2020 NBA Mock Draft: Latest Predictions for 1st-Round Prospects

The 2020 NBA offseason is on for 26 of the Association's 30 teams.

Only the four conference finalists are still competing for the crown, which frees all the other organizations to focus on plotting their path to future title contention. A big part of that process is acing the upcoming draft, which is now slated for Nov. 18.

The evaluations are already underway across the hoops world, including here. We're running through a mock first round, then examining some of the latest expert mock predictions.

2020 NBA Mock Draft

1. Minnesota Timberwolves: Anthony Edwards, SG, Georgia

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

3. Charlotte Hornets: LaMelo Ball, PG/SG, Illawarra Hawks

4. Chicago Bulls: Deni Avdija, SF/PF, Maccabi Tel Aviv

5. Cleveland Cavaliers: Obi Toppin, PF/C, Dayton

6. Atlanta Hawks: Tyrese Haliburton, PG, Iowa State

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

8. New York Knicks: Devin Vassell, SF, Florida State

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

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

11. San Antonio Spurs: Aaron Nesmith, SF, Vanderbilt

12. Sacramento Kings: Patrick Williams, PF, Florida State

13. New Orleans Pelicans: Jalen Smith, PF/C, Maryland

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

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

16. Portland Trail Blazers: Josh Green, SG, Arizona

17. Minnesota Timberwolves (via Brooklyn Nets): Cole Anthony, PG, North Carolina

18. Dallas Mavericks: RJ Hampton, SG, New Zealand Breakers

19. Brooklyn Nets (via Philadelphia 76ers): Tyrese Maxey, SG, Kentucky

20. Miami Heat: Precious Achiuwa, PF/C, Memphis

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

22. Denver Nuggets (via Houston Rockets): Grant Riller, PG/SG, Charleston

23. Utah Jazz: Aleksej Pokusevski, PF, Olympiacos B

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

25. Oklahoma City Thunder (via Denver Nuggets): Daniel Oturu, C, Minnesota

26. Boston Celtics: Jaden McDaniels, SF/PF, Washington

27. New York Knicks (via Los Angeles Clippers): Jahmi'us Ramsey, SG, Texas Tech

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

29. Toronto Raptors: Theo Maledon, PG, ASVEL

30. Boston Celtics (via Milwaukee Bucks): Zeke Nnaji, C, Arizona

Expert Mock Predictions

Knicks Trading Up for LaMelo Ball?

For years, New York has been trying and failing to scratch its itch for a playmaker. Ball is the top table-setter in this draft, and he could be a top-10 distributor overall as a rookie.

The fit makes all kinds of sense—even before accounting for how Ball's star could shine in the Empire State. While the Knicks aren't in his draft range now (they slipped to No. 8 at the lottery), B/R's Jonathan Wasserman mocked how they could trade their way there. In the proposed deal, the Knicks get the No. 2 pick from Golden State in exchange for Nos. 8 and 27, the Dallas Mavericks' 2021 first-rounder and Frank Ntilikina.

"Aside from Ball's flash and pace that the team has been missing, he'd give the Knicks a special playmaker to build around, regardless of how his scoring skills develop," Wasserman wrote. "For a 6'7" point guard, his elite passing will translate."

The Knicks' motivation is easy to see in this exchange. The question is whether a win-now team like the Warriors would welcome back such a pick-heavy package. But maybe the Dubs would see these draft assets as their tools to broker another trade.

Warriors Flipping No. 2 Pick for Kelly Oubre Jr.?

The Athletic's beat writers teamed up for a 10-pick mock draft, and Anthony Slater, who was running the Warriors, shopped around the second overall selection—as their actual general manager Bob Myers is expected to do.

Rival "executives" were interested, but teams weren't paying the premium that would typically be attached to the No. 2 overall pick. That's to be expected, though, since the class lacks a can't-miss prospect on the Zion Williason/Ja Morant tier.

The Pistons offered Blake Griffin, Luke Kennard and the No. 7 pick for No. 2 and Andrew Wiggins, but Slater smartly declined. The Knicks came calling, but their refusal to part with Mitchell Robinson was a deal-breaker. Finally, Slater found a deal to his liking and sent the second pick to the Suns in exchange for Kelly Oubre Jr. and the 10th overall pick (eventually spent on Obi Toppin).

"This gives the win-now Warriors an immediate rotation boost on the wing, where they're desperate, and still a shot at a prospect in the back side of the lottery," Slater wrote.

The Warriors seemingly leave the exchange with two rotation regulars, while the Suns create cap space and nab a versatile ball-mover in Tyrese Haliburton. Other than being perhaps a bit aggressive on Haliburton, this has win-win potential.

James Wiseman to Chicago?

Most mocks feature some combination of Ball, Wiseman and Anthony Edwards at the top, but that's not a universal consensus. The Ringer's Kevin O'Connor, for instance, mocked Deni Avdija to the Warriors at No. 2, which bumped Ball to the Hornets and sent Wiseman to the Windy City.

Bulls fans are welcome to have one of two reactions. They can either praise the value of getting last summer's top overall recruit with the fourth pick, or they can question where Wiseman is supposed to fit in a frontcourt that already features Lauri Markkanen and Wendell Carter Jr.

The way O'Connor sees it, Wiseman "would immediately land atop Chicago's depth chart" and his selection would "signal trades on the horizon." Carter seems the logical trade candidate, since there may not be much spacing between him and Wiseman, though if the Bulls' new brass wants a big splash, Markkanen's upside should net the higher return.

Either way, that's something Chicago can address down the road (or maybe later on draft night). When teams take the best-player-available route—as most often should—it can cause some temporary clutter on the roster, but that's a problem worth having if it means bringing in a top talent.