2020 NBA Mock Draft (V.10)

BATON ROUGE, LA - MARCH 07: Georgia Bulldogs guard Anthony Edwards (5) dribbles the ball during a game between the Georgia Bulldogs and the LSU Tigers at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana on March 7, 2020. (Photo by John Korduner/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

There’s certainly been noise about the Wolves trading out of this spot as we inch closer to the draft. That would make sense given the fact that the Wolves may not need another star player around Karl-Anthony Towns and D’Angelo Russell, and even if they did, this draft may not contain it. There are a few interesting teams that could make a deal with the Wolves, but Charlotte may be the one that makes the most sense. That would allow the Wolves to grab another asset (or two) for moving back, and still get the player they have their eyes on.

Anthony Edwards might be the guy that the Wolves have their eyes on. In a draft that doesn’t have a surefire top overall pick, Edwards seems like they guy that balances both being a safe pick and one with a relatively high ceiling. Will he ever be the best player on a team that wins a title? That's hard to see. But he does look like a guy that can be very good for a very long time. He needs to improve his shot selection—which can partly be attributed to playing for a bad Georgia team—and needs to be focused more often on the defensive end, but the tools to become very good-to-great are there.

Watching what the Warriors do with this pick is one of the more fascinating parts of draft night. It’s a rarity that a franchise with as much recent success, and the expectation of immediate success, makes a selection this early on. Golden State is just 17 months away from playing in the NBA Finals, and if the Warriors won it all next June, would anybody really be surprised? Of course not.

James Wiseman is the most plug-and-play guy that the Warriors can select here while also having a legitimate hope that his ceiling is high enough to potentially be a face of the franchise one day. His role at the start would obviously be small, and asking him to set screens, run to the rim, and protect it on the defensive end seems like a very realistic ask. The Warriors may be the team that can get the most out of Wiseman right away, but the bigger question is whether or not they’re the team that wants him the most.

The common thought floating around is that the Hornets might be the team most apt to move up in the draft. If they prefer Wiseman, he may not be there at this spot. This could be a case where the Hornets would rather be sure they can get who they want rather than risk and be stuck with the alternative.

LaMelo Ball might be the guy in this draft with the biggest difference between his ceiling and his floor. He’s going to be great in transition with the ball in his hands. He’s got the ability to make every pass imaginable, and for a guy his age, 19, that’s incredibly impressive. The downside here is that Ball is going to try every pass, no matter how flashy, that he can. He makes too many bad decisions right now to fully trust, and that’s before bringing up his inconsistencies as a defender and a bad jump shooter.

It’s hard to get a feel for the Bulls right now, partly because of the newness of the front office in Chicago. The Bulls did make a bit of a splash when they hired Billy Donovan as head coach, and the hope has to be that he’ll get much more out of this roster than Jim Boylen was able to. There’s actually a decent amount of talent in Chicago with the likes of Coby White, Zach LaVine, Lauri Markkanen, Wendell Carter Jr., and Otto Porter Jr. Adding another really talented, young player to the mix is only going to help raise the ceiling.

Deni Avdija is an interesting prospect that can do a little bit of everything from the wing. He isn’t a terrific shooter yet – although he did post improved numbers in Europe after the COVID-19 shutdown—but he is a very strong playmaker. Despite having White and LaVine, that’s something Chicago is missing. If those guys have a guy on the wing like Avdija that can make things easier for them, the offense in Chicago should look much better next season than it has in the past.

Maybe this is an unpopular take, but the Cavaliers not winning the lottery and landing the fifth pick in this draft is a pretty strong place for them to be. This is a team that has a very glaring need on the wing, which may only have been satisfied by one player taken prior to their draft slot (Avdija). This is a roster loaded with three young, talented guards, and a clogged frontcourt with Kevin Love, Andre Drummond, Larry Nance Jr., and possibly a Tristan Thompson return, too.

Adding a wing that can help improve a historically bad defense should be the goal here, and that’s exactly what Isaac Okoro could do right away. He’ll walk into Cleveland and instantly become their best wing defender, or at worst a very close second behind Dante Exum. On the offensive end his jump shot needs to be improved for him to reach his full potential as a threat. But right now, he’s athletic enough to get into the lane as a cutter and finish while he’s at the rim.

The Hawks were certainly one of the more disappointing teams in the NBA this past season. Some had predicted them as a contender for a playoff spot in the bottom of the Eastern Conference thanks to Trae Young’s stellar offensive game. But it’s evident that Young alone isn’t enough to get it done, despite how good the rising star is. This is a team that still has a number of holes that need to be fixed before they’re ready to compete.

The wing is one of the spots that the Hawks need help and getting a 3-and-D guy like Vassell should help them on both ends of the court. He’s a better creator and shooter than Okoro—taken one spot ahead of him—but not the same caliber of defender at this point. He’ll be able to both knock down shots in catch-and-shoot opportunities and function as a secondary creator should he be asked to do so. He may not be a great defender, but he certainly could be the best that Atlanta has on the wing.

It’s not a hot take these days to think that the Pistons have the least inspiring roster in the NBA at this point. Sure, Blake Griffin and Derrick Rose are still around, but that sounds much cooler in 2011 than it does in 2020. Last year’s first-round pick, Sekou Doumbouya, is a bit of a project, and after him, there isn’t much that gives reason to be excited about the future in Detroit. The Pistons are in a spot where they finally are taking on a legitimate rebuild, it seems, and nailing this pick is very important for them.

Grabbing a player that can be the point guard of the future should be of high importance for the Pistons, and Killian Hayes fits that mold. Hayes can both facilitate for others and create his own offense. He’s left-hand dominant, to a fault. In order to be successful in the NBA he needs become stronger going to his right and a more balanced attack offensively. His step-back jumper isn’t quite to the level of James Harden’s but certainly resembles a lighter version of it. He could end up being one of the better players in this draft and should be a starter for a long time in the NBA.

The top goal for the Knicks this offseason—really, over the course of the next couple of years—should be to find someone worth pairing with RJ Barrett. That may prove to be a difficult task this far down in the draft, and the Knicks certainly could be a candidate to move up into the top five should they fall in love with a prospect they think fits better than someone available at No. 8.

While Obi Toppin certainly isn’t a backcourt player that can be paired with Barrett, he would make for a good complementary player in the frontcourt. Toppin may be one of the worst defenders in this draft, but he also doesn’t have any glaring weaknesses on the offensive side of the court. He isn’t particularly great at any one thing on offense, but he can do everything at a high enough level to be a successful NBA player. The Knicks would still be searching for a star to put alongside Barrett, but Toppin would certainly make them better right now.

The Wizards are in a precarious spot right now. Bradley Beal is a star, but the success of the team likely depends on what John Wall looks like as he returns from a torn Achilles. Wall hasn’t played in an NBA game since Dec. 26, 2018, meaning it will be right around two full years since we've seen him suit up. If Wall is the guy that made five straight All-Star games prior to his injury, then the Wizards are in a good spot. If he looks like a 30-year-old that’s coming back from a major injury, then the future may not be as bright for the Wizards.

Regardless of how Wall looks, Washington will need to be a much better team on the defensive end of the floor. The Wizards finished 29th in defense, and generally just had zero interest in being remotely competitive on that end of the floor. Onyeka Okongwu isn’t going to be the defensive savior, but he’s a step in the right direction on that end of the floor. He’ll immediately step in as the best defender on the team and may be able to start changing the culture on that end of the floor. Offensively, he won’t have that big of a role, but if he can set strong screens for Beal and Wall and then dive to the rim, he’ll be successful.

The Suns were the early stars of the bubble and have to hope to continue that momentum over to next season. They went 8-0 in the seeding games and still missed the playoffs, but have plenty of reason to feel good about what their next steps should look like and the Suns should be vying for a playoff spot next season.

With how great Devin Booker has been, it’s time to seriously get him a bit more help in the backcourt. This year, Phoenix had Ricky Rubio alongside him in the backcourt and it helped tremendously. Adding another guy to help get Booker the ball and one that can do some scoring himself would be a big help, and that’s exactly what Tyrese Haliburton is. He did a little bit of everything at Iowa State, posting averages of 15.2 PPG, 5.9 RPG, and 6.5 APG. His jump shot isn't the prettiest, but it produced results while in college.

This sounds odd to say, but the Spurs might make sense as a team to trade up for a higher pick. They haven’t been in this position in forever and may finally be embarking on a real rebuild. Trading up for a centerpiece to that rebuild makes sense on a few different levels. If they do stay put at No. 11, they likely won’t find a star to build around, but should be able to find someone that helps on the fringes, which is something the Spurs have been more successful with than almost any other franchise.

Patrick Williams may have a decent amount of untapped potential in his game. While the fact that he’s one of the youngest players in this draft may be a touch overblown, he still does have room to grow as a basketball player. Right now, he’ll be able to contribute as a strong defender than can be switched among different positions on that end of the court. His jump shot isn’t quite where he needs to be yet, but the Spurs to have a history of being able to develop guys very well on that end of the floor.

At some point, the Kings need to make the playoffs, right? It’s been since 2006 that they’ve made the postseason. To try and put that into perspective a little bit, 2006 was the first year LeBron James MADE the playoffs in his career. Since then, James has been to 10 NBA Finals, and the Kings haven’t sniffed success. They’ve gotten close over the next couple of seasons, and maybe next year is finally the year they break through.

One of the more interesting things about this offseason is the report that Buddy Hield won’t even return the texts of head coach Luke Walton and wants out of Sacramento. He certainly could be on the move and would need to be replaced if that’s the case. Saddiq Bey is an interesting candidate for that type of role. He’s a bit bigger than Hield (6'8") and while he may not be quite the same caliber of shooter as Hield, Bey should be a better defender and hold his own in catch-and-shoot opportunities on the perimeter.

The Pelicans are going to be one of the teams—Golden State not withstanding—in the lottery with the highest expectations for next season. They have Zion Williamson, the NBA’s Most Improved Player in Brandon Ingram (a restricted free-ageny this offseason), and plenty of other young talent to go along with those two. Whether or not Jrue Holiday will still be around is one of the more interesting storylines surrounding this team, but the hiring of Stan Van Gundy suggests that this franchise expects to make the playoffs sooner rather than later.

If the Pelicans trade Holiday, they may be looking for their point guard of the future—that is, if they don’t believe it to be Lonzo Ball. Tyrell Terry may be a touch undersized and certainly will be targeted on the defensive end, but he could also give the Pelicans an opportunity to become one of the best offensive teams in the NBA if he pans out. Terry’s shooting from the outside isn’t quite Steph Curry or Trae Young, but it’s somewhat in Young’s ballpark when he was coming out of Oklahoma. He can create for himself, get to the rim, and create for others. His finishing in the NBA may take a hit because of his size, but he could turn out to be a great thing for New Orleans.

The Celtics are close and missing just a piece or two. What they don’t have quite yet is a respectable big man. Daniel Thiess is okay at best, and Enes Kanter could be played off the floor relatively easily in most matchups. The Celtics have also been a team recently that hasn’t wanted to invest heavy money into a big. That strategy is understandable, but after not being able to contain Miami’s Bam Adebayo this postseason, it’s one that needs to be rethought.

Maybe Precious Achiuwa is an answer Boston’s woes, maybe he’s not, but it’s a swing it feels like the Celtics need to take with at least one of their first-round picks (we’ll dive into that in a later selection). Achiuwa is a high energy guy that won’t ever be the center of an offense or defense, but he will be a contributor at a relatively high level as a role player.

Getting out of the middle one way or another should be a goal for the Magic this offseason. They’re a playoff team with a very limited ceiling at the moment, but their floor is also a little too high to be bad enough to use the tanking route to improve. This team needs more talent, plain and simple. Maybe they move on from Aaron Gordon this offseason, or maybe they find a different way to change things up, but that change is certainly needed. They are, however, certainly in a position where they can take a player that they feel is the best on the board, regardless of position, which can be a rarity this deep into the draft.

Tyrese Maxey isn’t a sure thing in the NBA, but given his skillset and the track record of guards that Kentucky has recently put into the league, this is a pick that certainly makes sense. Maxey has good length that will help him defensively and profiles as someone that will become a better shooter once he gets into the NBA, partly because of his 83 percent mark from the free throw stripe. He’s comfortable operating on the ball but should be able to share ballhandling duties with Markelle Fultz in Orlando if they were to make this pick.

The Trail Blazers were one of only two teams (the other being the Lakers) that went into the bubble missing a starter due to an opt out. Trevor Ariza didn’t make the trip to Orlando, and it was evident that he was missed on the defensive end of the floor. Portland has a ton of talent and depth in the backcourt, but not out on the wing. If the Blazers are going to take the next step, that’s going to need to change, especially in a Western Conference loaded with incredible wing players.

Aaron Nesmith will be able to fill that type of void when depth gets sapped, and he’ll be able to bolster things when they’re fully stocked. Nesmith might not immediately be a great defender in the NBA, but he should be able to contribute with his jumper right away. While at Vanderbilt this past season he connected on over 50 percent from deep—albeit on a small sample size due to a foot injury. Will he shoot that well in the NBA? Absolutely not. Can he make 40 percent or so of his 3-pointers? It shouldn’t surprise anyone.

Minnesota already has the top overall pick in the draft but moving up from No. 17 into the low teens could be something to watch for, too. Not only do they have this pick, but the Wolves also have the No. 33 pick in the draft, giving them the ammunition to try and get into the late lottery if they so desire. This roster still has plenty of holes and adding the most talented guy that fits in here would be a great idea.

Right now, one of those holes is the backup point guard spot. Last year, two-way guard Jordan McLaughlin played a many of the minutes behind Russell after the dust settled with a number of different trades made last winter. McLaughlin was OK, but this spot is one that certainly needs to be upgraded, and Cole Anthony could be just that. Anthony was one of the top players in the country coming out of high school but didn’t have the freshman year at North Carolina that many envisioned due to a knee injury and a lack of talent throughout the rest of the Tar Heels’ roster. This might be a bit of a gamble, but it could pay off big.

The Mavericks are a trade candidate in this spot, too. With Luka Doncic already ascending to MVP-like levels, Dallas is almost ready to win on the big stage, but they need just a bit more help for Doncic first. While that’s unlikely to come from this pick, this pick could be used in a trade to acquire that help. That is, if the Mavericks don’t save up their cap space for next summer when Giannis Antetokounmpo could become a free agent.

Like Anthony above, RJ Hampton was one of the top high school players in the country last year. He chose to take a different route and head to play professionally in New Zealand, but that was rather underwhelming and hurt his stock. Hampton is one of the most athletic guys in this draft, but hasn’t been able to put it all together quite yet. He’s a lottery ticket that could end up being one of the best players in the draft, but for that to happen his jump shot would need to improve drastically.

Brooklyn has already had an interesting offseason with the hiring of Steve Nash as head coach with assistant coaches Amar’e Stoudemire and Mike D’Antoni on his staff. The Nets are in win-now mode with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving back from last year’s injuries. What the rest of the roster may be influx, and this pick could be part of a package to add a third star to that already outstanding duo.

Josh Green is a bit of a developmental pick for the Nets, but he profiles as a guy that can be a role player that would fit in very nicely with the rest of this roster. He’s a switchable defender that will be able to guard a few different positions effectively. On offense he won’t be able to create much for himself or for others, but if he’s a threat to knock down open 3-pointers, there shouldn’t be any complaints.

Miami’s run to Game 6 of the NBA Finals was awesome. What they were able to do with Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo—and a bunch of other guys we don’t have the space to list—was wildly impressive. Once Adebayo started to become more beat up, the task of stopping the Lakers became nearly impossible. If Miami can find another way to get an additional star in town—maybe one that currently plays in Milwaukee—the sky is the limit for the future.

One of the downfalls for Miami was the lack of depth they had behind Adebayo in the frontcourt. They’re likely not going to find a guy as good as him this deep in the draft, but Isaiah Stewart is one of their best shots at finding a comparable player to him. Stewart was one of the top players in his high school class, but hasn’t reached his full potential yet. He’s a very athletic big man that probably is best served as an energy guy off the bench, but with Miami’s development success in the past, they should be able to get more out of him than that.

After firing Brett Brown and hiring Doc Rivers we all thought the Sixers were done making splash moves, at least as far as the staff was concerned. Then, news broke last week that Philadelphia was hiring former Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey to lead its basketball operations. Now, things may get a little bit nuts. What Morey always did in Houston was try to have two different star players. First, it was Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming, then it was James Harden and Chris Paul, and lastly, Harden and Russell Westbrook. The Sixers already have their two stars in Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons, but seeing what Morey thinks the best fit in terms of surrounding pieces will be fascinating to watch.

As for Kira Lewis Jr., the Sixers do need to become more dynamic on the perimeter and he would help to solve that a little bit. He thrives in transition, which does fit into what the Sixers offensive philosophy tends to be when Simmons is on the floor. Lewis can create for both himself and others on the fly and when the game takes more of a halfcourt setting. With his size a little bit smaller, he could be targeted on the defensive end of the floor, but with so many plus defenders in Philadelphia, that shouldn’t be too much of a problem.

Denver needs a little bit more to become a true title contender, but some of that may just come from the natural progression of Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic. The Joker has been a real problem for some time now, but Murray’s performance in the bubble put him on another level. If he continues that upward trajectory, the Nuggets are going to be tough to deal with for a long time. Add in Michael Porter Jr.’s progression to that mix, and things can get scary in Denver.

With everything said above about Denver’s star players, the Nuggets do need a bit more help on the wing. Robert Woodard is a player that won’t become a star in the NBA, but he does have the chance to be a high-end role player for a long time. His defense will be a help to a unit that was one of the worst in the bubble during the playoffs. Offensively, he has a decent jumper from the outside and does a good job finding his way to the rim as a cutter.

One of the things that gets lost in the shuffle is just how close the Jazz were to actually beating the Nuggets in the playoffs this year. Mike Conley Jr.’s 3-pointer went about as far down as possible before rimming out and totally changing the trajectory of the playoffs. The most interesting thing to look for this offseason with the Jazz is going to be the negotiations between the team and center Rudy Gobert, who is eligible for a supermax extension. With the team recently being sold to tech billionaire Ryan Smith, that might be a reason to think the franchise will up their spending a bit.

Jaden McDaniels is more of a boom-or-bust pick, but this type of potential may be too enticing to pass on this late in the draft. McDaniels was very highly rated as a prospect coming out of high school in 2019 but didn’t have the type of season that many expected him to at Washington. He’s got tons of raw potential, but his jump shot needs lots of work. He’s relied on crazy athleticism to get him to where he is. If he can become better at some fundamental things, he could be really good.

The clock is ticking on the Milwaukee Bucks, and it seems like every day those ticks become louder and louder. Two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo is eligible to sign a supermax extension, which will certainly be offered by the Bucks the very second that it’s technically allowed to be. Whether or not Antetokounmpo elects to sign that deal is still yet to be seen. Either way, every single move that the Bucks make needs to be with the thought of trying to win a championship next season, because it just might be their last chance for a long time.

With everything said above, finding a player to immediately help win a championship in the draft is a pretty difficult ask, especially all the way down with the 24th selection. If there’s a deal to be made to help win now, the Bucks should show no restraint in including this pick to get it done. As for Jahmi’us Ramsey, he would fit into Milwaukee’s system and could help to alleviate some playmaking responsibilities the Bucks struggle with when things bog down. His shooting on the outside is a plus, especially on a team that takes as many threes as they can.

It finally may be time for the Thunder to press the reset button. It’s been a great run of playoff experiences for the Thunder, with the most impressive being this past season after moving on from Russell Westbrook and Paul George. Building around Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has to be the goal for the Thunder, and with tons of draft picks in the near future, they should be taking big swings whenever they can, especially this deep in the draft.

Jalen Smith is a guy filled with raw talent on both ends of the floor, and if he figures out how to harness it, he could be a really good NBA player. He’s listed at 6'10" with a wingspan over 7' and has extended range with his jumper. While at Maryland he shot just a shade under 37 percent from beyond the arc. He’s also a good defender and can defend the rim. His defensive abilities are set back a bit by slow feet, but he’s certainly worth the pick.

This is the second of three first-round picks for the Celtics, and it makes too much sense for them to make a trade. Not only do they have more picks than they need, but they also currently have 14 players with contracts for next season – presuming Gordon Hayward opts in. Simple math tells you that without doing roster gymnastics—which very well could happen—Boston just doesn’t have the room to select three guys in the first round this year.

Aleksej Pokusevski is another big man that Boston could consider taking a chance on. He’s not going to be great defensively, but he could become an offensive weapon. For his size he moves pretty well and is a very good passer. His outside shot is NBA-ready right now as well. One of the biggest questions about him is how durable he will be, especially against bigger opponents. He’s listed at 7' and just over 200 pounds. Putting him in an NBA program could help to change that.

Tyler Bey is going to be an interesting developmental case in the NBA. While he was at Colorado, he essentially played a different position than he will likely play in the NBA. He was used more on the interior than the perimeter, and that should be flipped once he becomes a pro. His athleticism made it possible for him to play against bigger guys in college, and that should be the reason that he can make the transition successfully in the NBA. His experience in the post will help him on the defensive end as a switchable defender, but the question of whether or not he will be quick enough to stick on guards is what’s important.

The Lakers should feel great about themselves after winning their 17th championship in franchise history. But if they want to repeat, they’ll probably need to add some more talent to the roster next season. Things could be shaping up for a serious arms race in the Western Conference, especially since the Lakers don’t have the invincible type of feeling that surround the Warriors for much of the latter half of the last decade. This pick could be part of a trade—first-round picks very rarely play on LeBron James-led teams as rookies—and that could be the real avenue to improving through the draft.

Malachi Flynn may be one of the more underrated prospects in this draft. He’s coming off of a season where he was named the Mountain West Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year. The defense might not translate quite as well to the NBA as his offense should. Flynn is very polished on the offensive end as a scorer and a playmaker. His best passing typically has come in pick-and-roll situations, but he’s comfortable creating for himself as well. He can shoot relatively well both off the catch or off the bounce. His size limits his finishing around the rim, and there’s a question of how well he’ll be able to get there against better competition in the NBA.

The Raptors were a fun story all year long until they ran out of gas against Boston in the playoffs. Their most important question this offseason is whether or not they pay Fred VanVleet. It’s no secret that they have eyes on the free agent class of 2021 and hope to land a big-time name when that time comes. We won’t know how that plays out for some time, but after winning the title in 2019 and being contenders for the last handful of years, the Raptors are quietly becoming one of the better franchises in the NBA under Masai Ujiri.

One reason the Raptors have been as consistently good as they’ve been is because they’ve become a player development factory. No stone has gone unturned in searching for the next contributor on the roster. VanVleet is a prime example, as is Pascal Siakam, and a list of others. Isaiah Joe profiles as a bench player that can come in and succeed in a 3-and-D role in the NBA. He could turn into more than that with the proper development, and if there is any franchise that could end up making that happen, it’s probably Toronto.

Desmond Bane is an older prospect (already 22 years old) and one that has developed pretty nicely while at TCU. He’s a good shooter from the outside and can create for himself and others in the halfcourt. He won’t have a ton put on his plate in the NBA, but he should be able to contribute as a role player, and with the woes Boston has had coming off its bench, that should be welcomed.