2020 NBA Mock Draft 4.0
The 2020 NBA Draft has a lot of talent to pick from. The 30 NBA teams will have their choice and the best prospects from around the world. My mock draft will have players taken for the team’s needs coming first.
Mock Draft Lottery
At pick No. 1, the Minnesota Timberwolves will select Anthony Edwards, a shooting guard from the University of Georgia. Edwards can score at will from anywhere on the court. He needs to work on his decision-making, but D’Angelo Russel can play the one or the two and be in a leadership role helping out the rookie. Edwards has great potential but will need guidance from head coach Ryan Saunders.
Trade ALERT
At No. 2, we have a trade. The Warriors are trading back to No. 5 with the Cleveland Cavaliers, as the No. 2 and Andrew Wiggins head to Cleveland for Andre Drummond and the No. 5 pick.
With the pick, the Cavaliers select James Wiseman, who at 7’1 will help be a crucial part of their young and talented team. Wiseman can score at will in the paint. Pair that with a beautiful jump shot, and he can turn into a better version of Drummond scoring-wise. By year two, he could be a walking double-double.
Pick 3
The Charlotte Hornets have the third overall draft pick. I have them taking 6’7 point guard LaMelo Ball. Ball has tons of upside and is a fantastic finisher and playmaker; he is the dream point guard, except that he shot 29% on jump shots last year in Australia. With Devonte’ Graham as their shooting guard, all Charlotte needs is a playmaking point guard in the backcourt and that is where Ball fits in.
Pick 4
The Chicago Bulls have pick No. 4, and I have them selecting Deni Avdija, a 6’9 forward from Israel. He would slide right in at the open three spot for the Bulls due to his uncanny knack for scoring. Avdija can also play defense and is a good playmaker. This would be a great pick for Chicago as they would get a number two or three options, who can be the future guy.
Pick 5
Following the trade with Cleveland, Golden State has the No. 5 pick. I have them selecting Issac Okoro, the 6’6 small forward, who can slide into the sixth man spot or take the starting SF role. He is one of the best defenders in the class.
With nearly a steal and a block per game, Okoro locked up some of the country’s best players. With all the offense around him, Okoro won’t have to do much scoring.
Pick 6
The Atlanta Hawks select Tyreese Haliburton. At 6’5, he’s a phenomenal defender and will lock up opposing guards. Additionally, Tyreese shot 41.9% from three-point range, which will be an excellent addition to pair alongside Trae Young.
Pick 7
At No. 7, I have the Detroit Pistons taking Onyeka Okongwu. In addition to being 6’10, Onyeka has a good range and is a terrific defender. He can out-hustle, outrun, out pass, and outrebound those taller and stronger than him.
Pick 8
At No. 8, I have the New York Knicks taking Obi Toppin. To go along with being 6’9 and 220 pounds, Toppin is an athletic freak. Averaging 20 and 7.5 boards, Toppin will be a force on offense and bring out the best in the already young duo of Mitchell Robinson and RJ Barret.
Pick 9
I have the Washington Wizards selecting the young and talented point guard from France, Killian Hayes, ninth overall. Hayes averaged 12 points and six assists for Ratiopharm Ulm. Backing up or starting over John Wall wouldn’t be a bad idea for the playmaking point guard.
Pick 10
At No. 10, I have the Suns selecting Kira Lewis. An athletic guard, Lewis can develop behind Rubio for a year while working on his playmaking ability. Playing with an athletic center in Deandre Ayton for his career sounds appealing.
Pick 11
I have the Spurs taking a three-point shooting wing in Aaron Nesmith. Nesmith shot 52.2% from beyond the ark last year and will help a San Antonio team that already was third in the NBA three-point percentage. Nesmith will pair well with budding point guard Dejonte Murray.
Pick 12
In this spot, the Kings have a tough decision do they take a guy that needs time to develop or a guy that will help right away. I have them taking Patrick Williams, the 6’8 SF from Florida State. Williams will help cause turnovers and develop an NBA-level offensive game.
Pick 13
At No. 13, I have the Pelicans selecting another small forward from FSU in Devin Vassel. This kid has an excellent three-point shot with a 41.5% shot beyond the arc. Vassel will fit in with Lonzo Ball and Zion Williamson, who have less than adequate range.
Pick 14
The Celtics take Saadiq Bey, a three and D wing who will provide an excellent offensive option. Bey will be able to handle himself on the defensive side as well.
Mock Draft After The Lottery
Pick 15. The Orlando Magic select Precious Achiuwa, a power forward from the University of Memphis. With Aaron Gordon aging, the Magic need a new athletic PF that will score at will and play solid defense. Precious will provide help in the paint and take the pressure off of Nikola Vucevic.
Pick 16. Portland Trail Blazers select power forward/center Jalen Smith from the University of Maryland. The Blazers have a phenomenal guard duo in Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum; it makes sense to take a big man. Especially one that will help with an injury-prone center in Jusef Nurkic
Pick 17. Minnesota Timberwolves select guard RJ Hampton from New Zealand. Hampton will be a scoring threat behind Jarret Culver and D’Angelo Russel.
Pick 18. Cole Anthony, a point guard from the University of North Carolina, heads to the Dallas Mavericks. Anthony who will compete with Brunson for minutes. Both are great scorers, and I think Cole will fit nicely as the Mavs sixth man.
Pick 19. Brooklyn Nets select Tyrell Terry from Stanford University. Terry will give the Nets a flash off the bench seeing as he can hit shots from anywhere. Playing behind Kyrie Irving will be challenging, but Terry will score in the minutes he gets into games.
Pick 20. Miami Heat selects Desmond Bane, a small forward from TCU. The Heat gets a three and D player who will fit well behind Duncan Robinson and provide immediate points as the starters are sitting.
Mock Draft 20-30
Pick 21. Tre Jones, a point guard from Duke University, heads to the city of brotherly love. Jones is an incredible defending playmaker that will make an impact behind Ben Simmons. He can shoot and defend, which will help behind Simmons, seeing as his shot isn’t the best.
Pick 22. Denver Nuggets select Josh Green from the University of Arizona. Josh will provide length and scoring for a Nuggets team that needs a wing. Green will provide range and athleticism to a team that focuses on Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic as the team’s offensive leaders.
Pick 23: Utah Jazz select Leandro Bolmaro from FC Barcelona. In nine games, Bolmaro scored 14.6 points a game, which could help a defensive-minded Jazz team. Bolmaro could help off the bench as he continues developing.
Pick 24. Milwaukee Bucks take Aleksej Pokusevski, a center from Olympiacos Piraeus. Aleksej was able to score and grab boards in the Greek league with 16 points per game and seven rebounds per game. With the Lopez brothers getting older, selecting Pokusevski and developing him for the future would be beneficial, should Giannis Antetokounmpo stick around.
Pick 25. Tyreese Maxey, a shooting guard from the University of Kentucky, heads to Oklahoma City Thunder. While the Thunder have Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, there’s no harm in taking his backup who can score and defend off the bench. Maxey will be able to succeed as a bench role somewhere, and Oklahoma City might be the best place to learn and play out his career there.
Pick 26. Boston Celtics select Jaden McDaniels, a power forward at the University of Washington. The Celtics have Tatum, but they need a backup PF, and McDaniels would provide a defensive force off the bench along with some solid points in one of the best systems in the NBA.
Pick 27. New York Knicks take Cassius Winston from Michigan State. Winston will compete for minutes on the bench, but if Dennis Smith Jr. plays the way he has been, Winston could get in more. One of the best playmakers in college history, Winston, could feed the ball to Mitchel Robinson in the paint for easy assists.
Pick 28. Los Angeles Lakers select Isaiah Stewart, a center from the University of Washington. Yes, the Lakers have Anthony Davis and Dwight Howard, but Stewart can back both of these talented big men up. An excellent rebounder and shot-blocker, Stewart would help the Lakers with a defensive force off the bench as their number four big man.
Pick 29. Toronto Raptors select Nico Mannion, a point guard from the University of Arizona. Kyle Lowry is getting older, and the ginger stud from Arizona is the perfect replacement. Mannion is quick and creative with the ball and will score when he’s in the game or dish it to Pascal Siakam.
Pick 30. Jahmi’us Ramsey from Texas Tech University heads to the Boston Celtics. Ramsey is one of the most intriguing prospects in the draft. He can shoot and defend exceptionally well. Watch for him to fall without March Madness this past season. Head coach Brad Stevens would swoop in at the idea of getting a prospect this good, perhaps a hidden gem in this seemingly average draft class.
