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2020 NBA Mock Draft: Warriors, Trail Blazers, Spurs benefit from slow start

By Austin Carroll

AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND - NOVEMBER 30: LaMelo Ball of the Hawks and RJ Hampton of the Breakers during the round 9 NBL match between the New Zealand Breakers and the Illawarra Hawks at Spark Arena on November 30, 2019 in Auckland, New Zealand. (Photo by Anthony Au-Yeung/Getty Images)
AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND - NOVEMBER 30: LaMelo Ball of the Hawks and RJ Hampton of the Breakers during the round 9 NBL match between the New Zealand Breakers and the Illawarra Hawks at Spark Arena on November 30, 2019 in Auckland, New Zealand. (Photo by Anthony Au-Yeung/Getty Images) /
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2020 NBA Mock Draft, Portland Trail Blazers
2020 NBA Mock Draft – Tyrese Haliburton (Photo by David K Purdy/Getty Images) /

11. Theo Maledon, G, ASVEL (France)

Minnesota Timberwolves (10-15)

If they aren’t going to pull off a splashy trade for D’Angelo Russell, this Timberwolves team looking to build around Karl-Anthony Towns, Jarrett Culver and Josh Okogie need a genuine point guard to run the floor. Maledon’s shooting and playmaking him a great solution to their vacancy at the point.

12. Killian Hayes, G, Ratiopharm Ulm (Germany)

Detroit Pistons (10-15)

The Pistons are going to be starting this rebuild essentially from the ground up, and picking up a talented pass-first guard makes a lot of sense moving forward. None of Reggie Jackson, Derrick Rose, or Langston Galloway fit into Detroit’s long-term picture, so a playmaker that will help elevate his teammate’s play figure to be a smart decision.

13. Vernon Carey Jr., C, Duke

Charlotte Hornets (12-16)

Despite a few really strong stretches from Cody Zeller, Hornets fans know by now what they’re going to get from him and the less Bismack Biyombo we see, the better. The Hornets have a collection of promising youth at every position besides center, which is why the freshman out of Duke is the right pick for Charlotte. Vernon Carey Jr. has averaged 18.5 points, 9.2 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game for the Blue Devils. His presence on the offensive boards and back-to-the-basket touch could help him carve out a role similar to that of Clint Capela.

14. Josh Green, G/F, Arizona

Sacramento Kings (11-14)

When your lineup boats offensive savants like De’Aaron Fox, Buddy Hield and Marvin Bagley, chances are you aren’t going to have much trouble putting points on the board. Richaun Holmes has also been a revelation on the boards. That’s exactly why Sacramento could benefit by picking up a defensive specialist. Green might be the best perimeter defender in the entire draft, and we’ve already seen the massive impact players like Bruce Bowen, Andre Roberson, and even rookie Matisse Thybulle can have on a contender.

15. Tyrese Haliburton, G, Iowa State

Orlando Magic (11-14)

Tyrese Haliburton has quickly become this year’s advanced analytics darling. His excellent playmaking ability was a known commodity entering the year, but he’s finally managed to put together a complete game. Averaging 16.8 points on an incredible 62.9 true shooting percentage, along with 7.8 assists and 5.9 rebounds per game, Haliburton has managed to make Cyclone basketball fun again. If he’s still on the board at No. 15, Orlando would be foolish to pass on him.

16. Tre Jones, G, Duke

Phoenix Suns (11-13)

We’ve already seen the enormous positive impact adding one pass-first point guard to Phoenix has made for the team, so why not double down on that bet? Much like his brother Tyus Jones, Tre does the small things very well and could gain invaluable mentorship from Rubio while leading the bench unit.

17. Tyrese Maxey, G, Kentucky

Oklahoma City Thunder (11-13)

Unlike many players still remaining on the board, Tyrese Maxey is a magician on offense, capable of creating his own offense and dissecting the opposing defense. He’s experienced some streaky highs and lows, but players with ceilings as high as Maxey’s is exactly what the Thunder will be looking to unload their war chest of picks on.

18. Isaiah Stewart, F/C, Washington

Atlanta Hawks via Brooklyn Nets (13-11)

At 6-foot-9, Stewart is slightly undersized compared to the aforementioned Carey Jr., which explains a slight dip in his projection. Atlanta has long been looking for a permanent solution at center, and injecting some healthy competition with current rookie Bruno Fernando seems like the right move to make.

19. Jordan Nwora, F, Louisville

Utah Jazz (15-11)

Jordan Nwora has officially injected himself into the national spotlight by leading the No. 1 team in the country in scoring. Nwora’s sweet shooting stroke has him hitting 42.6 percent of his 3-point attempts, and a high free throw rate indicates this is no fluke. He’s not just a scorer though, flashing strong rebounding skills that could perfectly complement Utah’s undersized backcourt.

20. Paul Reed, F/C, DePaul

Oklahoma City Thunder via Denver Nuggets (15-8)

Oklahoma City has made it no secret that they’d be willing to move on from Steven Adams and get his money off the books, which is why it makes sense to start investing in the frontcourt again. Reed has had a shocking start to the year while averaging a combined 5.5 blocks and steals per game, putting DePaul back on the map. His high basketball IQ and versatility make for an intriguing selection.