NBA mock draft: Latest intel for the lottery picks
With a tentative date for the NBA draft now set, activities centered around the 2020 NBA draft figure to pick up as teams and prospects alike begin to ramp up preparations for the big night on Oct. 15.
The NBA previously announced the regular season would restart in July at the Walt Disney World Resort near Orlando, Florida. As the Board of Governors approved the restart plan, the league also set the NBA draft lottery for Aug. 25.
While the NBA has been busy sorting out the details of the season restart at Disney, teams have met virtually with prospects on Zoom. Teams have been prohibited from meeting in person with prospects and cannot view live workout videos due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Now that the league has finalized a schedule for the draft, underclassmen who wish to withdraw and retain their collegiate eligibility have until Aug. 3 to do so. As a result, we expect some players to return to school (e.g. Luka Garza, Colbey Ross, Aaron Henry, Ayo Dosunmu).
With the early-entry deadline now set, we look at all 60 picks based on the latest intel from around the league. The order below was randomly generated via Tankathon.com and is based on the standings as of March 11.
1. Minnesota Timberwolves
LaMelo Ball, Illawarra (NBL)
Most common NBA comparison: Shaun Livingston, Jason Williams
Minnesota had an offensive rating (114.9) that ranked in the 88th percentile when D’Angelo Russell was on the court, per Cleaning the Glass. The offensive opportunities that would be possible with Russell and Karl-Anthony Towns if the Timberwolves doubled down by selecting LaMelo Ball would immediately make Minnesota among the most feared scoring threats in the NBA. .
2. Detroit Pistons
Onyeka Okongwu, USC
Comparison: Harrel
Onyeka Okongwu projects as an immediate starter in the NBA and is likely the best defensive prospect at his position. He is a double-double machine who averaged 16.2 points with 8.6 rebounds and 2.7 blocks per game during his freshman season at USC.
Bam
3. Charlotte Hornets
Adebayo,
James Wiseman, USA
Montrezl
Comparison:
Chris Bosh
The Charlotte Hornets have a solid core, including PJ Washington, Miles Bridges, Malik Monk and Devonte’ Graham. But adding James Wiseman would give them the strength and size they need in the frontcourt.
Hassan
4. Golden State Warriors
Whiteside,
Devin Vassell, Florida State
Comparison:
Khris Middleton
According to Connor Letourneau of the San Francisco Chronicle, Golden State would consider selecting Devin Vassell at the “bottom of the top five” because of his stellar 3-and-D potential. Vassell has been described as one of the draft’s safest options because he projects as a trustworthy rotation piece, much like Brandon Clarke did last season. Vassell almost never turned the ball over, he shot 41.5% from 3 and his offensive rating was third-best among highmajor underclassmen.
Robert
5. Cleveland Cavaliers
Covington,
Deni Avdija, Maccabi Tel Aviv (Israeli BSL)
Comparison: Dario Saric, Bojan Bogdanovic
Cleveland Cavaliers general manager Koby Altman spent six days overseas to scout Deni Avdija, per Chris Fedor of cleveland.com. Cleveland’s backcourt is set with back-to-back lottery picks in Collin Sexton and Darius Garland, and the frontcourt is overstacked with Andre Drummond, Tristan Thompson and Kevin Love. The best fit for the Cavaliers is a wing. Deni Avdija is a 6-8 forward who can be a secondary ball-handler and cutter for an NBA team.
6. Atlanta Hawks
Anthony Edwards, Georgia
Comparison: Mitchell
Anthony Edwards, who hails from Atlanta and stayed in state for college, began heating up right before the college season ended. He scored extremely well within five feet of the rim, and he’s an above-average defender who can eventually evolve into a secondary star alongside Trae Young.
Victor Oladipo, Donovan
7. New York Knicks
Obi Toppin, Dayton
Comparison: John Collins, Kyle Kuzma
Obi Toppin won the Naismith and Wooden awards as the top college player in the country. Much like if Edwards went to the Hawks, being selected by the Knicks would be a homecoming for Toppin, a New York native. While he has not fared well defensively, that would be less of a liability when paired with defensive stud and rim protector Mitchell Robinson in the frontcourt.
8. Chicago Bulls
Killian
Hayes,
ratiopharm
ulm
(German BBL)
Comparison: Dragic
Killian Hayes is a 6-foot-5 guard who can play on or off the ball, which means he and 2019 lottery pick Coby White (6foot-4) could then split responsibilities in the backcourt. The French prospect led the German League in transition scoring (3.3 points per game) at age 18, connecting on more than 84% of these attempts. The guard won MVP at the U16 Euro Championship in 2017 and AllTournament Team at the 2018 U17 World Cup in 2018.
D’Angelo Russell, Goran
9. Washington Wizards
Cole Anthony, UNC
Comparison:
White
Wizards point guard John Wall has not played an NBA game since Dec. 26, 2018. If and when he does come back, it is unclear how much he will be able to contribute to an offense that has scored at a prolific rate in his absence. Even if Wall is able to return, the future of the team is no longer in his hands. Although he did not look ready to be a professional starter during his time at UNC, a chance to learn alongside a five-time All-Star such as Wall could be instrumental for Anthony’s development. The Wizards ranked last in rebound percentage while Anthony ranked among the top five in defensive rebound percentage (16.4 percent) among freshmen 6-foot-3 or shorter.
Austin
10. Phoenix Suns
Rivers,
Coby
Tyrese Haliburton, Iowa State
Comparison: Lonzo Ball, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Iowa State guard Tyrese Haliburton would provide a perfect fit next to an overwhelmingly ball-dominant offguard in Devin Booker. For a team that already has strong offensive weapons such as Booker and Deandre Ayton, Haliburton could be the glue. He has a 6foot-5 frame and a 7-foot wingspan and is one of the most NBA-ready 3-and-D prospects. He shot 41.9% from 3-point range, and his steal percentage (3.8%) ranked second-best among high-major underclassmen
11. San Antonio Spurs
Isaac Okoro, Auburn
Comparison: Justise Winslow, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist
Isaac Okoro, who is an incredible athlete, shot 67.8% at the rim as a freshman, and the majority of those attempts were unassisted. He has been more than capable of creating his own offense on post-up attempts, isolation looks, ball handling in transition and putbacks. As defenders, Okoro and Dejounte Murray would be a nightmare matchup for opponents.
12. Sacramento Kings
RJ Hampton, New Zealand Breakers
Comparison:
Dante Exum
Unless the Kings consolidate assets, their best move simply would be to pick the top player available. That could very well be RJ Hampton, whose draft stock may have slid a bit when he got hurt while playing for the New Zealand Breakers.
Jordan
13. New Orleans Pelicans
Saddiq Bey, Villanova
Clarkson,
Comparison:
Hardaway Jr.
Saddiq Bey shot 45.1% from 3-point range last season and is an elite catchand-shoot prospect and spot-up option. He led all players 6-foot-8 or taller in total 3-pointers made this past season. Plus, at his height, it is especially impressive that he has finished 14.6% of his possessions as the ball handler in pick-and-roll sets.
Rodney
Hood,
14. Portland Trail Blazers
Tim
Patrick Williams, Florida State
Comparison:
Anunoby
The Trail Blazers have a good thing going when Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum are in stride. Their frontcourt also has a ton of depth when it is fully healthy. But the problem in Portland has been lack of a bona fide three or four to fill out the wing positions. Enter: ACC Sixth Man of the Year Patrick Williams. He is one of the youngest prospects in the draft, but when it is all said and done, he could end up as the best overall player.
Kawhi
Leonard,
OG