NBA Draft 2020: Updated first-round mock with a month to go

After falling to the Miami Heat in five games in the Eastern Conference Semis, the Bucks have some pressing questions to answer this offseason as they look to improve the roster around two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, who has one year left on his deal and plenty of teams hoping that he turns down the super-max contract extension that he’ll assuredly be offered in the coming months. Milwaukee needs to add shooting, a weakness that was exposed and targeted by the Heat, but the team may be better off acquiring veteran support to address that need.

Josh Green shot 36.1% from deep on low volume in his lone season at Arizona and could provide complementary slashing and connective passing on the wing, but it’s his defensive intensity and outlier hip fluidity that makes him an intriguing option for the Bucks, who could still use wing depth even after finishing the year with the best defensive rating (102.5) in the NBA.

But if they’re not fond of Green’s shooting projection, a pair of upperclassman guards in Cassius Winston and Malachi Flynn could be targets here because of their bone fide shooting range and crafty pick-and-roll orchestration.

Despite averaging a quiet 19.8 points, 5.2 assists and 1.6 steals on .484/.529/.864 shooting in the postseason, the Jazz should be thinking of life after Mike Conley, with the 33-year-old guard having one year, $34.5 million remaining on his contract. A strong playoff series against Denver could bode well for a return to form next year after struggling mightily in his first season in Salt Lake, but Utah should nonetheless look to the draft and find help in the backcourt.

Older guards could be examined here, but Theo Maledon’s Euroleague experience and polished game should earn looks at this spot. He’s not an overly bursty or dynamic athlete by any means, but the 6’5 guard’s touch around the basket, promising shooting projection, and ability to play alongside other ball-handlers have him firmly on first-round radars.

Denver isn’t afraid to swing for the fences and take risks on draft night, seen in the recent selections of medically-red-flagged prospects in Michael Porter Jr. (2018) and Bol Bol (2019). Aleskej Pokuševski is the most unique prospect in this year’s class: He’s a 7-footer with the ball skills of a guard and movement abilities of an agile wing.

He’ll need some time to develop, mostly to rein in some of his brash decision-making and add some much-needed weight to his thin frame, but he could make for one special compliment to Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray with his passing, help-side defense, and off-movement shotmaking. If Denver looks elsewhere, one of the potential fallers (Cole Anthony, Tyrese Maxey) or a defensive-minded player (Josh Green, who we mocked here last time) could be the pick.