2020 NBA Draft Thread

[YogiBiz]

22 hours ago, Tetsujin said:

Drafting a wing high who can't shoot in 2020. That's odd to me. He made his hay near the basket. That's probably not going to translate nearly as well in the NBA. He's listed at 6'6" with a 6'9" wingspan. Though the guy is very athletic and can defend multiple positions.

Vassell is taller, longer, a great defender (blocks shots too), super athletic, and has great range on his jumpshot. He's thin but very wiry strong when you watch him play The only thing with him is that he didn't drive/slash to the basket. (and he didn't really have to because his pull-up shot and midrange game is good)

I just scratch my head when I see Okoro listed as a better prospect than Vassell.

I just think Okoro fits best with the Warriors since they can use him like Iggy lite. He's a really good playmaker and ball handler for his position. His jumper looks busted but that's mainly because he never knows what to do with his arms, but his lower half is really good and only has a few hiccups the more I watch. You can fix that. Okoro is an elite defender with good playmaking genes, and is one of the best finishers in this class. He will be fine finishing in traffic. 

Also, I wouldn't call Vassell super athletic, he's a good athletic, but he's not elite in that regard. His good athleticism is just extenuated by his enormous IQ. He's a really good finisher in traffic which was a surprise to me considering he played around 195-200 this year. 

They are both really good prospects Okoro is just bigger/stronger, faster and has better handles. 

Also out of all the players selected in last years draft that played at least 1000 minutes, only Cam Johnson, PJ Washington, and Tyler Herro shot better than 36% from deep. 

[NYRaider]

21 hours ago, YogiBiz said:

I just think Okoro fits best with the Warriors since they can use him like Iggy lite. He's a really good playmaker and ball handler for his position. His jumper looks busted but that's mainly because he never knows what to do with his arms, but his lower half is really good and only has a few hiccups the more I watch. You can fix that. Okoro is an elite defender with good playmaking genes, and is one of the best finishers in this class. He will be fine finishing in traffic. 

They already have Wiggins on the roster so that'd give them 3 non-shooters in their rotation. Doesn't really seem to fit with what GS likes to do offensively. I think ultimately they're going to attach the pick to Wiggins and trade it for a proven veteran. I have a hard time seeing them going with Okoro so early though, #2 would be a huge reach for him, IMO. 

[resilient part 2]

2 hours ago, NYRaider said:

They already have Wiggins on the roster so that'd give them 3 non-shooters in their rotation. Doesn't really seem to fit with what GS likes to do offensively. I think ultimately they're going to attach the pick to Wiggins and trade it for a proven veteran. I have a hard time seeing them going with Okoro so early though, #2 would be a huge reach for him, IMO. 

Other than Beal, I don't even know what possible player is even out there..

[seminoles1]

2 hours ago, resilient part 2 said:

Other than Beal, I don't even know what possible player is even out there..

They should go after someone from Philadelphia.

They could call Brooklyn and see if LeVert is available since he isn't a great fit there with Durant, Irving, and Dinwiddie.

[NYRaider]

I subscribed to Synergy for the month to get more information about college prospects. 

Cole Anthony shot 39% at the rim and was in the 12th percentile in that category. If anyone is curious about any prospects let me know. 

[NYRaider]

Tyrese Haliburton is an interesting prospect. He ranked in the 98th percentile in possessions + assists, 99th percentile in spot up, 94th percentile in transition, 61st percentile off of screens, but only in the 31st percentile as the pick & roll ball handler, and 36th percentile in isolation situations. 

[NYRaider]

11 hours ago, resilient part 2 said:

Other than Beal, I don't even know what possible player is even out there..

I've seen a lot of Giannis speculation but there doesn't seem to be any reasonable way that they can get that deal done. I've also see John Collins and Myles Turner as possible trade targets for them. Maybe something like: 

Atlanta receives: Kevon Looney, #2 overall pick, Minnesota 2021 1st round pick (top 3 protected) 

Golden State receives: John Collins 

 

Edited August 29, 2020 by NYRaider

[NYRaider]

NY Raider's Mock Draft V 2.0 

1. Minnesota Timberwolves: Anthony Edwards | CG | Georgia 

Analysis: The consensus #1 prospect in the class, Edwards gives the Timberwolves another young piece with All-Star potential to add to their nucleus. Edwards has plus athleticism and the potential to be a dominant two way player. He needs to improve his shot selection and play with more focus/intensity on the defensive end, but he has all of the physical tools and talent to be a high end starter for the next decade plus. If he hits his potential, along with last years first round pick Jarrett Culver, the Timberwolves should have two plus defenders on the wings going forward. 

2. Golden State Warriors: Oneyka Okongwu | C | USC 

Analysis: Not a sexy pick by any means but Okongwu fits very well with the Warriors current core. He's a little undersized but he's the perfect 5 in the modern game as a guy that be a plus defender, providing elite rim protection, elite rebounding, and switch-ability at the 5 spot. His offensive game is still developing but he was excellent in the pick and roll, finishing around the rim, and flashed ability as a passer. If he reaches his upside he can be a better version of Bam Adebayo, who has transformed what the Heat do on both ends of the floor. 

3. Charlotte Hornets: James Wiseman | C | Memphis

Analysis: LaMelo Ball is a tempting pick here but I think Wiseman makes more sense considering their current roster. Adding Wiseman gives the Hornets another young front court player to build around along with PJ Washington and Miles Bridges. There's very little tape of Wiseman who was considered by most as the top prospect coming into the season. Wiseman has elite physical tools and while he hasn't always played with a ton of effort he has the potential to be a plus defender in the league. If he reaches his upside he could be Joel Embiid light, but even if he doesn't the Hornets will still likely get a Clint Capela/DeAndre Jordan type of player with a little more range offensively. 

4. Chicago Bulls: Deni Avdija | F | Israel 

Analysis: Chicago already has a nice collection of young talent and should be looking to earn a playoff birth in 2020-2021. The team had high hopes for Otto Porter as the final piece in their young core but he hasn't been able to stay on the court during his brief stint in Chicago. Avidja is a 6'9" point forward profiling similarly to former Orlando/Sacramento forward Hedo Turkoglu. He fits well with the Bulls current young core because he can play either forward spot and can be on ball along with White/LaVine allowing them to do what they do best and look to score the basketball. He'll need to shoot the ball more consistently from deep but he should be a good starter for years to come and has the potential to be a borderline All-Star level player later down the road. 

5. Cleveland Cavaliers: Obi Toppin | F | Dayton

Analysis: Cleveland goes with the local player and adds a versatile stretch forward that will be able to contribute from day one. Toppin excels in the pick-n-roll, transition, and flashed a much improved shooting stroke from deep as a sophomore. He's a guy that will excel offensively playing with Collin Sexton getting up and down in transition, and has a balanced offensive game that will allow him to be a scoring threat at all three levels. He has limited upside as a 22 year old rookie and will likely struggle defensively in the league. But he can play along side Kevin Love to open up the floor for the Cavaliers offense and should give them a nice #2/#3 scorer as they continue to rebuild in the post LeBron era. 

6. Atlanta Hawks: LaMelo Ball | CG | USA 

Analysis: I'm not a huge fan of the fit here but I can't see anyway that the Hawks pass on Ball if he's on the board here. One of the Hawks biggest weaknesses last seasons was that they lacked a secondary playmaker that could initiate offense when Tre Young was off the floor. Ball is one of the most polarizing prospects in the class as he has struggled with his shooting and defense at every level that he has played at. With that being said Ball is an excellent rebounder at the guard position and is arguably the best playmaker/passer in the class. He can start next to Young from day one and provides the Hawks with another young playmaker and adds to their collection of young, long wings with guys like Huerter, Reddish, and Hunter already on the roster. 

7. Detroit Pistons: Killian Hayes | PG | France

Analysis: The Pistons are in a weird spot as a team that needs a major roster overhaul and has very little young core talent on the team. They have very little at point guard as Derrick Rose is on the final year of his deal and hasn't been able to stay healthy in years. With Hayes they add arguably the best point guard in the class whose game is tailor made for where the league is trending. Hayes flashed tremendous playmaking ability, an improved shooting stroke from deep last season, and showed how effective he can be as a pick-n-roll ball handler. If he reaches his upside he can be a D'Angelo Russell clone with higher defensive upside and be one of the first core pieces in the Pistons rebuild. And at only 19 years old he is on the same time line as 2019 first round pick Sekou Doumboya who is coming off of an up and down rookie season. 

8. New York Knicks: Tyrese Haliburton | PG | Iowa State 

Analysis: The Knicks currently have one of the weirdest constructed rosters in the league with a collection of young big men and a lack of perimeter playmaking and shooting. Haliburton helps with two of their most pressing needs as one of the best playmaking guards in the draft who improved tremendously as a scorer and a shooter during his sophomore season at Iowa State. There is a little bit of awkwardness to his shooting stroke and he struggled shooting off of the dribble but he projects as a starting point guard that should be a high end glue guy in the league. He was arguably the best playmaking guard in the country last season and should be able to get the Knicks young scorers easy buckets both in transition and in the half-court. And he was also projects as a high end shooter in catch and shoot situations which will allow him to play off of RJ Barrett. 

9. Washington Wizards: Devin Vassell | GF | Florida State

Analysis: The Wizards are another team that is in a weird transitional spot due to John Wall's injury and massive contract as they have to decide whether they will look to move Beal or hope that Wall can get healthy and push forward with their current team. Regardless the team needs to get better defensively and they add a player with the potential to be a plus defender in Vassell. In addition to his defense Vassell also has above average athleticism and is one of the best shooting wings in the class. He also brings winning intangibles and at the very worst will be a high end, 3&D role player with the potential to be more if he improves his handle and the rest of his offensive skill-set. It's not a sexy pick by any means but Vassell is the type of core player that good teams always have and will compliment Beal and the rest of the Wizards core roster going forward. 

10. Phoenix Suns: Cole Anthony | CG | North Carolina 

Analysis: Another one of the most polarizing prospects in the draft, Anthony had an up and down season at North Carolina and is more of a combo guard than a true point. Anthony struggled with efficiency both as a scorer and a playmaker but part of that can be attributed to playing on such a weak team last season. When Anthony was on he flashed high level scoring ability off the bounce and projects as a guy that should be able to score at a decent clip in the league. I like Anthony's fit with the Suns because it will allow Booker to stay on the ball as the teams primary creator while allowing Anthony's primary role to be a scorer while also being able to matchup with opposing point guards defensively. 

11. San Antonio Spurs: Isaac Okoro | GF | Auburn 

Analysis: Okoro is one of the most intriguing prospects in the class as he has flashed plus-defender potential and some play-making ability on the wing. He has plus athleticism and should be able to contribute early on in his career due to his defense, finishing ability in transition, and ability as a playmaker on the wing. His shooting needs a lot of work though if he's ever going to be a consistent scorer in the league. It all starts with his shooting mechanics which are a mess and he also needs to show more creative in the half-court as a playmaker looking to create his own offense. Regardless though Okoro is a high upside prospect that fits in well with the Spurs culture and might be one of the steals of the draft if he ends up with the Spurs. 

12. Sacramento Kings: Patrick Williams | F | Florida State

Analysis: The Kings need to continue to modernize their roster and add talent to their young core, drafting a guy like Patrick Williams hits both of those needs. Williams is one of the youngest players in the draft who flashed a ton of potential during his lone season at Florida State. Williams translates as a stretch four that can develop into a plus-defender that also provides some playmaking ability at the 4 spot on offense. Going forward Marvin Bagley's best position is likely at the 5 spot and Williams compliments him well as a 4 that can provide switch-ability and rim protection on defense while also being a guy that can play on the perimeter offensively. 

13. New Orleans Pelicans: Aaron Nesmith | GF | Vanderbilt

Analysis: The Pelicans seem to have found two corner stone wings to build around in Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram. With JJ Reddick in a contract year the team adds a lights out shooter to replace him long-term that can provide a viable scoring threat and help spread the floor to give their two young stars room to operate offensively. In order to compete in the West going forward the team is going to have to add young talent that compliments their core and Nesmith does just that as a guy that doesn't need the ball to be effective and should develop into one of the leagues better shooters. Adding Nesmith also gives the team some roster flexibility as they should be able to move Reddick during the off-season for picks or other assets that can help them accelerate their rebuild and strengthen their young core. 

14. Boston Celtics: Aleksej Pokusevski | FC | Greece

Analysis: The Celtics are in an interesting spot as a playoff team without any real major holes in their rotation. With that being said the team is in a position to swing for the fences with a prospect like Pokusevski, who has arguably as high of an upside as any prospect in the class. Pokusevski has flashed elite movement/fluidity and a soft shooting stroke from beyond the arc. With that being said he is likely at least 2 years away from being able to consistently contribute in the league as he'll need to add weight/strength to bang with bigger players and is making a huge leap in competition going from Greece's second league to the NBA. If the Celtics take him here and are patient with his development as he has unicorn type potential as a 5 man that can handle the ball, spread the floor, and protect the rim. 

15. Orlando Magic: RJ Hampton | CG | USA

Analysis: The Magic are currently stuck in a weird spot as a team that's good enough to just sneak into the playoffs in the East but not good enough to make a run in the playoffs. They have an interesting collection of young talent with potential but none of their core young players have been able to make the leap and take the next step in their development. Fultz has finally started to play like a starting level guard and should be their starting point guard going forward. With that being said though the Magic could still use some back-court help and they get another young guard with a high ceiling in RJ Hampton. Hampton projects as a combo guard that can score at all three levels if he continues to improve as a shooter. He can provide a scoring spark off the bench early in his career and projects as a starting level guard that can be a high end starter if his shooting stroke improves. 

16. Portland Trailblazers: Saddiq Bey | F | Villanova 

Analysis: When the Blazers made their run to the Western Conference Finals in 2019, one of the biggest reasons was the defensive versatility they had at the 3/4 spot. Losing both Aminu and Harkless in the off-season played a huge role in their regression during the 2020 season. Enter Bey who is one of the most versatile forwards in the class that can play either forward spot, provides switch-ability defensively, and showed a more complete offensive game during his sophomore season at Villanova. The Blazers are in win now mode and Bey provides another interesting young piece for the Blazers along with guys like Simon, Trent, and Little. Bey should be able to contribute as a rookie as a 3&D 4 man and provide a similar skill-set to what Aminu brought to the team during their most successful season in recent memory. 

17. Minnesota: Precious Achiuwa | F | Memphis

Analysis: The Timberwolves were one of the worst defensive teams in the league and must get better on that end if they're planning to build around Russell and KAT long term. Precious projects as a stretch 4 at the next level with the switch-ability on defense, high level rebounding, and high level shot blocking. He's an explosive player around the rim on both ends of the court and made his living as a rim protector and on easy looks around the rim at Memphis. He shot the ball at an okay clip but must get better as a shooter and improve his overall offensive game in order to be a starting caliber player in the league. Overall though he compliments KAT well as a guy that can help improve the Wolves defense while also being rangy enough offensively to help with spacing. In a perfect world adding Edwards/Precious along with the development of Culver would give the Timberwolves three high level defenders to put around their two young All-Stars going forward. 

18. Dallas Mavericks: Kira Lewis | CG | Alabama

Analysis: The Mavericks have been one of the surprises teams in the league this season with Luka's huge leap between year one and year two. Another key factor in their improvement has been the play of Trey Burke, who has provided a nice scoring option off the bench for them this season. Burke is a free agent this summer and the team will likely be looking to save as much cap space as possible for the 2021 summer as they gear up to go after another high end free agent. Lewis provides the perfect replacement for Burke as a combo guard that can score at all three levels, facilitate the offense, or play as an off-ball scorer. Lewis compliments Doncic well and should be able to contribute early in his career as a spark plug scorer off the bench. 

19. Brooklyn Nets: Desmond Bane | GF | TCU 

Analysis: With Joe Harris impending free agency, Bane makes a ton of sense here as one of the best three point shooters in the draft class. Bane shot the ball at an incredible clip last season and was also one of the better defenders in college basketball. While his potential is limited to being a high end role player that's really all the Nets will need from him with Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant coming back next season. Bane can fill Harris' shoes if they decide to let him walk but even if they resign him he gives the Nets another high level shooter to spread the floor around their two superstars. 

20. Miami Heat: Theo Maledon | PG | France 

Analysis: The Heat have quietly built one of the best collections of young talent in the league without having to tank or add guys at the top of the lottery. They have some options at guard as rookies Kendrick Nunn and Tyler Herro have both flashed a ton of potential this season. But with Dragic's impending free agency the Heat will likely look to add another young guard to the mix. Maledon is a high ceiling, low floor prospect that will likely need a year or two of development before becoming a consistent producer in the league. With that being said if he reaches his potential he has a chance to be a high level starting point guard and compares to another former French point guard, Tony Parker. 

21. Philadelphia 76ers: Josh Green | GF | Arizona

Analysis: The 76ers are another team that will likely be making moves this offseason to modernize their roster after falling short in the playoffs this season. The team currently lacks wing scoring and could also use additionally shooting from the perimeter. Green had an up and down freshman season at Arizona but shot the ball relatively well and projects as a starting level two guard at the next level. The 76ers desperately need to add more scoring from the perimeter to open up the floor for their young stars and Green projects as a guy that can provide that for them. He's young and likely won't contribute a ton as a rookie but he has one of the highest upsides of any of the prospects still on the board. 

22. Denver Nuggets: Jaden McDaniels | F | Washington 

Analysis: The Nuggets have become notorious for drafting high upside players later down the board that other teams weren't willing to take a risk on. McDaniels joins that list of prospects as a guy that came into the season with lottery pick hype but fell down the board after an up and down season. He was inconsistent throughout his freshman season at Washington but has plus athleticism and skills that you cannot teach. He projects as a stretch four with some rim protection ability and switch-ability on the defensive end. He's likely a year away from being a consistent contributor but compliments Jokic well as a stretch four that can protect the rim and pick up on some his defensive slack. 

23. Utah Jazz: Tyrell Terry | PG | Stanford 

Analysis: The Jazz ranked in the bottom 3rd of the league in bench scoring and two of their primary guards off the bench (Clarkson + Mudiay) are both set to hit free agency after the season. Not to mention Mike Conley is also entering the final year of his contract in the 2020-2021 season. Terry has been a late riser in the draft process after a tremendous freshman season at Stanford where he flashed elite shooting potential from the lead guard spot. Adding Terry here would give the Jazz another high level shooter and a scoring threat off of the bench going forward. Terry also projects to play well off of Donovan Mitchell as a guard that can thrive in catch and shoot situations and help create space for Spida to operate.

24. Milwaukee Bucks: Nico Mannion | PG | Arizona

Analysis: The Bucks need PG help as their two primary players at the position are both aging and on the decline. Mannion had an up and down season at Arizona but flashed high end passing and playmaking ability throughout his time with the Wildcats. He also projects as an above average shooter from deep and a guard that can play off ball and compliment Giannis. He'll likely never be a high end defender but he should be able to hold his own in team defense. Overall Mannion likely won't be asked to contribute much during the early stages of his career but should be a high level backup PG that makes smart decisions with the ball and facilitates the Bucks second team offense. 

25. Oklahoma City Thunder: Robert Woodard II | F | Mississippi State

Analysis: One of the most unheralded prospects in the 2020 class, Woodard made one of the biggest leaps of any prospect in the class between his freshman and sophomore seasons. Woodard projects as a stretch four with plus-defender potential as a guy that can defend 1-4. He showed a much improved shooting stroke as a sophomore and is a guy that should be able to contribute early in his career as a high level role playing 3&D forward. With Gallinari set to hit free agency the Thunder add a guy that can fill in some of his minutes while providing spacing and high level defense. 

26. Boston Celtics: Leandro Bolmaro | GF | Argentina 

Analysis: The Celtics go with another European prospect here and a guy that could potentially be stashed in Europe for another year or two before making the jump to the NBA. Bolmaro has high level passing/playmaking skills for a wing and also projects as an above average defender in the NBA. He has struggled to shoot consistently from beyond the arc and that will likely be the biggest determining factor for how successful he will be at the next level. If he does improve as a shooter he projects as a starting caliber wing that could potentially be Gordon Hayward's replacement if the team decides to move on. He compliments the Celtics other two young forward as he provides more playmaking than either guy and projects as a nice secondary ball handling option. 

27. New York Knicks: Jahmi'us Ramsey | CG | Texas Tech 

Analysis: As stated earlier the Knicks have one of the weirdest built rosters in the league and are in desperate need of perimeter shooting/playmaking. Ramsey shot the three ball at a 43% clip and flashed very high level catch-and-shoot ability. He also flashed decent playmaking from the wing and some scoring potential. He'll need to improve his shot selection and get better finishing around the rim at the next level. But he provides the Knicks with another young guard that can stretch the floor and score from the perimeter. He can get hot and fill it up in a hurry and his skill-set compliments RJ Barrett's as he's another guard that can play off ball and create space for Barrett to attack the basket. 

28. Los Angeles Lakers: Tyrese Maxey | CG | Kentucky 

Analysis: One of the Lakers biggest weaknesses with their current roster makeup is that they lack a secondary creator that can take some off the pressure off of LeBron. Maxey is a combo guard that can fill it up in a hurry if he gets hot as someone that is a terror in transition and can score at all three levels in a variety of ways. He had an up and down freshman season at Kentucky as he struggled to consistently hit perimeter jumpers. But he flashed high level scoring ability as a guy that can get hot in a heart beat and create his own offense. He's somewhat of a tweener as a guy that doesn't have true point guard skills while also being two small to be a full time two guard. But he's a perfect fit for what the Lakers need as a guy that can be an offensive spark plug off of the bench and create his own offense with their second unit. 

29. Toronto Raptors: Tyler Bey | F | Colorado 

Analysis: Bey fits the mold of what Toronto is currently building as a somewhat of an unheralded prospect that has the potential to be a high level contributor at the next level. Bey projects as a combo forward that will provide plus-level defense and rebounding and an improving offensive game. He shot the ball at a decent clip last season on a low volume of attempts but made his living around the rim. He's a work in progress prospect that should be a high level glue guy early in his career and someone that can contribute for them on the glass and defensive end. From all accounts he's a high character guy that should fit well into the Raptor's culture and if he can improve as a three point shooter could develop into a starting caliber forward later in his career. 

30. Boston Celtics: Grant Riller | PG | Charleston 

Analysis: If there is one spot in the Celtics rotation that you could say can clearly be improved upon it is their need for a backup PG. Riller has been one of the best scorers in college basketball over the last three seasons with the ability to get buckets at all three levels. As a 5th year senior he's also a guy that should be able to contribute from day one despite making the jump from a lower level conference. Riller should be an average defender that can provide a scoring spark off the bench at the next level. And while he has limited potential due to his age and average athleticism, he's a guy that has a high basketball IQ and a knack for scoring, two things that should contribute to him being a high level role player that sticks in the league for a long time. 

Edited August 29, 2020 by NYRaider

[11sanchez11]

1 hour ago, NYRaider said:

I subscribed to Synergy for the month to get more information about college prospects. 

Cole Anthony shot 39% at the rim and was in the 12th percentile in that category. If anyone is curious about any prospects let me know. 

Cole, Lamelo, Kira, Hali, Maxey, Hayes, Edwards

Pullup %

Edited August 29, 2020 by 11sanchez11

[NYRaider]

1 hour ago, 11sanchez11 said:

Cole, Lamelo, Kira, Hali, Maxey, Hayes, Edwards

Pullup %

Hard to compile it all because they have it broken down by direction of the drive when pulling up. But I will list their shooting stats off the dribble and in catch and shoot. I also can't get stats for Hayes or LaMelo because it's only for collegiate players. 

Anthony Edwards

Catch and shoot: 24/83 (28.9%) [0.85 PPP - 32nd percentile] 

Off the dribble: 42/147 (28.6%) [0.72 PPP - 42nd percentile]

Tyrese Haliburton 

Catch and shoot: 35/71 (49.3%) [1.49 PPP - 98th percentile]

Off the dribble: 16/57 (28.1%) [0.68 PPP - 35th percentile]

Cole Anthony

Catch and shoot: 28/68 (41.2%) [1.20 PPP - 86th percentile]

Off the dribble: 34/91 (37.4%) [0.87 PPPG - 72nd percentile]

Tyrese Maxey

Catch and shoot: 19/76 (25%) [0.75 PPP - 20th percentile]

Off the dribble: 18/49 (36.7%) [0.77 PPP - 53rd percentile]

Kira Lewis

Catch and shoot: 26/63 (41.3%) [1.23 PPPG - 89th percentile]

Off the dribble: 28/81 (34.6%) [0.92 PPP - 79th percentile]

[resilient part 2]

5 hours ago, NYRaider said:

NY Raider's Mock Draft V 2.0 

1. Minnesota Timberwolves: Anthony Edwards | CG | Georgia 

Analysis: The consensus #1 prospect in the class, Edwards gives the Timberwolves another young piece with All-Star potential to add to their nucleus. Edwards has plus athleticism and the potential to be a dominant two way player. He needs to improve his shot selection and play with more focus/intensity on the defensive end, but he has all of the physical tools and talent to be a high end starter for the next decade plus. If he hits his potential, along with last years first round pick Jarrett Culver, the Timberwolves should have two plus defenders on the wings going forward. 

2. Golden State Warriors: Oneyka Okongwu | C | USC 

Analysis: Not a sexy pick by any means but Okongwu fits very well with the Warriors current core. He's a little undersized but he's the perfect 5 in the modern game as a guy that be a plus defender, providing elite rim protection, elite rebounding, and switch-ability at the 5 spot. His offensive game is still developing but he was excellent in the pick and roll, finishing around the rim, and flashed ability as a passer. If he reaches his upside he can be a better version of Bam Adebayo, who has transformed what the Heat do on both ends of the floor. 

3. Charlotte Hornets: James Wiseman | C | Memphis

Analysis: LaMelo Ball is a tempting pick here but I think Wiseman makes more sense considering their current roster. Adding Wiseman gives the Hornets another young front court player to build around along with PJ Washington and Miles Bridges. There's very little tape of Wiseman who was considered by most as the top prospect coming into the season. Wiseman has elite physical tools and while he hasn't always played with a ton of effort he has the potential to be a plus defender in the league. If he reaches his upside he could be Joel Embiid light, but even if he doesn't the Hornets will still likely get a Clint Capela/DeAndre Jordan type of player with a little more range offensively. 

4. Chicago Bulls: Deni Avdija | F | Israel 

Analysis: Chicago already has a nice collection of young talent and should be looking to earn a playoff birth in 2020-2021. The team had high hopes for Otto Porter as the final piece in their young core but he hasn't been able to stay on the court during his brief stint in Chicago. Avidja is a 6'9" point forward profiling similarly to former Orlando/Sacramento forward Hedo Turkoglu. He fits well with the Bulls current young core because he can play either forward spot and can be on ball along with White/LaVine allowing them to do what they do best and look to score the basketball. He'll need to shoot the ball more consistently from deep but he should be a good starter for years to come and has the potential to be a borderline All-Star level player later down the road. 

5. Cleveland Cavaliers: Obi Toppin | F | Dayton

Analysis: Cleveland goes with the local player and adds a versatile stretch forward that will be able to contribute from day one. Toppin excels in the pick-n-roll, transition, and flashed a much improved shooting stroke from deep as a sophomore. He's a guy that will excel offensively playing with Collin Sexton getting up and down in transition, and has a balanced offensive game that will allow him to be a scoring threat at all three levels. He has limited upside as a 22 year old rookie and will likely struggle defensively in the league. But he can play along side Kevin Love to open up the floor for the Cavaliers offense and should give them a nice #2/#3 scorer as they continue to rebuild in the post LeBron era. 

6. Atlanta Hawks: LaMelo Ball | CG | USA 

Analysis: I'm not a huge fan of the fit here but I can't see anyway that the Hawks pass on Ball if he's on the board here. One of the Hawks biggest weaknesses last seasons was that they lacked a secondary playmaker that could initiate offense when Tre Young was off the floor. Ball is one of the most polarizing prospects in the class as he has struggled with his shooting and defense at every level that he has played at. With that being said Ball is an excellent rebounder at the guard position and is arguably the best playmaker/passer in the class. He can start next to Young from day one and provides the Hawks with another young playmaker and adds to their collection of young, long wings with guys like Huerter, Reddish, and Hunter already on the roster. 

7. Detroit Pistons: Killian Hayes | PG | France

Analysis: The Pistons are in a weird spot as a team that needs a major roster overhaul and has very little young core talent on the team. They have very little at point guard as Derrick Rose is on the final year of his deal and hasn't been able to stay healthy in years. With Hayes they add arguably the best point guard in the class whose game is tailor made for where the league is trending. Hayes flashed tremendous playmaking ability, an improved shooting stroke from deep last season, and showed how effective he can be as a pick-n-roll ball handler. If he reaches his upside he can be a D'Angelo Russell clone with higher defensive upside and be one of the first core pieces in the Pistons rebuild. And at only 19 years old he is on the same time line as 2019 first round pick Sekou Doumboya who is coming off of an up and down rookie season. 

8. New York Knicks: Tyrese Haliburton | PG | Iowa State 

Analysis: The Knicks currently have one of the weirdest constructed rosters in the league with a collection of young big men and a lack of perimeter playmaking and shooting. Haliburton helps with two of their most pressing needs as one of the best playmaking guards in the draft who improved tremendously as a scorer and a shooter during his sophomore season at Iowa State. There is a little bit of awkwardness to his shooting stroke and he struggled shooting off of the dribble but he projects as a starting point guard that should be a high end glue guy in the league. He was arguably the best playmaking guard in the country last season and should be able to get the Knicks young scorers easy buckets both in transition and in the half-court. And he was also projects as a high end shooter in catch and shoot situations which will allow him to play off of RJ Barrett. 

9. Washington Wizards: Devin Vassell | GF | Florida State

Analysis: The Wizards are another team that is in a weird transitional spot due to John Wall's injury and massive contract as they have to decide whether they will look to move Beal or hope that Wall can get healthy and push forward with their current team. Regardless the team needs to get better defensively and they add a player with the potential to be a plus defender in Vassell. In addition to his defense Vassell also has above average athleticism and is one of the best shooting wings in the class. He also brings winning intangibles and at the very worst will be a high end, 3&D role player with the potential to be more if he improves his handle and the rest of his offensive skill-set. It's not a sexy pick by any means but Vassell is the type of core player that good teams always have and will compliment Beal and the rest of the Wizards core roster going forward. 

10. Phoenix Suns: Cole Anthony | CG | North Carolina 

Analysis: Another one of the most polarizing prospects in the draft, Anthony had an up and down season at North Carolina and is more of a combo guard than a true point. Anthony struggled with efficiency both as a scorer and a playmaker but part of that can be attributed to playing on such a weak team last season. When Anthony was on he flashed high level scoring ability off the bounce and projects as a guy that should be able to score at a decent clip in the league. I like Anthony's fit with the Suns because it will allow Booker to stay on the ball as the teams primary creator while allowing Anthony's primary role to be a scorer while also being able to matchup with opposing point guards defensively. 

11. San Antonio Spurs: Isaac Okoro | GF | Auburn 

Analysis: Okoro is one of the most intriguing prospects in the class as he has flashed plus-defender potential and some play-making ability on the wing. He has plus athleticism and should be able to contribute early on in his career due to his defense, finishing ability in transition, and ability as a playmaker on the wing. His shooting needs a lot of work though if he's ever going to be a consistent scorer in the league. It all starts with his shooting mechanics which are a mess and he also needs to show more creative in the half-court as a playmaker looking to create his own offense. Regardless though Okoro is a high upside prospect that fits in well with the Spurs culture and might be one of the steals of the draft if he ends up with the Spurs. 

12. Sacramento Kings: Patrick Williams | F | Florida State

Analysis: The Kings need to continue to modernize their roster and add talent to their young core, drafting a guy like Patrick Williams hits both of those needs. Williams is one of the youngest players in the draft who flashed a ton of potential during his lone season at Florida State. Williams translates as a stretch four that can develop into a plus-defender that also provides some playmaking ability at the 4 spot on offense. Going forward Marvin Bagley's best position is likely at the 5 spot and Williams compliments him well as a 4 that can provide switch-ability and rim protection on defense while also being a guy that can play on the perimeter offensively. 

13. New Orleans Pelicans: Aaron Nesmith | GF | Vanderbilt

Analysis: The Pelicans seem to have found two corner stone wings to build around in Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram. With JJ Reddick in a contract year the team adds a lights out shooter to replace him long-term that can provide a viable scoring threat and help spread the floor to give their two young stars room to operate offensively. In order to compete in the West going forward the team is going to have to add young talent that compliments their core and Nesmith does just that as a guy that doesn't need the ball to be effective and should develop into one of the leagues better shooters. Adding Nesmith also gives the team some roster flexibility as they should be able to move Reddick during the off-season for picks or other assets that can help them accelerate their rebuild and strengthen their young core. 

14. Boston Celtics: Aleksej Pokusevski | FC | Greece

Analysis: The Celtics are in an interesting spot as a playoff team without any real major holes in their rotation. With that being said the team is in a position to swing for the fences with a prospect like Pokusevski, who has arguably as high of an upside as any prospect in the class. Pokusevski has flashed elite movement/fluidity and a soft shooting stroke from beyond the arc. With that being said he is likely at least 2 years away from being able to consistently contribute in the league as he'll need to add weight/strength to bang with bigger players and is making a huge leap in competition going from Greece's second league to the NBA. If the Celtics take him here and are patient with his development as he has unicorn type potential as a 5 man that can handle the ball, spread the floor, and protect the rim. 

15. Orlando Magic: RJ Hampton | CG | USA

Analysis: The Magic are currently stuck in a weird spot as a team that's good enough to just sneak into the playoffs in the East but not good enough to make a run in the playoffs. They have an interesting collection of young talent with potential but none of their core young players have been able to make the leap and take the next step in their development. Fultz has finally started to play like a starting level guard and should be their starting point guard going forward. With that being said though the Magic could still use some back-court help and they get another young guard with a high ceiling in RJ Hampton. Hampton projects as a combo guard that can score at all three levels if he continues to improve as a shooter. He can provide a scoring spark off the bench early in his career and projects as a starting level guard that can be a high end starter if his shooting stroke improves. 

16. Portland Trailblazers: Saddiq Bey | F | Villanova 

Analysis: When the Blazers made their run to the Western Conference Finals in 2019, one of the biggest reasons was the defensive versatility they had at the 3/4 spot. Losing both Aminu and Harkless in the off-season played a huge role in their regression during the 2020 season. Enter Bey who is one of the most versatile forwards in the class that can play either forward spot, provides switch-ability defensively, and showed a more complete offensive game during his sophomore season at Villanova. The Blazers are in win now mode and Bey provides another interesting young piece for the Blazers along with guys like Simon, Trent, and Little. Bey should be able to contribute as a rookie as a 3&D 4 man and provide a similar skill-set to what Aminu brought to the team during their most successful season in recent memory. 

17. Minnesota: Precious Achiuwa | F | Memphis

Analysis: The Timberwolves were one of the worst defensive teams in the league and must get better on that end if they're planning to build around Russell and KAT long term. Precious projects as a stretch 4 at the next level with the switch-ability on defense, high level rebounding, and high level shot blocking. He's an explosive player around the rim on both ends of the court and made his living as a rim protector and on easy looks around the rim at Memphis. He shot the ball at an okay clip but must get better as a shooter and improve his overall offensive game in order to be a starting caliber player in the league. Overall though he compliments KAT well as a guy that can help improve the Wolves defense while also being rangy enough offensively to help with spacing. In a perfect world adding Edwards/Precious along with the development of Culver would give the Timberwolves three high level defenders to put around their two young All-Stars going forward. 

18. Dallas Mavericks: Kira Lewis | CG | Alabama

Analysis: The Mavericks have been one of the surprises teams in the league this season with Luka's huge leap between year one and year two. Another key factor in their improvement has been the play of Trey Burke, who has provided a nice scoring option off the bench for them this season. Burke is a free agent this summer and the team will likely be looking to save as much cap space as possible for the 2021 summer as they gear up to go after another high end free agent. Lewis provides the perfect replacement for Burke as a combo guard that can score at all three levels, facilitate the offense, or play as an off-ball scorer. Lewis compliments Doncic well and should be able to contribute early in his career as a spark plug scorer off the bench. 

19. Brooklyn Nets: Desmond Bane | GF | TCU 

Analysis: With Joe Harris impending free agency, Bane makes a ton of sense here as one of the best three point shooters in the draft class. Bane shot the ball at an incredible clip last season and was also one of the better defenders in college basketball. While his potential is limited to being a high end role player that's really all the Nets will need from him with Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant coming back next season. Bane can fill Harris' shoes if they decide to let him walk but even if they resign him he gives the Nets another high level shooter to spread the floor around their two superstars. 

20. Miami Heat: Theo Maledon | PG | France 

Analysis: The Heat have quietly built one of the best collections of young talent in the league without having to tank or add guys at the top of the lottery. They have some options at guard as rookies Kendrick Nunn and Tyler Herro have both flashed a ton of potential this season. But with Dragic's impending free agency the Heat will likely look to add another young guard to the mix. Maledon is a high ceiling, low floor prospect that will likely need a year or two of development before becoming a consistent producer in the league. With that being said if he reaches his potential he has a chance to be a high level starting point guard and compares to another former French point guard, Tony Parker. 

21. Philadelphia 76ers: Josh Green | GF | Arizona

Analysis: The 76ers are another team that will likely be making moves this offseason to modernize their roster after falling short in the playoffs this season. The team currently lacks wing scoring and could also use additionally shooting from the perimeter. Green had an up and down freshman season at Arizona but shot the ball relatively well and projects as a starting level two guard at the next level. The 76ers desperately need to add more scoring from the perimeter to open up the floor for their young stars and Green projects as a guy that can provide that for them. He's young and likely won't contribute a ton as a rookie but he has one of the highest upsides of any of the prospects still on the board. 

22. Denver Nuggets: Jaden McDaniels | F | Washington 

Analysis: The Nuggets have become notorious for drafting high upside players later down the board that other teams weren't willing to take a risk on. McDaniels joins that list of prospects as a guy that came into the season with lottery pick hype but fell down the board after an up and down season. He was inconsistent throughout his freshman season at Washington but has plus athleticism and skills that you cannot teach. He projects as a stretch four with some rim protection ability and switch-ability on the defensive end. He's likely a year away from being a consistent contributor but compliments Jokic well as a stretch four that can protect the rim and pick up on some his defensive slack. 

23. Utah Jazz: Tyrell Terry | PG | Stanford 

Analysis: The Jazz ranked in the bottom 3rd of the league in bench scoring and two of their primary guards off the bench (Clarkson + Mudiay) are both set to hit free agency after the season. Not to mention Mike Conley is also entering the final year of his contract in the 2020-2021 season. Terry has been a late riser in the draft process after a tremendous freshman season at Stanford where he flashed elite shooting potential from the lead guard spot. Adding Terry here would give the Jazz another high level shooter and a scoring threat off of the bench going forward. Terry also projects to play well off of Donovan Mitchell as a guard that can thrive in catch and shoot situations and help create space for Spida to operate.

24. Milwaukee Bucks: Nico Mannion | PG | Arizona

Analysis: The Bucks need PG help as their two primary players at the position are both aging and on the decline. Mannion had an up and down season at Arizona but flashed high end passing and playmaking ability throughout his time with the Wildcats. He also projects as an above average shooter from deep and a guard that can play off ball and compliment Giannis. He'll likely never be a high end defender but he should be able to hold his own in team defense. Overall Mannion likely won't be asked to contribute much during the early stages of his career but should be a high level backup PG that makes smart decisions with the ball and facilitates the Bucks second team offense. 

25. Oklahoma City Thunder: Robert Woodard II | F | Mississippi State

Analysis: One of the most unheralded prospects in the 2020 class, Woodard made one of the biggest leaps of any prospect in the class between his freshman and sophomore seasons. Woodard projects as a stretch four with plus-defender potential as a guy that can defend 1-4. He showed a much improved shooting stroke as a sophomore and is a guy that should be able to contribute early in his career as a high level role playing 3&D forward. With Gallinari set to hit free agency the Thunder add a guy that can fill in some of his minutes while providing spacing and high level defense. 

26. Boston Celtics: Leandro Bolmaro | GF | Argentina 

Analysis: The Celtics go with another European prospect here and a guy that could potentially be stashed in Europe for another year or two before making the jump to the NBA. Bolmaro has high level passing/playmaking skills for a wing and also projects as an above average defender in the NBA. He has struggled to shoot consistently from beyond the arc and that will likely be the biggest determining factor for how successful he will be at the next level. If he does improve as a shooter he projects as a starting caliber wing that could potentially be Gordon Hayward's replacement if the team decides to move on. He compliments the Celtics other two young forward as he provides more playmaking than either guy and projects as a nice secondary ball handling option. 

27. New York Knicks: Jahmi'us Ramsey | CG | Texas Tech 

Analysis: As stated earlier the Knicks have one of the weirdest built rosters in the league and are in desperate need of perimeter shooting/playmaking. Ramsey shot the three ball at a 43% clip and flashed very high level catch-and-shoot ability. He also flashed decent playmaking from the wing and some scoring potential. He'll need to improve his shot selection and get better finishing around the rim at the next level. But he provides the Knicks with another young guard that can stretch the floor and score from the perimeter. He can get hot and fill it up in a hurry and his skill-set compliments RJ Barrett's as he's another guard that can play off ball and create space for Barrett to attack the basket. 

28. Los Angeles Lakers: Tyrese Maxey | CG | Kentucky 

Analysis: One of the Lakers biggest weaknesses with their current roster makeup is that they lack a secondary creator that can take some off the pressure off of LeBron. Maxey is a combo guard that can fill it up in a hurry if he gets hot as someone that is a terror in transition and can score at all three levels in a variety of ways. He had an up and down freshman season at Kentucky as he struggled to consistently hit perimeter jumpers. But he flashed high level scoring ability as a guy that can get hot in a heart beat and create his own offense. He's somewhat of a tweener as a guy that doesn't have true point guard skills while also being two small to be a full time two guard. But he's a perfect fit for what the Lakers need as a guy that can be an offensive spark plug off of the bench and create his own offense with their second unit. 

29. Toronto Raptors: Tyler Bey | F | Colorado 

Analysis: Bey fits the mold of what Toronto is currently building as a somewhat of an unheralded prospect that has the potential to be a high level contributor at the next level. Bey projects as a combo forward that will provide plus-level defense and rebounding and an improving offensive game. He shot the ball at a decent clip last season on a low volume of attempts but made his living around the rim. He's a work in progress prospect that should be a high level glue guy early in his career and someone that can contribute for them on the glass and defensive end. From all accounts he's a high character guy that should fit well into the Raptor's culture and if he can improve as a three point shooter could develop into a starting caliber forward later in his career. 

30. Boston Celtics: Grant Riller | PG | Charleston 

Analysis: If there is one spot in the Celtics rotation that you could say can clearly be improved upon it is their need for a backup PG. Riller has been one of the best scorers in college basketball over the last three seasons with the ability to get buckets at all three levels. As a 5th year senior he's also a guy that should be able to contribute from day one despite making the jump from a lower level conference. Riller should be an average defender that can provide a scoring spark off the bench at the next level. And while he has limited potential due to his age and average athleticism, he's a guy that has a high basketball IQ and a knack for scoring, two things that should contribute to him being a high level role player that sticks in the league for a long time. 

Ok, I'll star by saying this is the mother of all write ups.. great job. .Overall draft is also very impressive.. It's like A+ and a A.

I am starting to warm up to Poku, but do think a player like S Bey or Precioius can step in a play much better earlier. But I won't complain if Ainge believes in Poku more..

at 26 I was hoping for R Woodard ll, as I have him as my top sleeper pick.. In fact I like him as much as top prospect Okoro.. But you picked him at 25  Bolmaro, also like Poku may bend up a real nice stash player, but I would hate Boston to draft 2 stash players with their top 2 picks.. we have to worst bench.. someone has to come in a play better than what we have..

at 30, Grant Riller may be coming on, but hate any PG for Boston as Kemba and Smart should be getting all the minutes, with Wannamaker being a decent 3rd PG option.. Give me either X Tillman or Jalen Smith..

I want to see another when the workouts start up for prospects..

[NYRaider]

Kira Lewis will be one of the steals of this draft and should contribute early for whoever drafts him. 

[NYRaider]

Anthony Edwards is an interesting prospect, he certainly has potential but he has to clean up a lot of things if he's going to reach his potential. At his full potential I think you get Dwayne Wade-lite, a realistic comparison is probably Victor Oladipo, and if he busts he's the next Dion Waiters. 

 

[NYRaider]

Tyrell Terry is another prospect that I'm starting like. He's going to get abused defensively but he's one of the best shooters in the draft off movement, off the dribble, and in spot up situations. He has flashed some playmaking ability as well. 

I think he can be a better version of Seth Curry / Tre Young lite. 

[KhanYouDigIt]

I pray the Magic focus on offense with that 15th pick.