2020 NBA Mock Draft: Post NBA Finals (V.9)

1.

The longest NBA season in history finally ended with the Los Angeles Lakers hoisting the Larry O’Brien Trophy on Sunday night down in the bubble in Orlando. It's crazy to think, but this NBA season lasted an entire calander year. Obviously, the NBA schedule has now been thrown into chaos due to the pandemic and with the season just now ending, the league will have to quickly get to the offseason, which is always a crazy time in the NBA.

The next thing NBA fans have to look forward to is the draft, now set for November 18. Free agency is the other big tentpole mark for the offseason, but those dates have not been set as of now. While much of this offseason still looks a little bit fuzzy, there promise to be plenty of interesting things that need to play out before real basketball games are played again.

Minnesota, you’re on the clock.

2.Minnesota Timberwolves - Anthony Edwards, G

Last time the Wolves had the No. 1 overall pick there was a clear answer for the selection. Karl-Anthony Towns was the pick the team made, and the correct one, at that. Now, the decision is much cloudier. There are a number of different ways the Wolves could approach this pick, including trading it. Right now, Edwards makes the most sense as the pick.

There certainly are concerns with Edwards. There’s a worry that he may not be good enough at any one skill in particular, or that his shot selection in college needs work. But the prospect has the tools that can be turned into a relatively high-ceiling player. He may never be a superstar that most look for when selecting first overall—this draft may be absent of that—but he should be able to contribute at a high level for a long time. His shot selection does need to improve—he shot way too many bad 3-pointers at Georgia—as well as his defensive intensity.

3.Golden State Warriors - Deni Avdija, F

What the Warriors do with the second pick is one of the more interesting things to watch in this draft. It’s not often that a team as loaded as Golden State gets to pick this high in a draft, but when Klay Thompson misses the entire season, Stephen Curry misses most of it, and the rest of the roster is composed of mostly borderline-NBA players, this is the outcome. Trading the pick might make the most sense for the Warriors, especially considering they’ve got a large contract to attach to it (hello, Andrew Wiggins) to bring in another star to the roster.

Deni Avdija would fit into the offense relatively seamlessly. He’s not a great shooter at the current moment, but with Curry and Thompson on the floor, that’s not an issue. What he is, however, is a strong playmaking wing. Getting the ball to the scorers that Golden State has is the top priority. While letting Curry cook is going to always be an option, but getting the ball to those guys in more creative ways could certainly open up the offense even more.

4.Charlotte Hornets - LaMelo Ball, G

The Hornets have a lot of work to do if they’re going to become a contender in the near future. There are some nice young pieces with potential in place in Devonte’ Graham, Miles Bridges, and PJ Washington. But it’s a roster that’s missing any sort of star power, and that’s always necessary to win in the NBA.

LaMelo Ball is the guy in this draft that could turn into the biggest star, but he also is far from a sure thing. Ball is the best passer in this draft, but even that part of his game isn’t without fault. He’s a bit too turnover prone, and while he can certainly make every pass on the floor, that means he will attempt all of them, even if it’s ill-advised. Ball’s shot was bad while playing professionally in the NBL, and will need to be reworked by whichever franchise drafts him. The potential for Ball to be the best player in this draft certainly exists, but we could also be doing a re-draft of this draft 10 years from now and he could fall out of the lottery entirely.

5.Chicago Bulls - James Wiseman, C

The Bulls certainly made a splash when they hired former Oklahoma City Thunder coach Billy Donovan last month, and they’ll have an opportunity to make a splash again when the draft comes along in November. This is a Bulls team that’s been searching for a direction over the past couple of seasons, and has to be hoping that Donovan and new President of Basketball Operations Arturas Karnisovas can lead them the right way.

Wiseman is the clear pick at this spot, if he’s still on the board. The Bulls do already have Lauri Markkanen and Wendell Carter Jr. on the roster, but they’re still a team looking to add talent, and Wiseman is the guy left on the board with the highest ceiling. It’s more of a, ‘draft as much talent as possible and figure it out later’ sort of approach. Wiseman should be an offensive force and can develop into one on the defensive end as well with time. He’s a bit of a challenge to project due to his lack of experience against a high level of competition, but the tools to be successful are there.

6.Cleveland Cavaliers – Devin Vassell, F

The Cavs are currently in a bit of an odd area where they possess depth both at the guard positions and in the post, but don’t have nearly enough talent on the wing. Right now, Cedi Osman and Kevin Porter Jr.—who really is more of a guard—are the two guys Cleveland can point to in that area. That’s pretty thin compared to the number of big guys and guards that are fighting for rotation minutes with the Cavs.

Devin Vassell would be able to come in right away and play a big role for a Cleveland team that is hoping to be on the rise sooner than later. He immediately will be the guy that is tasked with defending the other team’s best perimeter player and would help the Cavs improve from one of the worst defensive teams in NBA history over the last two years. Offensively, he can do more than what will be asked of him initially, but if he can knock down catch-and-shoot threes, that would be a big win for the Cavs, especially considering they already have three ball-dominant guards in Darius Garland, Collin Sexton, and Porter Jr.

7.Atlanta Hawks – Isaac Okoro, F

The Hawks are in a similar position to the Cavaliers in the sense that they need help on the defensive end of the floor. The Hawks don’t need to find a franchise corner stone with this pick; they already have that in Trae Young. What they need to continue to do is surround Young with talent that can transform Atlanta from a fun League Pass team to a legitimate contender.

Isaac Okoro isn’t a very polished offensive player right now, but he might be the best wing defender in this draft class. There’s room to grow for him offensively. He’s already strong around the rim and the corresponding areas inside the paint, but the rest of the offense needs to improve. With the weapons the Hawks have on that side of the court, his offense might not be that much of an issue in Atlanta.

8.Detroit Pistons – Obi Toppin, F

Despite picking seventh in the lottery this year, the Pistons might be one of the two least-talented teams in the NBA right now. Blake Griffin is never healthy, and he could be moved this offseason, Derrick Rose should probably be moved for a pick or younger talent, too. The Pistons are basically at square one of a rebuild despite not having won a playoff game since 2008. Adding talent everywhere needs to be the top priority.

Dayton’s Obi Toppin isn’t going to come in and fix everything for the Pistons right away, but he’s going to be able to help make them better. Toppin has holes on the defensive end of the floor, but he doesn’t have many of them on the offensive side of things. He might not be great at any one particular thing offensively, but there isn’t really much that he can’t do, either.

9.New York Knicks - Killian Hayes, G

The Knicks may not have won the lottery (again!), but they did go out and hire a retread head coach that has had varying degrees of success elsewhere (again!) in Tom Thibodeau. The one thing that Thibodeau does bring with him is a sneaky track record of being able to develop young players. We often equate Thibs to being outdated and playing his players over 40 minutes a game in January, but that doesn’t tell the whole store. He did a great job developing Jimmy Butler and Derrick Rose in Chicago, and got the most out of Butler, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Andrew Wiggins in Minnesota before it all fell apart.

While the Knicks already have RJ Barrett and Mitchell Robinson in terms of young talent, that’s not nearly enough. Killian Hayes would be a strong sidekick next to Barrett for the Knicks. Hayes will be able to come in immediately and operate an offense, especially in pick-and-roll situations. He can create for himself and for others. Hayes does possess a pretty polished step-back jumper that he seems comfortable to take from anywhere, but he does need to work on using his right hand in the halfcourt. He’s one of the most left-hand dominant players in recent memory.

10.Washington Wizards – Onyeka Okongwu, C

The Wizards were invited to the bubble, but only in name. It felt as if no one of consequence really played for them while in Orlando. At this point, if they never played in the bubble, no one would have remembered, or minded. What their time in the bubble did help to do was push them below the Cavaliers in terms of historic defensive ineptitude, mostly thanks to their last game of the season against the Summer League Boston Celtics.

Fixing the defense should be the top priority for a team that likely has one more shot to get it right with Bradley Beal and John Wall. Onyeka Okongwu is absolutely the best option on the board at this point, and the needs of the teams in front of Washington certainly helps for him to potentially fall this far. Okongwu isn’t a guy that’s going to have offense run through him, at least not early on in his career, but that’s not a difficult thing to see him anchoring a defense early on.

11.Phoenix Suns – Tyrese Haliburton, G

From one bubble story that no one will remember to another one that many won’t forget. The Suns went unbeaten in their eight seeding games and then ended up not even making the play-in game. But Phoenix did give reason to have hope in the future, even if just a bit more firepower is needed to reach the playoffs. Getting Devin Booker that help is all Phoenix needs to do.

The backcourt situation in Phoenix definitely is an interesting one. Obviously, Booker is a superstar in the making, and it was clear that the addition of Ricky Rubio was a welcomed one last season. Tyrese Haliburton can help fill that role next to Booker. At Iowa State he was a do-it-all combo guard that was able to score, rebound, and assist. His shooting form isn’t the easiest on the eyes, but it got the job done in college.

12.San Antonio Spurs – Saddiq Bey, F

This crazy year has almost made us forget just how impressive the Spurs’ playoff streak was and how insane it is that for the first time in the life of everyone that’s going to be draft this year, San Antonio is in the lottery. San Antonio’s roster is in flux right now. DeMar DeRozan and LaMarcus Aldridge are likely to still be on the roster next season, but the young group of Derrick White, Dejounte Murray, and Lonnie Walker will all need to be on the floor.

This is a roster that’s a little thin at the wing spot, and one that could equally use more 3-point shooting. Bey can provide both of those things for the Spurs. He should also be able to fit in defensively to a team that has been pretty good on that end historically. Bey isn’t going to be the guy that singlehandedly snaps the Spurs’ playoff drought of one whole season, but he won’t hurt, either.

13.Sacramento Kings – Patrick Williams, F

The Kings missed the playoffs, again, this year. The Kings have a high-level player—Buddy Hield—that’s unhappy with his situation in Sacramento, again, this year. It just feels like some things never change with this franchise, no matter who is running the show. Luke Walton just took over the job last season, and Hield already won’t answer his phone calls. So, yeah, not great.

Williams is going to immediately help the Kings as a switchable wing defender. He’s going to be able to help in a lot of different areas on that end of the floor despite not being the best one-on-one guy in the class. He needs to improve his jumper to be a reliable threat offensively, but he will be able to attack the rim at a high enough level for him to survive offensively.

14.New Orleans Pelicans – Aaron Nesmith, F

The decision the Pelicans make in regard to who becomes the next head coach of the franchise is one of the more intriguing ones of the offseason. Helping to mold the roster that includes Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram certainly should make this job very attractive. There’s still work to be done and more talent will be needed, but success certainly should be on the horizon for the Pels.

The Pelicans finished seventh in 3-point percentage last year, thanks in large part to Ingram shooting over 39% from deep. Adding another guy that should be a great shooter may not seem like a necessity, but can you really ever have too much shooting? Absolutely not. Aaron Nesmith shot over 50 percent from deep last year in limited opportunities – thanks to a broken foot—at Vanderbilt. One day he could be an above average defender, but he’s not quite there yet. With Ingram and Williamson set to dominate the ball offensively for years to come, it’s best that New Orleans grabs a guy that doesn’t need to have the ball in his hands to be successful, and that’s what Nesmith is.

15.Boston Celtics (from Memphis) – Precious Achiuwa, C

The Celtics have three picks in the first round this year and absolutely do not need all three of them. They already have 14 guys under contract for next season and are capped out, leaving them without any room for all three of their first-round picks—plus a one in the early second—to make the roster. This gives plausibility to thinking that the Celtics are a prime candidate to trade up and get whoever they want in the top 10 of this draft.

One thing that we did learn during the Eastern Conference Finals is that Boston needs to improve in the post. Daniel Theiss just wasn’t enough against Bam Adebayo—which, I mean, who is? Boston has tried to get by in the post without investing much of consequence, but if might be time for that to change. If they do trade up, Okongwu makes the most sense for them to target, but if they stick at 14, Precious Achiuwa fits the need.

16.Orlando Magic – Tyrell Terry, G

The Magic is a team that looks to be stuck in the middle. They’re really good defensively, and finished the season really strong offensively, too, but it’s difficult to know whether or not that can be sustained. The redemption story of Markelle Fultz certainly was a good one, but this magic team without Jonathan Isaac next year will certainly have a limited ceiling.

Adding to the backcourt next to Fultz should be something the Magic think about doing with the 15th pick. They could have their pick of any number of guards, and likely would start a run on guards should they select one. Tyrell Terry is undersized, but has the shooting ability for that to not matter. He got to the rim relatively well in college, but that might not be as strong in the NBA due to his size. Defensively, he’ll be targeted, but on a team as good as the Magic on that end, he should survive.

17.Portland Trail Blazers – Robert Woodard II, F

The Blazers should be in better position next year than they were this past season. The injuries that Portland dealt with really took a toll. A healthy supporting cast around Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum next year should mean more success.

One piece that the Blazers missed during the bubble was Trevor Ariza. His defensive ability on the wing combined with his shooting from the outside would’ve helped ease the load on Lillard during the stretch run. Robert Woodard obviously won’t be able to be quite as successful as Ariza in that role right away, but the potential to mimic that is there. While at Mississippi State, Woodard shot 43 percent from deep last year. Adding an option that doesn’t need to dominate the ball offensively while playing good defense is what the Blazers need.

18.Minnesota Timberwolves (from Brooklyn) – Cole Anthony, G

The current starting point guard for the Timberwolves is D’Angelo Russell, which is a good thing. The current backup point guard for the Timberwolves is Jordan McLaughlin – who spent the year on a two-way deal, splitting time between the Twin Cities and the G League – which isn’t a great thing. This is a spot that is a bit overlooked, but it’s a definite need for the Wolves. Adding offense off the bench when Russell and Karl-Anthony Towns aren’t on the floor should be a necessity, and Cole Anthony should be able to provide that. Anthony didn’t have the year that many expected him to at North Carolina, giving him a bit of hidden value at this spot for the Wolves.

19.Dallas Mavericks – Kira Lewis Jr., G

Everything Dallas does from here on out is about surrounding Luka Doncic with as much talent as possible. Whether that comes in the draft (unlikely), via trade, or in free agency, is yet to be seen. Taking the Clippers to six games in the first round this year was a step in the right direction, but the Mavericks have to have their sights set on success much higher than this.

Kira Lewis Jr. isn’t going to tip the scales in terms of championship-level talent, but he could be a small piece off the bench that helps Dallas get to where it needs to be. Lewis Jr. is a bit undersized, but he has the ability to create for himself and for others both in transition and when things slow down. He’s going to be targeted defensively, but that’s life in the NBA for an undersized guard these days.

20.Brooklyn Nets (from Philadelphia) – RJ Hampton, G

We already mentioned Boston has one of the teams most likely to trade up in the draft this year, but Brooklyn has to be mentioned as one of the most likely teams to trade out of the first round this year. The Nets will be getting a healthy Kyrie Irving and a healthy Kevin Durant back next year. If there’s a player that can help put them over the top, trading the draft pick should be the easy answer to fi that problem.

As for RJ Hampton, he’s a bit of a risk after a mostly unsuccessful professional stint in New Zealand, but still is a pretty strong high-ceiling candidate at this point in the draft. His shooting needs work, but if he can stay healthy, his athletic ability could help to keep him afloat in the NBA even if that shooting doesn’t come. Hampton should thrive in the open court but will need to get much better when the game slows down.

21.Miami Heat – Isaiah Stewart, C

The Heat learned a few things during their run to the NBA Finals. Bam Adebayo is a star in the making, and the same might be true for Tyler Herro, Jimmy Butler helped to quiet doubters about whether he could win at the highest level, and Miami is close a being a team that can win it all.

One of the negative things that’s been exposed is that this team needs a bit more depth when push comes to shove. After Adebayo, the Heat need more in the post, and this is an opportunity to change that. Isaiah Stewart isn’t going to be a star in the NBA, but a backup role would be perfect for him. Keeping high energy while playing 20 minutes a game, might be best for not only the Heat, but Stewart as well.

22.Philadelphia 76ers (from Oklahoma City) – Tyrese Maxey, G

Philadelphia definitely underachieved this past season. The Sixers were supposed to be a team that was near the top of the league in wins, and vying for the title come playoff time. Instead, they finished as a lowly six seed in the East and left the bubble after four incredibly uninspiring games against Boston in the first-round. Now, with Doc Rivers at the helm, the expectations will remain the same with a new man in charge.

Tyrese Maxey is probably a bit too talented to be around at this point in the draft, but in a draft loaded with mid-first round caliber picks, this is the result. He’s undersized and isn’t as good of a shooter as Philadelphia needs at the moment, but with so many strong defenders already on the Sixers’ roster and a high mark from the free throw line giving hope that Maxey’s outside shot will improve, this is the pick for Philly in this spot

23.Denver Nuggets (from Houston) – Josh Green, F

Just how far away from winning a title are the Nuggets? They went from a team that had questions about which direction was next as they trailed the Jazz in the first-round to a team that we have to think of as a legitimate title contender next season. Nikola Jokic is somehow only 25 years old, Jamal Murry blossomed into a star before our eyes, and Michael Porter Jr. might not be too far behind. This is a team that’s got the pieces to have a championship window, and that doesn’t look all too far away.

Josh Green isn’t going to be the piece that gets the Nuggets over the top right now. He can be a nice role player in the future as a 3-and-D guy that likely tops out as a sixth or seventh man. His defensive ability will be the strong suit of his game as someone that can switch relatively seamlessly across a few different positions. Offensively, he profiles as a guy that isn’t going to be doing much creating for himself or others, but should be a consistent threat to knock down open threes.

24.Utah Jazz – Nico Mannion, G

The Jazz were so close to getting out of the first-round before blowing a 3-1 lead against the Nuggets. Even then, the 3-pointer from Mike Conley Jr. at the buzzer—which feels like years ago at this point—almost advanced them to the second-round. Right now, it feels as if the Jazz can go as high as Donovan Mitchell can take them, and only time will tell how high that is.

Nico Mannion profiles as a bench scorer and someone that can be counted on to knock down open shots from the outside. If he can provide instant offense off the bench at some point, he’ll be successful in the NBA. Early on, he may not be ready for that role, but should be able to keep the offense moving at a decent rate while he’s on the floor.

25.Milwaukee Bucks (from Indiana) – Jahmi’us Ramsey, G

Well, the postseason didn’t go as planned for the Bucks after going out in just five games against the Miami Heat in the second-round. That means next season is essentially do-or-die time with Giannis Antetokounmpo as he can be a free agent following the year. Every single move that the Bucks make right now should be aimed at winning a title next season and not worrying about anything past that until the day comes. If Antetokounmpo bolts in free agency, the Bucks need to be able to look themselves in the mirror as an organization and say they did everything possible to try and win a title while he was in town.

With everything above, the thought of trading the pick for something to help win now certainly needs to be considered by general manager Jon Horst. If they’re going to add anyone of consequence to the rotation, it’s almost certain the trade would need to include this draft pick. As for Jahmi’us Ramsey, his NBA-ready skill right now is the ability to shoot the ball from the outside. Milwaukee takes a ton of 3-pointers under head coach Mike Budenholzer, but they certainly have room to improve in terms of how many they actually make. Adding a legit shooter can’t make that any worse.

26.Oklahoma City Thunder (from Denver) – Jaden McDaniels, F

It might be time for the Thunder to tear things down. It was a fun run seeing them as good as they were this season. Now, trading Chris Paul and Steven Adams might be a smart idea. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander looks like a star in the making and with the Thunder owning almost every draft pick from the Clippers for the rest of eternity, the future should be bright.

As for Jaden McDaniels, he’s a bit of a project that’s relied on an elite level of athleticism to get this far. He’s going to be a bit of a project, but there’s certainly reason to hope that he becomes a contributor in the NBA. The Thunder have history taking on guys like this that have all the athletic ability in the world, and if they can turn him into a better basketball player, this would be a great fit.

27.Boston Celtics – Aleksej Pokusevski, C

We mentioned earlier that the Celtics need to invest more in a big man after what happened to them in the Eastern Conference Finals against the Heat. We also mentioned that the Celtics have too many picks in the draft and will have to think about trading up or kicking the can down the road and trading for more assets in a future draft. While Aleksej Pokusevski won’t be a guy that becomes a defensive force in the post, he could be a relatively viable offensive threat to stretch the floor.

28.New York Knicks (from LA) – Jalen Smith, C

The Knicks are essentially at the ground floor, so taking gambles on high-ceiling, low-floor guys is something they can afford to do, especially late in the first round. That’s what Smith is. He’s a raw talent coming out of Maryland, but has showed flashes of being a floor-stretching big that can rebound on the other end of the floor. Sure, Mitchell Robinson is one of the few things the Knicks have going for them, but adding more talent should happen, no matter what position it’s at.

29.Los Angeles Lakers – Cassius Winston, G

Well, 2020 hasn’t be a great year for anybody, but maybe the Lakers winning the title will restore some sort of semblance to the universe. Despite being the champions, of course the Lakers can get better moving forward. The West is going to be great again next year, and everyone will be coming at the purple and gold.

Maybe this pick gets traded—only three first-round draft picks have played with LeBron James during their rookie years since 2010—for something to help the Lakers with improving the team. If Los Angeles decides to hang onto this pick, adding a backup point guard makes sense. We all know what Rajon Rondo becomes when the lights get bright in the playoffs, but some depth is needed at that spot during the course of an 82-game season.

30.Toronto Raptors – Devon Dotson, G

The Raptors were one of the best stories of the entire year, even after Kawhi Leonard bolted for LA in free agency. They were a feel-good story despite falling to Boston in a close Game 7 in the second-round of the Eastern Conference Playoffs. Toronto does have a few big decisions to make, including whether or not to spend big money on Fred VanVleet.

Drafting a point guard here makes sense if the Raptors don’t want to hand VanVleet a huge contract. Dotson is a bit undersized, but there’s not a better franchise to play for as an undersized guard. Toronto has been a player development factory over the last handful of years, so there’s no reason to believe Dotson couldn’t thrive there.

31.Boston Celtics (from Milwaukee) – Tyler Bey, F

With the first two picks that the Celtics had in this draft, we put the emphasis on finding a quality big man. Here, we’re giving Boston a project. Tyler Bey was forced to play out of position in college compared to what he should be asked to do in the NBA. He played far more in the interior than he will against bigger and stronger guys at the NBA level. Bey will be a perimeter player in the NBA, it’s going to take time for things to work at that spot for him, but he’s worth the risk at the end of the first round.