NBA Draft 2020: Mock 1st-Round Predictions and Best Fits for Top Prospects

NBA draft picks are two-way partnerships.

While the easiest connection to make is the team's addition of talent, the selected prospect also enters an established system with at least a handful of other players in place.

If it's a good fit, the prospect can shine playing his game and has the best chance at realizing his potential. If not, he will likely struggle out of the gate, which could delay his rise, derail it entirely or wind up with him in a different jersey sooner rather than later.

After updating our mock first round, we will examine the projected team fits for some of the draft's top talents.

2020 NBA Mock Draft

1. Golden State Warriors: Anthony Edwards, SG, Georgia

2. Cleveland Cavaliers: James Wiseman, C, Memphis

3. Minnesota Timberwolves: LaMelo Ball, PG/SG, Illawarra Hawks

4. Atlanta Hawks: Obi Toppin, PF/C, Dayton

5. Detroit Pistons: Onyeka Okongwu, PF/C, USC

6. New York Knicks: Killian Hayes, PG, Ratiopharm Ulm

7. Chicago Bulls: Devin Vassell, SF, Florida State

8. Charlotte Hornets: Tyrese Haliburton, PG, Iowa State

9. Washington Wizards: Isaac Okoro, SF/PF, Auburn

10. Phoenix Suns: Deni Avdija, SF/PF, Maccabi Tel Aviv

11. San Antonio Spurs: Cole Anthony, PG, North Carolina

12. Sacramento Kings: RJ Hampton, SG, New Zealand Breakers

13. New Orleans Pelicans: Aaron Nesmith, SF, Vanderbilt

14. Portland Trail Blazers: Patrick Williams, PF, Florida State

15. Orlando Magic: Kira Lewis Jr., PG, Alabama

16. Minnesota Timberwolves (via Brooklyn Nets): Tyrese Maxey, SG, Kentucky

17. Boston Celtics (via Memphis Grizzlies): Saddiq Bey, SF/PF, Villanova

18. Dallas Mavericks: Theo Maledon, PG, ASVEL

19. Milwaukee Bucks (via Indiana Pacers): Leandro Bolmaro, SG/SF, Barcelona

20. Brooklyn Nets (via Philadelphia 76ers): Jaden McDaniels, SF/PF, Washington

21. Denver Nuggets (via Houston Rockets): Robert Woodard II, SF, Mississippi State

22. Philadelphia 76ers (via Oklahoma City Thunder): Tyrell Terry, PG, Stanford

23. Miami Heat: Nico Mannion, PG, Arizona

24. Utah Jazz: Precious Achiuwa, PF/C, Memphis

25. Oklahoma City Thunder (via Denver Nuggets): Jahmi'us Ramsey, SG, Texas Tech

26. Boston Celtics: Aleksej Pokusevski, PF, Olympiacos II

27. New York Knicks (via Los Angeles Clippers): Tyler Bey, SF/PF, Colorado

28. Toronto Raptors: Daniel Oturu, C, Minnesota

29. Los Angeles Lakers: Cassius Winston, PG, Michigan State

30. Boston Celtics (via Milwaukee Bucks): Isaiah Stewart, C, Washington

Anthony Edwards: Golden State Warriors

The Golden State Warriors figure to go championship-chasing again next season, when they welcome healthy versions of Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson back into the fold. That can be a tough environment for any prospect to enter, so Golden State has acknowledged it will consider swapping the selection for more immediate help.

But if they snag the No. 1 pick and keep it, the Dubs will "likely take Georgia guard Anthony Edwards," per Connor Letourneau of the San Francisco Chronicle. Edwards should be overjoyed at the idea, as his skill set seems like a perfect addition for the Warriors, as CBS Sports' Kyle Boone broke down:

"The Warriors could benefit from a gifted athlete like Edwards who still has kinks to work out in his game but could be ready to contribute early. Not only could he be a depth piece on the wing, but Edwards could enter the mix as an off-the-bench scoring punch. The 6'5" 18-year-old has great shot-creation abilities that should thrive in the NBA. The hope here would be that his shot selection and decision-making in a system such as Golden State's refine."

The Warriors could ease Edwards into action, ideally narrowing his focus to defensive versatility and spot-up shooting early on his career. But they need more scoring help around their returning stars. As soon as he shows he's ready for more, Golden State should be willing to unleash him and let his agility, off-the-dribble scoring and secondary playmaking shine.

James Wiseman: Cleveland Cavaliers

Yes, the Cleveland Cavaliers acquired Andre Drummond at the deadline and still have Kevin Love on the books, but that shouldn't keep them away from James Wiseman if they think he's the best prospect on the board. Love obviously isn't a long-term keeper, and Drummond may not be worth keeping beyond his $28.8 million player option for 2020-21.

Getting Wiseman would help to balance out Cleveland's guard-heavy collection of prospects. And since not one of its key backcourt players—Collin Sexton, Darius Garland and Kevin Porter Jr.—does his best work at the defensive end, Wiseman's potential as a defensive anchor should hold obvious appeal in northeast Ohio.

Wiseman might be a bit rough around the edges—no surprise for any 19-year-old—but as Cleveland.com's Chris Fedor explained, he has a skyscraper's ceiling on defense:

"With good length, fluidity, bounce and timing, Wiseman proved to be a presence around the rim, averaging 3.0 blocks and altering a handful of others. When fully engaged ... Wiseman helped lift Memphis' defense, as opponents shot just 33% with him on the floor. He also has good quickness, agility and mobility to defend smaller players on switches."

Wiseman only played three games at Memphis before an NCAA suspension led to his early withdrawal from the program. While there's a major small-sample alert blaring behind these numbers, the stats are still ridiculous: 19.7 points on 76.9 percent shooting, 10.7 rebounds and 3.0 blocks in only 23.0 minutes per game.

LaMelo Ball, Minnesota Timberwolves

While this draft class isn't short on intriguing point guards, LaMelo Ball may be a step ahead of his peers in the passing department.

Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman, who has Ball No. 1 on his big board, dished on the jumbo-sized floor general's dime-dropping ability:

"With 6'7" size, special passing skills and obvious basketball IQ, it's easy to picture that LaMelo Ball's high-level playmaking will translate. At 18, he ranked second in the NBL in assists per game while limiting his turnover rate to 12.0 percent. Teams should be able to bank on Ball to create easy shots for teammates in transition and off ball screens."

A good passer needs good receivers, and Ball could have an explosive collection around him in the Gopher State. He would be working alongside Karl-Anthony Towns and D'Angelo Russell—players who have punched All-Star tickets on the strength of their scoring—and probably Malik Beasley, a restricted free agent who erupted upon his deadline deal to the Timberwolves (20.7 points, 3.5 triples a night over 14 outings).

The defense would be a question mark, as Towns and Russell don't play a ton of it. Neither has Ball to this point in his career, but with the right coaching, he possesses the agility, length and instincts to be a versatile contributor on that end over time.