NBA Draft 2020: Finding Ideal Fits for James Wiseman and Best Big Men

While the modern NBA game has largely moved away from the center spot, elite bigs can still anchor a franchise.

The Philadelphia 76ers are still "Processing" if they never found Joel Embiid. The Denver Nuggets don't join the championship hunt without landing Nikola Jokic. And the next time the Minnesota Timberwolves are in the postseason, it will probably have everything to do with Karl-Anthony Towns.

Size still matters in this game when it's accompanied by skill, so after laying out our latest NBA mock draft, we'll find the best fits for the top centers in this class.

2020 NBA Mock Draft

1. Golden State Warriors: James Wiseman, C, Memphis

2. Cleveland Cavaliers: Anthony Edwards, SG, Georgia

3. Minnesota Timberwolves: Deni Avdija, SF/PF, Maccabi Tel Aviv

4. Atlanta Hawks: LaMelo Ball, PG/SG, Illawarra Hawks

5. Detroit Pistons: Tyrese Haliburton, PG, Iowa State

6. New York Knicks: Cole Anthony, PG, North Carolina

7. Chicago Bulls: Isaac Okoro, SF/PF, Auburn

8. Charlotte Hornets: Obi Toppin, PF/C, Dayton

9. Washington Wizards: Onyeka Okongwu, PF/C, USC

10. Phoenix Suns: Killian Hayes, PG, Ratiopharm Ulm

11. San Antonio Spurs: RJ Hampton, SG, New Zealand Breakers

12. Sacramento Kings: Precious Achiuwa, PF/C, Memphis

13. New Orleans Pelicans: Aleksej Pokusevski, PF/C, Olympiacos

14. Portland Trail Blazers: Jaden McDaniels, SF/PF, Washington

15. Orlando Magic: Tyrese Maxey, SG, Kentucky

16. Minnesota Timberwolves (via Brooklyn Nets): Aaron Nesmith, SF, Vanderbilt

17. Boston Celtics (via Memphis Grizzlies): Nico Mannion, PG, Arizona

18. Dallas Mavericks: Josh Green, SG/SF, Arizona

19. Milwaukee Bucks (via Indiana Pacers): Saddiq Bey, SF/PF, Villanova

20. Brooklyn Nets (via Philadelphia 76ers): Devin Vassell, SF, Florida State

21. Denver Nuggets (via Houston Rockets): Patrick Williams, PF, Florida State

22. Philadelphia 76ers (via Oklahoma City Thunder): Theo Maledon, PG, ASVEL

23. Miami Heat: Kira Lewis Jr., PG, Alabama

24. Utah Jazz: Leandro Bolmaro, SG/SF, Barcelona

25. Oklahoma City Thunder (via Denver Nuggets): Robert Woodard, SF, Mississippi State

26. Boston Celtics: Isaiah Stewart, C, Washington

27. New York Knicks (via Los Angeles Clippers): Tre Jones, PG, Duke

28. Toronto Raptors: Zeke Nnaji, C, Arizona

29. Los Angeles Lakers: Jalen Smith, PF/C, Maryland

30. Boston Celtics (via Milwaukee Bucks): Jahmi'us Ramsey, SG, Texas Tech

Ideal Landing Spots for Draft's Best Bigs

James Wiseman: Golden State Warriors

While no one can question James Wiseman's size and length, there are some concerns over how his game will translate to the big league.

The 18-year-old shows some promise as a floor-stretcher, but he doesn't have a go-to jumper in his bag yet. His entire offensive arsenal lacks polish, and he brings little shot-creation to the table.

The Dubs could cover up all those shortcomings and more.

Need floor spacing? Golden State already has siblings-in-splash Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson stretching out a defense. Need complementary shot-creators? Draymond Green is on a short list of elite frontcourt passers, and Andrew Wiggins has shown enough flashes of playmaking that he was running point at times for the Minnesota Timberwolves.

If Wiseman gets to San Francisco, he'll be asked to provide size, length and interior activity. He's ready to check those boxes right now, plus he'll shine as a rim-runner and pick-and-roll screener. He could put up bigger numbers elsewhere, but no other team can offer a role better suited to his skills.

Obi Toppin: Charlotte Hornets

Dayton has been a force in college basketball this season. That almost never happens. Prior to this year, the Flyers hadn't been ranked higher than 15th since 2007-08. They cracked the top five this time around and had legitimate championship aspirations, and it's almost all due to Obi Toppin's ascension as a top prospect.

His scoring numbers were silly. It's not just that the 22-year-old was going for 20 points per night, but he was also hitting that mark while converting 63.3 percent of his field goals. He was a walking mismatch—too strong for most power forwards, too quick for most centers.

"He's playing at a mid-major [college], and he's kicking top players in the behind," an Eastern Conference scout told The Plain Dealer's Branson Wright. "Obi's a lottery pick. He's going either first, second or third in the [NBA] draft. You can't name five better players than him."

Toppin's inside-out game isn't the most modern-friendly, and he'll need to be featured at the NBA level to make a big impact.

He might be exactly what the starved-for-a-star Hornets need. They don't have a dynamic frontcourt scorer of his ilk, but they do have a pair of shot-creators in Devonte' Graham and Terry Rozier who could take the pressure off of him and make sure he's finding scoring chances.

Onyeka Okongwu: Washington Wizards

The Wizards have one of the worst defenses this league has ever seen. It's only natural they'd be drawn to a budding big man who reminds some of Ben Wallace, a six-time All-Defensive selection and four-time Defensive Player of the Year.

Onyeka Okongwu can be a stone wall around the basket (see: 11.3 boards and 3.5 blocks per 40 minutes), but he's just as comfortable handling defensive switches along the perimeter. He could become a bulkier Bam Adebayo, albeit without as much shot-creating.

In return for plugging the defensive leaks, the Wizards can give the 19-year-old a pair of top-shelf pick-and-roll partners in John Wall and Bradley Beal.

Assuming Wall makes it back to full health after recovering from a ruptured Achilles, both guards have the gravitational pull on defenders to simplify the game for Okongwu. He could have a lot of see-ball, dunk-ball possessions.

If his shot ever comes around—his form looks encouraging, as does his 72 free-throw percentage—he could impact his NBA club much more than anyone expects. For a Wizards team hoping to make a quick rebound with Wall, that only makes for a snugger fit with Okongwu.