range. He’s a really good offensive player that is going to be targeted on defense all the time because of the fact he’s only 6-foot-2. His handle seems a little loose at the moment, and he doesn’t get to the rim as well as he should despite being a good finisher once he does get there. 

The Markelle Fultz reclamation project has actually gone pretty well for Orlando after trading for him last season. He’s not the same guy that many expected him to be when the 76ers selected him first overall in 2017, but he’s also not the non-factor he was in Philly. Orlando has things working pretty well on the wing with Jonathan Isaac and Aaron Gordon, but Fultz needs a backcourt mate and Maxey could be a good fit here.

He would add another strong defender to the bunch with a strong upside offensively. He can’t play as fast as Fultz can, but he should be a better shooter on the outside.  

The Wolves are the first team to make their second pick as a result of owning Brooklyn’s lottery-protected pick. When the Wolves made a number of moves to re-work the roster this winter, the biggest piece they dealt away was Robert Covington. He’s a terrific defender and an above-average shooter on a reasonable contract. This means that they need a replacement, and Green could be someone that slides into that role.

He has a smooth stroke from the outside, doesn’t need to dominate the ball to help offensively, and is a strong defender. He wouldn’t have as large of a role as Covington did in Minnesota, but he could make an impact right away, especially on the defensive end. 

The Celtics have quite a bit of top-end talent in terms of ballhandlers and wings but don’t have enough depth at those spots, and it shows at times. While Marcus Smart surely can guard every position on the floor, there’s only one of him. Adding a guy like Bey to the mix would help alleviate some of the pressure on the starting lineup that the Celtics have faced.

He can do a bit of creating but mostly will have a role as a spot-up shooter offensively. That said, his form is a bit wonky right now. Defensively, he doesn’t have many weaknesses that are easy to see in college and moves well enough at 6-foot-8 where he should be able to match up with wings and backcourt guys. 

The Mavericks are in the enviable spot of having their young foundational piece in Luka Doncic. He looks every bit like a future MVP of the league and isn’t even close to the prime of his career. That said, the Mavericks aren’t exactly a finished product yet, even with Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis.

Adding a backcourt mate to Doncic to help carry the load a little bit could be a good idea for the Mavs. While Doncic is a maestro with the ball in his hands, Lewis Jr. is more of a speed demon with it. The tempo he plays with would be a great change of pace from Doncic’s, and he can create more space on the floor with a solid outside jumper. 

The Bucks have more in mind than just this draft, as everything they do centers around trying to keep Giannis Antetokounmpo beyond 2021 and win championships. With that said, a team that emphasizes perimeter shooting and defense as much as Milwaukee does could use another guy like McDaniels. He’s got the ability to be an average-to-above average 3-point shooter at the NBA level and can also handle the ball at an efficient level.

He’s not the passer that he could be, and he doesn’t defend at the level he needs to in order to survive at the NBA yet – other than as a shot blocker. The tools to be a good defender are certainly there, but adding weight to his 6-foot-9, 200-pound frame will be a necessity. 

The Nets are sort of tough to assess right now. The fact that Kevin Durant hasn’t played this year due to his torn achilles suffered in last year’s NBA Finals, combined with a very limited Kyrie Irving and that we have no idea who is going to be coaching Brooklyn next season means that it’s a bit hard to envision their identity. This much we know: they should be really good.

It’s also easy to see this pick being part of a package to try and add another star type piece to the Nets. That said, if the Nets keep this pick, Woodard II might be one of the better fits. At Mississippi State last year he shot just a shade under 43% from deep and has a pretty high level of athleticism which helps both at the rim and defensively. He’s listed at 6-foot-7 with a 7-foot-1 wingspan. He should be able to help out on the rebounding aspect of things, too. 

The Nuggets have a ready-made team that has almost every piece they need to become true contenders, they just all need to get a tad better to be taken seriously among the best in the NBA. Whomever they draft is going to have a tough time breaking into Mike Malone’s rotation next season. Just as we’ve seen with Michael Porter Jr. this year – who has been fantastic when he’s played – it can be tough for young guys to get minutes under Malone.

Bolmaro will be coming over as a 19-year-old that’s already been playing professionally in Europe. He certainly isn’t ready to be a day one contributor in the NBA, but when watching his tape, the potential is clearly there. He can make almost every pass imaginable, and that’s obviously his best skill to this point. His jumper isn’t all that great right now, but could improve with proper development. 

*Note: OKC retains this pick if they draft higher than 21st. 

The Sixers are a bit like the Nets because we’re unsure who is going to be coaching them. It’s entirely possible that the season being suspended saved Brett Brown’s job, but we still don’t know. Philadelphia underachieved this year without question. As far as Hampton goes, this is admittedly a pretty far slide for him down the first round.

He went and played professionally in the NBL and played less than 20 minutes per game. It feels tough to gauge just how good he is based on that. But it can be said that he has a high upside athletically and that his jumper needs work, which is nothing new for a Sixers guard. 

It shouldn’t surprise anybody if Pat Riley decides to move this pick as part of a package to add another piece to make the Heat true championship contenders. Their window is right now, and none of the players on the board are guys that move the needle that much. Mannion should be a really good shooter at the next level and be able to be at least a secondary playmaker.

His size hurts him on the defensive end of the floor, and the fact that he’s 6-foot-3 with a 6-foot-2.5 wingspan doesn’t help either. The other option at this spot could be Cassius Winston. We’ll get to him later, but if Miami would want to move this pick, Mannion would get more back in a trade. 

The Mike Conley Era hasn’t gone as well as expected for the Jazz, and maybe that changes in the near future. The Jazz were expected to be a team that finished near the top of the West, and eyed a deep postseason run. That just hasn’t been the case so far  this year. Again, maybe when basketball is back, things change.

As far as Dotson goes, he’s undersized, but one of the quicker guards in this draft. His outside shot needs work, but there’s hope that will come to fruition thanks to a solid free throw stroke. Despite his size, he’s a strong finisher at the rim. He’s a decent defender but it’s plausible to think he’ll struggle early on at the NBA level and be targeted often because of his size. 

The Oklahoma City Thunder are on the clock. Those are words you’re going to get used to hearing rather often over the next few years thanks to the fact that they’ve seemingly traded for every available draft pick ever from the Clippers and the Rockets. This pick is the result of a trade that sent Jerami Grant to Denver this past offseason. Smith has some pretty raw potential coming out of Maryland.

He’s nearly 7-feet tall, can shoot from outside at a reasonable clip, rebounds relatively well, and blocks shots. He’ll need to put on weight in order to be an adequate defender at the NBA level, which is a tough task already for him given his lack of quickness. 

Here’s the second of three picks for the Celtics. While it’s already been detailed above what Boston’s situation is, it should be noted that the Celtics don’t love spending big assets on big guys. They’ve found big man contributors in spots just like these. Achiuwa could be just that. He’s a tad undersized to play the five at just 6-foot-9, but he’s got a relatively high motor and is athletic enough to create some havoc offensively.

It’s tough to envision him becoming a good shooter, however. When he shoots from the outside, he rarely looks confident after his release, even on shots that draw nothing but net. Has the feel of a guy who never stops moving and runs the floor really well.

As mentioned before with the Knicks, they need a lot of help. Bey should come in and be a good defender from the moment he steps on the floor. His measurables of 6-foot-7 with a 7-foot-1 wingspan are what defensive dreams are made of. He might not be quick enough laterally to switch onto some of the game’s better guards, but his length will help to make up for some of that. Offensively, his game seems pretty raw, but it also looks like he played more as a big at Colorado than he will in the NBA. 

The Raptors just continue to develop talent at an uncanny rate. They haven’t necessarily done all that well with their first round picks, although OG Anunoby looked like he started to put it together a little bit this year. They have, however, continually found diamonds in the rough with undrafted guys like Fred VanVleet and Terence Davis.

Stewart plays pretty strong down low on both ends of the floor. Isn’t as quick as he could be and that will hurt him when he has to switch on quicker perimeter players. He’s pretty energetic and should be able to carve out a role off the bench because of that. 

The Lakers are in a great position at almost every spot right now, and like a few other contenders, this pick could be used to grab other talent that could be more NBA ready, but Winston would be a really good fit with the Lakers. Rajon Rondo isn’t what he once was at the point guard position and that’s led to LeBron James spending a ton of time at that spot.

While that might not be out of the ordinary for James, it would help to have someone that could ease that load a little bit. Winston is one of the older players in the draft at 22 years old, but he’s also one of the lower ceiling/higher floor guys. The Lakers don’t need a star here, they just need someone to come in and help run an offense. 

Just like their previous pick at No. 26, the Celtics go with another big in this spot. Oturu might struggle to guard some of the more dominant centers in the league, but he’s got length and his shot came a long way last season at Minnesota. He’s got decent upside but will be a project in the NBA. Worth the risk with the last pick in the first round.