NBA Draft 2020: Lottery shakeups highlight new mock draft
By Brian Rauf
player. 41. . C. Golden State Warriors. James Wiseman. 1
Wiseman has his flaws as a prospect, yet he’s still among the two or three best players in this class – and this is too perfect of a fit. Golden State has all of their positions secured for next season following the trade for Andrew Wiggins with the exception of center. Can you imagine Wiseman’s athleticism and rebounding in the Warriors’ system? It’s an ideal fit for both team and prospect – and Golden State could have a duo in Wiggins and Wiseman that could help them sustain success past the Splash Brothers era.
156. . SG. Cleveland Cavaliers. Anthony Edwards. 2. player
Edwards is going to go in the top three because of his upside. He struggles shooting from the perimeter and isn’t the best at handling the ball but, that said, he has the ideal physical profile with elite athleticism and excels attacking the rim. After drafting point guards in the lottery each of the last two years (Collin Sexton, Darius Garland) with minimal success, Cleveland will go for a legitimate two-guard in Edwards to be one of the centerpieces of their rebuild.
3. player. 125. . SF. Atlanta Hawks. Deni Avdija
The Hawks are in the enviable position of having almost all the core pieces for their rebuild. They know Trae Young is a stud and Kevin Huerter, De’Andre Hunter, and John Collins have all shown significant upside. They need someone to supplement their current roster and add depth, and Avdija has a versatile game. At 6-8, he can handle the ball, make plays for others, and attack the rim, allowing him to play multiple positions – and that’s what Atlanta needs right now.
4. player. 86. . SG. Minnesota Timberwolves. Isaac Okoro
Minnesota finally has their point guard of the future in D’Angelo Russell, but they’re still atrocious defensively and need help on the wing. Enter Okoro, a freak athlete and lockdown defender who is skyrocketing up draft boards. The idea of pairing him with Jarrett Culver could give the T-Wolves one of the league’s best duo of wing defenders in a few years.
27. . PG. New York Knicks. LaMelo Ball. 5. player
What don’t the Knicks need? Even if you aren’t sold on RJ Barrett, he remains a solid building block for this group’s future. They don’t have a reliable point guard, though, and Ball has legitimate superstar potential given his size (6-7), vision, and shooting. Plus, LaMelo is used to the kind of media attention he would receive in the Big Apple.