2020 NBA Redraft

Before we start, keep in mind the 2020 NBA draft was less than a year ago, so a majority of this redraft is pure conjecture based on first impressions and a forecast of how these prospects’ careers will pan out. It’s still too early to tell, but coming into this draft, it was labeled as one of the weaker classes of the last decade; while this may be true, we’ve certainly seen plenty of players who look like solid rotational pieces who’ll have a long career in the NBA. There may only be a handful of players from the 2020 draft who will ever develop into an All-Star, but this class is full of hidden gems who may prove skeptics wrong.

Honorable Mentions:

• Tyrese Maxey: 21st Overall
• Immanuel Quickley: 25th Overall
• Payton Pritchard: 26th Overall
• Theo Maledon: 34th Overall
• Isaiah Stewart: 16th Overall
• Kenyon Martin Jr.: 52nd Overall
• Aleksej Pokusevski: 17th Overall
• Precious Achiuwa: 20th Overall
• Isaac Okoro: 5th Overall
• Jaden McDaniels: 28th Overall
• Xavier Tillman: 35th Overall
• Naji Marshall: Undrafted
• Malachi Flynn: 29th Overall
• Jordan Nwora: 45th Overall

1. Timberwolves: LaMelo Ball

LaMelo Ball: 3rd Overall / Original Pick: Anthony Edwards

Coming into the 2020 NBA draft, it was pretty clear LaMelo Ball was the most talented prospect with the highest upside. Due to several factors, however, LaMelo didn’t end up being the first pick; in fact, he fell all the way to three. After seeing an entire season of LaMelo in the NBA, it is more evident than ever that he should’ve been the first overall pick on draft night. LaMelo’s court vision paired with his six-foot-six size at the point guard position is unmatched, but what makes him stand out above the rest is his impact on winning. Before his injury, the Hornets were a top-five seed in the East. Scouts were skeptical of a Ball and Russell backcourt for the Timberwolves, which is likely why LaMelo fell, but after seeing him play this past season, skeptics are probably rethinking that decision. Sure, on defense Ball and Russell could be a disaster — offensively, that’s another story. D’Angelo Russell played 49% of his time at shooting guard this past season. As a combo guard, the pairing could work surprisingly well. Ball would initiate the offense and Russell would do what he does best, score the ball. When you have the first pick in the draft, you draft for talent, first and foremost. Although Anthony Edwards looks like a possible star in the making, I’m sure the Timberwolves would rather have LaMelo Ball on their roster right now.

2. Warriors: Anthony Edwards

Anthony Edwards: 1st Overall / Original Pick: James Wiseman

This pick could just as easily have been Tyrese Haliburton — a do it all combo guard who would’ve helped the Warriors on both offense and defense — but with a top-three pick, you’re looking for some more upside than what Haliburton can offer. While Edwards had his ups and downs this season, he showcased legitimate scoring and star potential. He may not have been efficient, but all the tools are there for him to take that next step. Ideally, the Warriors would’ve traded this pick for a proven star, but they did select James Wiseman originally, which hasn’t looked great so far; however, he still has room to develop for Golden State. Compared to Wiseman, Edwards offers the Warriors what they’re looking for — a shot creator who can score in a variety of ways with defensive potential. Golden State has never been a team to utilize athletic centers like Wiseman, so the fit with him never felt right. As of right now, Edwards is still extremely raw, but who knows, maybe in the next year or two he’ll develop into that star the Warriors have been looking to surround Steph, Klay, and Draymond with.

3. Hornets: James Wiseman

James Wiseman: 2nd Overall / Original Pick: LaMelo Ball

This is how the 2020 draft should’ve gone — LaMelo to the Timberwolves at one, Edwards to the Warriors at two, and Wiseman to the Hornets at three — and their play last season only proved this point. When LaMelo fell to the Hornets at three, there was no way to justify passing on him, despite having two starting-caliber guards in Devonte’ Graham and Terry Rozier. However, from a fit standpoint, James Wiseman made a lot more sense in Charlotte. The Hornets have needed a center for what feels like forever at this point, and Wiseman could slide in and be their franchise center, perhaps even their franchise player. Wiseman had an up-and-down rookie season before going down with injury. Remember, he only played three college games at Memphis before leaving the team and declaring for the NBA draft. With his lack of experience, we should’ve expected him to be as raw of a player as he was for Golden State. Even though Wiseman didn’t look like the third best rookie last year, he certainly has the potential to be. With his physical gifts, untapped potential, and fit with Charlotte’s roster, the Hornets can’t help but select Wiseman here at three.

4. Bulls: Tyrese Haliburton

Tyrese Haliburton: 12th Overall / Original Pick: Patrick Williams

It’s astonishing that Haliburton fell as far as twelve on draft night. Coming into the draft, Haliburton was viewed as the most complete player who maybe didn’t have the highest upside but also had very few holes in his game. Haliburton is a do it all combo guard with the tools to one day become an elite defender. While he may not normally be the type of player you’d want to select with a top-five pick, in a draft with limited talent, it’s a bargain the Bulls are going to have to take. Not only is Haliburton an excellent player in his own right, he just might be exactly what the Bulls have been looking for. For some time now, Chicago has been looking to fill out its roster, starting with a facilitator. Originally they were hoping Coby White would be that player for them, but as time has gone on, Coby is increasingly looking like a two-guard. The Bulls have been rumored to have interest in Lonzo Ball, and, in many ways, Haliburton is a similar player. Here, the Bulls would be able to select a similar player to Lonzo for a cheaper price. Haliburton would only elevate LaVine’s game, and perhaps the addition of him to this roster instead of Patrick Williams would’ve helped the Bulls reach the postseason for the first time in several years.

5. Cavaliers: Patrick Williams

Patrick Williams: 4th Overall / Original Pick: Isaac Okoro

Let’s be honest — we all thought the Bulls were crazy for picking Patrick Williams fourth overall. But here we are, eight months later, and he still goes fifth in this redraft. The Cavaliers originally selected Isaac Okoro with the fifth pick; this tells us that they were focused primarily on bolstering the team’s defense, as Sexton and Garland in the backcourt make for a fairly weak defensive unit. Okoro was solid for the Cavs but not fifth pick worthy. Patrick Williams had a productive and efficient rookie season with the Bulls — not eye-popping, but enough to turn some heads, especially regarding Williams’ potential on both sides of the ball. Patrick Williams offers the Cavs exactly what Okoro does on defense and much more on offense. Williams is more versatile than Okoro, as he is larger and possesses more offensive tools, even though his offensive game isn’t extraordinary at the moment. Plus, the Cavs have been looking for an upgrade at the forward positions for a while now. With Kevin Love aging, Cleveland is running out of options in the frontcourt. Williams gives them options due to his ability to play both the three and the four, as well as his defensive switchability. Look, from here on out, every player who has high defensive upside and a questionable jumper is going to be compared to Kawhi Leonard. While we can’t expect that from Williams, in the future, we can expect a high-impact player on both ends of the floor.

6. Hawks: Killian Hayes

Killian Hayes: 7th Overall / Original Pick: Onyeka Okongwu

If we haven’t already, here is where we see a significant drop-off in talent. This is nowhere near a perfect pick for the Hawks, but Killian Hayes is their best option at six. Hayes isn’t a shooter as of now, which definitely hurts Atlanta, but he offers much more outside of his shot. He played solid defense and showed great defensive instincts in his time with the Pistons. Hayes also averaged five assists a game and displayed excellent court vision for a player of his age. Most importantly, Hayes gives them another ball-handler who can alleviate some of the pressure on Trae Young. And, his six-foot-five size is vital for the Hawks as playing in the backcourt with Trae Young requires size due to Young’s lack of height and small frame. Of course, Hayes is far from a complete player; he boasts some truly atrocious shooting splits and he is more of a long-term project. Yes, Atlanta wanted to be, and was competitive last season, and Hayes isn’t exactly a win-now player; however, Hayes’ shortcomings don’t mean he’s unplayable. A secondary ball-handler would’ve significantly helped Atlanta out this past season. Hayes just needs to be surrounded by shooters, and, outside of Capela, the Hawks have a boatload of them. Again, Hayes isn’t the answer, but his skill set could help many teams out, and with limited options, he’s Atlanta’s best one.

7. Pistons: Cole Anthony

Cole Anthony: 15th Overall / Original Pick: Killian Hayes

Unlike the last pick, this selection for the Pistons seems like a perfect fit. Coming out of high school, Cole Anthony was one of the highest-ranked recruits. Following a disappointing year at North Carolina, Anthony saw high draft stock plummet. Once a sure-fire top-five pick, Anthony fell all the way to 15 on draft night. Cole had your average young point guard type of season. He was relatively inefficient but worked out some kinks as the year progressed and managed to average 13, 5, and 4. You’d expect him to only get better and more efficient from here, so he looks to be a starting-caliber scoring guard. Does he possess the tremendous upside he was expected to have coming into college? Not quite. But it’s possible we could see Cole develop into a 20 ppg scorer in the near future for the Magic. With the Pistons, he’d be the clear top option on offense and would have a nice forward to dish to in Jerami Grant. Detroit has been looking for their franchise point guard for some time now. They might as well roll the dice on Anthony.

8. Knicks: Saddiq Bey

Saddiq Bey: 19th Overall / Original Pick: Obi Toppin

Saddiq Bey is just what the Knicks needed this past season. The Knicks were lacking depth, especially at the wing position, as well as shooting. That’s exactly the role Bey fills as a player. Bey had an excellent rookie season, earning an All-Rookie First Team nod for his play with Detroit. There’s nothing particularly flashy about Bey; he’s your classic three-and-D player, but that just so happened to be the Knicks' greatest weakness when it came down to it in the playoffs. Bey has the size, skills, and efficiency to fit into any system in the league. While he doesn’t project to be an elite shot creator like Jayson Tatum or Paul George, he’s in that mold of player. He’ll have a very solid career in the NBA, much like a Jae Crowder, but with even more potential on the offensive end. Even if he never develops into a star, a six-foot-seven shooter is a hot commodity in the NBA. Picking Bey over Toppin could’ve been the difference for them in the first-round series versus the Hawks. Bey fell all the way to 19 on draft night — there are approximately ten teams severely regretting that decision to pass on him.

9. Wizards: Onyeka Okongwu

Onyeka Okongwu: 6th Overall / Original Pick: Deni Avdija

Okongwu was an odd pick for the Hawks and left many scratching their head as to why Atlanta selected him considering they had far greater needs than a backup big. Perhaps he was drafted as Capela insurance? Who knows. Okongwu spent the start of the season rehabbing an injury, and once he made his debut, he was only getting garbage time minutes. It recently came out that he underwent shoulder surgery and will be out for the next six months. We can only hope this isn’t going to be a pattern for Okongwu going forward. It’s difficult to make an accurate assessment of Okongwu given he only played in 50 games and when he played, he didn’t stay on the court long as he averaged just 12 minutes a game. However, the potential is there. Okongwu actually had some pretty hefty expectations to live up to after being compared to Bam Adebayo heading into the draft. While he’s not quite Bam, Okongwu did showcase flashes of elite defensive versatility and rim protection despite his relatively small size of six-foot-eight. Offensively, it’s hard to tell if he’ll ever amount to much outside of lobs, but defensively, he has the ability and versatility to be the anchor of an elite defensive system. Okongwu would’ve been the perfect pick for the Wizards had he fallen to nine given their need for defense and a big man. In this redraft he falls, and the Wizards don’t hesitate to swoop in and grab him.

10. Suns: Desmond Bane

Desmond Bane: 30th Overall / Original Pick: Jalen Smith

In 2019, Cam Johnson was projected to go nowhere near the lottery, yet the Suns were enamored with his skill set and selected him 11th overall. Phoenix will do the same for this draft and select Desmond Bane 10th, who was projected as a borderline first-round pick. Bane is a similar player to Johnson — a multi-year college player who projects as a high-impact three-and-D rotational piece. And that is exactly what Bane has turned out to be for the Grizzlies. He was an impact player on day one, earning him an All-Rookie Second Team nod. Bane would’ve helped the Suns in their Finals berth. His contributions would’ve made the team that much deeper. It’s unlikely he would’ve been the difference in the Finals, but his shooting and high IQ certainly would’ve helped.