NBA Draft 2020: Shakeup among frontcourt players in January mock draft
No. 21-30
Heading into the back-end of the first round, there will still be players available who can make a big impact.
No. 21 Dallas Mavericks – Aleksej Pokusevski, 7’0″ 201lbs, PF/C, Olympiacos B
Aleksej Pokusevski is one of the biggest mysteries heading into the 2020 NBA Draft. Pokusevski is only 18 years old, but he already stands at over seven feet tall and he holds promising potential as the perfect modern NBA big due to his ability to shoot the ball from the outside.
Dallas has had good luck going internationally in the past (see Doncic, Luka and Nowitzki, Dirk) and they may be wise to try it again. A frontcourt of Pokusevski and Kristaps Porzingis could become a really unique pairing down the line, and with Luke running the show, the more spacing the better things will be for everyone.
No. 22 Brooklyn Nets (via Philadelphia) – Aaron Nesmith, 6’6″ 213lbs, SG/SF, Vanderbilt
Brooklyn is hoping that by draft time, they’ll finally be ready to see the real version of their team. The one that features a healthy Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant, as well as all of their complementary guys in Jarrett Allen, Spencer Dinwiddie, Joe Harris, Caris Levert, and more.
Aaron Nesmith might be the most accomplished scorer in this draft averaging 23.4 points per game on 52.2 percent shooting from deep (!) on over 8 attempts per game (!). Those are super impressive numbers and Nesmith could add a whole other dimension of a threat to the Brooklyn offense rather quickly.
No. 23 Boston Celtics – Devin Vassell, 6’6″ 180lbs, SG, Florida State
The Celtics have seemed to focus their team-building around long, versatile wings. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are the teams two studs of the future (Kemba Walker is a star right now) and we know Danny Ainge loves to continue to add to his treasure chest of assets.
Vassell is another one of those guys who fits the mold of long and versatile. Vassell should be able to help out on the defensive end given his big frame and instincts, and offensively he projects as a floor spacer with the ability to put the ball on the basket spotting up or slashing to the hoop. He’d be a welcome addition in Boston.
No. 24 Toronto Raptors – Jahmi’us Ramsey, 6’4″ 195lbs, SG, Texas Tech
Jahmi’us Ramsey has been another guy who has been a pleasant surprise this season and is now playing himself into first-round consideration. The freshman is averaging 15.5 points, 4.9 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 1.5 steals per game. He’s also shooting the three-ball at an over 40 percent clip on more than five takes per game.
Toronto is excellent when it comes to player development and with an uncertain roster in terms of what the future holds, Ramsey could be a nice addition as someone who could become a contributor years down the road, if not sooner.
No. 25 Miami Heat – Amar Sylla, 6’9″ 190lbs, PF, Filou Oostende
Amar Sylla is a name that will likely pick up more and more steam as the draft approaches. Sylla is another one of those bigs who offers versatility in terms of being able to do a lot of different things with the ball on the court.
Miami can afford to stash Sylla and allow him to develop given the great amount of depth they have on their roster. The Heat always seems to get the best out of their guys and they could help Sylla turn into something special.
No. 26 Oklahoma City Thunder (via Denver) – Isaiah Joe, 6’5″ 180lbs, SG, Arkansas
The Thunder have themselves yet another first-round draft pick (get used to hearing that for the next few years) and this time they can nab one of the best shooters in the draft in Arkansas’s Isaiah Joe.
Joe is a volume three-point shooter who should find a lot of success at the next level whether it’s coming off screens, spotting up, or shooting off movement or dribble. The Thunder severely lack wing depth and shooting, Joe can help them in both of these departments.
No. 27 Utah Jazz – Theo Maledon, 6’4″ 198lbs, PG, France
Though it’s not a guarantee and could be just an aberration, age looks as though it’s hit Mike Conley pretty hard this season in Utah. Blame it on injuries or anything else, but father time looks like it could be coming for Conley, therefore Utah can target international point guard Theo Maledon with their pick.
Maledon is not as polished as many of his fellow guards, but he offers intrigue because of his size and his ability to do a number of different things on the court. Plus, there’s not many backcourts better to learn the tricks of the trade from than Conley and Donovan Mitchell.
No. 28 Los Angeles Clippers – Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, 6’9″ 231lbs, PF, Villanova
Jeremiah Robinson-Earl hasn’t had the most outstanding of freshman seasons for Villanova, but he is one of the more talented guys in his class nevertheless. Robinson-Earl is athletic, he shoots the ball, and he can move well for someone his size.
The days of worrying about “finding a position” in the NBA appear to be over, and that’s good news for Robinson-Earl. The Clippers can mold him into whatever player they seem him as the best version of down the line.
No. 29 Los Angeles Lakers – Payton Pritchard, 6’2″ 190lbs, PG/SG, Oregon
Payton Pritchard is playing his way into Player of the Year contention and sooner rather than later that’s got to help his draft stock climb. Pritchard does a little bit of everything: scoring (19.5 points per game), passing (5.7 assists per game), he can shoot (41.3 percent from three on six attempts) and he tries hard defensively and cares about winning.
He’d be a welcome addition to a Lakers team that does not boast a ton of depth, and regardless of what position he players (point or shooting guard) he can offer value in the league.
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No. 30 Milwaukee Bucks – Tre Jones, 6’3″ 185lbs, PG, Duke
With the final pick of the first round, the Bucks can add another player to their ever-growing bench mob. Tre Jones is a great passer with limited athleticism and ability to score the ball on his own.
In Milwaukee he can learn behind Eric Bledsoe and George Hill and would slot in as a nice emergency fall back if injuries popped up while he was working on developing his own game and learning from the vets.