Re-drafting the 2020 NBA Draft: Tyrese Maxey rises, Sixers target another guard

The 2020 NBA Draft class may lack top-end talent, but there’s no disputing the depth of quality NBA players who were selected last fall. Multiple rookies played big minutes in the postseason. LaMelo Ball and Anthony Edwards were show-time events. Even the Sixers caught headlines with Tyrese Maxey, who has already outperformed his position at No. 21.

With a year of new intel under our belts, let us revisit the controversial class of 2020. Was the right pick made at No. 1? Did the Warriors make a mistake at No. 2? Who is the biggest riser? Biggest faller? In this re-draft, we will take into account talent, upside, and fit in context of every team’s current roster.

We will make all 30 first-round picks. With the first overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, the Minnesota Timberwolves, in hindsight, select…

Re-drafting the 2020 NBA Draft — 1. LaMelo Ball, Minnesota Timberwolves

LaMelo Ball was always the No. 1 pick, and now, the Timberwolves get to right their wrong. Ball shined in his rookie season, winning Rookie of the Year (over Minnesota’s actual No. 1 pick) and putting Charlotte in the play-in tournament, despite injuries. He is possibly the most enthralling playmaker in the NBA, with the ability to make just about every pass in the book, and do so with a remarkable appetite for flair.

The Timberwolves would have some defensive concerns with a Ball-D’Angelo Russell backcourt, but Anthony Edwards isn’t exactly a wing stopper. Ball is 6-foot-7 with tremendous instincts, would could lead to improvement over time. He would also smooth over the Timberwolves’ offense, setting the table for Karl-Anthony Towns, Russell, and the like.

For the season, Ball averaged 15.7 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 6.1 assists, shooting 43.6 percent from the field and 35.2 percent from deep. The early returns on his jumper are promising, and he has much more individual scoring equity than his brother, Lonzo.