Final NBA Mock Draft With Trades
Marc Delucchi projects where prospects will fall and which trades will go down in the first round of the NBA Draft.
Published in
18 min readNov 18, 2020
Final NBA Mock Draft With Trades
Marc Delucchi projects where prospects will fall and which trades will go down in the first round of the NBA Draft.
Photo by NeONBRAND on Unsplash
After months of scouring through scouting reports, watching highlight reels, and reading various rumors, the NBA Draft is finally here. With plenty of unknowns still up in the air, I take my best shot at how the first round will shake out.
The 2020 class is known best for what it lacks: obvious top-end talent. It’s become clear that James Wiseman, LaMelo Ball, and Anthony Edwards are in a tier of their own to most teams at the top of the draft, but how they rank among themselves seems heavily undecided. Still, people sour on the top of the draft should look down most big boards and mocks to see what this group has to offer.
This class is deep with prospects that will contribute to NBA rotations. Figuring out which players projected as secondary pieces are the next Jimmy Butler or Kawhi Leonard will define this year. There are just too many well-rounded prospects for someone not to emerge from outside the top-five as an All-Star. In most years, betting on whether there will be more All-Stars in the top-ten picks or the rest of the draft is an easy choice for the former. However, this year, I’d lean heavily toward the field.
With that said, I think we’re set to see some significant action at the top of the draft. Minnesota and Golden State hold the top-two picks, and neither seems particularly committed to keeping their selection. As the rumors keep swirling, here’s my projected picks and trade for the first round of this year’s draft.
- Charlotte Hornets (DRAFT TRADE w/MIN):
C, James Wiseman, Memphis
The Timberwolves have done an impressive job hiding their intentions with the first overall pick. While Wiseman, LaMelo Ball, and Anthony Edwards are the consensus top-three prospects, Edwards is the only fit for their current roster. However, it seems like the next two teams both are hotly interested in Wiseman. I would not be shocked if the T’Wolves pick Wiseman and then let the Warriors and Hornets bid on him. I think Charlotte could be interested enough in Wiseman to offer up PJ Washington to move up two spots and swap second-rounders with Minnesota. - Chicago Bulls (DRAFT TRADE w/GS):
PG, LaMelo Ball, Illawarra Hawks (Australia)
With Wiseman off the board, the Warriors become a complete wild card. They seem to have put all their eggs in the Wiseman basket, but there isn’t another obvious path. Unless some unexpected star becomes available, the Warriors would seem likely to auction up Ball. Had the lottery shook out differently, he very likely goes number one. The Bulls, Pistons, and Knicks all make sense, but Chicago has the advantage of the highest pick to offer. New York could probably get a deal done if they packaged Mitchell Robinson with the eighth overall pick, but that seems less likely. The Bulls could form a core around Ball, Zach Lavine, Lauri Markkanen, Otto Porter, and Wendell Carter. Chicago doesn’t have much in the way of picks to offer, but they could offer up Chandler Hutchison and the fourth overall pick for Jordan and Ball. - Minnesota Timberwolves (DRAFT TRADE w/CHA):
SG, Anthony Edwards, Georgia
The T’Wolves could trade down, add an asset, and get whoever’s left of the top three prospects here. It works out in their favor that Edwards would be the prospect most likely to fall. With D’Angelo Russell and Karl Anthony-Towns the team’s centerpieces going forward, Edwards is the only one who could fit alongside them. Edwards is a flawed prospect but still has big-time upside. An explosive athlete, Edwards has the potential to become a productive wing scorer quickly. While it wasn’t present at Georgia, he has the skills to become an elite defender. - Phoenix Suns (DRAFT TRADE w/GS):
PF, Obi Toppin, Dayton
Once again, the Warriors would not have an obvious move at four either. They’ve been heavily tied to Deni Avdija, and that very well could be the direction they go. However, Phoenix is going all-in after trading for Chris Paul. Toppin could give them an incredibly dynamic starting five of DeAndre Ayton, Toppin, Mikal Bridges, Devin Booker, and Paul.
The Chris Paul trade cannot be finalized until after the draft, and Anthony Slater of The Athletic noted that the Thunder would probably like to move Kelly Oubre’s $14.375 million expiring contract. Given the Warriors needs at the wing position, it could easily become a three-team trade that sends Oubre into the Warriors’ trade exception, a couple of second-round picks to OKC, and a pick swap of 4 and 10. The Thunder might want to hold out for more, and perhaps Frank Kaminsky could do the trick. - Cleveland Cavaliers:
SF, Deni Avdija, Maccabi Tel Aviv (Israel)
Cleveland’s invested quite a bit in their backcourt over recent drafts, and I’ve seen multiple reporters and mocks tie them to Avdija. NBA scouts seem split on his prospects, with some falling for his similarities to Luka Doncic, while other’s point out how far behind Doncic’s development Avdija is. There are inconsistencies in his game, and there’s a lot of athleticism questions that came with Luka without the advanced feel for the game or complete jump shot. Still, the Cavaliers are just the kind of organization to buy in enough to make the pick. - Atlanta Hawks:
SF, Isaac Okoro, Auburn
The Hawks have been one of the teams rumored to be trying to trade down. Without an obvious need at any position, they could aim to take advantage of the draft’s depth and add another piece later. However, Travis Schlenk has been trying to build Warriors-East for awhile. He seems to believe in the backcourt of Trae Young and Kevin Huerter. Paired with John Collins and Clint Capela, he now has a strong frontcourt as well. Cam Reddish and De’Andre Hunter could become future starting wings, but no one on the roster is strong defensively. Okoro is a defensive stopper with elite athleticism. His offensive game is not developed enough to project him like an Andre Igoudala, but he fits the mold of a flexible defensive piece that Atlanta should be eyeing. I don’t think they trade down and risk losing someone of his caliber. - Boston Celtics (DRAFT TRADE w/DET):
C/PF, Onyeka Okongwu, USC
Boston was rumored to be trying to acquire a top-ten pick to acquire Jrue Holiday from the Pelicans, but now that he is heading to Milwaukee, they could rethink their plans. Detroit is devoid of talent and will have to build from the ground up. Without any second-round picks until 2022 and less than five players that seem like long-term fits, they are a team that could target this draft class’ depth. If Boston offered the 14th pick, 26th pick, Grant Williams, and Carsen Edwards, the Pistons would be well-positioned to add young depth at multiple positions and build that foundation.
On the other hand, the Celtics don’t need quantity but quality players that fit their roster. Okongwu was an incredibly productive player in his lone season at USC and is a surprisingly athletic and talented center benefitting from comps to Bam Adebayo. He looks like what Celtics brass hoped they could get out of Robert Williams. Okongwu seems polished enough to play the four alongside Enes Kanter and shift to the five in smaller, more athletic lineups that utilize Marcus Smart, Gordon Hayward, Jayson Tatum, and Jaylen Brown. ESPN’s NBA Insiders actually made this suggestion earlier this week (although they thought a trade with Atlanta was more likely). - New York Knicks:
PG, Tyrese Haliburton, Iowa State
Plenty of Knicks fans and marketing people would love to bring LaMelo Ball into town somehow, but unless they offer up Mitchell Robinson or future first-rounders, I don’t see how they pull it off unless Ball falls out of the top three picks. Instead, they’re positioned to pick from the next tier of point guards. Haliburton has seemed to emerge as the best of the rest by most rankings, and a couple of pundits have already tied him to New York. He may not have star potential, but he has many similarities to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander when he was coming out of Kentucky. He won’t be the highest picked point guard, but could easily be the best player taken at the position when we look back. - Washington Wizards:
SF, Patrick Williams, Florida State
The Wizards seem set on running it back with Bradley Beal and a post-Achilles John Wall (I do not buy into the Wall for Westbrook rumors). Davis Bertans will be a hotly desired free-agent Washington will desperately try to maintain, but even if they do, targetting wing depth would seem like the best path to contention. Sure they could go for someone like Hayes or trade up to nab Okongwu, but collecting wings seems like the best way back to contention immediately, but also preparing for a post-Wall/Beal future. Williams has garnered significant helium in the pre-draft process and seems to have some front-offices dreaming on his elite frame and athleticism. He showed decent feel and was a competent shooter at Florida State as well. There’s some risk from his lack of exceptional production in college, but if anyone should be betting on upside, it’s the Wizards. - Golden State Warriors (DRAFT TRADE w/PHX):
SF, Saddiq Bey, Villanova
If this is how things played out and I was running Golden State, I’d probably be content entering free agency with Wiggins, Oubre, and Hutchison as my wings. I would pick between Kira Lewis Jr. and Killian Hayes (I’d lean Hayes) to give Stephen Curry the best backup he’s had in years. I don’t think they’d go in that direction, though. Wing depth and flexibility was quietly a considerable part of their original title run, and I don’t think they’ve forgotten it. Plus, none of those wings are close to knockdown shooters. Bey is probably the best bet to be an immediate impact shooter with the size to handle matchups against strong wings and smaller power forwards. - San Antonio Spurs:
SG, Devin Vassell, Florida State
The Spurs have been going to the 3-and-D prospect for years, and it’s generally paid dividends (although Lonnie Walker IV hasn’t adjusted well to pro ball thus far). Vassell is immediately ready defensively and has been a good shooter in college. However, don’t get caught reading too much into box scores. Unlike Bey, Vassell’s mechanics are far less smooth and could be a cause for concern against better defensive competition. Still, he’s a far superior defender and seems ready to step into a rotation immediately while the offensive game develops. - Sacramento Kings:
C, Precious Achiuwa, Memphis
Achiuwa is not the caliber of prospect worthy of a pick this high and probably should go in the late teens, but he seems like a player the Kings will fall in love with as they convince themselves they’re only a piece away. I know Vlade Divac is gone, but Sacramento’s ownership has yet to show the patience that leads me to believe they won’t draft like they’re a contender. With De’Aaron Fox, Buddy Hield, Harrison Barnes, and Marvin Bagley III all in the starting lineup, center seems like the most obvious need. Achiuwa is a really interesting prospect with a defensive projection like Draymond Green. The offense is a big question, but the Kings can rely on Fox, Hield, and Bagley to handle the scoring. Achiuwa projects like a foundational defensive piece that could help a lot. - New Orleans Pelicans:
PG, Killian Hayes, Ulm (Germany)
I drank a lot of the draft pundit Kool-Aid on Hayes. While he’s very left-hand dominant, his feel for the game gives him a lot of room to grow. The NBA seems more in love with him as a late-lottery pick than a borderline top-five selection. Needless to say, with the Pelicans shipping Jrue Holiday off to Milwaukee, an offensive complement to Lonzo Ball seems like an obvious target. Hayes isn’t yet the scorer of Kira Lewis Jr., but David Griffin isn’t playing a short game in New Orleans. Hayes’ consistent mid-range and free-throw production suggest he can become a consistent three-point shooter. - Detroit Pistons (DRAFT TRADE w/BOS):
PG, Kira Lewis Jr., Alabama
Moving to the back of the lottery, the Pistons should be looking to take whatever player falls to the end of the lottery. In this case, Lewis is the one that falls. Of the top point guard prospects, Lewis is best positioned to contribute immediately, although that shouldn’t be Detroit’s concern. He has blazing speed and gets some comps to De’Aaron Fox, but he’s not quite that elite and will probably never be as good a defender. With that said, his shot is a bit more advanced, which should give him a solid floor as a bench scoring option if he’s not strong enough to handle the rigors defensively. - Orlando Magic:
PG/SG, RJ Hampton, New Zealand Breakers
Hampton was once viewed more as a wing prospect but hasn’t thickened up much and tends to play at his best with the ball in his hands. He’s probably the best athlete of the crop of point guards, but his feel on the defensive side of the ball suggests he’s not close to reaching that ceiling yet. He’s a downhill scorer that can effectively find his way to reach and finish in the lane. However, the jump shot has been iffy at best. He’s reportedly been working on his shot all offseason and if a team is confident about that, he might be the top point guard on someone’s board. With only empty gym videos to scout, though, I doubt any team is there. Still, it’s an upside play for Orlando, even if Hampton has many similarities to Markelle Fultz. Lewis would be a much better fit, and I could see them moving up to grab the Alabama product instead, as suggested by The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie. - Houston Rockets:
C/PF, Aleksej Pokusevski, Olympicacos B (Greece)
With seemingly every star wanting out of Houston, it’s clear the organization is facing a reset. Owner Tilman Fertitta has been consistently cheap on the management side and showed he wants to shift away from a star-focused approach when he let go of Daryl Morey. Given the lack of certainty, there’s no point in the team taking a win-now fit like Jaden McDaniels or Aaron Nesmith, so why not go for upside? Pokusevski is over 7'-tall with the athleticism of a wing and flashes of passing ability. Any front office could easily convince themselves they are looking at some combination of the next Giannis or Kevin Durant. Of course, he’s also years away from reaching that potential, if he ever will. There’s no bigger risk, but probably no bigger upside at this point in the draft. That seems like a Fertitta kind of move. - Boston Celtics (DRAFT TRADE w/MIN):
SF/PF, Jaden McDaniels, Washington
Without a first-round pick in next year’s draft following the D-Lo trade, Minnesota might be willing to move down quite a bit. I know they’re rumored to try and move back into the top-ten, which makes sense since they’re trying to make the playoffs next season, but I could see them being enticed to move down. Boston could package the 30th pick, their first-rounder in 2021, and Romeo Langford (14th overall pick in 2019) to jump 13 spots and grab the best defensive player in the draft. McDaniels’ offensive game is underdeveloped, but his length and athleticism leave him well suited to make a difference immediately. After addressing their need at center with Okongwu, grabbing a defensive stopper could make parting with Marcus Smart easier down the road too. I think teams might be overlooking some of McDaniels’ offensive upside as well, and if I think anyone will be a “surprising” top-ten pick, it could be him. - Philadelphia 76ers (DRAFT TRADE w/DAL):
PG, Tyrell Terry, Stanford
The Mavericks would be happy with Aaron Nesmith, Josh Green, Tyrese Maxey, or Jalen Smith here and would seem to like some additional draft capital in a minor deal with Philadelphia (let’s say the 36th pick). The 76ers need shooting and point guard play. Terry is limited by 6’1’’-160lbs frame, but shot 40.8% from three on 152 attempts in his lone year of college and shot 89.1% on 110 free throws. At this point in the draft, there’s little Philadelphia could want more. Philadelphia would target Aaron Nesmith over Terry to build around Ben Simmons, since Nesmith’s largest limitation is generating offense with the ball in his hands. Still, I think they’re beginning to plan for a post-Simmons era. - Brooklyn Nets:
SF, Aaron Nesmith, Vanderbilt
This would be a dream scenario for Brooklyn. Of course, it could be blown up if a James Harden deal gets done (I’m still skeptical that Houston will pull the trigger this offseason). Nesmith is right there with Bey as the best 3-and-D prospect in the draft and could go a bit higher. He’s got a pure shooting stroke and a 6’10” wingspan to project defensively. Any team would be lucky to get him at this point in the draft. His lack of polish generating offense off the dribble makes it hard to envision him being more than a strong secondary contributor. Still, there could be a Klay Thompson ceiling here being overlooked. - Miami Heat:
SG/SF, Josh Green, Arizona
I was really tempted to give Miami Desmond Bane, but I’m not as willing as Vecenie (who indeed mocked the TCU point guard to Miami at 20) to see the Heat playing that aggressively to replace Goran Dragic. I think Tyler Herro showed enough that he could transition into that role more consistently Dragic moves on. I also think Pat Riley is the type of exec who would fall in love with Green. He’s a long, athletic wing with a great motor. Frankly, he’d probably be in my top-15 prospects in this draft, and teams may be underrating his upside because he lacks any skill that they can see forming a star. He was quietly productively well-rounded at Arizona and could be a guy we wonder how people missed on in a few years. The Heat are the kind of organization to make everyone else look silly. - Dallas Mavericks (DRAFT TRADE w/PHI):
SG, Tyrese Maxey, Kentucky
Maxey is the guy who many expect to see in the lottery that I see sliding. I think people see Edwards without the same athleticism, size, and strength. However, the rest of Maxey’s game is far more developed. The Kentucky product would be a strong fit in Dallas, where he could prepare to fill Tim Hardway’s role in a year but potentially develop into a true second option alongside Luka Doncic. Jalen Smith would make a lot of sense from a defensive standpoint, but I think if Maxey’s on the board, Dallas will lean upside. - Denver Nuggets:
PF, Jalen Smith, Louisville
Smith is just a really good basketball player. He averaged a double-double in his sophomore year at Maryland and also took significant strides as a shooter. While I don’t think he ever becomes a legitimate outside threat, it looks like he’ll be competent enough offensively to take advantage of his defensive versatility. He’s been criticized for his stiffness guarding the ball, but his motor and length would project as a strong help defender on a Nuggets team desperately in need of that skillset. Smith could compete to replace Paul Millsap in the starting lineup where he could benefit from playing alongside Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic on the offensive while helping to cover up their shortcomings on the other side of the court. - Utah Jazz:
PG, Theo Maledon, ASVEL (France)
Maledon started the season in that second-tier of point guards where Hayes, Haliburton, and Lewis ended up. However, his stock fell as guys got under the microscope. He probably had the toughest competition of any of those players, though, so we could look back and realize we knocked him for difficulties the other players in the class did not face. Still, he’s a pick and roll point guard that could help offset the offensive burden from Donovan Mitchell in Utah. He’s got decent length and has been useful as a shooter. Still, no one seems confident he’ll be strong enough to be a solid defender or maintain that productivity against NBA defenders. - New Orleans Pelicans:
C, Isaiah Stewart, Washington
Half of me wants this pick to happen so Stewart can play on a court alongside Zion Williamson. Stewart is a sturdy interior defender with a massive wingspan and a relentless drive for boards. Under 6’10”, there are obvious questions about how effective he’ll be offensively, but he made 77% of his free-throws as a freshman and was not completely afraid of taking a three-pointer (.8 attempts per game). That’s not close to becoming a legitimate part of his arsenal, but he seems like the perfect complement to Pelicans current center Jaxson Hayes. - Oklahoma City Thunder:
PG, Desmond Bane, TCU
Bane was a starter for nearly his entire four-year college career, and I actually think he has the makings to be a score-first backup point guard. He’s 6’6’’-215lbs but lacks the wingspan or elite athleticism necessary to guard most NBA wings. At the same time, Bane seems well-suited to guard second-unit point guards as a scoring rotational combo guard. Over his college career, he shot 43.3% from three and 80.4% from the free-throw line and flashed some improved court vision this year with the ball in his hands more. With Shai Gilgeous-Alexander the future in OKC, the Thunder would love a scoring guard that could take the pressure off Alexander. Bane probably will never be strong enough to start, but could become a Lou Williams-type player if everything pans out. - Detroit Pistons (DRAFT TRADE w/BOS):
C, Daniel Oturu, Minnesota
Having already grabbed a point guard, I see Detroit circling back to center here. I think they’d love someone like Stewart to fall this far to try and cover for Blake Griffin’s defensive limitations, but Oturu should be able to space the floor and offer more traditional rim protection. Spending two years in college, Oturu took a massive leap in his sophomore campaign. The 6’10” center averaged nearly three blocks a game while shooting over 35% from three. According to ESPN’s pre-draft analysis, the jump shot looks like it can play immediately in the NBA. He’s not very comfortable with the ball in his hands and lacks the athleticism of someone like Stewart to be a strong switch-defender, but there’s something to be said for a player that can block shots at the rim and make a three on the other end of the floor. - New York Knicks:
PG, Cole Anthony, North Carolina
This is just such a Knicks pick. Anthony was easily in the lottery, and possibly top-five, conversation to start the season, but ended up being less efficient than Anthony Edwards with a stronger supporting cast and none of the elite athleticism to fall back on. Anthony can be a good shooter at the next level, but his shot selection will need a lot of work. He probably needs to be drafted by a team that will limit his opportunities that forces him to curtail his quick trigger instincts, but those teams are probably likely to shy away from him. Anthony quietly had an excellent six-game stretch near the end of conference play, averaging 21.7 PPG, 4 RPG, 5.3 APG, and just 2.7 turnovers per game while shooting 50.6%/47.5%/85.2%. He then collapsed in the last regular-season matchup against Duke and in UNC’s two conference tournament games. While his NBA success will likely live or die by his ability to score, it’s not the worst place to gamble on a consensus top-five recruit less than two years ago at this point in the first-round. - Philadelphia 76ers (DRAFT TRADE w/OKC):
SG/PG, Leandro Bolmaro, Barcelona B (Spain)
Robert Woodard would make a lot of sense at this spot if OKC stayed. However, Sam Presti is in value accumulation mode. With a clear reset occurring in OKC right now and a bevy of picks incoming, Philadelphia could offer the 34th and 49th picks to sneak back into the first-round. Bolmaro is probably the most unknown prospect of any first-round prospect. Still, most rankings give him the upside to rank him in the early 20s. Philly could afford to take a gamble at this point in the draft after adding Terry. Bolmaro is a big (6’7”) playmaker that is currently ok at everything and could, hypothetically, develop into a lead guard. He might be further along but hasn’t played much on a strong Barcelona team. For Philadelphia, he’d give them some real long-term upside and could be stashed in Spain for another year. For a team that already has 12 players under contract heading into the draft, it seems like an ideal way to retain some value in the future without sacrificing upside. - Toronto Raptors:
SF, Robert Woodard, Mississippi State
If you watched Woodard’s defensive tape and saw his 42.9% conversion rate from three-point range this season, you’d probably rank him alongside Neismeth and Bey. However, Woodard’s struggles from the free-throw line (62%) and shooting in his first year (46.8%/27.3%/58%) suggest otherwise. Still, the Raptors have shown the ability to develop the offensive games of prospects without much polish. While the roster has obvious needs in their frontcourt, with Serge Ibaka and Marc Gasol aging and set for free-agency, they might like the idea of continuing to accrue wing depth to trade from for a more proven big man to help them contend next season. - Minnesota Timberwolves (DRAFT TRADE w/BOS):
PG/SG, Malachi Flynn
Flynn is a combo guard that’s too small to guard opposing two guards, which obviously limits his ceiling and why he could easily fall to the second round. Still, for a Minnesota team looking to compete next season, Flynn would immediately become their best bench scoring option (assuming Edwards slotted into the starting lineup). While players like Josh Okogie and Jarrett Culver could be potential contributors (Okogie already is, but Culver remains to be seen), neither are legitimate offensive threats that could lead a second unit. Flynn could immediately fill that hole for the foreseeable future.
