NBA Draft 2020: Latest Lottery Schedule, Odds and Predictions for Top Prospects

Much like everything else in the sports world, the 2020 NBA draft is in a state of flux. 

With the season on hiatus until further notice and no return date in sight just how and when the draft will go down is uncertain as well. Without a completed regular season, and thus final standings, it is hard to tell if the lottery will go ahead as planned or if the league will adjust its offseason schedule. 

The league has many tough decisions ahead. For now, all we can do is take a look at the current standings and look at what odds each team holds to win the lottery if the season were to end today. 

Here's a look at what the schedule for the lottery and draft look like as of now. Then, we'll take a look at what the lottery odds would be based on the current standings and some predictions for the top prospects available in the 2020 class. 

Lottery Date: May 19

Draft Date: June 25

Lottery Odds Based on Current Standings

1. Golden State Warriors—14 percent chance at No. 1 pick

2. Cleveland Cavaliers—14 percent

3. Minnesota Timberwolves—14 percent

4. Atlanta Hawks—12.5 percent

5. Detroit Pistons—10.5 percent

6. New York Knicks—9.0 percent

7. Chicago Bulls—7.5 percent

8. Charlotte Hornets—6.0 percent

9. Washington Wizards—4.5 percent

10. Phoenix Suns—3.0 percent

11. San Antonio Spurs—2.0 percent

12. Sacramento Kings—1.3 percent

13. New Orleans Pelicans—1.2 percent

14. Portland Trail Blazers—0.5 percent

Odds via Tankathon.

Predictions for Top Prospects

James Wiseman Falls

James Wiseman is one of the few names in this draft who has had a lot of hype. He'll likely be among the three names who garner consideration and buzz as the top pick along with LaMelo Ball and Anthony Edwards. 

ESPN's Jonathan Givony raved about the seven-footer's ability to protect the rim when he is motivated and his rim-running on the offensive side of the court. He also pointed out there are questions about the big man's ability to develop his shooting ability. 

Of the top three prospects, he seems the most likely to fall down the board on draft night. 

That's because of the roster composition of several teams at the top of the lottery. The Warriors are already reportedly looking at Edwards as their top choice if they don't trade the pick, per Connor Letourneau of the San Francisco Chronicle. 

Once you take the Warriors off the list, the other top teams already appear to have plans at center. Andre Drummond was having success with the Cavaliers in his brief stint with the team after being traded by the Detroit Pistons. Karl-Anthony Towns isn't likely to pair with him in Minnesota, and Atlanta has a logjam in the frontcourt already. 

The lottery could be important for Wiseman's stock. If it plays out as the standings would indicate, he could be waiting a while before the right team winds up on the clock. 

LaMelo Ball Goes to Minnesota

With D'Angelo Russell now paired up with Karl-Anthony Towns, the Timberwolves find themselves with an interesting duo. So the ability to add a potential star to the mix in Ball is interesting. 

Sam Vecenie of The Athletic ranks Ball as his top prospect in the 2020 draft, citing his abilities as a distributor and elusiveness with the ball in his hands. 

"Ball is a good enough passer that it's my opinion he'll enter the league as one of the 10 or so best passers and playmakers for others from Day One," he wrote. "He's terrific at breaking down defenders, forcing help to come to him in order to open up the passing window, then connecting with his teammate."

Ball is going to need time to develop his jumper and defensive game to reach his potential. His passing should make him an early contributor, but the ability to pair him with someone who could take the pressure off to be a No. 1 scoring option would be critical. 

In Minesota, Ball gets a great mentor in Russell. He has the ability to play either guard spot and would be valuable as a cutter and spot-up shooter with Ball handling point guard duties. 

Ball could be lethal in pick-and-roll situations with Towns, adding a new dimension to the Minnesota offense. This fit will take a while to gel defensively, but Russell's versatility should help on that end, as he can take the tougher of the defensive assignments on a given night while Ball figures out how to play in the league. 

The Warriors already have a point guard in Steph Curry. The Cavaliers would need to give up on the Collin Sexton and Darius Garland backcourt, leaving the Timberwolves as the right fit for Ball. 

Anthony Edwards Joins Splash Brothers

Golden State doesn't figure to be in the lottery picture for long. Getting Klay Thompson and Steph Curry back healthy next season means their stay as one of the team's bottom feeders won't be long. So this pick—if they don't trade it—will be important. 

They need to get someone who can contribute right away and fits into the team philosophy. 

That person could be Anthony Edwards. The team has already been reported to be interested in the Georgia guard. 

The Warriors haven't been a team to invest much capital in the center position. They've traditionally pieced together the big man rotation with aging vets, second-round picks or cheap alternatives. So that likely rules out Wiseman. 

Instead, Edwards is a prospect the franchise can help smooth out the faults of while accentuating his strengths. The Bulldog is a strong slasher who can get to the rim with ease, and he'll have plenty of space to do that playing alongside Thompson and Curry. He's also shown the ability to be a secondary playmaker, which bodes well for the pass-heavy attack of Golden State. 

Edwards' defensive abilities are questionable. Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report compared his defensive game (among other traits) to the Chicago Bulls' Zach LaVine. Primarily, the effort and focus of Edwards came and went throughout the season. 

Playing beside Draymond Green, Edwards would learn pretty quickly the importance of being tuned in on defense. 

If the Warriors are looking for someone who can help them right away, Edwards is the right pick at No. 1.