NBA Draft 2020: Mock Draft 7.0 (Who Teams Should Pick)

How should each team approach the 2020 NBA Draft?

The 2020 NBA Draft is right around the corner, and not much is certain. Rather than make errant projections, this mock draft is dedicated to what teams should do when Nov. 18 rolls around. Each pick represents the pick I would make. Team fit, individual talent, and my own personal taste factors into every decision.

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So, with the first overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, the Minnesota Timberwolves select…

Despite a great deal of talent on the roster, Minnesota is still far away from contention. Hence the No. 1 pick. The Wolves should select the best player available, regardless of fit, and that player is LaMelo Ball. It’s not a particularly difficult decision.

While defense is a concern for Ball — and the Wolves already have a dangerously permeable defense — it should not phase Minnesota. At 6-foot-7, Ball has ample size and athleticism to apply to the defensive end. It’s a matter of him trying, and a matter of him developing the necessary instincts. He’s a smart player, so confidence is not unwarranted.

On offense, Ball can fit into most systems. He’s a silky long-range shooter, he can make every pass in the book, and he’s mostly unselfish. Ball will need to adjust his play style in the NBA, as he has spent most of his career showboating in the top-dog role, but his basketball I.Q. and court vision are virtually unrivaled.