2020 NBA Mock Draft: 10/23/20

The longest season in NBA history is now officially over, so we can finally turn our attention to a much delayed 2020 NBA Draft. Here is my latest guess on how things could play out.

I do not project, or even talk about, possible trades. Assume all of these picks are available for the right price.

Pick #	Name	Analysis
2020 NBA Mock Draft – 10/23/20
1	PG LaMelo Ball, United States – 6’7, 190 lbs	Anthony Edwards might be the favorite, but I am still going to go with LaMelo Ball here. Although not the best shooter, his unique blend of size, speed and talent could make him a fan favorite in Minnesota, and more importantly, could get a few people interested in Timbewolves basketball again.
2	SF Deni Avdija, Israel – 6’9, 225 lbs	Deni Avdija to the Warriors is the popular rumor, and it makes sense. His spot up shooting and rugged defensive ability would be a great fit with all of Golden State’s ball handlers.
3	SG Anthony Edwards, Georgia – 6’3, 235 lbs	The Hornets desperately need front court help, but bad teams should not pass on talent to fill theoretical needs. Anthony Edwards had an up and down lone college season, but it was plain to see he was trying to do everything on a bad Georgia team. He has good size, and his addition would move either Devonte Graham or Terry Rozier to the bench, giving Charlotte a more balanced lineup.
4	C James Wiseman, Memphis – 7’1, 247 lbs	Say it again for those in the back: bad teams should take the best players. Plus, it is not like the Wendell Carter/Lauri Markkanen Chicago front court has set the NBA on fire. Like all of the others in this draft, James Wisesman is a polarizing prospect. He has the ability to be a great inside scorer/rebounder/lob finisher, but also could flame out as a big man who does not shoot well or play inspired defense. This draft is bad, I am taking the gamble here.
5	SF Isaac Okoro, Auburn – 6’6, 225 lbs	Perhaps the best fit in the top five. If the Cavaliers are determined to make a Darius Garland/Collin Sexton back court work, it is imperative to add versatile defenders to the lineup. Isaac Okoro excels in that area, and can defend almost every position on the court. Throw in a solid shooting stroke, and you get the draft’s top 3 and D guy.
6	SG Killian Hayes, France – 6’5, 192 lbs	The Hawks have a nice core that simply needs time to grow. Adding additional scoring is never a bad thing, however. Hayes is adept with the ball in his hands, but can play second fiddle to the ball dominating Trae Young as well.
7	C Onyeka Okongwu, USC – 6’9, 245 lbs	A PER lover’s dream, Onyeka Okongwu can do a little bit of everything for your team, whether it’s scoring, rebounding or playing defense. The Pistons are starting over from scratch and simply need to go with the best player available.
8	PF Obi Toppin, Dayton – 6’9, 220 lbs	This is a better spot for the reigning NCAA MVP. Obi Toppin is a good player, but a 22 year old glue guy would probably be an unfair bust if he was taken in the top five. He is the rare rookie who could get some run playing for new Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau. Think new school Kenneth Faried.
9	SF Devin Vassell, Florida State – 6’7, 195 lbs	The Wizards hope to get John Wall back next year, and with he and Bradley Beal dominating the ball, Washington will want to surround them with spot up shooters. Devin Vassell is one of the best in this class.
10	PG Tyrese Haliburton, Iowa State – 6’5, 175 lbs	Tyrese Haliburton is not an elite athlete, but is a hard working passer and potential elite defender. That is exactly what the Suns would like as a bench guard behind solid starter Ricky Rubio.
11	SF Aaron Nesmith, Vanderbilt – 6’6, 215 lbs	Aaron Nesmith is coming off of a serious injury, but the delay of the 20-21 season should work in his favor. Nesmith is one of many solid, experienced wing shooters available in this class. The Spurs could load up on guards with a potential DeMar DeRozan exit looming.
12	PG Kira Lewis Jr., Alabama – 6’3, 165 lbs	Alabama had one of the fastest paced offenses in college basketball last year, and Kira Lewis was a big reason why. This pick was made because of how fun it would be to see Lewis and De’Aaron Fox on the court together. That is an Olympic sprint team, there.
13	PF Precious Achiuwa, Memphis – 6’9, 234 lbs	When Memphis lost James Wiseman, Precious Achiuwa really stepped up, averaging a double double for Penny Hardaway’s crew. Not a natural offensive player, he will be limited to a guy who hustles on defense, rebounds and scores on putbacks, though he is working on his perimeter game. The Pelicans simply need role players to surround their young, budding stars.
14	C Aleksej Pokusevski, Serbia – 7’0, 205 lbs	FROM MEM. Eventually the Celtics are going to have to start paying all of these young draft picks, so I seriously doubt they add three more to the 2020-2021 roster. Aleksej Pokusevski is this year’s draft and stash guy who can either become a solid rotation player or fizzle out like a lot of the others. He will have to put on major weight before he considers a jump to the league.
15	SF Saddiq Bey, Villanova – 6’8, 216 lbs	A surprise declaration, but Saddiq Bey has legit NBA talent. Well coached, Bey is a good three point shooter and a guy who can handle the ball a bit. He could carve out a role as a good backup to the shooting defecient Magic big men.
16	PF Patrick Williams, Florida State – 6’8, 225 lbs	Patrick Williams is the youngest player in this class and will need some time to develop, but he has the potential to be a bouncy scorer who can knock down a jump shot and play solid defense. The Trail Blazers are always looking for role players like that to compliment their star back court.
17	SG Desmond Bane, TCU – 6’6, 215 lbs	Yeah, seniors still get drafted in the first round! Desmond Bane isn’t flashy, but he has a ton of experience and will provide solid shooting and defense off the bench. Just the type of bench player a young team like Minnesota needs.
18	PF Jalen Smith, Maryland – 6’10, 225 lbs	If Jalen Smith were a better athlete, we would be talking about a top ten pick. He does everything that teams look for in a modern day big man. Smith can shoot the ball, run the floor and block shots. A potential starter for the Mavericks.
19	SF Tyler Bey, Colorado – 6’7, 215 lbs	Tyler Bey will never be a fantasy darling, but he is the perfect type of player for a playoff team to add. He chips in a bit everywhere on defense, and will not hurt you when shooting the ball. Very similar to ex-Buffalo Andre Roberson, who Kevin Durant will be familiar with.
20	PG Tyrell Terry, Stanford – 6’2, 160 lbs	Tyrell Terry was not one of the heavily talked about freshman coming into the season, but he worked his way into solid first round consideration with the ability to shoot and lead a team. An ideal backup guard who will keep the offense moving, score some points and take care of the ball.
21	SG RJ Hampton, United States – 6’5, 185 lbs	RJ Hampton has top ten talent, but he did not develop as hoped his year in Australia, shooting a low percentage. A project to be sure, but the 76ers are hurting for bench production, so hopefully Hampton can carve out a role.
22	PG Cole Anthony, North Carolina – 6’3, 190 lbs	Never scared to take on a reclamation project, Denver pounces on a top five recruit who had a poor lone college season. Cole Anthony did not shoot the ball well or do a great job of playing the point guard position at North Carolina, but has the ability to provide some Austin Rivers-like instant offense off the bench.
23	PG Theo Maledon, France – 6’5, 180 lbs	There is talent here, but Theo Maledon just has not produced yet. Talks of him being a lottery pick are in the past, but a team like the Jazz who could look to groom a possible point guard of the future could look his way. Maledon will need to spend more time overseas or in the G-League fine tuning his game.
24	PG Devon Dotson, Kansas – 6’2, 185 lbs	This draft pick will not move the needle for Milwaukee, but they could still find a solid bench player. Devon Dotson is the latest in a long line of extremely productive Kansas point guards and should become a quality reserve with a chance to grow into a Devonte Graham-like starter.
25	C Vernon Carey Jr., Duke – 6’10, 270 lbs	I feel bad for Vernon Carey Jr. A generation ago he would have been in the consideration for the top overall pick. The Jahlil Okafor bust pick was pretty much the nail in the coffin for guys like Carey, but he should still be a productive pro capable of providing post scoring and solid rebounding.
26	PG Tre Jones, Duke – 6’3, 190 lbs	Like his brother, Tre Jones has the makings of a very solid backup point guard. He can spell the starters for a bit and take care of the ball. Carsen Edwards struggled during his audition, so there could be minutes available behind Kemba Walker in Boston.
27	SG Josh Green, Arizona – 6’6, 210 lbs	Josh Green can shoot the ball and play some solid defense. Do you see a theme? Teams are always looking for guys who can make an impact without the ball in their hands. Green should do a great job of keeping the bench warm for Coach Thibs in New York.
28	SG – Immanuel Quickley, Kentucky – 6’3, 190 lbs	If college basketball had a Most Improved Player award, Immanuel Quickley might have won it. He caught fire during Kentucky’s SEC run, showing the ability to light up the score board. His jump shot is still improving, and he could be instant offense for an NBA team, though perhaps not one with as many veterans as the Lakers.
29	C Isaiah Stewart, Washington – 6’9, 250 lbs	Similar to Vernon Carey, Isaiah Stewart is simply the type of player that is not in high demand in today’s NBA game. He is a tough below the rim scorer, rebounder and shot blocker who could provide some backup minutes and six fouls against the league’s better big men.
30	C Reggie Perry, Mississippi State – 6’9, 250 lbs	Robert Williams has not panned out for Boston, so in steps Reggie Perry as the big man in training. Perry is not a great defender, but could be a plus scorer off the bench with range out to the three point line.