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The 2020 NBA Draft Lottery has come and gone with the Minnesota Timberwolves snagging the top pick for just the second time in franchise history. Back in 2015 they had a clear choice as the top pick in Karl-Anthony Towns. This time around, things aren’t nearly as simple, as the Wolves can go in a number of different directions with this pick. Congrats to them for moving up above their draft slot for the first time in franchise history.
The Wolves were joined in the top four by Golden State – which had the NBA’s worst record – and by Charlotte and Chicago after sizeable jumps up the lottery board. Of the three teams to finish with the highest chance at the top pick, only Cleveland failed to stay in the top four of the lottery.
The biggest loser of this drawing might as well be the Knicks. Not only did they fail to move up – again – they actually slid down a couple of spots as a result of the Bulls and Hornets moving into the top four. Being a Knicks fan has to absolutely feel like a chore these days.
With the draft still a couple of months away, the Minnesota Timberwolves will spend the rest of the time on the clock:
2.Minnesota Timberwolves - Anthony Edwards, G
For the first time in franchise history, the Wolves moved up from their projected draft slot in the lottery. They’ve got the two guys they want to build their team around in Karl-Anthony Towns and D’Angelo Russell. It’s not often that the team with the top overall pick can say that, but that’s the case this year. President of Basketball Operations Gersson Rosas hasn’t been shy about making trades since he took over the franchise last May, and it’s fair to believe his phone will be turned on for other teams to call with their best offer.
Edwards is a guy that may not project as a top player on a really good team – and it’s unclear if anyone in this draft really does – but in Minnesota he likely wouldn’t need to. His outside shot certainly needs to be improved upon, but his shot selection of shooting 3-pointers and attacking the rim fits right in with the Wolves. Defensively, he has the tools to be a lockdown defender if he wants, but that wasn’t always the case at Georgia. The Wolves have to hope that this isn’t Andrew Wiggins 2.0, but with Edwards size and strength, it’s hard to see that being the case.
3.Golden State Warriors - James Wiseman, C
Well, the rich got richer on Thursday night. Sure, the Warriors had the worst record in the NBA this year, but that was only because Klay Thompson missed the entire season with a torn ACL, Steph Curry missed almost the whole year with a fractured hand, oh, and Kevin Durant bolted for Brooklyn last summer. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski did mention on the NBA Draft Lottery broadcast that the pick very well could be traded by Golden State, and that the motivation of the Warriors is to win more championships as soon as possible, which makes sense.
Wiseman might be the guy on the board that could attract the most interest on the trade market, and also could be the best fit in Golden State should they chose to keep the pick. He might need a bit of time to develop into a championship level player, though. A trade out of this spot, even if it’s after the pick is made, has to be the most likely outcome.
4.Charlotte Hornets - LaMelo Ball, G
The biggest jump in the draft this year belongs to the Hornets, which is more than enough evidence that the NBA isn’t rigging the outcome of this. Sure, Michael Jordan might own the team, but if they’re going to fix the lottery, it certainly isn’t going to be for Charlotte. The funny thing to think about, though, is that if the NBA didn’t freeze the lottery odds prior to bubble games being played, this would have been the slot the Wizards would have been in. Funny how that goes.
Ball instantly becomes the best passer on the Hornets the moment he steps on the floor with the team. His jump shot still needs to be improved if he’s going to be respected at the NBA level. His decision making also needs to be better as he matures, but it’s a result of overconfidence at times that he can make every pass on the floor. Defensively, he’s got the size to defend multiple positions, but tends to float at times through games on that end of the floor. When he’s locked in, he’s really good, but that hasn’t been the case often enough.
5.Chicago Bulls - Obi Toppin, F
The Bulls were the other team to make a pretty significant jump on Thursday night up to fourth overall from their original slot of seventh overall. This is a team that already has Zach LaVine and Coby White in place on the wing and the backcourt, but has questions in the frontcourt and with complimentary players. With that said, it’s tough to predict how new Vice President of Basketball Operations Arturas Karnisovas is going to operate on draft night.
Toppin isn’t a guy that’s going to be a star in the NBA. His ceiling might be a little bit limited, especially as he comes in as the oldest projected lottery pick, having turned 22 years old in March. Offensively it’s hard to pinpoint many weak spots in his game. He might not be great at anything yet, but he isn’t bad at many things at all. Toppin will struggle on the defensive end in the NBA, especially early on, but he should be able to make up for that with offensive production.
6.Cleveland Cavaliers - Deni Avdija, F
The Cavs have finished with the highest odds for the top overall pick in each of the last two seasons, winning 19 games in each year. Both times, they’ve slid out of the top-four entirely, picking fifth. That all sounds like bad news, and it’s easy to look at it through a negative lens. With that said, this is a terrific position to be in for Cleveland.
The fit here in Cleveland might be better than any of the guys taken ahead of Avdija in this draft. Cleveland already has two score-first guards in Collin Sexton and Darius Garland, what they’re missing is a playmaker and wing depth. Avdija represents both for Cleveland. He improved his shooting when basketball returned in Europe earlier this summer, too. It’s fair to think that he could become Cleveland’s best passer right away if he’s picked here.
7.Atlanta Hawks - Devin Vassell, F
The Hawks were predicted by many to take a leap in the Eastern Conference this season and weren’t supposed to be part of the festivities on Thursday, but playing meaningful basketball instead. That didn’t happen, and Atlanta needs to improve on the defensive end of the floor if that’s going to happen next year.
The Hawks ranked 28th in defensive rating last season, other than Portland (27th) no other team in the bottom 12 spots in that category made the playoffs this year. Vassell is a piece that could help them immediately improve on that end of the floor. He might be the best wing defender in this year’s draft class, and has significant offensive upside. He shot over 41% from deep at Florida State as a sophomore and could be a terrific fit as an option that can be successful without dominating the ball next to Trae Young.
8.Detroit Pistons - Killian Hayes, G
Detroit is really in the early stages of a rebuild with plenty of unanswered questions new general manager Troy Weaver will have to tend to in the coming months. Blake Griffin’s health surely is the root of some of those questions that need answers. Either way, the Pistons haven’t won a playoff game since 2008, and time isn’t slowing down.
If the Pistons are going to hang onto Griffin and find their way back into some sort of contention, a good place to get a potential star player is in the backcourt. Derrick Rose likely won’t be around for a long time in Detroit, and Hayes would be a terrific option to hand over the reins to. Hayes needs to work on using his right hand more often. He’s the most left-hand dominant player to enter the league in quite some time. He operates in the pick-and-roll in a way that is eerily reminiscent of D’Angelo Russell, and his step-back 3-pointer looks like a diet version of James Harden’s.
9.New York Knicks - Tyrese Haliburton, G
Well, Knicks fans, I’m sorry. I would like to take this moment to apologize not only for the fact that in the 35 years since New York won the lottery the Knicks haven’t moved up a single time in the lottery, but also for letting them win the final lottery simulation we had prior to the real lottery. That couldn’t have been a good sign. Maybe the Knicks will find something good here at eighth overall, but, it’s the Knicks.
Despite falling back in the draft, and the frustration that comes with it, things could be worse. There’s plenty of reason to be excited about a guy like Haliburton. He’s not an elite-level athlete or scorer, but he’s going to be able to operate the offense to help put RJ Barrett in good situations, which is the most important thing right now. His shooting form at Iowa State won’t be showing up on any fundamental shooting videos, but he found a way to make 42% of his 3-pointers while in college, and that counts for something.
10.Washington Wizards - Onyeka Okongwu, C
So, the Wizards didn’t fare very well while they were in the bubble. They won their last game before departing Orlando, and that was against basically the Summer League version of the Boston Celtics. If the NBA didn’t freeze the lottery percentages before those games started, the Wizards would’ve tanked their way into better lottery odds and potentially a top-four pick. Instead, the reality of the situation is the ninth selection.
This is a pretty ideal turnout for the Wizards, though. Okongwu is a great value should he slip to ninth overall. He will immediately help out Washington’s defense, which finished 29th overall in the NBA for the season. He may never be the focal point of any offense, but he certainly wouldn’t need to be that in Washington, especially early on in his career with John Wall and Bradley Beal carrying most of that weight on their shoulders.
11.Phoenix Suns - Aaron Nesmith, F
The Suns were the story of the bubble. Watching Devin Booker lead them to a perfect 8-0 record while nearly crashing the Western Conference playoff party was fun and no one can deny that. It’s also fair to wonder how that stretch will impact the Suns’ thinking this offseason. It probably was very unlikely Booker would have been on the trade market, but now it feels like there would need to be something outlandish for that to be a possibility.
Instead, the Suns could use a bit more wing depth at this spot. Nesmith has a terrific jump shot and connected on over half of his 3-pointers this past year while at Vanderbilt. He projects as a good defender in the NBA, even if he isn’t quite there yet, there’s reason to believe that he will get there as he matures. Adding a player that can help give Booker more space in Phoenix while not needing to dominate the ball seems like a good idea for Phoenix’s offense.
12.San Antonio Spurs - Isaac Okoro, F
The Spurs’ first lottery experience since 1997 didn’t go as well as the last one, but they really can’t be all that made after such a long, sustained run of success as an organization. Maybe they’ll be back into the playoffs next year, or maybe they’ll be in a similar situation as the one they’re in now. Either way, hats off to that organization for such a tremendous couple of decades.
Drafting Okoro 11th makes sense for San Antonio given their reputation as a player development factory. He’s not a finished product by any stretch of the imagination, but has tools that give hope he can be a rotational mainstay for years to come. His defensive ability is NBA-ready right now, and should improve with more time in the NBA. Offensively is where he’s going to need to get better. He can do some things around the rim, but he isn’t an effective player outside of the paint yet. If that changes, he could be a big win for San Antonio’s first lottery pick since Tim Duncan.
13.Sacramento Kings - Saddiq Bey, F
Throughout this whole process since the NBA shut down it’s been a bit comical to see the NBA’s longest playoff streak and its longest playoff drought right next to each other in the lottery pecking order. In a way, it’s fitting neither of them moved up to the top four and get to pick next to each other on draft night. Things didn’t go as planned for the Kings this year. This was supposed to be the year they finally made the playoffs after last year’s surprising 39-win campaign. Instead, here we are, yet again.
This Kings team might look a little bit different come next season. There’s clear unhappiness with Buddy Hield and his role right now, and with a new front office on the way, things could change. Either way, this is a team that needs a little bit more defense, and a little bit more shooting. Bey can add both of those things whether Hield is around or not.
14.New Orleans Pelicans - Patrick Williams, F
The Bubble was a disappointment for the Pelicans without question. Enough of a disappointment that head coach Alvin Gentry was relieved of his duties at the end of New Orleans’ games. The Pelicans certainly need to improve their defense in order to be a contending team. There’s no doubting that Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson are the future in New Orleans, but there are questions involving plenty of the other pieces surrounding them.
Adding a guy like Williams could really improve the team defense on the Pelicans. He might not be the most reliable one-on-one defender out there, but he’ll excel as a help side defender and won’t get lost off the ball. Offensively, his shooting isn’t where it could be yet, but he’s going to be able to attack the rim at the NBA level and is strong enough to finish around it. If his 3-point shot improves enough for that to be a weapon at the NBA level, it will only increase his value.
15.Boston Celtics (Via Memphis) - Tyrell Terry, G
The Jeff Green trade is finally fulfilled. Green, now playing for the Rockets, is on his sixth different team since the Celtics traded him to Memphis back in 2015 as part of a three-team deal that netted Boston a future first-round draft pick. While there certainly are Celtics fans – and Grizzlies fans – out there that were hoping for Memphis to win the lottery and vault up so the pick would become an unprotected one next year. Unfortunately for those folks, that wasn’t the case.
The Celtics right now have a top-five player group that is absolutely capable of being a championship-caliber group. Part of those championship hopes are going to rest on the shoulders of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown and how well they develop. Another part of those hopes are going to have to rest on the role players and bench, and right now they’re not deep enough. During the regular season the Celtics ranked 29th in bench scoring, only ahead of Portland. Adding a guy with the shooting stroke of Terry that can create his own shot should help boost that number.
16.Orlando Magic - RJ Hampton, G
The Magic shocked the world with its Game 1 win over the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round of the playoffs, and they’ll always have that to remember. But the rest of the bubble didn’t go all that well for them. Many expected them to be able to at least move up to the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference in front of an absolutely depleted Brooklyn team while in the bubble, but that didn’t happen.
One of the best things for the Magic this year was the emergence of former No. 1 overall pick Markelle Fultz as a viable option in the backcourt. But they won’t be able to take that next step with only him in the backcourt. Hampton was thought of as a future star before his professional trip to New Zealand that didn’t turn out so well. He struggled to get on the floor for the Breakers at times, and wasn’t as effective as many had hoped when he was on the floor. But he still is one of the most athletic guys in this draft and pretty high-end top speed. His jumper isn’t where it needs to be yet, but if it develops things will look pretty bright for the Magic.
17.Portland Trail Blazers - Robert Woodard II, F
The Blazers have been the NBA’s hottest team since the NBA restarted – other than maybe the Suns – and surprised the Lakers with a Game 1 playoff win the other night. Every game they’ve played in thus far has been crazy exciting, partially because there hasn’t been a hotter player in the league than Damian Lillard, but also due to the fact that Portland’s defense has been atrocious.
Adding Woodard certainly won’t fix all of Portland’s defensive aliments, but it shouldn’t hurt either. He might not be a lockdown one-on-one guy, but he’s rarely going to get lost or make mistakes on that end of the floor. His size (6-foot-7) helps, and his rebound ability is much needed from a wing position, too. Offensively, he needs to improve his catch-and-shoot ability, but he did shoot nearly 43% last year at Mississippi State last year on 3-pointers.
18.Minnesota Timberwolves (Via Brooklyn) - Cole Anthony, G
Yes, the Wolves did draft a guard, technically, with the first overall pick in this mock draft. But that doesn’t matter as much here. The Wolves spent much of the second half of this past season operating with two-way player Jordan McLaughlin as the backup point guard behind D’Angelo Russell. That can’t be the case if Minnesota wants to compete for a playoff spot in 2021. They need to add more scoring off the bench in the backcourt.
Anthony could be the guy that comes in, creates instant offense for himself, and is able to help set up whoever else is on the floor. While at North Carolina he wasn’t surrounded by a plethora of talent, or on-court space. That should change and only help to elevate his game in the NBA. Provided he checks out medically after knee surgery during his season, this could be a great value pick for the Wolves.
19.Dallas Mavericks - Kira Lewis Jr., G
The Mavericks are going to be really good sometime soon. It’s hard to think otherwise after watching Luka Doncic’s first couple of playoff games against the Clippers, even if one of them was a loss. Collecting and adding as much talent as possible should be the goal for the Mavericks until they’re ready to make a real run at a championship, which could be as soon as next year with the way Doncic is developing.
Lewis Jr. could be an off-the-bench scorer for years to come thanks to how quick he is despite being a touch undersized. He can both create for himself and others in the halfcourt and in transition and could serve as a very nice change of pace guard. Defensively, there may be times when he gets played off the court, but being able to dedicate time to an NBA-caliber strength and conditioning program should be able to help put him in a position where success is a bit more likely.
20.Brooklyn Nets (Via Philadelphia) - Tyrese Maxey, G
Even if the Nets get swept out of the playoffs by Toronto, what they did inside the bubble has to be considered a victory of some sort. The 5-3 record in seeding games was impressive considering how many players were missing from the roster that Brooklyn used for the bulk of the regular season. Next year, with Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant, things should look drastically different than they do now. And due to that, it should be of no surprise if this pick gets talked about as a trade chip between now and the draft in October. It’s not a huge asset of any sort, but it could be a piece to help get a deal done, whether it’s for a third star alongside Durant and Irving or complimentary player to help them out.
Maxey represents one of the best values left on the board at No. 19 overall. He’s an undersized guard that’s found a way to play strong defense and attack the rim with a fearlessness not always seen in guys his size. His shooting needs to improve, but his 83% mark from the free throw line gives plenty of hope that it will with time.
21.Miami Heat - Precious Achiuwa, C
Miami has found something special in Bam Adebayo for the foreseeable future in the frontcourt. Whether or not they can win a title with him as their best player is something that’s yet to be seen, but he’s already ridiculously good, and there’s no doubting that. What Miami is doing right now is certainly fun to watch, and it will be interesting to see what happens should they match up with Milwaukee in the second round of the playoffs.
After Adebayo, the Heat will need a backup center in something that resembles an energy role off the bench. That’s the type of role that makes sense for Achiuwa in the NBA. He’s already got high energy, runs the floor really well, and can grab plenty of rebounds. He won’t be the best defender and won’t ever be the focal point of any offense – even a second unit one – but can still impact the game in positive ways.
22.Philadelphis 76ers (Via Oklahoma City) - Jahmi'us Ramsey, G
What a mess the Sixers look like. At this point, it feels inevitable that Brett Brown is going to lose his job once Philadelphia is eliminated, and it’s a fair question to ask if one of Ben Simmons or Joel Embiid will be traded this offseason. It may have sounded crazy to many at the start of this year, but right now the path to completing the process looks pretty murky.
Whether or not the Sixers do move on from one of Embiid or Simmons, this roster badly needs more shooting. At this point in the draft, Ramsey is probably the best shooter available, and that alone is enough reason for Elton Brand to make this selection.
23.Denver Nuggets (Via Houston) - Jaden McDaniels, F
It feels like the Nuggets are a player development factory the way things have gone over the past five years or so. They’ve had more depth than just about everyone in the NBA, to the point where they’ve had to trade away players like Juancho Hernangomez and Malik Beasley that couldn’t find minutes despite clearly being good enough.
McDaniels is another project for Denver to work on. In his only season at Washington he was a bit underwhelming but his size and versatility, along with his shooting ability give reason to think that he can drastically improve. He needs to add strength and some sort of weight, but should be able to retain his elite athleticism by doing so in an NBA program.
24.Utah Jazz - Nico Mannion, G
One of the biggest bright spots for the Jazz thus far in their playoff series against the Nuggets has been the play of Jordan Clarkson off the bench. The guard play that he’s been able to give Utah has given the Jazz a lift, especially in their Game 2 win to even up the series. If the Jazz are going to advance, Clarkson may be an important, but under-the-radar reason why.
Mannion is a guy that could fill that sort of role for Utah in the future, which makes sense considering Clarkson is set to hit free agency at the conclusion of this season. Mannion may be able to do a little bit more operating an offense than Clarkson can, but likely won’t be the microwave offense that Clarkson is by himself. Mannion’s 3-point shot should translate seamlessly to the NBA, but he won’t be able to attack the rim at a plus-level in the NBA either.
25.Milwaukee Bucks (Via Indiana) - Josh Green, F
This is another pick that’s worth mentioning as one that could be brought up in a trade discussion. The most important thing that Milwaukee needs to do is put Giannis Antetokounmpo in the best position possible to win a championship before he can become a free agent following the conclusion of the 2021 season (whenever that is). It’s a little difficult to envision someone drafted 24th overall in this draft is going to help do that, but crazier things have happened.
Green has a future in the NBA as a 3-and-D guy that probably spends much of his time in that role off the bench. He won’t do much off the dribble offensively and his ideal situation is sticking him on the wing or in the corner for catch-and-shoot opportunities created by another playmaker. He won’t be able to guard the opponent’s best player right away, but his size gives hope that one day he’ll be a switchable player on guards, wings, and undersized bigs.
26.Oklahoma City Thunder (Via Denver) - Isaiah Stewart, C
So far, the battle between James Harden and Chris Paul in the playoffs hasn’t really lived up to expectations, with the Rockets winning the first two games pretty handily. While it’s a long series and anything can still happen, things don’t look good right now for Oklahoma City. With that said, the future still is bright, and this has been an impressive season, no matter what.
This bright future in OKC could go down a few different paths, and one of them almost certainly involves trading away Steven Adams for assets of some sort. Adams’ contract has one more year on it following this season, and that means adding another big could be a priority for the Thunder in this draft.
27.Boston Celtics - Aleksej Pokusevski, C
The Celtics have looked awesome thus far against Philadelphia, which is partially due to them being really good and partially due to the Sixers being a dumpster fire right now.
One of the things Boston really seems to like is getting value out of a cheap big and Pokusvski certainly would be that for a bit on his rookie contract. He’s got the potential to be an offensive weapon, but it’s hard to believe that he’ll be ready to contribute to the Celtics next season. He certainly can one day be a stretch five that impacts the game in a big way, but he’s a bit of a risk to take right now. He’ll need to put on muscle to survive in the post, currently standing at 7-foot, 201 pounds.
28.New York Knicks (Via LAC) - Jalen Smith, C
Okay, so the Knicks didn’t move up and get a top four, but at least they’ve got two selections in the first round? Just trying to make this a little bit better, Knicks fans.
Yes, the Knicks have Mitchell Robinson already at center, but Smith is certainly a different type of center than Robinson is. Robinson’s role is to block shots and catch lobs at the rim, while Smith can be a stretch-five that doubles as a passing big. It might be tough to have them on the floor at the same time, but there definitely will be minutes for both of them to have.
29.Los Angeles Lakers - Cassius Winston, G
The Lakers continued not looking great through their first playoff game in a loss to the Blazers but did pick things back up with a blowout win on Thursday night to even up the series at one game each.
Part of the issue for the Lakers is lack of playmaking outside of LeBron on the roster. Rajon Rondo has been hurt and may be back during this series against Portland, but even he hasn’t been great this year – although Playoff Rondo is a different guy, admittedly. If the Lakers don’t trade this pick, selecting someone capable of running the second unit and keeping the offense afloat with LeBron on the bench should be a priority.
30.Toronto Raptors - Devon Dotson, G
Will the Raptors repeat as champions this summer? It’s obviously too early to tell, but there should be no doubting them at this point. They’ve looked like the best team in the NBA since things picked back up last month and they’ve showed no signs of slowing down.
This offseason will bring a number of questions for Toronto, but the biggest one might be Fred VanVleet and whether or not he returns, and if he does on what type of contract. The Raptors have developed two undersized guards into absolute problems in VanVleet and Kyle Lowry, and they might be the franchise best suited to do it again. There are a couple options here, but Dotson might be the best athlete guard left on the board, and who is going to doubt Toronto turning him – or whoever is selected here – into something worthwhile?
31.Boston Celtics - Tyler Bey, F
The Celtics have already drafted a project of a big man a few picks ago, but Bey probably qualifies as a project, as well. He’s going to likely need to make a position change in the NBA after spending much of his time at Colorado as a post player. He projects in the NBA as an athletic wing, and that should help him out on the defensive end of the floor, but his offensive game is going to need a decent amount of work to become a rotational player in the NBA.