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NBA Draft 2020: Ideal Mock Draft Selections for Every 1st-Round Team
August 19, 2020
Surprises can be good.
That idea held true for the Orlando Magic and Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday night.
But for the Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers? Not so much.
As No. 8 seeds, Orlando and Portland both took down No. 1 seeds Milwaukee and L.A., respectively, for Game 1 of the first round of the NBA playoffs on the same night.
The shocking upsets were so rare, it hadn't happened since 2003, when the then Magic beat the Detroit Pistons and the Phoenix Suns beat the San Antonio Spurs.
With two miracles on one night, maybe that same energy will transfer to the Thursday night's draft lottery.
Stranger things have happened.
According to Tankathon, the Golden State Warriors, Cleveland Cavaliers and Minnesota Timberwolves have the best chance at landing the No. 1 overall pick.
The New York Knicks, though, are hoping for a surprise bounce of the pingpong balls. Last year, they didn't get to draft Zion Williamson, so they need all the surprises they can get.
Here's the latest mock for the first round and a quick look at a few selections.
2020 NBA Mock Draft, 1st Round
1. Golden State Warriors: LaMelo Ball, PG, Illawarra Hawks
Even if he's not the best fit for the Warriors, LaMelo Ball is still the best bet in this draft. He's got the most upside, and in a point guard-centric league, he's a natural playmaker and has the potential to develop into a dynamo in the backcourt.
He's only 19, but he's already got the leadership skills, the elite ball-handling and court vision, and, of course, he's got the star power. As the youngest Ball brother, he's had the spotlight on his development the longest, and he's not only managed to thrive, he's managed to get better with each bounce of the ball.
Should Golden State get the first pick, they'll likely look at trading it to fill their positional needs. With Klay Thompson and Stephen Curry coming back from injury ready to go, they'll need a rim protector, screen setter and rim runner to complement their offense. Or they may opt for someone to fill the Andre Igoduala or Shaun Livingston role in the second unit.
2. Cleveland Cavaliers: Anthony Edwards, SG, Georgia
The Cavaliers need help and lots of it. And this is a draft where there is no clear-cut superstar on the board. They've already got a stable of guards, but they can't let Anthony Edwards pass them by. He's an elite athlete who could be a breakout star if given the opportunity to play right away. He's got that killer instinct and will to win that the Cavs need right now.
He only played one season for Georgia, but he put numbers on the board, averaging 19.1 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.3 steals. He'll have to work on his efficiency, but if given enough room to play and make mistakes, he could be a serious threat to win Rookie of the Year.
3. Minnesota Timberwolves: Obi Toppin, PF, Dayton
Minnesota isn't exactly in rebuild mode, but they aren't as far from that as they would like to be. They have a nice duo with D'Angelo Russell and Karl-Anthony Towns, so they need a third player who they can rely on. That could be Obi Toppin. His athleticism is off the charts, and his dunk package is next level. He's also efficient and reliable.
Toppin dragged a little known Dayton squad to the top of the college basketball rankings, so he has the talent to take some of the pressure off Russell and Towns and open up the floor. The only rub is that he may not have much more potential than he's already shown, but analysts have been wrong about that before, and this is the kind of prospect who might make them eat their words again.
4. Atlanta Hawks: James Wiseman, C, Memphis
The Hawks have a great young core and burgeoning star in Trae Young. But their record tells a completely different story. They need someone who can run the floor with Young and play in the two-man game and protect the rim to cover for their point guard's defensive deficiencies.
James Wiseman fits that bill. He's long, athletic, quick and has great instincts around the basket. His dustup at Memphis may have turned some front offices off a bit, but he'll have a chance to change some minds in his rookie season. Look for him to be at the top of the class in rebounds, blocks and shooting percentage.
5. Detroit Pistons: Tyrese Haliburton, PG, Iowa State
The Pistons are a gritty team that has had to endure a lot of injuries of late. Blake Griffin reclaimed his All-Star game, but he can't stay on the court. Derrick Rose has resurrected his career, but it's uncertain if he'll stay in Detroit. Tyrese Haliburton is a nice insurance policy at the point guard position. He's not as flashy as Ball, but he's steady and reliable and knows how to run an offense. The jury's still out on if he'll be an All-Star-caliber player, but he can be if he continues to develop.
6. New York Knicks: Isaac Okoro, SF, Auburn
For the Knicks, it should be Ball or bust. They need a star in the Garden, and the player who fits that bill is Ball. But if they can't get him, they'll have to settle for the next best available player on the board, and that's Isaac Okoro of Auburn.
At 6'6", 225 pounds, he's got an NBA-ready body and is an elite defender who can cover multiple positions on the perimeter. That's the kind of player teams need with the proliferation of high-scoring guards like James Harden and Devin Booker to contend with.
7. Chicago Bulls: Deni Avdija, SF, Maccabi Tel Aviv
The Bulls are in flux, but they do have some great young players who just need direction and time to develop.
That's probably the perfect landing spot for a player like Deni Avdija. He's got a high basketball IQ and has come back from the break in play to claim a starting spot with Maccabi Tel Aviv, averaging 17.3 points, 6.6 boards and 3.3 rebounds per game. He'll be a great addition in Chicago.
8. Charlotte Hornets: Onyeka Okongwu, PF/C, USC
The Hornets are just out of playoff contention, and a dynamic player like Onyeka Okongwu could help them get over the hump. He's been compared to first-time All-Star Bam Adebayo, so he's coming in with some big shoes to fill. Hopefully for Charlotte, he'll fill them quickly.
9. Washington Wizards: Devin Vassell, SG/SF, Florida State
If the Wizards can get John Wall and Bradley Beal both back healthy, they're set in the backcourt and just need some help on the wing.
Devin Vassell could fill that role. He likely won't be contributing right away, but if given enough court time, he'll impress with his defense on the wing and his three-point shooting. Last season at Florida State, he averaged 12.7 points, 5.1 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game, while shooting 41.5 percent from behind the arc.
10. Phoenix Suns: Cole Anthony, PG, North Carolina
The Suns are riding high on their 8-0 winning streak in the bubble, so they will be a confident bunch next season. All they need is players who will come in and add to what they have.
They've had a hunger for a point guard of late, and maybe Cole Anthony can fill that void. His stock really took a hit with his subpar year at North Carolina, but maybe he's better than that. And if anybody can pull that out of him, it's head coach Monty Williams.
11. San Antonio Spurs: Killian Hayes, PG, Ratiopharm Ulm
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
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