Philadelphia 76ers roundtable: Pre-lottery 2020 NBA mock draft
3rd pick: Timberwolves- LaMelo Ball
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The Timberwolves are going through a major retooling right now. They traded small forward Andrew Wiggins for point guard D’Angelo Russell at the trade deadline, but the roster is far from a finished product. Selecting point guard LaMelo Ball makes a lot of sense for Minnesota despite the fact that they already have Russell.
Ball is not only the best player with the highest ceiling still on the board at this point, but he can also help Russell orchestrate the up-tempo offense that head coach Ryan Saunders is trying to implement. Russell has a good history of playing alongside other point guards like Spencer Dinwiddie, so adding Ball shouldn’t be a problem. At 6-foot-7, Ball has the size and skills to make a big impact with the T-Wolves for many years to come.
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4th pick: Hawks- Killian Hayes
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On paper, this is a strange fit. Hayes provides little as a catch-and-shoot threat — at this stage in his career, at least — and the Hawks already have a dynamic lead guard in Trae Young. However, Hayes is the No. 2 prospect on my board and someone who, on talent alone, is difficult to pass up.
Hayes is an endlessly smart playmaker. He thrives in the pick-and-roll, he can make every pass in the book, and he’s a creative shot-maker to top things off. He may not fit seamlessly next to Young, but Young can operate off-ball successfully and the Hawks should have no issue staggering point guard minutes. At 6-foot-5, Hayes has the size and the skill to make the dual-pronged backcourt work.