We’re only a day away from the 2020 NBA Draft, and the hype for the incoming youngsters is at its peak again. Though Anthony Edwards, James Wiseman, and LaMelo Ball are the clear headliners, it’s anyone’s guess who’s going where or if they’ll indeed go first, second, and third overall. All the ensuing picks are a big question mark too.

Please note that we’re only going to take a look at the first round.

Let’s get into our mock draft:

LOTTERY PICKS:

  1. Minnesota Timberwolves – Anthony Edwards – 6’5 SG
    1. Edwards is the aggressive scoring boost that pairs well with D’Angelo Russell and Karl-Anthony Towns. He’s also the better backcourt fit over LaMelo Ball.
  2. Golden State Warriors – James Wiseman – 7’0 C
    • Wiseman should do well for the run-and-gun Warriors. He has the mobility to keep up with the team’s pace and he’ll be a much-needed rim protector.
  3. Charlotte Hornets – LaMelo Ball – 6’7 PG/SG
    • Ball will be an additional weapon to the offensively challenged Hornets who mostly rely on a pair of scoring two-guards: Devonte Graham and Terry Rozier. His playmaking abilities are very much welcomed as well.
  4. Chicago Bulls – Deni Advija – 6’9 SF/PF
    • The Bulls will continue filling a young core with Deni Advija. He has great size, good basketball IQ, and can play the two, three, four, and five spots.
  5. Cleveland Cavaliers – Obi Toppin – 6’9 PF
    • A strong, athletic, bouncy forward that has a developing outside shot is a nice addition to the Cavs’ youth movement. He’s Larry Nance with better upside, so he’ll most likely replace Kevin Love as well, who may be on his way out of Cleveland.
  6. Atlanta Hawks – Isaac Okoro – 6’6 SG/SF
    • The Hawks are in need of a guard to pair with their high-scoring PG Trae Young. Okoro, a swingman with great finishing abilities and solid defensive potential, is the safe pick here.
  7. Detroit Pistons – Killian Hayes – 6’5 PG
    • As solid as Derrick Rose was last season, the Pistons are not exactly getting the playmaker they need, so they ought to take Hayes with this pick. He sees the floor well and can quickly get it to the right man – what’s also good is he can create shots for himself as well.
  8. New York Knicks – Tyrese Haliburton – 6’6 PG
    • The Knicks need an immediate impact player, and they should get it with Haliburton. He’s a long, tall, efficient point guard that can offer a lot on the floor. He’s a great fit with RJ Barrett to.
  9. Washington Wizards – Oneya Okongwu – 6’9 PF/C
    • Okongwu has all the tools to be like Bam Adebayo of the Miami Heat. We’ll see if he can get there. For now though, he looks to be a great fit with the Wizards as he can provide an upgrade on the interior presence.
  10. Phoenix Suns – Kira Lewis – 6’3 PG
    • The Suns just got Chris Paul, but he’s on the last phase of his career so they’ll need someone to be an understudy – the basically traded all of their PGs too. Lewis, who’s already an aggressive speedster, will be quite the PG if he can learn from Paul.
  11. San Antonio Spurs – Devin Vassell – 6’7 SG
    • Vassell is a classic Gregg Popovich type of player. He’s a very smart defender with a good outside shot, arguably the best ‘3 and D’ wing in the class. It’ll be intriguing to see him develop under Pop.
  12. Sacramento Kings – Aaron Nesmith
    • The Kings are a terrible three-point shooting team and they just traded away Bogdan Bogdanovic, who was second in the team in threes last season. They should gladly pick Nesmith in this spot, possibly the best shooter in the draft. He shot 52.5% from deep last year.
  13. New Orleans Pelicans – Saddiq Bey – 6’8 SF
    • Bey is the next best ‘3 and D’ wing player in left in the draft. He’s a versatile defender that’s capable to handle four different positions. He’ll be a good addition to the young and talented Pelicans core.
  14. Boston Celtics – Jalen Smith – 6’10 PF/C
    • The Celtics are loaded on just about every position, excluding the five spot, so they may take a chance on Smith here. Smith can provide paint presence on both ends and he’s also a decent threat from the outside.
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  15. Orlando Magic – Patrick Williams – 6’7 SF/PF
  16. **Portland Trail Blazers – Precious Achiuwa – 6’9 SF/PF
  17. Minnesota Timberwolves – Jaden McDaniels – 6’10 PF
  18. Dallas Mavericks – Josh Green – 6’6 SG
  19. Brooklyn Nets – Cole Anthony – 6’3 PG
  20. Miami Heat – Desmond Bane – 6’6 SG/SF
  21. Philadelphia 76ers – Malachi Flynn – 6’2 PG
  22. Denver Nuggets – Vernon Carey Jr. – 6’10 PF/C
  23. Utah Jazz – Zeke Nnaji – 6’11 PF/C
  24. **Milwaukee Bucks – Tyler Bey – 6’7 PF
  25. Oklahoma City Thunder – Leandro Bolmaro – 6’6 PG/SG
  26. Boston Celtics – Isaiah Joe – 6’4 SG
  27. New York Knicks – Jahmius Ramsey – 6’4 SG
  28. **Los Angeles Lakers – Elijah Hughes – 6’6 SG
  29. Toronto Raptors – Cassius Winston – 6’2 PG
  30. Boston Celtics – Aleksej Pokusevski – 7’0 C

**Pending trades

The following picks have been traded in principle, and will be finalized after the draft:

  • #16 – The Blazers will be picking for the Rockets
  • #24 – The Bucks will be picking for the Pelicans
  • #28 – The Lakers will be picking for the Thunder