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.
Killian Hayes is the No. 2 prospect on my board and he should be the No. 2 prospect in this draft. Obviously, the Warriors do not need a point guard. Stephen Curry is more than serviceable. What Golden State can afford to do, however, is take the best player available. Take Hayes, allow him to contribute off the bench, and cultivate his talent to eventually succeed Curry down the line.
In a more traditional point guard mold than Ball, Hayes checks a lot of boxes in the modern NBA. He’s a virtuoso in the pick-and-roll, he’s a pull-up threat at every level, and he can adequately defend both guard spots. Hayes needs to do more off the ball, but it’s difficult to imagine a better environment for learning how to contribute off the ball.
Plus, you can easily slide Hayes on the ball without removing Curry or Klay Thompson from the floor. Surrounding Hayes with the NBA’s top shooters would make his job easy. Hayes has no problem penetrating the defense, and his court vision is challenged only by the aforementioned Ball in this year’s rookie class. Not to mention his lefty step-back, which is eye candy.
The Hornets get a potential franchise cornerstone to lead them into the post-Kemba Walker era. Anthony Edwards is a hotly debated prospect, but in a down year, some consider him the best player available. He put up numbers at UGA, and while those numbers weren’t always efficient, his natural talent is abundant.
Charlotte doesn’t have a clear direction yet. Edwards can assume top-dog responsibilities. He reduces the scoring burden currently on Devonte’ Graham, while P.J. Washington can anchor the Hornets’ future on defense. Edwards is a strong-bodied scorer, using his wide frame to absorb contact and finish explosively at the rim.
Edwards is prone to tunnel vision, but he can get his own at every level. He doesn’t need a screen to create space, nor does he need much space to get his shot off. The Hornets will want to weed bad shots out of his scoring profile, but Edwards is the type of player you can lean on when the offense stagnates.
The Bulls have plenty of raw firepower in the backcourt. Zach LaVine is a naturally gifted scorer, while Coby White shows plenty of promise at point guard. That said, Chicago could still use another playmaker in the rotation — preferably a bigger playmaker, who can slide into the wing void soon to be left by Otto Porter Jr.
Deni Avdija makes a great deal of sense. With ample shooting, the Bulls can account for Avdija’s shaky percentages from deep. At 6-foot-8, Avdija is an intuitive passer who is comfortable creating for others off the bounce. If you buy his jumper long term, which you should, it’s not hard to peg him as a top-five talent.
On defense, Avdija is nimble and has a frame he can grow into. He has the potential to slide up or down a position, and holds a lot of upside as a situational small-ball four. Put him in different spots, allow him to showcase his talent as a facilitator, and Chicago should get plenty of value.
The Cavs are, for the moment, invested in the Darius Garland-Collin Sexton partnership. It makes sense to then invest on a 3-and-D wing who can complement both, and thus Devin Vassell is the pick. Cleveland in general could use a boost defensively.
At 6-foot-7, Vassell is long, agile, and instinctive. He’s one of the best perimeter defenders in this draft — if not the best. He can hang on ball, or he can use his lanky wingspan to interrupt passing lanes and generate turnovers.
On the other end, Vassell was a tremendously efficient spot-up shooter at Florida State. He shot 41.5 percent from deep, showed enough of a pull-up game to merit hope, and his length should allow him to finish well inside when attacking closeouts. He’s everything NBA teams want out of the 3-and-D mold nowadays.
A bit of a hot take — I know. Aleksej Pokusevski is rarely seen as a lottery pick, but he’s too talented and too unique not to earn consideration this high. In fact, the Hawks should consider him a top target if he is available at No. 6, which he will be. In this instance, he should be the pick.
Pokusevski is a true 7-footer who moves and shoots like a wing. He’s light on his feet, and his shot mechanics are reminiscent of the NBA’s most potent perimeter shooters. He can curl around screens and shoot on the move, or attack closeouts and hit pull-up jumpers. His floater is money, too.
On defense, there’s inherent upside in a long, mobile 7-footer who can stick with smaller players on the perimeter. With a slim frame, Pokusevski must undergo serious physical growth before he can maximize his skill set in a NBA setting. With that said, in a relatively weak draft class, he’s worth the gamble this high.
The Pistons need a franchise cornerstone — someone they can construct an entire rebuild around. Those players aren’t always available at No. 7, but Cole Anthony gives them the best chance at that type of player. A preseason favorite to go No. 1, Anthony has both talent and pedigree. It’s fair to take his college numbers with a grain of salt.
Anthony is an explosive, dynamic athlete at 6-foot-3. He has a twitchy handle, a smooth pull-up jumper, and plenty of juice off the dribble. He struggled to finish at the rim last season, a definite concern, but it’s fair to equate that at least partially to lingering lower body injuries.
If he returns a clean bill of health, it shouldn’t be difficult for a team like Detroit to look at Anthony’s high school tape and come away with more optimism. Even amid significant struggles at UNC, the flashes were still there. He can score the basketball, and is the type of high-volume scorer to carry Detroit’s talent-deprived group.
The Knicks, after whiffing on Frank Ntilikina and Dennis Smith Jr., finally lock up the point guard position with Kira Lewis Jr. He joins a fast and physical Knicks lineup — one that could start to find an identity under the rollicking leadership of Tom Thibodeau. Lewis might immediately become New York’s more important long-term piece.
Lewis brings a lot to the table offensively. He’s a speedster, using a lightning-quick first step to penetrate the defenses in the halfcourt. He’s a knife cutting through warm butter, which pairs nicely with his feel for playmaking out of the pick-and-roll and on drives to the rim.
Defensively, Lewis will need to add strength. More muscle would also, ideally, improve his efficiency at the rim. Even so, his raw athleticism, high I.Q., and well-documented personality all bode well for NBA success. He’d be great value for New York at No. 8.
The Wizards have reached a crossroads. John Wall and Bradley Beal are locked up long-term, but given Wall’s injuries, the future of Washington’s star duo is uncertain. Beal has expressed no public interest in leaving, but what happens in the public eye doesn’t always tell the story. The Wizards could decide to break it up sooner than later.
Regardless, it’s difficult to find a better prospect than Tyrese Haliburton at this stage. If the Wizards decide to make a run at the playoffs, Haliburton is a high-I.Q. playmaker who can contribute to a good team. If the Wizards decide to rebuild, Haliburton is the kind of unselfish glue piece Washington can comfortably build around.
While it’s fair to doubt Haliburton’s ceiling — his lack of a pull-up jumper is concerning — his feel for the game and skill set will make it hard for him to fail. He’s naturally smooth and rarely gets too hurried. He has the height to peer over defenders at 6-foot-6, and the frame to potentially defend multiple positions.
The Suns went 8-0 in the Bubble and are primed for a genuine arrival in 2021. While Ricky Rubio is a strong option at point guard, he’s not the long-term solution next to Devin Booker. The Suns can groom Tyrell Terry to be Rubio’s successor.
Unlike Rubio, Terry is a shooter. In fact, he’s an elite shooter — arguably the most potent in this year’s draft. With sugar-sweet mechanics and impressive shot diversity, Terry in a threat anywhere inside 30 feet. On the move, standing still, triple-teamed — it doesn’t matter. The smallest sliver of space, and Terry is comfortable letting in fly.
On top of his jumper, Terry has real playmaking upside. He’s effective in the pick-and-roll, while rumors of strength gained this offseason should quell concerns about his ability to absorb contact and finish in traffic. It’s not difficult to envision him and Booker developing a fruitful partnership in the backcourt.
The Spurs missed the playoffs for the first time in two decades last season. With LaMarcus Aldridge and DeMar DeRozan no longer a reliable one-two punch, the Spurs should look to rebuild. James Wiseman is an enticing building block, made only more enticing by Tim Duncan’s steady involvement in the organization.
While Wiseman is the most overhyped of the lottery prospects, he’s still an immense talent. He’s a brawny 7-footer who’s both light on his feet and fairly skilled around the rim. Soft touch combined with explosive power. He has a ways to go on defense, and he hasn’t fleshed out his 3-point stroke yet, but the bare bones of a dynamic two-way center are in place.
San Antonio can get by starting Wiseman next to Aldridge if need be, but frankly, the Spurs would be wise to clean house and hand the keys to Wiseman. Let him learn through trial and error — both as a rim protector, and as a go-to scorer on the block. There’s no better environment for Wiseman’s development than San Antonio.
The Kings have a fairly balanced roster, all things considered. While the possible departure of Buddy Hield could signal a need for guard help, Patrick Williams is a strong value pick. He can fill minutes at the three or four, providing another source of scoring and versatility in the Kings’ young rotation.
While Williams is more raw than some of his lottery counterparts, the base skill set is tantalizing. At 6-foot-8, he’s built like a tank. He’s strong and nimble, drawing preliminary comparisons to Danilo Gallinari. He can navigate tight spaces well and has tremendous upside as a face-up scorer.
The defense is still coming along, but Williams should comfortably slide between two — if not three — positions in the frontcourt. He has enough lateral quickness and bulk to make up for limited vertical pop. He’s the best prospect available for Sacramento.
The Pelicans are likely to lose Derrick Favors this summer. While Jaxson Hayes has been groomed as a potential replacement, he’s probably not as ready to contribute as Onyeka Okongwu. Okongwu and Zion Williamson would give New Orleans an impressive baseline on defense.
While he’s slightly undersized at 6-foot-9, Okongwu enters this draft as possibly the best defender in his class. He should have garnered more recognition than he did at USC, where he helmed the best defense in the Pac-12. With great mobility, feel, and vertical athleticism, Okongwu can effectively protect the rim despite his short stature.
On offense, Okongwu’s value as a rim-runner would be well-served in New Orleans’ up-tempo offense. He doesn’t space the floor for Zion, a potential hang-up long term, but Williamson is too physically dominant to be kept out of the paint. Okongwu does his job. He sets screens, he rolls hard to the rim, and he’s a constant lob threat. He could start day one.
The Celtics need depth all-around, and bolstering the backcourt behind Kemba Walker is a smart move at 14. While Tyrese Maxey was inconsistent in his lone collegiate season, his grit and determination are well-documented. He’s the kind of competitor you want in the locker room — especially on a contender.
Maxey will defend both guard spots at 6-foot-3. He’s a pit bull at the point of attack, using his 6-foot-6 wingspan to disrupt ball-handlers. On offense, there’s a lot to like. He was inefficient at Kentucky last season, but he’s a comfortable scorer and playmaker out of the pick-and-roll who, on tape, should have no trouble hitting shots from deep.
The Celtics thrive on the hard-nosed disposition Maxey feeds into. He’s the perfect mentee for someone like Marcus Smart. Maxey will do the little things to help a team win, and with less offensive responsibilities — and paired with a slew of star talent on the wing — Maxey’s strengths should shine brighter than his weaknesses.
The Magic need to balance the roster. A lot of strong frontcourt talent populates Orlando’s 15-man group, but aside from Markelle Fultz and Evan Fournier, there’s not a ton of perimeter firepower to speak of. Especially with D.J. Augustin hitting free agency.
Enter Aaron Nesmith, possibly the best shooter in this year’s draft. As someone who could comfortably start at the three, or provide a kick off the bench, Nesmith would do a lot of good for Steve Clifford’s offense. Orlando’s core pieces — namely Fultz and Jonathan Isaac — need spacers.
Change is brewing in Orlando, and roster overhaul seems inevitable. The current group is treading water in the middle of the Eastern Conference, and at some point, they have to start kicking their feet. Nesmith isn’t going to revolutionize the game, but he’s a boon to Orlando’s greatest area of need.
Strong value for Portland, who needs wing talent to complement the dynamic duo of Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum. Ideally, that wing talent specializes in defense, which Isaac Okoro most certainly does. The Blazers would have the pieces to construct a solid defense around Jusuf Nurkic’s rim protection.
The main concern for Okoro is his ceiling offensively. He can contribute — he’s a smart, unselfish passer who cuts and makes himself available — but without a reliable jump shot, it’s difficult for modern NBA wings to truly thrive. Defenders will largely ignore Okoro outside 15 feet.
On defense, however, Okoro is probably the best of the best in this class — at least on the perimeter. He’s 6-foot-6, a top-shelf athlete, and has instincts well beyond his years as a freshman. Okoro was one of the best defenders in college basketball at 18 years old, which is no small feat.
The Timberwolves need defenders. Karl-Anthony Towns, D’Angelo Russell, and LaMelo Ball is one heck of an offensive group. It may also be the worst defensive core in basketball. Saddiq Bey will not make up all that ground, but he’s a versatile 6-foot-8 wing in the ever-coveted 3-and-D mold.
While not an elite athlete, Bey is light on his feet. He can stick with smaller guards on the perimeter, or use his wide frame to combat stronger opponents inside. He has a knack for angles and knows how to position his body between the basket and the ball-handler.
On offense, Bey will do most of his work as a spot-up shooter. He shot well upwards of 40 percent from deep at Villanova, and he has enough of a pull-up game to threaten overzealous closeouts. He’s the perfect role player to complement Minnesota’s assortment of high-level playmakers.
The Mavs grab one of the more complete offensive players in this year’s class. Obi Toppin won national player of the year and kickstarted championship musings in Dayton. While the season was unfortunately cut short, not many players have a more impressive resume than Toppin.
He would make a good bit of sense for Dallas — a frontcourt complement to Kristaps Porzingis who can do a little bit of everything on offense. A pick-and-roll partner for Luka, check. A post-up threat, check. An open-floor playmaker, check. A face-up scorer who can carry his own weight, check.
Toppin should have no trouble fitting into Dallas’ system on offense. The main concern — and why he’s so low on this board — is defense. He doesn’t have a concrete position defensively, and while talk of a tall-ball three and small-ball five sounds good, it matters not if he can’t defend either position.
The Nets have the core pieces of a championship contender. Now it’s about finding the right pieces to complement them. Josh Green could do a lot of good in Brooklyn, where Joe Harris is slated for a possible departure in free agency. He’s much more than your traditional 3-and-D prospect.
At 6-foot-6, Green might be the draft’s best athlete. He has endless vertical pop and a 6-foot-10 wingspan, which he makes good use of on defense. On offense, Green has some rough edges. But he’s smart, selfless, and fairly versatile — with plenty of room to grow.
Green will need to iron out his 3-point stroke, but the mechanics are fine. He’s already a strong cutter, an above-average passer from the wing, and a terror in the open floor. He has tremendous upside, as well as a solid base skill set. At 19, there’s not much more you can ask for.
Miami has one of the most balanced and harmonious rosters in basketball. It’s a natural landing spot for someone like Desmond Bane — ostensibly an upgrade over Kendrick Nunn and another top-tier shooter to bolster Miami’s arsenal.
Bane doesn’t move with the swiftness of Nunn, but he’s a poised ball-handler who shows excellent pace operating out of the pick-and-roll. Off the ball, he has endless 3-point range and is comfortable launching on the move. He would only make Miami’s backcourt more difficult to contain.
Not many prospects have seen their stock improve like Bane has since the season ended. The more you return to his tape, the more impressive he becomes. He’s a smart all-around contributor, and has a readily useful NBA skill. He can contribute to a contender.
The Sixers need guard help more than anything else. Preferably, guard help that can shoot. Theo Maledon is a smooth playmaker, and someone who fits snuggly into the Sixers’ mostly vacant backup point guard slot. He even has Tony Parker’s mentorship under his belt.
Known for a good work ethic, Maledon carved out a sizable role in Euroleague competition last season. He’s a heady playmaker out of the pick-and-roll — which Doc Rivers should covet — and he’s a capable floor-spacer who can spend time next other playmakers, a la Ben Simmons.
The Sixers would do well to get a versatile guard who can dribble, shoot, pass, and defend — a skill quartet the team has rarely achieved in recent years. Maledon lacks top-shelf athleticism, but he’s a shifty ball-handler who understands how to manipulate defenders with his handle. He could expect minutes early and often in Philadelphia.
The Nuggets have enough depth to swing for the fences here. Jaden McDaniels isn’t the best prospect available, but he’s arguably the best talent — or, at least, the highest ceiling. At 6-foot-10, McDaniels drew a number of irresponsible Kevin Durant comparisons coming out of high school. He’s not KD, and never will be, but the upside is still tantalizing.
McDaniels never settled into a groove at Washington. He was too often aloof on defense, and too often inconsequential on offense. But, given his natural talent — a silky 6-foot-10 wing who can shoot over the top of defenders and, on paper, cover large swathes of ground on defense — Denver can hope for development over time.
With the rise of Michael Porter Jr., Denver already has a replacement in line for Paul Millsap. Not to mention Jerami Grant, Will Barton, Torey Craig, Gary Harris, and others who can absorb minutes between the three and four spots. McDaniels probably wouldn’t touch the floor as a rookie, but Denver has an strong track record of prospect development. He’s a worthwhile project.
The Jazz shouldn’t give up on the Donovan Mitchell-Rudy Gobert pairing for the sake of change. With Mike Conley on the last legs of his career, point guard is the most pressing area of need. Grooming his replacement is smart, and Nico Mannion makes a fine candidate.
Once considered a potential top-five pick, Mannion possesses plenty of natural talent. He’s a limited athlete, but an elite feel for the game could help Mannion survive the transition to a more athletic brand of basketball in the NBA. He sees the floor as well as anyone in this class, and his unselfish brand of playmaking would surely benefit the Jazz offense.
Whether Mannion can truly elevate to the level of starting point guard is a valid question. He will need to become a better finisher at the rim, and he will need to better prove his mettle on defense. But with the pressure Donovan Mitchell puts on defenses, on top of Gobert’s value as a vertical spacer, it’s not hard to envision Mannion finding a comfortable home in Utah.
The Bucks will need to evolve beyond the Eric Bledsoe era at some point. While that evolution likely comes via trade — R.J. Hampton is not starting for a title contender in 2020 — Milwaukee has reason to invest in the future. Hampton brings more upside than most this late in the draft.
A five-star recruit who made the transformational decision to play overseas in New Zealand, Hampton’s stock has been on a steady decline of late. He’s a tremendous athlete with a lot of desirable tools, but his inconsistency overseas — spurred in part by injuries — has made it hard to reconcile his most recent performances with his high school tape.
A twitchy athlete with a lot of juice scoring off the bounce, Hampton has a future in NBA offenses. He can explode for points out of the pick-and-roll, and he has room to grow as a facilitator. The first step, however, is proving to NBA teams he can hit jumpers — most importantly 3-point jumpers — at a league-average rate.
OKC needs more firepower offensively. While the core pieces are solid — Chris Paul, if he stays; Shai Gilgeous-Alexander; Dennis Schroder — the supporting cast is dangerously short on shooters and playmakers. OKC relied far too heavily on its three-pronged backcourt last season.
Jahmi’us Ramsey would mark a slight departure from the Thunder’s traditional NBA Draft route. Rather than a raw, untapped athleticism marvel a la Terrance Ferguson, Hamidou Diallo, et al., Ramsey is a gifted scorer who can provide a real punch off the bench. He’s still in need of growth as a facilitator, but given OKC’s other guard talent, Ramsey’s knack for putting the ball in the net could prove valuable on its own.
Ramsey is, in many ways, a raw and largely untapped talent. He’s still a project, which OKC tends to value. But his skill set can be applied directly to an area of need, which can’t be said for most of OKC’s most recent draft exploits.
The Celtics’ frontcourt depth was a contentious topic late into last season. Daniel Theis is fine — even good — but he’s exploitable in certain matchups. Neither Enes Kanter nor Robert Williams are serviceable for extended minutes in the postseason.
In Killian Tillie, the Celtics would get a lottery-level talent who could pay huge dividends this late in the first round. The only drawback is Tillie’s injury history, which is extensive and worrisome. It’s why many expect him to fall into the second round. That said, if Tillie can stay on the floor, his combination of skill and size could prove transformational to Boston’s frontcourt dynamic.
Tillie is still light on his feet. He’s a honey-sweet shooter at 6-foot-10, with the feel and basketball I.Q. of some point guards. He’s unselfish, he knows how to cut and relocate off-ball, and on defense, he’s much better than his reputation suggests. This is a potential home-run for the Celtics, who can afford to take a risk with three first-round picks.
Many expect the Knicks to add depth behind Mitchell Robinson in the frontcourt. Enter Precious Achiuwa, another elite athlete — albeit, a very different athlete — who can give a jolt of energy to New York’s young core.
Achiuwa is a 6-foot-9 wrecking ball, with a blend of strength and quickness few prospects can aspire to. He’s a force in the open court. Get him moving downhill, and opposing defenders are liable to retreat in an act of self-preservation. He’s also a tantalizing defensive prospect due to his ability to switch onto small perimeter pieces.
The next step for Achiuwa is smoothing over his rough edges offensively. He’s not much of a shooter, nor is his feel for the game all that great. He would get plenty of reps in New York, but he’s currently not much more than an athlete. However, that could be enough.
The Lakers’ guard rotation was sparse last season, and the impending departure of Rajon Rondon could make things even tricker. Cassius Winston spent four very successful years at Michigan State, and he’s the type of upperclassman who could carve out a role early on in the NBA.
Above all else, Winston is a talented shooter who can put the ball through the net — always valuable next to LeBron James. Beyond that, he’s a smart playmaker, a competitive on-ball defender, and he carries himself like a vet. He’s poised and a strong leadership voice, which again fits with L.A.’s status as championship favorites.
Winston has limitations that will keep him from going much higher than this, but for what the Lakers need — immediate contributions from an unselfish floor-spacer — it’s hard to imagine a better fit.
The Raptors have made good on underdeveloped talent in the late first round before (see: Siakam, Pascal). Leandro Bolmaro has a whole lot of talent, and he has even played real minutes in Euroleague — a notable accomplishment for anyone under 20. That said, Bolmaro has a ways to go before he’s a consistent NBA weapon.
At 6-foot-8, Bolmaro has flashes of skill comparable to most point guards. He’s comfortable making plays out of the pick-and-roll, he’s a fluid scorer from the mid-range, and his defense deserves serious credit. He can guard three positions. That said, until Bolmaro irons out his 3-point shot, some of his most appealing skills are largely moot.
If Bolmaro can’t threaten defenses from the 3-point line, then his value as a face-up scorer and playmaker is greatly diminished. And so on. For the Raptors, however, this is the opportunity to undertake another long-term project. Bolmaro may even spend next season overseas. A few years down the road, Toronto could strike gold.
With Tillie more of a wild card than a surefire contributor, the Celtics can meaningfully bolster the frontcourt with Xavier Tillman. Though he played in the shadow of Cassius Winston at Michigan State, Tillman is an NBA prospect on his own merits — and a great value for Boston at the tail-end of the first round.
For the Celtics, Tillman checks several boxes. He’s an efficient finisher, operating well out of the pick-and-roll. His feel for the game is advanced compared to most centers in this draft, and he tops it off with a strong defensive profile. Even if he’s a bit undersized at 6-foot-9, Tillman is an immediate two-way upgrade over Enes Kanter.
The Celtics might not keep all three picks, but if no trades materialize, this is a strong haul for Danny Ainge. A mixture of upside and NBA readiness, with more than enough pedigree to assuage the fanbase’s concerns.