NBA Mock Draft (2020)

With the NBA Draft fast-approaching, there are a lot of people who want to know who their favorite team will pick. Right now, it is a bit uncertain where everyone will go but we all have a pretty good idea now that the Draft Order has been announced. While everyone does an NBA Mock Draft, we felt our particular Mock drafts of the past needed an update due to draft order knowledge.

That is why we put together this NBA Mock Draft listing, which will have the exact order every team will pick unless they trade one away. Our Mock Draft will only cover the first round, of course. Therefore, one should not expect to see second-round picks here.

Now, let’s get started!

NO. 1: MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES – JAMES WISEMAN

The Timberwolves had a lot going on last year, yet it resulted in a pretty big trade that sent Andrew Wiggins to the Warriors and D’Angelo Russell to the T-Wolves. Therefore, most would assume that they’d seek to replace him. However, they may already have that covered with their first-rounder from last year, Josh Okogie. They also currently have Evan Turner, Malik Beasley, & Jarrett Culver.

This is why it might be best to avoid going for a small forward or shooting guard, as they seem to be pretty good there. They could move Russell up to SG to take someone like Lamelo Ball here but we feel their best option will be the big man out of Memphis, James Wiseman. Not only could be a great monster pairing with Karl Anthony Towns, but he’s just as athletic. He is a better defender than an offensive weapon, which is kind of good for KAT, as he can avoid being the only big man who can stop top scorers on the inside.

NO. 2: GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS – ONYEKA OKONGWU

The Warriors had one of the most uniquely weird seasons possible in the 2019-2020 season. Klay Thompson missed the entire season, Draymond Green was injured off and on, and even Steph Curry caught the injury bug too. They did make a big trade to get Andrew Wiggins, who will be back with the other trio of stars. If healthy, they can compete in the West next season without an issue. This makes their pick harder, as they could pick between a lot of different people without really forcing them to become “a star” right away.

The question is who the best fit might be. Wiseman would be perfect here but with him gone, there are only two men that make sense: Obi Toppin & Onyeka Okongwu. Toppin is more of a scorer but Okongwu is an amazing defender. He averaged about 16 points per game himself but also nearly 3 blocks per game. Since the Warriors can afford to take a small project, unlike other lottery teams, I think that Okongwu would be the best possible choice for them. He’s around 6’10 and could play both Center & Power Forward. Paired up with Green, they could have a really tough defense upfront.

NO. 3: CHARLOTTE HORNETS – ANTHONY EDWARDS

With the loss of Kemba Walker, the Charlotte Hornets are in desperate need of a star. Edwards was just that as a star guard for the University of Georgia this past season. We sadly did not get to see the kind of damage he could do in the NCAA March Madness Tournament. However, with Edwards on the board for our NBA Mock Draft right now, we feel he will go no lower than #3 overall.

The Hornets need a good scorer that they can rely on every night to get points. While there are a few impressive scorers in this draft, no one put up the kind of points Edwards did on the regular in college basketball. However, the other thing that helps him is that he has an amazing athletic body that can take a lot of punishment. He does need to work on the three-ball, however.

NO. 4: CHICAGO BULLS – LAMELO BALL

While some will claim that the addition of Coby White means that drafting a point guard this year would be crazy for the Bulls, there is a reason they should draft Ball. Not only does Ball have tremendous size but he’s also a much better passer than anyone on the Bulls squad right now. They could use him at the small forward position as a “point forward” if they want. They could also move Zach LaVine to SF too.

White is certainly a better fit for SG, which is why LaVine moved to SF off and on when White was on the court this year. Having someone on the Bulls who can properly distribute the ball would be massively helpful. LaMelo can also defend pretty well, get his own shot, and even rebounds great. Ball to the Bulls makes a lot of sense.

NO. 5: CLEVELAND CAVALIERS – OBI TOPPIN

The Cavs were, at one point, going to be picking in the top 3. Yet going #5 will likely work just fine for them as we feel they could heavily benefit by taking Obi Toppin here. Toppin is someone who many believe could be a #1 or #2 overall selection talent-wise. Therefore, it only makes sense to make sure to take him in a spot that he could start for right away.

Toppin connecting with Sexton and potentially Love would be a pretty cool trio to deal with in the East.

NO. 6: ATLANTA HAWKS – PRECIOUS ACHIUWA

The Hawks have a good young roster with a lot of great players. There is a talented player in every single position, honestly. They even managed to land Clint Capella in a trade with the Houston Rockets. The issue is that you now have a problem figuring out who the best fit for the team will be. At #6 overall, you could pretty much pick anyone.

I feel that getting another big man would be better for them as they seem to have PG to SF pretty much covered for the time being. You could likely go with either Patrick Williams or Precious Achiuwa. We feel that Achiuwa makes the most sense and has proven himself as the better player. He averaged around 16 points per game, just under 11 rebounds per game, and 2 blocks per game. That would be an excellent defender on the inside on top of a great additional offensive weapon for the Hawks.

NO. 7: DETROIT PISTONS – SADDIQ BEY

The Pistons need help pretty much everywhere, in my book. Derrick Rose was a happy surprise last season, however. For now, they also still have Blake Griffin. Therefore, it might be smart to go toward a forward. The best option on the board, right now, is Saddiq Bey. The Villanova stand-out improved drastically from his Freshman to Sophomore campaign. He averaged around 16 points per game.

Yet the big thing he showed improvement in would be his three-point percentage. He took more shots yet still averaged 0.417% from behind the line, which is among the best in this draft. He capable of playing the shooting guard or small forward spot, but he does need to work on his ball-handling if we’re honest here. Of course, he could be made into a set-up shooter with the likes of Rose around.

NO. 8: NEW YORK KNICKS – KILLIAN HAYES

Like the Pistons, the Knicks need a lot. They have drafted some relatively good players who showed some potential and value. This is why it would be bad to say they lack any talent. RJ Barrett is on this team, as well as an impressive Mitchell Robinson, Kevin Knox, and Julius Randle. While they also have Dennis Smith around, I feel that the Knicks need a good young point guard.

While there are SEVERAL available, they do not need to necessarily be amazing scorers. Rather, you want them to be capable of that while also being able to get passes off to some of these talented players on the Knicks. Killian Hayes could likely be perfect for this role. He is a great scorer but was asked to do a lot of this on his team. Should a team need him to be pass-first, he has the potential to do that. Plus, you need someone like Hayes for when others cannot get it done.

NO. 9: WASHINGTON WIZARDS – COLE ANTHONY

Many will wonder why I’d pick another guard for the Wizards with both John Wall and Bradley Beal on this team. The main reason for this is that both men have been hurt a lot. Wall more than any other star on any other team in the last 5 years has missed the most time due to injury. He’s hurt his ankle, knee, and pretty much anything else you could think of.

While Cole Anthony is by no means the passer Wall happens to be, he is just as good of a scorer and could be a great addition to the shooting guard spot too. Basically, Anthony could play a good bit off the bench to keep Wall and Beal on the sidelines a bit more than they are used to. They are out there so much because there is a desperate need for points. However, when Anthony can get buckets for you too…that is a massive value.

NO. 10: PHOENIX SUNS – DENI ADVIJA

Like others, the Suns have a good young team with a lot of impressive players. Ayton played well in the last few years and Booker has still proven himself to be an impressive top player in the league. Who could you add to this team to make them better? That is truly hard to say as there is no one at this pick in the draft that could be a potential culture-changing addition. Yet you never truly know. I feel the forward spots need to be addressed a bit. Anyone taken here won’t start right away, most likely.

The main thing is that you’re adding someone to help off the bench who could be a potential asset down the line. I feel that can be done with Deni Advija. He stands at 6’9 and could be inserted at either forward spot (though he fits the small). He has proven himself to be a great scorer in the Israeli Basketball Premier League for the Maccabi Tel Aviv team. Some believe he could be another Luka Doncic if given the chance. The Suns missed out on drafting Luka a few years ago, they should not miss on Advija now.

NO. 11: SAN ANTONIO SPURS – PATRICK WILLIAMS

If we had to guess, the Spurs will need a few pieces to get where they want to go next season. That might be hard to get to with those left in this draft but if we had to pick someone that makes sense for this team right now, it’s Patrick Williams. While some will scoff at this, we feel the reason Williams fits is that they are pretty set at the guard positions.

On top of that, the Center and Small Forward spots do not need much right now but might down the line. The place they could use real depth is at Power Forward, where a guy like Williams could be a great asset to them.

NO. 12: SACRAMENTO KINGS – JALEN SMITH

The Kings improved a lot last season and many feel they could be a team to watch next season in the West. Who could be a good addition to this team? Truly, it is hard to say who the “perfect” pick could be at this point. They have a good young player at pretty much every single position. Well, except for one, Center.

A young kid out of Maryland by the name of Jalen Smith could be a really good addition here. Not only is he a great rebounder but also a great block artist. He can even score. Although the kid plays the Power Forward spot mostly, he’d be a great help defensively in the paint while also still getting it done on offense.

NO. 13: NEW ORLEANS PELICANS – AARON NESMITH

When you talk about improved teams, the Pelicans certainly fit the bill. While Zion Williamson proved he could be just as dynamic in the NBA as he was in college, he also had a few injuries. Many feel he was asked to do a bit too much, so bringing another potential scoring threat on the team that can defend would be useful. Aaron Nesmith out of Vanderbilt might be the best person to go with.

He likely falls this far down due to needing foot surgery that caused him to miss the rest of his Sophomore season. Yet when healthy, this kid can hit from 3 better than anyone in this draft. He can get it on the dribble, set-up, whatever you need. In his 14 games last season, he put up 23 points per game on 52% shooting from three. Combined with 1.4 steals per game. If there is a better pick for the Pelicans right now, we don’t know who that could be. Nesmith to the Pelicans!

NO. 14: BOSTON CELTICS (VIA MEM) – ISAIAH STEWART

Boston managed to slightly make it into a lottery position with this pick from Memphis. The only problem is who they’ll end up taking when they have pretty much every position covered. Most likely, they’ll go for Isiah Stewart, a Center. He is a bit undersized and could likely play Power Forward when needed.

Stewart makes sense for this spot because they need some better big men that could come off the bench or start whenever there is a need. While there are more talented people in this draft, Boston just does not have the room for most of them. Nor would most make sense, whereas Stewart certainly does.

NO. 15: ORLANDO MAGIC – RJ HAMPTON

The Orlando Magic were sort of a middle of the road team this past season. They were not bad but they were also not completely good either. I feel that if you’re going to take anyone for them right now that could be a great asset, RJ Hampton is the best pick. He is a good young shooter who chose to play overseas in the NBL this season, rather than go to college.

It might have done him some good as he proved himself to be at least a potentially impressive player at the next level. He has relatively good size for a shooting guard and put up good points for the minutes he played. RJ can likely be a great asset for the Magic. They won’t ask too much of him and he may not even start right away. What is clear is that RJ could become a great player for them given the right development.

NO. 16: PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS – TYRESE HALIBURTON

The same thing with many other teams exists with Portland. They are a good team with some great players, but who could be a great addition to this team? Really, it is an open field for them at every position. They could use a good back-up everywhere. Personally, I like the idea of taking someone like Tyrese Haliburton here.

Now hear me out. It is true that they do not exactly “need” Tyrese but we all know that Haliburton is a good passer and scorer. Having him around means you can allow Lilliard and McCollum to sit a bit, as he could play either PG or SG. If he can score well when out there, you give time for Damian to rest a bit. That means he’s healthier for the playoffs AND could be useful throughout because you have Haliburton taking off some pressure.

NO. 17: MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES (VIA BKN) – DEVIN VASSELL

The Timberwolves might just luck out once again, as we can easily see someone like Devin Vassell falling to them. Why? Although he was good when he played, he was still limited in how. much he was used at Florida State. He shot the ball about 10 times a game on average yet put up between 12 to 15 points during that time. Many feel he has the most “complete” shot in the draft. Some even feel he could go earlier.

Yet due to many feeling like he might not be a great lottery pick and simply team needs not meeting up with his position, we feel he could drop. It is clear that whoever gets him will have a guy that can shoot well. As long as he’s healthy, he’d be a dynamic addition to the Timberwolves. He could play SG or SF and be a near guarantee from the bench to score. Devin could even become a starter before the end of the season. He’s THAT good.

NO. 18: DALLAS MAVERICKS – KIRA LEWIS, JR.

Kira Lewis, Jr. makes a lot of sense for the Mavericks. Not only will he take some pressure off of Luka Doncic in the passing game, but he can also do this as a scorer. They seem to rely on Luka and Kristops quite a lot, yet that is easy to guard around. There needs to be more consistency on the Mavs, with a good guard like Kira being the perfect person to help there.

He can score, pass, and even defend. What is not to like?

NO. 19: BROOKLYN NETS – ISAAC OKORO

The Nets are usually an interesting team to pick for in these NBA Mock Draft articles. It is tough to say that the Nets need more. With the inclusion of Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant both healthy in the line-up, one would assume the pieces around them need to be useful. The issue? You cannot really hate the line-up they have right now.

However, we feel if there is one thing they could use, it would be better defending. Isaac Okoro proved he could defend well at Auburn. Not only can he defend, but he has shown the ability to score at times too. He will need more development here but with guys like Irving and Durant around, it is clear he’ll pick things up fast.

NO. 20: MIAMI HEAT – ALEKSEJ POKUSEVSKI

The Heat are back in the NBA Finals for the first time since LeBron James left. This is, in part, thanks to the young players they have drafted in the last few seasons. Robinson, Bam, Herro, you name it. They are complete with great players, especially with the addition of Jimmy Butler as their star player. The real thing they need, however, is size. If there is anyone that can offer that, it’s Aleksej Pokusevski.

He’s an 18-year-old 7-footer out of Serbia, who plays in the EuroLeague. Though a bit lanky, you can always help the guy add muscle. What you cannot teach is talent, and he has that in spades. He can shoot very well, even from 3-point range. In spite of his lanky size, he has proven to be a good rebounder and blocker. He is truly oozing with potential. If anyone can help him realize that, it’s the Miami Heat!

NO. 21: PHILADELPHIA 76ERS (VIA OKC) – TYRELL TERRY

Philly is a tough team to pick for in this NBA Mock Draft. Why? They really have a lot of good players at every position. They just cannot seem to get it done when it matters most. That might change with their new coach but with so much talent, you need to find someone who can be a great addition to that. Who is the best person to do that? We feel the 76ers will likely benefit from the talents of Tyrell Terry.

The Stanford stand-out has impressive shooting ability with potentially limitless range. The 76ers really need more solid three-point shooters, as neither Ben Simmons nor Tobias Harris or Joel Embiid is good at hitting them with regularity. They have some good three-point shooters but Terry stands out because he can finish well on the inside, hits three throws well, and really can do it all offensively. He’ll need to get better as a defender but that can be managed.

NO. 22: DENVER NUGGETS (VIA HOU) – JOSH GREEN

The Nuggets are yet another team hard to pick for in this NBA Mock Draft. They too are a complete team, and even made it to the Western Conference Finals. If there is one area they need to get some assistance, it can likely be on defense. Yet you also want someone who could help as a scorer too. It can be hard to find such a player this late in the draft though.

Enter Josh Green out of Arizona. This kid can pretty much do everything you could want. He is a great defender who can keep up with and guard 4 different positions. He’s only 6’6 but has a 6’10 wingspan. This is likely why he averaged around a block and 1.5 steals per game. In addition to this, he also put up around 12 points per game and proved to be solid. He was nearly a 0.500% shooter. This late in the draft, Green would be a great steal.

NO. 23: UTAH JAZZ – DESMOND BANE

If there is one thing the Utah Jazz need, it’s stars. I would not be shocked at all if they traded up in this draft to land a better player for their team. It is clear that they can win but they’ll never get over the hump without a dynamic player to go along with Donovan Mitchell. Michael Conley is older and largely disappointed last season. What they really need is someone who could be the complete package.

That could likely be there in 4-year TCU man, Desmond Bane. He comes in as a veteran of the college game who played against a lot of the guys we’ve seen in the draft the last few seasons. He shoots well all over the court and even gets it done as a defender. The Jazz would vastly benefit from having a do-it-all player like Bane. It is hard to find someone with this much experience, at this age, who can do everything. Especially this late.

NO. 24: MILWAUKEE BUCKS (VIA IND) – THEO MALEDON

The Bucks highly disappointed this season as many expected them to make it to the NBA Finals. Most had them making it to the Eastern Conference Finals minimum. Yet they did not even get out of the Conference Semi-Finals. A lot of this comes down to needs all over the court. Like the Jazz, we would not be surprised at all if the Bucks traded up to get one of the other star players in this draft.

If they don’t, there are still some picks that could be useful to this team. While he might be a project, Theo Maledon out of France could be really good for them. He’s 19 but has a lot of experience at the professional level in Europe. As a point guard for ASVEL, he became a Pro A Champion & French Cup winner. Maledon was even the MVP of the latter. It is hard to find a young player with so much experience. He can do a lot of good. If Theo can get anywhere close to his potential….the Bucks may have a star that could really make the Bucks a threat in the East again.

NO. 25: OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER (VIA DEN) – ROBERT WOODARD II

The Thunder are making this NBA Mock Draft much harder, as they too have a lot of good mixed with a lot of bad. Yet they are picking so late that there might not be many additions that could be useful turn-around players. They seem to be set at the guard. position for a while, so the thing we feel they could address is both forward spots.

Robert Woodard II makes the most sense for them right now. He is a guard that really fits best as a Small Forward. He can guard three positions due to his speed yet he knows how to use his size well. Adding him to the Thunder would be useful. He has improved heavily since a year ago. If he has another heavily improved season, he might very well be a star for OKC.

NO. 26: BOSTON CELTICS – ISAIAH JOE

More of the same with Boston. They’ll likely end up picking the best available player, so in our NBA Mock Draft, we’re going to assume this is the case and have them pick Isaiah Joe. He is a guard that could likely play SF if pushed. Joe has proven to be a good shooter and they could certainly use more of that in Boston. We also know that Brad Stephens knows how to develop talent.

It would not shock me to see Isaiah get some valuable minutes next season.

NO. 27: NEW YORK KNICKS (VIA LAC) – TY-SHON ALEXANDER

The Knicks will likely do the same as Boston and pick the best available. Yet they might also pick based on position need and experience too, so we’re going to assume that in our NBA Mock Draft. That is why we have them picking Ty-Shon Alexander out of Creighton. He is a pretty good shooter who averaged around 17 points per game last season.

He is not the best defender and lacks in a few major areas, such as simple off-ball material. Alexander is also a bit undersized so he might end up playing behind a lot of guards on the Knicks. He averaged 1.3 steals per game last season so we know he can play well defensively. Yet offense is where he shines. He is not afraid of taking big shots, which might make him a favorite in New York if he can do this with some regularity.

NO. 28: LOS ANGELES LAKERS – LEANDRO BOLMARO

Back in the NBA Finals once more, the Lakers certainly have a lot to be happy about. The real issue is that they have a lot of veterans without much young player depth. This means pretty much any young player could be taken here and will likely get some valuable minutes next season. They’ll also cost less than some veterans too. I feel that Leandro Bolmaro would be the best person to take. Hear me out, he is a really young player that will only get better.

Right now, we all can see how great of a playmaker he is, which could help a guy like LeBron James out a lot. He is also 6’7 and would likely play the same position as LBJ too. Except he is fast enough to be a guard. Therefore, he could play around 3 positions for the Lakers, making him a HUGE value pick for them. Not only does he add young depth, but he can play three spots and give James rest when needed? Honestly, there could not be a better pick for them.

NO. 29: TORONTO RAPTORS – DEVON DOTSON

Toronto may have won the NBA Championship last season but they lost their star player, Kwahi Leonard. In spite of that, they actually had a great record and managed to look pretty strong in the East this season. They have a ton of good young players on this team but if there is any position they could use a bit more help, it’s at both guard spots. Truthfully, at point guard.

The team needs depth here and most certainly needs a “true point guard” to do it. We do not know how long they can keep Fred VanVleet, who is better as an SG anyway. Devon Dotson, however, would be a great addition to the team. He could fill in the back-up PG hole and even learn from Kyle Lowry. Of course, Kyle is not getting any younger and Dotson could only benefit from his knowledge. Dotson is already a good passer who can get his own shot. We very well could even see him become an asset off the bench this season.

NO. 30: BOSTON CELTICS (VIA MIL) – KILLIAN TILLIE

Honestly, we should be talking about Killian Tillie as a lottery pick. Sadly he has dealt with a lot of injuries at Gonzaga. If not for that, his game is complete enough for him to be a great pick for any team. He has an impressive basketball IQ and can hit shots from anywhere, especially at the three-point range where he went 0.444% on average for his entire college career!

He’s 6’10 but has proven he can play either small or power forward. While he is not known for his rebounding, it is not like he is bad at it. His stats do not show how great a defender he is. Killian could average a few blocks or steals a game but most of the time he is simply a great man-to-man player that creates problems for the man he guards. Truly, he might be a massive steal for Boston here. If healthy, Tillie could become a starter for this team eventually. He is THAT good.