NBA Draft 2020 Results: Grades for Each Team, Top Prospects and Sleepers
After months of anticipation, the NBA draft has finally come and gone in a chaotic flash of rises, drops and trades. Of the day's 60 selections, 22 were officially or reportedly sent to other teams, further upending months of scattered projections.
While most expected the top three picks to fall as they did, the rest of the big day proved to be a melange of surprises. At No. 4, the Chicago Bulls shocked practically everyone by making Patrick Williams the first defensive-minded forward taken off of the board, just ahead of Isaac Okoro. Conversely, Tyrese Haliburton, widely considered a top-eight prospect, dropped to the Sacramento Kings at No. 12.
The Detroit Pistons pulled off a coup, and will head into the season with three highly touted rookies. The Brooklyn Nets, meanwhile, gave up their pick (who was then sent to Detroit) for a more proven talent and system fit in Landry Shamet.
Considering pick value, player options and trades, here is a grade for each team, followed by analysis of the day's two top prospects and sleepers.
2020 NBA Draft Results
1 of 32020 NBA Draft Grades
Atlanta: B+
Boston: B+
Brooklyn: B-
Charlotte: A
Chicago: C
Cleveland: B+
Dallas: B-
Denver: B+
Detroit: A+
Golden State: A
Houston: B-
Indiana: B+
Los Angeles Clippers: B+
Los Angeles Lakers: N/A
Memphis: A-
Miami: B-
Milwaukee: C
Minnesota: A-
New Orleans: A-
New York: A-
Oklahoma City: B-
Orlando: A
Philadelphia: B+
Phoenix: B-
Portland: C
Sacramento: A
San Antonio: B+
Toronto: B
Utah: B
Washington: A-
Top Prospects
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Anthony Edwards
As sensible a pick as there could be, the Minnesota Timberwolves made Anthony Edwards the draft's first pick and the new running mate for D'Angelo Russell and Karl Anthony-Towns. With the team's franchise cornerstones set at point guard and center, Edwards was ensured an edge over James Wiseman and LaMelo Ball—but he could deserve that edge regardless.
Wiseman only played three games in college. Ball played none, opting to play professionally overseas with the Illawarra Hawks. But while the former opted to forego his year with Memphis and the latter took his talents abroad, Edwards made a name for himself as the NCAA's most explosive scorer.
Edwards averaged 19.1 points, 5.2 rebounds and 2.8 assists for Georgia across 32 games while piling on highlight after highlight. At 29.4 percent, the 6'5" wing didn't notch a great rate from three, but the shot is pretty and the ranged inefficiency was easily made up for by a 50.2 percent clip from two and a strong 77.2 percent from the line.
He can look lost at times, and his decision-making is rightfully questioned. But when it's working, it's beautiful. An explosive and fluid player blessed with surprising ball-handling and a smooth jumper, the Georgia freshman has the upside and positional fit to prove Minnesota's selection to be the right one.
James Wiseman
Just as Edwards perfectly fit Minnesota's needs, Wiseman was an easy, fantastic pick for the Golden State Warriors. The 19-year-old played just three games at Memphis because just three were enough to know he would be a top pick in this year's draft.
In that limited sample size, Wiseman averaged 19.7 points, 10.7 rebounds and 3.0 blocks per game while shooting 76.9 percent from the field and 70.4 percent from the line. The big man proved his incredible high school tape could withstand the next level, which was enough to earn confidence that he could continue taking steps in the big league as well.
The hopes are that Wiseman's impressively comfortable handle and shooting touch will develop and that he will become a dynamic modern big as he approaches drinking age. But Golden State doesn't even need him to do that quite yet.
The Warriors built their championship runs on the back of a rim-running, paint-bullying presence in Andrew Bogut. The gritty big's passing was similarly crucial, but about 20 minutes of paint dominance per night were enough to give Golden State an edge and space for its shooters.
Wiseman is 7'1", has a 7'4" wingspan and somehow runs and dunks like a forward unhindered by such rare dimensions. While the basketball world hopes for Klay Thompson's speedy, full recovery, Wiseman should earn time to produce as a rim-runner and rim-protector while developing under the tutelage of Draymond Green and Golden State's highly respected coaching staff.
Top Sleepers
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Nico Mannion
After taking Wiseman at No. 2, the Warriors had to wait 46 picks until they could make their next selection. Likely already satisfied with their rookie class, expectations were that Golden State would be happy to scrape the barrel for underrated prospects at No. 48. Instead, the team got to choose Arizona point guard Nico Mannion, whose college inefficiencies and defensive uncertainties merited a drop down the board.
Two of Mannion's teammates, Josh Green and Zeke Nnaji, were selected before him, and that's precisely why he is such a great prospect. While the 6'3" point shot just 39.2 percent from the field and 32.7 percent from three, he played a full 32.3 minutes per game and was productive enough a playmaker to enable his teammates and help Arizona to a 21-11 record.
The 19-year-old's 79.7 percent clip from the line suggests obvious room to develop as a shooter, while averages of 14.0 points and 5.3 assists prove his worth with the rock. More importantly, he looks comfortable on the court, with a steady handle, smooth jumper and impressive bag of dimes.
The Warriors lack playmaking depth outside of the developing Jordan Poole, making Mannion a perfect fit at incredible value late in the draft. He could develop into a legitimate contributor as understudy to his former camp coach, Stephen Curry.
Cassius Stanley
Few would have been surprised if Cassius Stanley were a first-round selection in the 2020 draft, but the explosive wing dropped, and dropped some more, until the Indiana Pacers made him Wednesday's 54th pick.
In high school, Stanley was a walking YouTube mixtape goldmine. His bounce is outright disrespectful, he's a bully above the rim and, for some odd reason, his jumper is surprisingly pure. Not pure enough to surpass a 36 percent rate from deep in his lone season at Duke but pure enough to make you give a "not bad" nod when watching his highlights.
While those highlights are predominantly dunks and blocks, the 6'6" wing's shooting form and 73.3 percent rate from the line give enough reason to believe he can develop into a better shooter at the next level.
As Gilbert Arenas explained on his No Chill podcast, Stanley's game is simply better suited to the professional level anyway: "I don't care what he does at Duke. ... He might not be a college star; he's an NBA star. His ability is NBA-ready."
With better spacing in the Association and the chance to develop, Stanley could easily prove to be the draft's most underrated sleeper.
