With the NBA season over, it’s time for the next edition of our Mock NBA draft. Check out where Anthony Edwards, LaMelo Ball and the rest will go.
As we get closer to the NBA draft things are slowly starting to solidify even more. Teams are calling around for ways to move up and down in the draft but until then it is starting to get clearer where some of these prospects are starting to stack up, like LaMelo Ball, Anthony Edwards and others.
As the draft is now just over a month away it is time to revisit the rankings before we get into team workouts. Players have begun to do interviews with reporters and some questions are starting to be answered. The NBA Draft is slated for November 18, 2020, and that will be here quickly.
Anthony Edwards makes the most sense for the Minnesota Timberwolves at the top of the draft. He fits the roster currently in place and appears to be the foundational sort of player that even if they have to make moves down the road.
He is an elite athlete and profiles as a possible prolific defender that could change the direction of the team on that side of the ball. If D’Angelo Russell can play more of a playmaking role then that only benefits Edwards further as he slowly develops as a decision-maker.
Without getting too carried away on projections the profile of Dwyane Wade is reasonable. He can be a solid shot-blocker and rebounder as a guard while also being a solid scoring threat. If the Timberwolves keep the pick he is the clear choice.
This also has not changed. The Golden State Warriors will continue to shop the pick to see if they can add more of an immediate impact player but if they stay here James Wiseman continues to make the most sense.
The Warriors are in a position where they can draft for fit. They are not your typical team at the top of the draft and will likely be contending for a championship next season. The biggest need for a team with a plethora of wings and guards is a big man who can run the floor and thrive in the open court.
The sample size is far too small to really surmise much given the few games that he played in college but the potential is clear. He is a hyper athlete that can fit into the defense as long as he commits. It seems like he loves to work so he should fit right in.
While the red flags have started to crop up on LaMelo Ball there is still little reason for the Charlotte Hornets to pass on him here with the third pick in the NBA draft. Saying that he did not intend to change his shooting form is certainly less than ideal for a player who was inefficient in that regard (42.5 percent eFG overseas) but maybe with time comes a willingness to change.
The passing is still something to behold and the ultimate reason for this projection. Ball is a consistent highlight reel, finding teammates with the kind of passes that defy logic. He has the handle that Hornets fans loved with Kemba Walker and the vision to take it to the next level.
He will not be the scorer that Walker was unless he improves his shooting but the other attributes of his game still make him a worthy building block. LaMelo Ball profiles as an elite rebounder for his position and has the body of an elite defender, if not always the IQ.
Deni Avdija makes too much sense for the Chicago Bulls. Ultimately, he may make sense for teams even higher if they want to be so bold. The scoring potential is that real. He is raw and will need to develop but he has the tools and ability to play like a guy new coach Billy Donovan is very familiar with: Danilo Gallinari.
This is the ceiling for Avdija and if he is able to hit it then this pick is a no-brainer. He is a versatile offensive threat and can both shoot on the perimeter and cut to the basket. He can play a smart pick-and-roll game with Zach LaVine and could unlock something for the borderline All-Star that the team was previously missing.
For a team that loves size and may be losing Tristan Thompson to free agency this offseason, Obi Toppin can slide right in and play his role perfectly. The Cleveland Cavaliers picked in the top 10 three years in a row but are still in a position to take the best player available.
Toppin was the best player in college basketball last year and while he may not have the highest ceiling of anyone in the draft the floor is high for him. In college, he averaged 20.0 points and 7.5 rebounds per game while being hyper-efficient. He can stretch the floor and create for his teammates. His defensive his abysmal, so he already feels like a Cav. The local connection having played at Dayton is just icing on the cake.
Yes, they traded for Clint Capela at the deadline and the positional overlap is cause for concern. That should not matter here. The Atlanta Hawks are in asset accumulation mode and Onyeka Okongwu is the best player available in this draft and could end up being a complete steal for them at six.
He brings something on defense that Capela does not bring and would be an immediate impact for the team on both ends of the court. Every team will be looking for their version of Bam Adebayo after this run by the Miami Heat and Okongwu has a lot of the same skills. He works as hard on the defensive end of the floor as Trae Young does on the offensive end. The team would boast a plethora of shooters and two strong young big men.
This has almost felt preordained since the Detroit Pistons drafted Sekou Doumbouya last year. Killian Hayes and Doumbouya have played together before and want to again. They would make each other’s development easier as they continued to grow together. The fact that the Pistons are in need of a point guard makes the choice that much clearer.
Hayes is a brilliant playmaker, bringing elite passing associated with players taken higher in the draft without the variability. He will likely grate on coach Dwane Casey as he suffers defensive lapses but he will get his teammates the best shots possible. This is an investment in the further restoring of the Detroit Pistons. Rare are the opportunities that fit and the best player available for a team at the bottom align so clearly. The Pistons should take advantage of it.
The New York Knicks have continuously swung and missed on the point guard of the future. It is about time they get it right. Tyrese Haliburton can be that for them and brings a level of maturity and professionalism that they have been lacking.
Haliburton is not the raw project that they have taken a chance on in previous years. He is more of a finished product and is ready to make his teammates better. RJ Barrett would have looked even better in his rookie season with a point guard who was not either always looking for his own (Dennis Smith) or lost on the offensive end (Frank Ntilikina). Mitchell Robinson has the potential to be dominant in the pick-and-roll. Haliburton will be that partner to unlock them both.
For a team almost singularly focused on the other side of the ball adding a defensive-minded dynamo could get the Washington Wizards on the right track to a return to the playoffs. Devin Vassell has the skillset to guard four positions right off the bat and is a solid 3-point shooter (41.5 percent last season).
He will need a situation where he can play his role and not be the primary option. For a Washington Wizards team intending to roll out John Wall, Bradley Beal and Davis Bertans he will be able to pick his spots and thrive in his role. Defense might not be the sexy skill that makes draft night exciting fans. They will be excited when Vassell is winning them games.
Isaac Okoro is one of the more volatile prospects in this draft. He has the ceiling of the top five but his shooting limits him more than any other lottery pick. He is an ace defensively and would immediately compete for the best defensive player on an improving Phoenix Suns team.
If he can put it all together he can be a stud on both sides of the ball, helping the team take the next step. He can help cement the progress this team made during the seeding games. If not, it will be another in a long line of misses in the draft during Devin Booker’s time. The risk is real but Okoro is worth it.
Aaron Nesmith is the type of player that would have fit on any of the San Antonio Spurs championship teams throughout history. He is a little bit older (will be 21 when the season starts) and will be ready to contribute quickly.
Nesmith is a dead-eye shooter, having shot 52.2 percent from long range last season. He works hard and is willing to commit on the defensive end of the ball. He profiles as the Gary Neal/Danny Green type of role player that thrived on the Spurs that peaked around the start of the previous decade with the potential to be something more.
The Sacramento Kings are mystifying. Predicting the direction they will go in has been a puzzle for more than a decade and a new General Manager only makes the direction more unclear. Taking a chance on a player who had the hype of a top lottery pick before a losing season at North Carolina threw everything off.
Cole Anthony could be the spark off the bench the Kings need. He is a dynamic scorer and at a minimum could play a key reserve role here. He can shoot and finish with both hands and would be able to keep up in transition with franchise-cornerstone De’Aaron Fox. And everyone knows the Kings do not need another big man.
Patrick Williams would slide right into the New Orleans Pelicans roster of big men and would be a more modern fit that Derrick Favors was. Williams is a scoring threat both at the rim and in the mid-range. He is a willing passer and would thrive picking his spots alongside an already loaded roster of young talent.
Williams is the type of player who buys into the culture of a team and helps be a steadying force. While there are a pair of young big men already on the roster in Zion Williamson and Jaxson Hayes that should not deter the team. Williams gives them versatility and would mesh well.
This pick potentially addresses a few weaknesses for the Boston Celtics while also allowing them to swing for the stars with one of the final remaining assets that they have pilfered through trades over the last decade. For a team with not many avenues to add to an increasingly expensive roster Aleksej Pokusevski is a worthwhile risk.
He is rather slight (measuring at 7’0” and weighing just 200 lbs.) but if he can ever add some weight to his frame while keeping his agility he will be a true threat out of the post. Pokusevski can stretch the floor, find open teammates and could play defense with some muscle. The ifs are big but Brad Stevens may be just the coach to make them happen.
For a team continuously stuck in the purgatory of the range of late lottery to immediate playoff exit, the Orlando Magic can afford to take a chance. RJ Hampton has the potential to change their franchise. He also has true bust potential.
His time in New Zealand was less than inspiring and his ineffective shot has caused him to slide much further than he was projected to go when he came out of high school. For most franchises, this could be too much to swallow. But the Magic have shown this season that they can succeed bringing along former elite prospects with that issue slowly in Markelle Fultz. The stability of a coach like Steve Clifford combined with the lack of expectations in Orlando is the type of situation where Hampton should thrive.
The Portland Trail Blazers can afford to add something to their bench that can provide them some flexibility. Precious Achiuwa is the type of big that provides just that. He has the defensive upside that could help anchor a team who, at times, had to rely on Hassan Whiteside for that off the bench.
Achiuwa would benefit greatly from playing alongside either Damian Lillard or CJ McCollum. He is not the most consistent player of yet but Portland has shown the ability to bring players along slowly and develop them into useful pieces, a la Gary Trent Jr. This is also a smart hedge on any further Zach Collins injuries.
Continuing the move to revamp the wing rotation for the Minnesota Timberwolves, Saddiq Bey adds some much-needed shooting to the team. Outside of 14 games from Malik Beasley, the most reliable 3-point shooting wing for the team this season was Jordan McLaughlin.
Bey is an immediate improvement and has the possibility to be everything the team hoped to get out of last year’s top pick Jarrett Culver. Furthermore, like Anthony Edwards earlier he brings a defensive mindset that could give this team an infusion of talent on that end of the floor that could change their future. The combination of those two immediately changes the trajectory of this team.
Jalen Smith is exactly the kind of big man who thrives in the Dallas Mavericks system and is a smart hedge for a team facing injury concerns around Kristaps Porzingis and Dwight Powell. He is the modern big man that can shoot from outside but is strong enough to defend in the paint.
Currently more of a block chaser than a true rim protector, Smith will have to improve on that end of the ball to realize his potential. Averaging 2.4 blocks per game as he did last season is impressive but if he lets too many drivers get past him then those blocks do not count for much. If he does figure that side of the ball out though he could be the kind of the center the Mavericks have been searching for since Tyson Chandler.
The Brooklyn Nets have title plans for next season and adding players with immediately discernible skills over projects is essential to take that step. Josh Green is a smart player who could play anywhere. He is the 3-and-D type that championship teams cannot have enough of.
He is also the perfect type of player for them to package in a future trade for a star. He excelled at spot-up shooting (essential if you are playing off the ball in an offensive system dominated by two All-NBA players like Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant) and is willing to take tough defensive assignments. As the Los Angeles Lakers showed in this title run when they scrounged to add replacements for a missing Avery Bradley the more players like this you have the better chance you have to win. Josh Green adds just that to the next contender in waiting.
If the world is not tired of hearing the words “Heat Culture” just yet then adding a player in the draft who perfectly fits that mold may put them over the edge. Kira Lewis, Jr. is all about hustle and will blow past opponents as he drives to the hoop.
Sometimes these drives are a little out of control as he still learns to control his body and the pace of the game but he showed a proclivity for finding open shooters to take advantage of cracks in the defense. If he was doing that in college with mediocre shooters imagine how lethal that would be if instead, he is kicking it to Duncan Robinson and Tyler Herro.
Now that the Philadelphia 76ers have a coach who (theoretically) will be able to figure out the fit of the roster the team can finally focus on what they missed the most this season: shooting. A team built around two big men (no matter what position Ben Simmons is listed as) needs floor spacing.
Tyrell Terry provides that floor spacing. He shot 40.8 percent from long range in college and knows how to find his spots. He would add a dimension to the Sixers that they have not experienced in far too long. He is admittedly undersized but there is so much length on this team that they may be one of the few teams that that may not be an issue for. The fit is perfect.
One of the many things that have made the rise of the Denver Nuggets so enjoyable is the way that they continue to add wings to their bench that allows them to stay versatile at all times. It gives them flexibility on the court to play whatever style fits the moment and the flexibility off the court to allow players to walk when they get too expensive.
Tyrese Maxey fits the mold of players they like perfectly. He was not an exceptional shooter from distance in college but his mechanics are sound and he shot well from the line. He is a hard worker and wants to get better. He is also a stellar defensive player. He is the next player in the line of Gary Harris, Malik Beasley, Will Barton and Monte Morris. The rich get richer.
Desmond Bane feels like he already plays for the Utah Jazz. He is a lights-out 3-point shooter (44.2 percent on 208 attempts) and has a high basketball IQ. He is ready to compete immediately and will step right into the rotation of a team determined to take the step out of the first round of the playoffs next season.
He has the defensive tools to be the ideal wing off the bench for a team but will take work on that end. The Utah Jazz have thrived at molding those talents in many players and would be able to get everything out of Desmond Bane.
The Milwaukee Bucks are entering one of the most important offseasons in team history and should take calculated risks to make sure they maximize their roster next season. Jaden McDaniels is that type of gamble. Coming out of high school he was an exciting prospect but he looked lost at times in Washington.
A developmental system like the Milwaukee Bucks is exactly what he needs if he is to realize the potential that had college scouts drooling. He is a hyper athlete and has sound shooting mechanics. He even fits their ideal body type, standing 6’9” with an impressive 6’11.5” wingspan. He can be brought along slowly but if he pops faster than expected he could be perfect for this team.
Tyler Bey fits the playstyle of many of the young Oklahoma City Thunder prospects going forward. He is defensive-minded and averaged an impressive stat line of 13.8 points, 9.0 rebounds, 1.5 steals and 1.2 blocks per game. Good both on and off the ball, at a minimum he will be a stalwart defensively that could cause teams fits beside Lu Dort.
Admittedly he is undersized for the position he is used to playing. He will probably have to transition to the wing or small-ball center. He is just not big enough to be a traditional rim protector but the tenacity is there. He will grind with this team and fits their personality and needs perfectly.
Much like the earlier selection by the Boston Celtics, they have too many picks and not enough roster spots so taking an international player how may not come over just yet makes some sense if they do not move some or all of these picks.
Leandro Bolmaro is a 6’7” guard who is a heady passer but lacks a consistent jump shot, significantly limiting his potential at the moment. He excels off the ball, essential on a team loaded with ball-dominant players. By the time he is ready to truly contribute it may be time for Kemba Walker to be gone so even that may work.
Robert Woodard II is exactly the kind of player the New York Knicks should be looking to add in addition to Tyrese Haliburton. He would bring a winning mentality and works exceptionally hard. He averaged 42.9 percent from 3-point range this season and is capable of defending multiple positions.
The fit works well for him. He needs to be brought along with a player who can help him thrive. If the Knicks indeed draft Haliburton he would have just that. Woodard also passes well, helping the ball movement for a team that certainly needs even more that to thrive. If his shooting continues to improve this could be a steal.
With the news that Rajon Rondo will be opting out of his contract and testing the market, it is worthwhile for the Los Angeles Lakers to look to add a prospect at the point guard position in the NBA draft. The way Theo Maledon is described is even similar to Rondo. He possesses the work ethic of a future champion and has a wingspan that far exceeds his height. He is a floor general and focuses more on driving the lane and kicking to open teammates over finishing himself.
Maledon will take time but the reward is worth the investment. He will not be thrust into pressing situations early, likely playing behind LeBron James, Avery Bradley, Alex Caruso and whoever else the team brings in as a ring-chaser. He is already being mentored by former champion Tony Parker. Learning with the current champions would benefit him even further.
The Toronto Raptors are in need of new prospects down low as some of their previous stalwarts are moving on. Marc Gasol has signed to return to Spain and Serge Ibaka is one of the better free agents on the market. Isaiah Stewart makes sense as a fallback to develop should they lose out on both of their previous starters.
Built like a truck (6’9” with a 7’4” wingspan, weighing 250 lbs.), Stewart is a solid rebounder and shot-blocker and would look to fortify their interior defense. Like every other Raptor of this era he is going to work harder than his opponents constantly. It is not hard to imagine him impressing quickly under coach Nick Nurse.
If there is going to be one player the Celtics take that is not a draft-and-stash type Isaiah Joe is worth the shot at 30. He was a sniper in his freshman season (41 percent from 3-point land) before cooling off in his sophomore year (34.2 percent). This was mostly due to him needing to be the main option for his team and he took worse shots because of it.
That would not be the case here. Joe would be able to pick his spots and would shine because of it. He would not have to be the number one option (probably not even a top-five option) but his energy and shooting would be a welcome addition to the team.