NBA Draft 2020: Grades, reactions, analysis for the first round

Back when discussing the best and worst fits for the 2020 NBA Draft’s projected lottery class, it was noted that Tyrese Haliburton is, despite his widespread reputation, not a point guard. He’s a phenomenal passer and intelligent as anyone, but without standstill burst, shifty ball-handling, or advantage creation ability as a pull-up shooter or slasher, he simply didn’t profile as an NBA-caliber point guard who could bend a defense on his own.

By landing in Sacramento, he won’t have to, which makes this an optimal fit for the 20-year-old out of Iowa State. Putting Haliburton next to a real point guard in De’Aaron Fox is a really, really nice fit, one that works well for both parties. Fox, one of the fastest players to grace the NBA hardwood, is more than capable of breaking defense with his raw speed and downhill stylings, which would then create tilted defenses for Haliburton to attack.

Plus, executive Monte McNair has said that he wants to build a high-octane spread offense, and there are few players who wreak havoc in transition like Haliburton, where his passing prowess is truly unlocked. This is easily one of the better picks in the entire draft.

Grade: A-

What a pickup for the Spurs, who get the draft’s premier team defender in Devin Vassell, a 6’7 wing with outlandish defensive instincts, mistake-free decision-making, and projectable pull-up shooting from inside and beyond the arc. For an organization that is looking to get younger, picking Vassell to go next to the team’s cache of intriguing guards is a great place to start, especially as they look to offload the aging DeMar DeRozan and LaMarcus Aldridge.

Grade: A+

Um. Wow. OK then. Well, you sure can’t call James Jones predictable after shocking the NBA landscape last year by selecting UNC sharpshooter Cameron Johnson with the No. 11 pick, only to outdo himself this year with the selection of Maryland center Jalen ‘Stix’ Smith tenth overall.

Smith averaged 15.5 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 2.4 blocks while shooting 36.8 percent from 3 as a sophomore, displaying real rim protection talent and versatile shot-making, but going with a center — yes, a center — with a lottery pick doesn’t make much sense given the current core in Phoenix. Deandre Ayton is mobile for a big, but he’s no power forward; neither is Smith, whose high, stiff hips make him liable to get burnt when defending out on the perimeter.

This is quite the gamble, one that might not pay off. It requires a lot to go right on both ends, from the duo holding their own on defense to the duo providing enough spacing and shooting on offense. Given the wings and shooters available, this is, well, certainly a pick.

Grade: D