2020 NBA Mock Draft: Best Fits for LaMelo Ball, Anthony Edwards, Top Guards

Nothing has been easy for the NBA in 2019-20.

The regular season was suspended in March and in danger of having to be scrapped in favor of looking at starting fresh for 2020-21.

But now that the all signs point to league play officially resuming July 30, teams must also figure out how to have a successful draft in October.

Last year, Zion Williamson was the ultimate prize for the New Orleans Pelicans, who took him with the No. 1 overall pick.

Unfortunately, while there is no Zion in this draft, there are still a handful of special talents to choose from, including top guards like LaMelo Ball, Anthony Edwards and Tyrese Haliburton.

Here's the latest mock draft with a look at best fits for the top guards on the board. 

2020 NBA Mock Draft

1. Golden State Warriors: LaMelo Ball, PG, Illawarra Hawks

2. Cleveland Cavaliers: Anthony Edwards, SG, Georgia

3. Minnesota Timberwolves: Obi Toppin, PF, Dayton

4. Atlanta Hawks: James Wiseman, C, Memphis

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

6. New York Knicks: Deni Avdija, SF, Maccabi Tel Aviv

7. Chicago Bulls: Isaac Okoro, SF, Auburn

8. Charlotte Hornets: Onyeka Okongwu, PF/C, USC

9. Washington Wizards: Devin Vassell, SG/SF, Florida State

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

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

12. Sacramento Kings: Aaron Nesmith, SF, Vanderbilt

13. New Orleans Pelicans: RJ Hampton, SG, New Zealand Breakers

14. Portland Trail Blazers: Saddiq Bey, SF, Villanova

15. Orlando Magic: Tyrese Maxey, SG, Kentucky

16. Minnesota Timberwolves (from Brooklyn): Kira Lewis Jr., PG, Alabama

17. Boston Celtics (from Memphis): Precious Achiuwa, PF/C, Memphis

18. Dallas Mavericks: Theo Maledon, PG, ASVEL

19. Milwaukee Bucks (from Indiana): Jahmi'us Ramsey, SG, Texas Tech

20. Brooklyn Nets (from Philadelphia): Jaden McDaniels, SF, Washington

21. Denver Nuggets (from Houston): Josh Green, SG, Arizona

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

23. Miami Heat: Tre Jones, PG, Duke

24. Utah Jazz: Jalen Smith, PF/C, Maryland

25. Oklahoma City Thunder (from Denver): Patrick Williams, SF, Florida State

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

27. New York Knicks (from Los Angeles Clippers): Isaiah Stewart, C, Washington

28. Toronto Raptors: Nico Mannion, PG, Arizona

29. Los Angeles Lakers: Devon Dotson, PG, Kansas

30. Boston Celtics (from Milwaukee): Daniel Oturu, C, Minnesota

LaMelo Ball to the New York Knicks

Even with players like James Wiseman and Anthony Edwards on the board, LaMelo Ball is still the player with the most upside.

He's young, still growing and has already shown that he can handle the spotlight. Ball took the road less traveled by forgoing college and opting to play professionally overseas.

He only suited up for 12 games with the National Basketball League's Illawarra Hawks, but he used his time wisely, showcasing his ability to make the right play, complete an array of passes and lead a team.

At 6'7", the point guard has elite ball-handling skills, and his court vision is off the charts. He's also adept at the pick-and-roll, which is paramount for any player at his position.

He still needs to improve his outside shooting, especially from the three-point line, as he only shot 25.0 percent from deep and 37.5 percent from the floor. Still, he averaged 17.0 points, 7.4 rebounds and 6.8 assists per game.

The New York Knicks would be an ideal landing spot for Ball, but their path to actually getting him might be difficult.

With the sixth-worst record in the league, they have a 9 percent chance of landing the first overall pick and a 37.2 percent chance of getting a top-four pick.

Ball could be the first player selected, so if the Knicks don't win the lottery, they would have to get to work on making a trade to get their guy.

And outside of giving up on RJ Barrett, any deal would be worth it.

New York has had a dearth of star power since the departure of Carmelo Anthony and (yes) Jeremy Lin, and Ball could easily fill that void.

He's got a lot of maturing to do, but he'll have plenty of time to get there while learning on the job at Madison Square Garden.

And more importantly, the kid wants to be there.

According to Ian Begley of SNY, there's a "consistent theme" from teams that they're hearing that Ball's inner circle prefers that he lands with the Knicks.

Obviously, the loudest voice in that inner circle is father LaVar, who is campaigning hard for his son to play in New York:

"The best fit, in my eyes, is New York. The New York Knicks because I know Melo. Melo is a big-city guy. He likes that. He'd love it. So everybody's talking about the city type of thing. Cleveland, he already lived in Cleveland. He don't like that cold weather like that—especially if you're not going to be inside with a lot of bright lights.

"So I think it's about time for New York. I kind of feel like they're going to get the first pick, on the fact that they missed it so many times and it's time for it to happen to them."

Anthony Edwards to the Cavs

When it comes to Anthony Edwards, there are still a lot of unknowns.

Sure, at 6'4", 225 pounds, he's got an NBA-ready body, but how will that stack up to a league with players who are just as strong?

His athleticism is off the charts and he's an explosive scorer who has erupted for 33 points in a half, but will that translate to the next level?

Will he be another Donovan Mitchell or just another role player?

That's the conundrum of Edwards, but he's the type of talent that teams will be willing to roll the dice on anyway.

The Cleveland Cavaliers finished with the second-worst record in the league, so they have a 14 percent chance of landing the top pick.

They're all set at point guard with Darius Garland and have another young bull in Collin Sexton in the backcourt, so they could opt for Edwards to play the 3.

He will give up a few inches in height to opposing players, but he's got elite bounce and should be able to not only get his own shot, but defend multiple positions on the perimeter.

The Cavs are in the throes of a rebuild, so the former Georgia star should get plenty of minutes to show what he can do.

In one season with the Bulldogs, he averaged 19.1 points and 5.2 rebounds per game.

He showed that he's not afraid of the big moment and, despite his paltry 29.4 shooting percentage from behind the arc, that he can be reliable when it's time to hit a transition or game-breaking three-pointer.

Cleveland fans would enjoy his array of dunks, while the coaching staff would enjoy the way he'll open up the floor and create options for his teammates.

If all goes well, Edwards should be a top contender for Rookie of the Year.

Tyrese Haliburton to the Pistons

Kathleen Batten/Associated Press

The demolition of the Palace at Auburn Hills was quite the metaphor for the Detroit Pistons. When it comes to their roster, they have to tear it all down and start over.

Gone is Andre Drummond, and Blake Griffin can't stay healthy.

They need an infusion of young talent, and Tyrese Haliburton could be a good start. On paper, he's not the big star-in-the-making that Ball or Edwards are touted to be. But he's steady, crafty and will make players around him better, and that's everything a team should want in a point guard.

While at Iowa State, Haliburton averaged 15.2 points and 6.5 assists per game. But one stat that really stood out is his 42 percent shooting from three. All of the lead guards across the league are hoisting up long balls, and the Pistons can't afford to be left behind.

So not only will Haliburton be able to come in and lead the team and make the right pass, but he'll also open up the floor.

The 6'5" playmaker is also reminiscent of Shaun Livingston. He's got a silky-smooth game and has the same level of poise.

The jury is still out on whether Detroit will keep Derrick Rose on the roster, but if they do choose to move on from him, Haliburton would be a nice reset button to push.

Follow Maurice Bobb on Twitter, @ReeseReport