Philadelphia 76ers roundtable: Pre-lottery 2020 NBA mock draft
25th pick: Thunder- Vernon Carey Jr.
Geib-
Vernon Carey Jr. led the Duke Blue Devil’s in points, rebounds, and blocks this past season as a freshman and solidified himself as a first-round draft pick. Carey is an all-around player with professional offensive and defensive tools. He will need to attempt more shots outside the paint at the next level, which should not be a big ask considering he has proven he has the ability during his time at Duke.
Oklahoma City surprised everyone this year finishing fifth in a stacked Western Conference, in a year many thought would be a disappointment after trading Russell Westbrook. Chris Paul has taken the young players under his wing and been a mentor in their development. Carey should fit into this system well and benefit from being drafted by the Thunder.
light. Also. NBA Draft 2020: Top 5 international prospects
26th pick: Celtics- Tre Jones
Geib-
Tre Jones will follow his Duke teammate Vernon Carey Jr. in the draft and land with the Boston Celtics. With the Celtics drafting Nico Manion earlier and having Kemba Walker this may seem counterintuitive, but Jones is simply the best available prospect on the board at 26. Boston does not necessarily have to keep all three-point guards on their roster going forward but passing on Jones here would be a mistake.
Jones finished the season second in the ACC in assists per game and sixth in steals per game. He is a gritty player who makes up for his lack of size with effort. An appropriate NBA comparable is T.J. McConnell. Jones will most likely bring energy off the bench and help motivate a second lineup. Additionally, whereas Walker and Manion have the skills to play off the ball, Jones is a pure point guard.