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The return of the NBA is inching closer and closer, which also means that the 2020 NBA Draft is also on its way to arriving. While the actual basketball will take center stage – and it obviously should – that doesn’t mean the draft is going to be forgotten about.
The NBA Draft Lottery is set for August 25, which obviously comes after the time when the playoff fields in both conferences will be set, and the draft itself will be October 16, just a bit after the NBA Finals.
In our fourth version of the mock draft, the Cleveland Cavaliers FINALLY won the lottery. It should come as a shock to everybody that the team that dominated the NBA Draft Lottery for the first half of the last decade, took four simulations to come up as a winner. Knicks fans get a pretty good draw, too, and then we see Charlotte jump up to third, and the Timberwolves settle in at No. 4.
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4.Cleveland Cavaliers - LaMelo Ball, G
It’s genuinely shocking that it took until the fourth version of our mock draft to have the Cavaliers as winners of the lottery. One of the few things they did well during the early part of the last decade was win the lottery considering Cleveland won it in three of the four years that LeBron James spent in Miami before returning to the Cavaliers. After the 2018 Nets’ pick that Cleveland owned landing eighth (Collin Sexton) and the 2019 Cleveland pick landing fifth (Darius Garland), it feels like the Cavs are due for a lottery win.
Yes, it’s clearly stated above that the Cavaliers have selected a guard with each of their last two lottery picks, but neither of them are good enough to justify passing on Ball (or Anthony Edwards) at the top of this draft. Ball would bring something to the court that neither Sexton or Garland do right now, and that’s a pass-first mentality. It’s not yet known if the combo of Sexton and Garland is a long-term solution in the backcourt, but if that is the case it would be a good problem for Cleveland to have. With Ball’s size, the possibility of him being able to defend one-through-three certainly exists.
5.New York Knicks - Anthony Edwards, G
Ball might have the most star potential in this draft, but missing out on him in exchange for Edwards doesn’t look like too bad of a loss for the Knicks in this situation. New York is always looking for a star, and in this case, they’re looking for one to pair with RJ Barrett. After Barrett, the Knicks have Mitchell Robinson to be excited about and then everything else is a question mark.
Edwards may not project as the team’s best player, but with Barrett already on board, the Knicks won’t need him to be. He could be a solid sidekick to Barrett. While neither one of them is a prolific shooter from outside yet, both should excel at getting to the rim if the Knicks can find a way to put a couple of shooters on the floor. Whether or not that happens, well, it’s the Knicks.
6.Charlotte Hornets - James Wiseman, C
The Hornets are very much in a position where they can select the best player available in the draft, no matter where they are. They don’t have anything on the roster right now that’s good enough to force them to avoid a certain position—just like, you know, most teams in the lottery. That’s especially true at the center position. Cody Zeller has one more year on his deal before hitting free agency, and Bismack Biyombo’s nightmare of a contract is over as soon as this NBA season is technically complete.
Wiseman brings star potential to Charlotte immediately. He’s a bit more of an unknown than a typical third overall selection, but we can blame the NCAA for that. He only played three games at Memphis, yet all signs do point to him having the potential to be a high-level big in the NBA. He’s a freak athlete that already should be able to have a role immediately on the offensive end, but still needs to develop quite a bit on that end of the floor to reach his lofty potential.
7.Minnesota Timberwolves - Obi Toppin, F
Taking a look at the depth chart of the Wolves right now compared to what it was 14 months ago shows a pretty drastic change. It’s not too far-fetched to think that 12 months from now the depth chart could again flip over, with the exception of a few guys like Karl-Anthony Towns and D’Angelo Russell.
Toppin was the best player in college basketball this year at Dayton. While he doesn’t feel like a guy that’s going to necessarily be a star, he does feel like he has a relatively high floor in comparison to the guys that have been picked above him. Toppin does plenty of things well enough to stick around in the league.
8.Golden State Warriors - Devin Vassell, F
As mentioned above, teams picking this high up in the lottery typically don’t have guys good enough on their roster to prevent selecting a player at a certain position. The Warriors are the ultimate exception to that rule after their 2019-20 season. While it’s entirely possible they would take a guard such as Ball or Edwards, it has to be about fit above anything else, if Golden State does indeed keep its pick.
Vassell should be able to immediately be an adequate defender and shooter that won’t need the ball in his hands to be effective, at the very least. He was a 40 percent-plus shooter from outside while at Florida State. While he showed the ability in college to attack of the dribble, that likely won’t be asked of him early in his career. This would be an ideal role for Vassell, should this happen.
9.Atlanta Hawks - Aaron Nesmith, F
Everything that Atlanta does from this point forward is about surrounding Trae Young with the requisite talent to build a winning team. Young is already an All-Star and borderline All-NBA player, but the Hawks didn’t compete at the level some expected them to this year despite Young’s prolific offensive numbers.
Nesmith has steadily climbed throughout this mock draft process—at least on our board. His outside shot is one of the better ones in this draft, if not the best. Nesmith missed time at Vanderbilt this past season with a foot injury that limited him to just 115 attempts from deep, but he knocked down 52 percent of those tries. His shooting won’t carry over at that extent in the NBA, but he could be a strong 3-and-D guy for a long time.
10.Detroit Pistons - Killian Hayes, G
The Pistons were in the news this past week as they hired Troy Weaver as their new general manager after Weaver spent over a decade with Oklahoma City. He’s inheriting a team that seems destined to finally begin a true rebuild. Last year’s first-round pick Sekou Doumbouya is still a bit of a project despite having the potential to be very good at the NBA level, and Weaver should get to add another strong piece to the rebuild this fall in the draft.
While watching Hayes it’s difficult to not make an immediate comparison to D’Angelo Russell. He’s a left-handed guard that can operate in the pick-and-roll at a high level both in the sense of setting up teammates and creating looks for himself. He’s developed a very impressive step-back 3-pointer, but needs to work on attacking the right side of the floor at a much better level.
11.Chicago Bulls - Deni Avdija, F
Just like the Pistons, the Bulls are under new leadership and it can be difficult to gauge what decisions will be made in the immediate future with no real track record. The Bulls have question marks in the front court and with who will actually be coaching the team. It feels like Zach LaVine and Coby White have a future in Chicago together, and there’s still hope for Lauri Markkanen and Wendell Carter Jr. in the frontcourt to go along with Thad Young. After that, the Bulls feel thin, especially on the wing. Otto Porter Jr. is a nice player, but he’s got a player option for next year – which it would probably make sense to pick up—before unrestricted free agency a summer from now.
This is likely the lowest Avdija could drop in the draft. He’s gone higher than this in our three previous mocks, but the way this lottery shook out seemed to hurt him most. He’s one of the better passers in this draft despite being a wing. That could be good for the Bulls, considering that neither White nor LaVine is a true point guard. His shot will need improvement, but if that sorts itself out he could be the jewel of the Bulls rebuild.
12.Washington Wizards - Onyeka Okongwu, C
This has felt like a strong match throughout this process. This will be the third time that Okongwu has been picked up by the Wizards, despite it happening in a couple of different draft slots. The Wizards are going to hit a point soon-ish where they either have to blow things up or try to turn themselves into an actual winner. Much of that is going to depend on how John Wall looks when he finally returns from injury next season.
As for Okongwu, he’s not going to be a guy that’s the focal point of the offense early on, or probably at any point in his career. But what he will be able to do is help out Washington’s absolutely putrid defense right away. Offensively, he’ll be best utilized as a young guy as a screen setter and running towards the rim, which is exactly what the Wizards need.
13.Phoenix Suns - Tyrese Haliburton, G
Keeping Devin Booker happy has to be the top priority for Phoenix right now. The easiest way to do that is winning (duh). This year Phoenix did a better job than they previously had in Booker’s career of doing that, and they’ve got a chance (technically) at making the playoffs after being invited to the Orlando bubble. One of the reasons that Phoenix was better this year was the addition of Ricky Rubio. In other words, Booker finally had a decent lead guard to help out.
Rubio is still good, but he turns 30 next October and it’s hard to view him as the future in Phoenix. Haliburton certainly could be that for the Suns. He’s a strong shooter (despite really odd form) and has the body to be a plus-defender in the NBA. He’s a very good passer and would be a steal for Phoenix if he makes it all the way to the 10th selection.
14.San Antonio Spurs - Isaac Okoro, F
The Spurs are one of the teams that will still be playing when things eventually pick back up in Orlando, but they don’t look like a team that’s headed for the playoffs, even with the potential to play themselves in. That means the Spurs, in all likelihood, will be in the draft lottery for the first time in since the 90s. Just let that one simmer for a few moments. It won’t feel real until a Spurs representative is sitting at a podium somewhere hoping for pingpong ball luck in the middle of August.
Okoro is one of the best defenders on the wing in this class, but his offensive game isn’t yet where his defensive abilities are. He does have the ability to get to the rim and finish around it, but his shot from the mid-range and the outside is a question mark. San Antonio does have a history with guys like this and has shown a better ability to develop guys over the last two decades. If the Spurs pick Okoro, it’s going to be tough to bet against him.
15.Sacramento Kings - Saddiq Bey, F
The Kings, like the Spurs, are another team that projections aren’t very kind to in terms of making the playoffs after the eight remaining regular-season games are played. Unlike the Spurs, they’re certainly no strangers to the lottery. At this point, there’s a light at the end of the playoff drought for the Kings, they just need to build around De’Aaron Fox and Buddy Hield correctly.
Hield already has a flamethrower of a jumper from deep, but it couldn’t hurt to add more shooting and defense. Bey can immediately be a productive 3-and-D guy at the NBA level, and won’t need to have the ball in his hands to be successful. He won’t ever be a star in the league, but the Kings aren’t going to need him to ever be anything more than a high-level role player.
16.New Orleans Pelicans - Tyrese Maxey, G
The Pelicans have a pretty strong young core of guys right now, but they’ll be looking for help off the bench, primarily in the backcourt. Whether or not Jrue Holiday will be along for the long haul is up for debate, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker underwhelmed as a rookie. Adding a scoring punch off the bench could help in the long run for New Orleans.
17.Portland Trail Blazers - Patrick Williams, F
The Blazers are currently on the outside of the playoff picture, but could easily find their way into the postseason. Their first crack at this season didn’t go as planned thanks to a myriad of injuries, but they stand to look different with Zach Collins and Jusuf Nurkic set to return from injuries when things resume sitting only 3.5 games behind the Grizzlies for the 8th seed.
One of the guys that won’t be returning for the Blazers is Trevor Ariza due to a visitation period with his son. Williams is a guy that could fill into that type of role in the future as a 3-and-D wing. He’s not the shooter currently that he could turn into at the NBA level, but his 83 percent mark from the free throw line gives reason for optimism that his numbers from outside will improve.
18.Orlando Magic - Tyrell Terry, G
The Magic finding a way to get out of a matchup with the Milwaukee Bucks in the first-round would be the biggest victory they could grab in the bubble. Projecting them forward isn’t the easiest thing to do, either. It’s a bit difficult to see what their avenue to getting much better is right now.
The Markelle Fultz resurgence went well for the Magic this year but Orlando does need to figure out who will be in the backcourt with him for the long run. Terry could potentially be that guy. While Fultz isn’t the best shooter from outside, Terry could compliment him by being an above-average 3-point shooter. Like Fultz, he’s got above-average quickness and the ability to get to the rim. His size could be a hinderance in the NBA, however.
19.Minnesota Timberwolves (Via Brooklyn) - Cole Anthony, G
We mentioned above that the Timberwolves look drastically different now than they did 13 months ago. One of the spots that the Wolves are thin is the point guard spot. D’Angelo Russell is the only point guard on the roster that’s a lock to return when Minnesota is playing basketball again. Two-way player Jordan McLaughlin spent a considerable amount of time as the backup after the roster was remade during the season.
The need for a backup guard is apparent and at this spot Anthony is a pretty strong value. His year at North Carolina didn’t go as planned thanks to a lack of talent and a knee injury. Anthony should be able to run an NBA offense off the bench and being able to create offense for himself shouldn’t be an issue either. Having more shooting around him and better spacing in the NBA game should be a benefit as well.
20.Boston Celtics (Via Memphis) - Kira Lewis Jr., G
Two things are unequivocally true about the Celtics in this draft. The first is that they were hoping this pick from Memphis would be much better than it likely will be. Ja Morant ruined that for the Celtics after last year’s pick jumped up to second overall. The other truth about this draft for Boston is that they’ve got too many picks for a team as good as they are. The Celtics have three picks in the first round and Brooklyn’s second round pick.
Lewis Jr. can come off the bench and create instant offense while Romeo Langford and Carsen Edwards haven’t worked out quite yet as rookies. The Celtics really struggled this season to create offense off the bench, currently in 29th with just 27.2 points per game. That starts with having someone to initiate things while Kemba Walker and others are on the bench.
21.Dallas Mavericks - RJ Hampton, G
Much like what Atlanta’s goal is right now, Dallas needs to do everything to keep Luka Doncic happy. Unlike Atlanta, they’ve already started winning and surrounded Doncic with more talent than Atlanta has Young. Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis have the talent to win, and win quickly, but more is going to be needed in Dallas.
Hampton took the route of skipping college and playing overseas and it didn’t necessarily go as planned. He struggled to get minutes in New Zealand and didn’t always look great when he was on the court. He’s got terrific size for a guard and is one of the more athletic guys in this draft. He has a high motor and is already a very good passer. The jumper needs work if he’s going to be a complete player, but the potential exists.
22.Milwaukee Bucks (Via Indiana) - Josh Green, F
Could this pick be part of a package to make a win-now move for Milwaukee? Well, if the Bucks don’t win a title this summer (or fall), the pressure to win a ring with Giannis Antetokounmpo before he hits free agency in the summer of 2021 (provided he doesn’t sign an extension this summer, but with so many questions about the salary cap moving forward that feels unlikely).
Milwaukee’s system is set up to prioritize defense, shooting, and attacking the rim. Green is a strong defender, a decent 3-point shooter, and can find space while cutting to the rim. Not needing to dominate the ball to be successful is a must for a role player, especially when playing with a guy like Antetokounmpo.
23.Brooklyn Nets (Via Philadelphia) - Robert Woodard II, F
The Nets are one of the teams where trading their first-round pick might make more sense than keeping it. If a star comes available this offseason, it makes sense for Brooklyn to be involved in the bidding process. This pick being part of the package for it makes sense as a starting point for sure. Helping to make the Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving led Nets a true championship contender is a necessity.
If they do keep the pick, a 3-and-D wing makes sense. Woodard is that guy. While at Mississippi State this past season he shot just under 43 percent from deep and is good at cutting to the rim. His size is ideal for the NBA at 6'7" with a 7'1" wingspan. Switching 1-through-4 should be something he can work his way into at the NBA level, even though he might not be able to do it right away.
24.Denver Nuggets (Via Houston) - Theo Maledon, G
Denver went from a team that had tons of depth prior to the trade deadline before dealing Malik Beasley and Juancho Hernangomez to a team that still has tons of depth. The Nuggets have taken on projects in the draft the past couple of years with Michael Porter Jr. and Bol Bol, adding another project to that list wouldn’t be a stretch.
Maledon would need a bit of time to learn the NBA game as he’s one of the younger players in this draft but he does have a ceiling worth exploring. The way Denver has been able to develop their draft picks gives confidence that he’s got a spot in a rotation at some point down the line.
25.Philadelphis 76ers (Via Oklahoma City) - Jahmi'us Ramsey, G
The 76ers are certainly not short on talent, but what they are short on is spacing and shooting. Philly was a bit of a disappointment for most of this season after some (guilty) thought they would be one of the best teams in the league. The way things go for them when the NBA restarts could lead to a big change both in the roster and on the coaching staff.
Adding a guy like Ramsey could be an ideal thing for Philly thanks to his ability to just shoot the ball from the outside. He was a 43 percent shooter from outside while at Texas Tech, but doesn’t seem to have much more in his halfcourt arsenal offensively. His role would likely be to stand there and wait for catch-and-shoot opportunities.
26.Miami Heat - Precious Achiuwa, C
It’s been written more times than can be counted, but if Miami thinks that this pick could be something that turns into a star player in the trade market. That’s what Pat Riley is always going to be after. He’s already got Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo, but there’s no reason to think that Riley is done looking for stars.
If Achiuwa is the pick here, he’s got certain elements to his game that should be exciting for Miami fans. The one thing that Miami is going to demand at all times is a high energy level, and Achiuwa certainly has that. He’s a terrific rebounder right now with a motor that seemingly doesn’t shut off. He’ll be an asset in the pick-and-roll game as a screener before running towards the rim where he’s athletic enough to go up and get it at the rim or muscle his way to the rim if he needs to.
27.Utah Jazz - Aleksej Pokusevski, C
The Jazz will be an interesting team to watch when things get moving again on a number of different fronts. How do they adjust to life without Bojan Bogdanovich after he had season-ending surgery on his wrist? Does the Mike Conley Jr. experiement look better now than it did when things halted? And how does the dynamic between Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert look after everything COVID-19 related has taken place?
As far as Pokusevski goes, he’s listed as a big, but is sort of an in-between player. He’s got terrific size at 7' (7'3" wingspan) but weighs just a smidge over 200 pounds if he’s lucky. Strength is going to need to be added for him to be successful in the NBA, but being around a pro program won’t hurt there. He’s a good shooter and passer already, but the question is going to be whether he can become strong enough to last in the league.
28.Oklahoma City Thunder (Via Denver) - Jaden McDaniels, F
The Thunder have been much better than many expected them to be this year. And while no one expects them to win it all when the playoffs begin, it’s difficult to imagine that anyone out in the Western Conference is going to try and manipulate the bracket to draw OKC.
As the Thunder continue down this rebuild road, it makes sense for them to draft a guy in this position that’s got a relatively high ceiling even if it might take some time for him to reach it, if he does at all. His potential shows a guy that’s an excellent 3-and-D win with great size to be a switchable defender down the line, but the reality is he’s not quite there in any of those areas yet.
29.Boston Celtics - Isaiah Stewart, C
With this pick Boston is taking a bit of a gamble on a guy that isn’t quite ready for the NBA stage, but looks to be a hard worker that’s worth betting on. He’s incredibly energetic on the floor while fighting for rebounds and chasing after blocks. Stewart will never be a star in the league, but there’s a strong chance he turns into one of those guys you love if he’s on your team and you hate your team to have to play against.
30.New York Knicks - Jalen Smith, C
The Knicks using this pick on a guy that is loaded with raw talent but isn’t quite ready seems like it’s one of the best outcomes for Leon Rose and company. Yes, it might seem a bit odd to take a center here with Mitchell Robinson already in the fold, but their skillsets are so different that it probably won’t matter. Smith right now has a solid outside shot and is a good rebounder. He’s an okay shot blocker, although not nearly at the level of Robinson in that area.
31.Toronto Raptors - Devon Dotson, G
There couldn’t be a better place for an undersized guard to go right now than Toronto. They’ve gotten a ton out of both Kyle Lowry and Fred VanVleet. While VanVleet is a free agent this offseason and Lowry’s future in Canada might not be all that well-known, if one or both of those guys are back next season, Dotson couldn’t ask for much more in terms of mentorship.
He’s undersized, but one of the quicker players in this draft. He’s able to use that skill to find his way into the paint where he can finish in traffic at a plus-level for a guy that’s only listed at 6'2". His outside shot does need work, but his strong performance at the free throw line is a reason to hope that there’s improvement coming in that area.
32.Los Angeles Lakers - Tre Jones, G
Only three first-round draft picks have played next to LeBron James as a rookie in the last decade. If the Lakers do trade this pick, absolutely no one should be surprised by it.
The reasoning for the Lakers going with a guard here if they do keep the pick is pretty simple: when James sits on the bench, the offense suffers. That’s not to say that Jones is going to be a guy that can come in and salvage that situation, but having someone that’s able to run something resembling an NBA offense can’t hurt, right?
33.Boston Celtics (Via Milwaukee) - Daniel Oturu, C
Oturu is a guy that took a pretty big step between his freshman year at Minnesota and his sophomore year. He went from not shooting 3-pointers to knocking down nearly 37 percent of his attempts. While that’s very much a work-in-progress, it’s something worth monitoring to see if it’s real or not. Aside from that, Oturu should be willing to do the little things well on the floor such as setting screens and rebounding while he’s out there.