Fien's 2020 NBA Mock Draft 1.0

The 2020 NBA Draft is less than 3 weeks away! It's time to release my first mock draft of the season.

NBA Draft trades are always weird and unpredictable in terms of timing, but even more so now in a virtual draft with a hyper-short offseason. So for this specific mock, I won't be including any trades. Instead I'll provide a brief analysis as to why I think the team picks the way they do. For more in depth analysis on the prospects themselves, check out my 2020 NBA Draft Big Board.

Enjoy!

1. Minnesota Timberwolves- Anthony Edwards, SG (Georgia)

Although I personally like LaMelo Ball more than Edwards, I think Minnesota would prefer Edwards due to his defensive abilities. Edwards is an "easier" fit next to D'Angelo Russell too. Edwards would instantly be a very good 3rd shot creator for Minnesota and should provide some much needed perimeter defense. There is questions regarding his motor, and maybe Minnesota gets Deja Vu from Andrew Wiggins because of that, but I expect Edwards to be the pick here.

2. Golden State Warriors- Deni Avdija, SF (Israel)

Avdija is a smooth forward with tremendous upside as a scorer and facilitator. The Warriors starting 5 is set with Curry/Thompson/Wiggins/Green/Looney, so Avdija can come off the bench and serve multiple roles. He can be a secondary facilitator behind Curry, or could even replace Looney in crunch time as a small ball 4. It never hurts to add scoring and versatility, and Avdija has exactly that.

3. Charlotte Hornets- James Wiseman, C (Memphis)

The Hornets invested heavily in point guard with their signing of Terry Rozier, so that might take Lamelo Ball out of the running. They have also hit on some solid players in the last two draft with forwards Miles Bridges and PJ Washington. What they really need is a dominant big. They've overpaid tremendously for Cody Zeller and Bismack Biyombo in recent years, so it's pretty obvious that they put an emphasis on the importance of the center position. Wiseman might be their best player right away if he buys into the system and puts his work ethic doubts to rest.

4. Chicago Bulls- LaMelo Ball, PG (USA/Illwarra)

The highest overall player on my big board finally gets selected by Chicago at 4. This is a weird fit for LaMelo for sure, but a team as bad as Chicago shouldn't be focused on fit. Especially when Zach Lavine seemed disinterested at times last year and subsequently has found himself at the center of trade rumors. Ball can play alongside last year's 7th overall pick Coby White, as his tall and lengthy frame should hold up well against NBA 2 guards. I even think it's possible that Ball would takeover as the starting PG and bump White to the bench. The Bulls just need talent, and Ball has the most talent in the entire draft.

5. Cleveland Cavaliers- Isaac Okoro, SF (Auburn)

This may come at somewhat of a surprise given that Dayton F Obi Toppin is still on the board, but I think Okoro is the better fit for Cleveland here. Toppin is 3 years older than Okoro, and plays the same position as their best player Kevin Love. Okoro will complement the Cavs young guards nicely as he provides excellent perimeter defense and elite athleticism. Now if Toppin is the pick here, I expect Love to be moved.

6. Atlanta Hawks- Tyrese Haliburton, PG/SG (Iowa State)

This one many seem weird at first but hear me out. With Okoro (who I believe is the #1 target here for Atlanta) off the board, Haliburton fills the biggest need for them. Haliburton is a smart player who could very easily be impactful without the ball in his hands beside Trae Young. He's also an excellent perimeter defender. Defense was a struggle for the Hawks last year, as a backcourt of Young and Kevin Huerter just consistently were outmatched defensively. Haliburton would give Atlanta a playmaker off the bench and would play in crunch time minutes when a stop is needed.

7. Detroit Pistons- Onyeka Okungwu, C (USC)

The Pistons traded away Andre Drummond at the deadline last year, and Okungwu could play a similar role for them. Okungwu is an incredible athlete for his size and that should translate to a lot of rebounds and blocked shots. Now the Pistons have a few tough decisions to make this offseason with two other bigs, Christian Wood and Blake Griffin. Wood (an unrestricted free agent) had a breakout season this year, and it is unknown if the Pistons will want to pay him big money to keep him around long term. Griffin is a possible trade candidate, but given his contract situation, it is unclear if there will be much interest around the league for his services. Drafting Okungwu would almost certainly mean that one of those two would be out of Detroit.

8. New York Knicks- Obi Toppin, PF (Dayton)

Que the Knicks power forward memes, but this pick would actually be a homerun and should make Knicks fan jump for joy on draft night. Yes the Knicks spent big money in the offseason on three power forwards (Randle, Portis, and Gibson), but two of them (Portis and Gibson) can come off the books with no penalty this offseason. Toppin is the best player available, and the Knicks shouldn't worry about fit. Julius Randle is moveable, and even if they don't find a suitor, Toppin could potentially start at the 3 or play big minutes off the bench in his first year and become the power forward of the future after that.

9. Washington Wizards- Devin Vassell, SG/SF (Florida State)

The Wizards should be running this pick up to the podium, as I think it's been the easiest selection to make so far. Vasell would be a perfect fit with all star guards John Wall and Bradley Beal, as he would provide shooting on the wing and a 7 foot wingspan that should make him a good NBA defender. Vassell would come in and start right away- joining Wall, Beal, Hachimura, and Bryant in a well rounded starting 5.

10. Phoenix Suns- Killian Hayes, PG (France/Ratiopharm Ulm)

Hayes is a 6'5" playmaking point guard who also is able to create his own shot. That's exactly what they need to pair with Devin Booker in the backcourt. He also defends pretty well when he's locked in. I'd be really excited to see Hayes and Deandre Ayton in the pick and roll. Hayes is extremely crafty and shows good vision in those scenarios. Although they do owe PG Ricky Rubio $17M a year for the next two years, he could be moved to a 6th man role if Hayes puts the pieces together quickly and scratches his enormously high ceiling.

11. San Antonio Spurs- Saddiq Bey, SF/PF (Villanova)

Bey's not a great athlete and doesn't have any elite NBA skills, but he does a little of everything. And that's what the Spurs need, a little bit of everything. Bey can play a backup combo forward role and has the ability to earn significant minutes rather quickly if he shoots the ball like he did last season at Villanova. Bey knocked down 45% of his 3 point attempts for the Wildcats. He's also a resilient and competitive defender, so it's easy to project him as a contributing 3 and D forward right away.

12. Sacramento Kings- Patrick Williams, SF/PF (Florida State)

The 2nd Florida State forward off the board, Patrick Williams is more of a project than his teammate Vassell but could develop into something special. The Kings desperately need wing depth and versatility, and Williams is exactly that. He's a smart team defender and is also good individually against 3's and 4's. He's raw offensively, but has shown promise from 3. He's one of the youngest players in the draft, and has a lot of potential as a future 3 and D forward.

13. New Orleans Pelicans- Aaron Nesmith, SG/SF (Vanderbilt)

Nesmith is probably the best perimeter shooter in this draft. He shot over 50% from 3 and made more than four 3s a game in his 14 games at Vandy this year. His season was cut short due to a season ending injury, so durability and his ability to be ready for the start of the season are both question marks at this point. The Pelicans will probably lose sharpshooter JJ Reddick to free agency, so I think Nesmith fills that role. His catch and shoot expertise is a perfect fit next to the playmaking Lonzo Ball, the shot creating Brandon Ingram, and the high flying Zion Williamson.

14. Boston Celtics- RJ Hampton, PG (USA/NZ Breakers)

The Celtics have three 1st round picks, and with a nearly full roster, there is no way they can use them all. So expect them to be movers on draft night. Whether that's moving up to target someone like Toppin or Vassel, or selling the picks for future picks and cash, the Celtics will be movers. In this scenario they can't trade, so they take a high upside project in RJ Hampton. The Celtics were giving big minutes to Brad Wannamaker in the playoffs this year, so backup PG should be a focus for them in this draft. With a loaded roster, they can afford to bring Hampton along slowly and potentially have him take over for Kemba Walker in the future. Hampton's a long and athletic guard who has tremendous upside as a playmaker and perimeter defender.

15. Orlando Magic- Cole Anthony, PG (North Carolina)

Anthony is undoubtedly one of the most gifted players in this class when it comes to skill, but his mental errors and shot selection hurt him badly at UNC. I'm not a big Cole Anthony guy at all, but I actually loves this fit here. The Magic have needed PG production for what seems like forever, and Anthony has the opportunity to provide that. I really think a supporting cast lead by Nikola Vucevic, Aaron Gordon, and Evan Fournier really play well into his strengths. With a little coaching, Anthony could be that pick that in 5 years we look back and say, "How the hell did he fall to the 15th pick?"

16. Portland Trailblazers- Josh Green, SG/SF (Arizona)

The Blazers pick Josh Green here because they desperately need perimeter defense help. Green is 6'6" 210 lbs and has long arms and elite athleticism. He was a great defender in college, and will be in the NBA too. He's working on his 3 point shot but it's not there yet. His defense alone will earn him minutes as a backup 2 or 3, and he has the ability to be something special if he starts hitting 3s consistently.

17. Minnesota Timberwolves- Precious Achuiwa, SF/PF (Memphis)

The second pick of the night for the Timberwolves, they decide to select someone with defensive versatility and upside. Coming in at 6'9" 225 lbs with good speed and athleticism, Achuiwa has scouts drooling about his potential as a versatile defender who can matchup with 3's, 4's, and small ball 5's. He also made 32.5% of his 3 point attempts in college, so he could be an impactful 3 and D player sooner rather than later.

18. Dallas Mavericks- Tyrese Maxey, SG (Kentucky)

It has become trendy in NBA circles to take Kentucky guys with the hope that being on a loaded roster forced them to sacrifice and that they'll blossom in the NBA. We've seen it a bunch in recent memory with guys like Devin Booker, Jamal Murray, Bam Adebayo, and Tyler Herro. So the Mavs swing for the fences here and take Maxey. Maxey will immediately provide shot creation off the bench. Throw him into the game whenever Luka Doncic needs a breather and he'll get you buckets with his crafty in-between game and his ability to finish around the rim. He's also a physical defender capable of defending point guards or even bigger 2 guards, despite only being 6'3". He definitely needs to improve his 3 point shooting if he's going to play big minutes with Doncic, though.

19. Brooklyn Nets- Jaden McDaniels, PF (Washington)

I don't think Brooklyn picks if the board falls this way on draft night, but they don't have the option of trading in this mock. I believe they're seeking wing depth and shooting. Guys like Vassell, Bey, and Naismith would be perfect in Brooklyn, but they have to "settle" for Jaden McDaniels. McDaniels has good upside given his size and freakish athleticism, and at they very worst he would be a versatile rotational defender capable of guarding NBA forwards. He shot 34% from 3 in college, so the ability is there. If he becomes a steady shooter in catch and shoot situations, the Nets could have found a diamond in the rough.

20. Miami Heat- Jalen Smith, PF/C (Maryland)

It was clear in the NBA Finals that the Heat lacked a talented big other than Bam Adebayo. Jalen Smith would be a really nice fit in Miami as he stretches the floor (37% form 3) and blocks shot at an elite rate (2.4 blocks per game). He rebounds the ball effectively too (10.5 per game), which would help strengthen one of Miami's biggest weaknesses. Smith would take the backup center minutes given to Meyers Leonard and Kelly Olynyk this year, or could even fit nicely playing alongside Bam Adebayo.

21. Philadelphia 76ers- Kira Lewis, PG (Alabama)

New President of Basketball Operations Daryl Morey likes two things in a basketball player, speed and shooting. Kira Lewis has both. He's the fastest player in the draft and is incredible as a playmaker and tempo pusher on the break. Philly lacks a secondary playmaker on the roster, and Lewis could fill the hole on day 1. He shot 37% from 3 too, so it's definitely possible to put him and Ben Simmons on the court together.

22. Denver Nuggets- Aleksej Pokusevski, PF/C (Serbia/Olympicos B)

The Nuggets are in a very interesting spot here. Coming off a WCF appearance, do they want a player that helps them win now, or do they want to keep building that young core full of tantalizing unicorns like Nikola Jokic, Michael Porter Jr and Bol Bol? For me, I think the shortened off season leads them down the road of picking for the future. So they take Pokusevski (Poku for short) and develop him slowly like they have with Bol. Poku, who I compared to Kristaps Porzingis, has all the size, shooting ability, and athleticism to make you think he's going to be the next big thing. With some hard work and coaching, he just might be.

23. Utah Jazz- Theo Maledon, PG (France/ASVEL)

The Mike Conley experience in Utah has not gone the way the Jazz had hoped, and backup PG Emmanuel Mudiay is set to hit the free agent market. That makes PG the easy choice here for the Jazz. The question is, which one? In my opinion, Theo Maledon is a good fit in Utah. Maledon is just 19 years old and is a pass first guard by trait. He does shot the ball well too though, as he was a career 36% 3 point shooter in his overseas career. Maledon lacks some aggressiveness when it comes to scoring, but the Jazz don't necessarily need another scoring guard. The Jazz should bring Maledon off the bench while Conley plays out the final year of his contract, and if they like what they see, they could potentially have their point guard of the future.

24. Milwaukee Bucks- Leandro Bolmaro, SG/SF (Argentina/FC Barcelona)

With Wesley Matthews, Pat Connaughton, and Kyle Korver all set to become free agents, the Bucks desperately need wing depth. But not just any wing depth, the Bucks need someone who can create their own shot, catch and shoot, and hold their own defensively. Bolmaro checks all those boxes. He's got good size for an NBA wing at 6'7", and posses the ball handling and vision needed to be an effective secondary ball handler. He plays with good energy defensively and has a good overall feel for the game. He should crack the rotation pretty early for a team who needs to win now in order to keep their star player around.

25. Oklahoma City Thunder- Tyler Bey, PF (Colorado)

This is me assuming that starting PF Danillo Galinari is tantalized by another team and leaves OKC in free agency. If so, they'll need to fill his spot with a 3/4 combo forward with shooting ability. That's Tyler Bey for you. He's very Jerami Grant-esque when you look at his leaping ability, shooting ability, and defensive versatility. He could come in and share quality minutes with last year's first round pick Darius Bazley.

26. Boston Celtics- Vernon Carey, C (Duke)

As previously mentioned, there's almost no way the Celtics keep this pick. But for the sake of the exercise I'll give them Duke bigman Vernon Carey. He actually would fill a need for them, as the Celtics got a little bit out of Daniel Theis defensively, but almost nothing offensively. Carey’s shown a bunch of scoring ability, both facing up and with his back to the basket. He's not a great leaper and he's a little slow, so he'll likely never be a great defender. He's a bruiser from day one, and an interesting lottery ticket for any team in contention.

27. New York Knicks- Tre Jones, PG (Duke)

The former teammate of last year's 3rd overall pick RJ Barrett, Tre Jones brings heart and playmaking ability to a Knicks team that lacks leadership. Tre Jones is a very solid individual and team defender and it showed at Duke, as he averaged nearly 2 steals a game in his 2 year NCAA career. He dished out more than 6 assists a game, and also shot 36% from 3. I think Jones is who the Knicks wanted 2017 8th overall pick Frank Ntilikina to be. I love this fit. Jones would provide much needed leadership and grit to a young roster.

28. Los Angeles Lakers- Elijah Hughes, SG/SF (Syracuse)

Shooting. That's what this pick comes down to. Hughes was the leading scorer in the ACC, averaging 19 points per game. He's able to create his own shot off the dribble or knockdown 3s in catch and shoot scenarios. His shooting percentages are lower than you'd like, but you can contribute that to him being asked to do a lot as Syracuse's best player. Hughes is a better athlete than people give him credit for as well. He played zero man to man defense in college and because of that he'll likely start in the G-League, but with a little work he could easily become a rotational player for the reigning NBA Champs.

29. Toronto Raptors- Nico Mannion, PG (Arizona)

The Raptors can afford to shoot for the stars and take Mannion. He's got a rare combo of shooting ability and athleticism, but the mental side of his game needs work. He was a little slow to read defenses and make the right pass and also took some questionable shots in his one year at Arizona. For a team whose starting PG is over 30 and possibly losing Van Vleet to free agency, Mannion is worth the investment this late in the draft.

30. Boston Celtics- Tyrell Terry, PG (Stanford)

Terry has a lot of upside. He's got glimpses of Steph Curry in his game in terms of shot creation and range. He's also only 160 pounds and is very porous defensively. He will probably go a lot higher than this if a team is willing to bring him along slowly and let him develop, but I personally am just not a believer. The Celtics won't make this pick in all likelihood, so I just wanted to include Terry because I think he'll be a 1st round guy.