NBA Draft: New player at the top of the 2020 NBA Lottery Redraft

2020 NBA Lottery Redraft, Pick No. 11: Isaiah Stewart, Washington

The center position is on a confusing trajectory, from years of increased marginalization to something of a renaissance this year. Nikola Jokic, Joel Embiid and Bam Adebayo are all having elite seasons, and it makes having a mobile defensive center in your pocket a valuable proposition.

Isaiah Stewart is strong, quick and has a relentless motor, attacking shot-blocking opportunities and especially rebounds with gusto. He has the highest offensive rebound percentage of any rookie (minimum 100 minutes), and trails only James Wiseman in block percentage. He’s not going to create his own shots, but he can bang inside with post centers, move with the more athletic ones, and will clean the glass every single time.

Team Fit: The San Antonio Spurs are in the midst of a team transition, where veterans such as LaMarcus Aldridge and DeMar DeRozan are replaced by younger options. The Spurs have a center option in Jakob Poetl, but he limits the defensive versatility of the team as a true ground-bound center. Stewart would give them a second, cheaper option with more bounce and more upside.

What’s Changed? The Spurs would have loved to tab a wing shooter here, but those went early in this redraft. Instead, they go for a frontcourt player, opting for Stewart ahead of Precious Achiuwa or Xavier Tillman Sr. Stewart has proven himself among the many bigs who went in the mid-first to mid-second rounds and boosts into this spot.