NBA Mock Draft 2020: Order of Selections and Final 1st-Round Team Predictions
The 2020 NBA draft is finally here.
In a matter of hours, Commissioner Adam Silver and Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum will officially link teams to prospects after months of speculation on where these players will land.
It should be a thrill ride, and the activity has started already. Multiple first-round picks have already been traded—or agreed to be traded—and the transactions should keep coming during the talent grab itself.
We'll update our mock first round one last time and then spotlight what could happen with the first three picks.
Selection Order and Mock Draft
1 of 4
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: Patrick Williams, PF, Florida State
8. New York Knicks: Killian Hayes, PG, Ratiopharm Ulm
9. Washington Wizards: Onyeka Okongwu, PF/C, USC
10. Phoenix Suns: Kira Lewis Jr., PG, Alabama
11. San Antonio Spurs: Isaac Okoro, SF/PF, Auburn
12. Sacramento Kings: Devin Vassell, SF, Florida State
13. New Orleans Pelicans: Precious Achiuwa, PF/C, Memphis
14. Boston Celtics (via Memphis Grizzlies): Aleksej Pokusevski, PF, Olympiacos II
15. Orlando Magic: Cole Anthony, PG, North Carolina
16. Portland Trail Blazers: Saddiq Bey, SF/PF, Villanova (will reportedly be traded to Houston Rockets, per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski)
17. Minnesota Timberwolves (via Brooklyn Nets): Jalen Smith, PF/C, Maryland
18. Dallas Mavericks: Tyrese Maxey, SG, Kentucky
19. Brooklyn Nets (via Philadelphia 76ers): Aaron Nesmith, SF, Vanderbilt
20. Miami Heat: Desmond Bane, SG, TCU
21. Philadelphia 76ers (via Oklahoma City Thunder): Tyrell Terry, PG, Stanford
22. Denver Nuggets (via Houston Rockets): RJ Hampton, SG, New Zealand Breakers
23. New York Knicks (via Utah Jazz): Josh Green, SG, Arizona
24. Milwaukee Bucks (via Indiana Pacers): Theo Maledon, PG/SG, ASVEL (will reportedly be traded to New Orleans Pelicans, per Wojnarowski and Andrew Lopez)
25. Oklahoma City Thunder (via Denver Nuggets): Zeke Nnaji, C, Arizona
26. Boston Celtics: Grant Riller, PG/SG, Charleston
27. Utah Jazz (via New York Knicks): Jahmi'us Ramsey, SG, Texas Tech
28. Los Angeles Lakers: Jaden McDaniels, SF/PF, Washington (will reportedly be traded to Oklahoma City Thunder, per Wojnarowski)
29. Toronto Raptors: Robert Woodard II, SF, Mississippi State
30. Boston Celtics (via Milwaukee Bucks): Xavier Tillman, PF/C, Michigan State
Minnesota Timberwolves
2 of 4
If the Timberwolves keep this pick, Edwards still seems like the smart choice.
Unless they see a much brighter future ahead of LaMelo Ball or James Wiseman, Edwards—whose best-case scenario features a two-way impact in the Victor Oladipo mold—probably wins out by offering the cleanest fit alongside D'Angelo Russell and Karl-Anthony Towns.
But it's still not certain Minnesota will hold this spot, and it actually sounds like the team might be more likely than not to move out of it.
"Hearing Timberwolves continue to operate like they do not want to pick at #1," B/R's Jonathan Wasserman tweeted. "Sources say Minnesota even signaling it could draft for another team—like Wiseman for Charlotte—and hope to figure out a deal later. Sounds like more demand for Wiseman than LaMelo and Edwards."
The draft-not-trade-later possibility is fascinating and means we might not know the fate of this selection even after it's made. If the Wolves use this pick on someone other than Edwards, that might be an indication that a deal is coming.
Golden State Warriors
3 of 4
The Warriors are hoping they'll get back to competing for the crown with healthy versions of Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson this season. It'd be tough to ask any rookie to contribute to that pursuit, especially one with as wide a gap between risk and reward as Ball, Edwards and Wiseman seem to have.
That's why the Warriors have long been mentioned in trade talks, and even though a deal hasn't gone down yet, gears continue turning on that front.
"League sources say the Warriors are weighing whether to accept a trade offered by the Bulls that would send Chicago their No. 2 overall pick for Wendell Carter Jr. and the fourth pick," The Ringer's Kevin O'Connor reported.
Carter could offer something of a middle ground to Golden State. He has two NBA seasons under his belt, so he should make a quicker transition than a raw rookie would. But he's also just 21 years old and presumably hasn't played anything close to his best basketball yet, so this could be an investment for the future, too.
Saying that, it's hard to tell if it justifies the opportunity cost for the Warriors. Carter and the fourth pick, which would presumably be spent on a wing, isn't bad value, but does the impact of that package outweigh the upside of a player like Wiseman, Edwards or Ball? That's what Golden State must figure out between now and selection time.
Charlotte Hornets
4 of 4
If the Hornets want Wiseman, they might have to trade up to No. 1 to get him. That seems doable—maybe for something like Miles Bridges and the No. 3 pick—but it's not Charlotte's only option.
While this isn't a three-player draft, the trio of Wiseman, Ball and Edwards appears to sit a tier above the rest. And Charlotte is slated to select third, so its best bet might be standing pat and catching whoever falls. If it's LaMelo Ball, Hornets governor Michael Jordan has reportedly given the thumbs-up.
"If the Hornets keep the third pick, league sources say Michael Jordan has given his stamp of approval for the front office to select LaMelo Ball," O'Connor reported.
It's the right position for the Hornets to take—not just with Ball, but with Edwards, too. They don't have a star, so until they do, they should continue following the best-player-available path. If that happens to fill a roster need, that's great, but if it doesn't, they should chase the talent anyway. No one on the roster is a big enough roadblock to keep Charlotte away from a potential top-shelf talent.
