LaMelo Ball Rumors: 'Most' Teams Assume PG Will Go No. 1 in 2020 NBA Draft
The NBA draft always holds its fair share of surprises. It would be a major surprise, however, if LaMelo Ball wasn't one of the first three players off the board.
ESPN's Jonathan Givony reported Monday that Ball is the presumptive favorite around the NBA to be the top overall pick:
"Unless a surprise trade completely disrupts the top of the draft, LaMelo Ball, Anthony Edwards and James Wiseman are likely to make up the top three in some order, according to conversations with multiple team executives, scouts and agents. Most NBA front offices are operating under the assumption that Ball is going No. 1—either to the Minnesota Timberwolves or a team that trades up to select him."
Givony added that the list of teams that executives think could make a move to get up to No. 1 in an effort to draft Ball includes the Chicago Bulls, Detroit Pistons and Oklahoma City Thunder. The Bulls currently hold the No. 4 pick, the Pistons are drafting at No. 7 and the Thunder select at No. 25 but have an incredible amount of future picks from the Paul George and Russell Westbrook trades.
Deals could be in the works, with Givony reporting both the Timberwolves and Golden State Warriors were open to trading the top two picks, as they look to build around established stars.
It won't be a major surprise if Ball goes No. 1. The Athletic's Sam Vecenie projected him to the be the first player selected in an October mock draft, though he did so with the caveat that "there is not a singular talent in this draft" and "teams are all over the map in terms of who they like at the top."
And it's draft season, so there are conflicting reports about the top pick. As one source told B/R's Jonathan Wasserman, "Some within the Golden State Warriors think James Wiseman is going No. 1, whether Minnesota keeps the pick or not."
Would a Wiseman and Karl-Anthony Towns frontcourt make much sense? No, not particularly. But if the Timberwolves believe he's the best talent available in the draft, he'll also be the best potential trade chip down the road.
It could also be a tactic to get the Hornets to give up assets to move up to No. 1, with sources telling Wasserman that the Hornets "want Wiseman badly."
Until the Nov. 18 draft, there will be rumors and smoke screens and teams trying to hide their true intentions as we all try to read between the lines. It's always fun, even in a year when the draft is coming much, much later than usual because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
