NBA Draft 2020: Updated first-round mock draft following lottery drawing

AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND - NOVEMBER 30: LaMelo Ball of the Hawks looks on with RJ Hampton of the Breakers during the round 9 NBL match between the New Zealand Breakers and the Illawarra Hawks at Spark Arena on November 30, 2019 in Auckland, New Zealand. (Photo by Anthony Au-Yeung/Getty Images) /

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ULM, GERMANY – JANUARY 17: (BILD ZEITUNG OUT) Killian Hayes of Ratiopharm Ulm (Photo by TF-Images/Getty Images) /

Onyeka Okongwu. 9. player. 142. . Big. Washington Wizards

The Wizards need defense, plain and simple. If Okongwu is still on the board by the time Washington is on the clock, they should sprint to the virtual podium and select him without hesitation. He’s a bit undersized at 6’9, but his explosive leaping, outlier mobility, potent finishing, burgeoning face-up game, and defensive versatility make him arguably the best center prospect in the class. He’s a perfect fit next to Bradley Beal (and a healthy John Wall!) in Washington’s run-and-gun offense.

Washington fits: Onyeka Okongwu, Tyrese Haliburton, Isaac Okoro

New York Knicks. Tyrese Haliburton. 8. player. 27. . Guard

Perpetually looking for a viable starting point guard, the Knicks are linked to many of the guards with lottery aspirations, including Killian Hayes, Tyrese Maxey, Cole Anthony, and Kira Lewis. Leon Rose’s front office is reportedly fond of Hayes, but should he get sniped before the Knicks are on the clock, Haliburton seems like a realistic alternative, albeit a flawed one.

The Iowa State playmaking wizard pops as a complementary guard with his team defense, spot-up shooting, and creative passing, but his inability to break down defenders off the bounce and get into the paint makes his fit in New York rather tricky, if not entirely problematic. Opting for a scalable wing like FSU’s Devin Vassell or even reaching for Maxey or Lewis should be seriously considered here, but Haliburton’s college luster and CAA connection with Rose may ultimately be too much for the Knicks to ignore.

New York fits: Killian Hayes, Kira Lewis, Tyrese Maxey

Killian Hayes. 7. player. 64. . Guard. Detroit Pistons

Detroit is once again tearing down its foundation and reshuffling the roster for the future, following a mid-season trade that sent Andre Drummond to Cleveland in what was unquestionably a salary dump. The roster sports a few fine complementary starters in Luke Kennard, Bruce Brown, and Christian Wood (who is an unrestricted free agent), in addition to some useful veterans in Blake Griffin and Derrick Rose, but the team is missing a real franchise player to build around.

Killian Hayes represents the second-best primary initiator bet in the entire class, due to his improved athleticism, elite pick-and-roll creation, burgeoning pull-up game, and two-way impact. Plus, he’s been working out with former Pistons guard Will Bynum, so there are some dots worth connecting here.

Detroit fits: Killian Hayes, Onyeka Okongwu, Tyrese Haliburton

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