Exclusive Official 2020 Draft Thread

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Do the Wolves & Warriors trade their picks? Yes to both.
 
Hoopguru said:
Do the Wolves & Warriors trade their picks? Yes to both.
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They both would clearly like to, but they'll have to sell incredibly low by top-2 picks standards. No one seems eager to buy into the top spots and be stuck in the same position of having to over-reach on a "maybe" prospect.
 
Rastapopoulos said:
I bet Detroit would, but why would we take Okoro WHEN HE HAS OKONGWU GOING WITH THE NEXT PICK?
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I don't know much about either of those guys. I just doubted that Detroit would trade away their #7 for that return.
 
Buffalo Custard said:
I'm sorry, but that is kind of like saying we should pass on Paul because we already had Telfair!
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??
I don't see the comparison. Paul was clearly a more valuable prospect. Is there something Okoro did in his freshman season that makes him a way better prospect than Little was last year?
 
RR7 said:
??
I don't see the comparison. Paul was clearly a more valuable prospect. Is there something Okoro did in his freshman season that makes him a way better prospect than Little was last year?
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I'm no expert, but everything I have read about Okoro indicates that he is more advanced (at least on defense) than Little. He may even be able to (gasp!) actually step in and play and contribute as a rookie.
 
Here's an unpopular idea - trade DOWN. Try for multiple late 1st/early 2nd pound picks. Draft some guys like Tillman and Tillie who just might contribute in the next few years.
 
Buffalo Custard said:
Here's an unpopular idea - trade DOWN. Try for multiple late 1st/early 2nd pound picks. Draft some guys like Tillman and Tillie who just might contribute in the next few years.
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i suspect many teams are considering carrying fewer than the league allowed 15 players as a cost cutting measure till after the fans return.
 
Buffalo Custard said:
Here's an unpopular idea - trade DOWN. Try for multiple late 1st/early 2nd pound picks. Draft some guys like Tillman and Tillie who just might contribute in the next few years.
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boston already has 12 guaranteed contracts for next season along with 3 firsts and a second. either a trade or draft and stash candidates seem likely for them.
 
RR7 said:
??
I don't see the comparison. Paul was clearly a more valuable prospect. Is there something Okoro did in his freshman season that makes him a way better prospect than Little was last year?
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Read the game at the much higher level on both ends. Quicker reactor/processor.

Showed more ball handling and passing as well.
 
Buffalo Custard said:
I would be fine with drafting Bey.

My point was that the presence of Little or Simons (or Collins) shouldn't have any influence on who we pick.
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I do like Okoro a lot but but but he wont drop to 16.
I would like to draft a players that could come in and contribute right away even if its spot minutes. We have in Little and Simmons that still need development and they are both first round picks.
Id prefer to package our pick and some for a veteran legit 3/4/5. If we draft a shooting guard Id predict CJ will be traded.
 
Buffalo Custard said:
I'm no expert, but everything I have read about Okoro indicates that he is more advanced (at least on defense) than Little. He may even be able to (gasp!) actually step in and play and contribute as a rookie.
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Okoro is decent player but he more a slasher then a 3 point shooters. Pretty good on D. But offensely he doesn't fit Stotts offense.
 
Buffalo Custard said:
Here's an unpopular idea - trade DOWN. Try for multiple late 1st/early 2nd pound picks. Draft some guys like Tillman and Tillie who just might contribute in the next few years.
Click to expand...
I've been mulling this over. Boston's two lower first round picks are probably available. I vote Tillie (or Tyler Bey) and whomever's available out of Tyrell Terry, Malachi Flynn, Theo Maledon or BOLMARO.
 
Every NBA draft class has a few situational sleepers selected lower than they should have been, in part because of the role they played during their draft-eligible season.

Last year, Kentucky sharpshooter Tyler Herro went No. 13 before showing on-ball chops during the Miami Heat's run to the NBA Finals. In 2018, Anfernee Simons was picked No. 20 as scouts struggled to weigh the level of competition he faced at IMG Prep. In 2017, the Heat grabbed future All-Star Bam Adebayo at No. 14 when he was considered an energy athlete by most other teams. That same year, Donovan Mitchell also fell to No. 13 after he was pegged as a streaky scorer.

Over the past couple of weeks in Las Vegas and Los Angeles, I evaluated a few guards and wings who are likely better suited for the NBA than the collegiate ranks. Of the prospects I watched, here are the candidates who best fit the bill in 2020.


Tyrese Maxey: The next Kentucky guard to blossom in the NBA?
Around the league, you'll find a wide range of opinions about the 19-year-old guard after an inefficient season in a predominantly off-ball role in Kentucky's three-guard lineup, shooting just 29.2% from 3 and 49.2% from 2 during his 31 collegiate games. But Maxey -- a combo guard projected to land in the early to middle teens right now -- is more eye-test prospect than analytics darling.


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After watching Maxey work out in L.A., talking to him and diving into film, I'm doubling down on our initial evaluation of him as a top-10 prospect in this draft, which is where he was ranked coming into the season. Like Herro and Jamal Murray before him, Maxey filled a role at Kentucky in order to win games. While he had some huge scoring nights, Maxey's production and efficiency wasn't quite as reliable as some scouts would have hoped. But in a wide-open NBA game that values versatility, quick-action shooting, shot creation and defensive toughness, Maxey is an ideal fit.

"At University of Kentucky, we come together and we sacrifice," Maxey told ESPN. "I feel like I can bring a lot more than what I showed at Kentucky. I have a lot more in the tank."

Maxey, who has impressed teams throughout the interview process, has been waking at 4:50 a.m. since May to do two-a-days, five days a week, in L.A. with trainer Chris Johnson.

"I want to do the things that people don't want to do," said Maxey, who appears to be in excellent shape after hiring a chef. "People don't even like working hard. So now I'm getting up early, before everybody. I'm outworking them then, and then I'm coming back and working even harder at another workout."

With Rich Paul as his agent, Maxey has been in the gym with everyone from LeBron James and Rajon Rondo to Darius Garland and Lonzo Ball, and Rondo has made the biggest impression.

"He always helps me with tricks of the trade, little nuances of the game," said Maxey, who noted Rondo joined him for 6 a.m. workouts before heading to the NBA bubble.

The case for Maxey to outplay his likely draft slot starts with his shooting stroke. His career 87.3% free throw clip (based on 220 attempts between college and high school) is more indicative of his overall touch than his college 3-point performance. While he doesn't have the highest release, Maxey has a quick trigger with deep range, and his footwork is well-suited for the quick-hitting actions that work for Murray and Herro.

"You gotta be able to shoot to get on the floor in the NBA," said Maxey, who has to make 1,600 3s per day during his L.A. workouts. "Duncan Robinson shot the ball really well. Tyler Herro. Jamal Murray. All those guys get to play because they shoot the ball well."

Although he has sped up at times and can miss basic kickouts, Maxey shined when he was given pick-and-roll volume, ranking in the 86th percentile in pick-and-roll scoring on 97 possessions, per Synergy Sports tracking. He has the range to make teams pay for going under screens; the footwork and elevation to rise up in midrange spots; and the touch and deception to drop in crafty finishes. Used more out of spot-ups and pindowns at Kentucky, Maxey has all the ingredients to evolve into more of a lead guard as the game continues to slow down for him.

While he won't trigger any analytics models with his pedestrian steal and block rates, he is rock-solid defensively on the ball with a sturdy frame, good feet, a 6-foot-8 wingspan and toughness. With many NBA teams employing multifaceted backcourts featuring guards who can play on and off the ball, Maxey figures to be a perfect fit in multiple lineups. That's his path to becoming one of the better guards to come out of this class.

Jaden McDaniels: The next big wing to benefit from NBA spacing?[/paste:font]
If NBA decision-makers opt to see 6-foot-10 Washington wing Jaden McDaniels in a 1-on-0 workout like I did recently in Santa Barbara, California, it's hard to envision a scenario where he makes it out of the teens on draft night.

Almost seven months removed from a freshman season that McDaniels described as upsetting, he regularly ripped off 15 treys in a row, handled the ball like a guard with tremendous footwork, played above the rim, dropped in floaters with soft touch and showed off his 9-foot-1 standing reach in verticality drills. It served as a reminder of why we briefly ranked him as the top prospect in the draft before he got to the University of Washington in January 2019.

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"I feel like I'm up there at the top tier of the draft, really," McDaniels said. "Just how versatile I am as a player. Being 6-10 with the foot speed that I have."

Scouts wondered about his ability to impact winning early in his career, after the Huskies -- who also featured potential first-rounder Isaiah Stewart -- finished last in the Pac-12. During his up-and-down freshman campaign, McDaniels struggled with decision-making (0.14 assist to turnover ratio), shooting consistency (52.1% true shooting) and defensive discipline (led the Pac-12 in fouls).

Over the past few months in Santa Barbara, alongside Tre Jones, Daniel Oturu and Paul Eboua, McDaniels has been working diligently with former NBA assistant coach and highly regarded development coach Ross McMains, first studying 3-and-D forwards such as Jae Crowder and Jonathan Isaac, then diving into big shot-creators such as Kevin Durant, Jayson Tatum and Brandon Ingram. For McDaniels, it's always been about becoming elite at making standstill 3s, attacking closeouts, reading the defense and adding value defensively first, then tapping into his shot-creation potential down the road, which he acknowledged.

"Not just my consistency on my jump shot but my style of play," McDaniels said. "Less turnovers, decision-making, things like that. So just getting better every day at those."

If he continues to buy into that process, McDaniels has all the makings of a situational sleeper that playoff teams with a strong development infrastructure are likely hoping falls to them in the back half of the first round. You can't dismiss his no-show games and occasional outbursts on the floor, but it's important to keep in mind that Washington played half of the season without a point guard after Quade Green was ruled ineligible. That -- and the team's poor overall 3-point shooting -- surely played a role in all the turnovers, congested driving lanes and frustration.

McDaniels didn't help the team's offensive issues by, at times, breaking off into isolation mode. Yet an inefficient season from a late-blooming wing without much spacing to operate shouldn't be a career indictment.

Cam Reddish at Duke. The No. 2 player in his high school class, Reddish was regularly criticized for his 50.3 true shooting percentage, negative assist-to-turnover ratio and inconsistent production in the ACC. Yet if you dug deeper, his woes were partially a product of Duke ranking 327th in the nation in 3-point shooting, along with his struggles in picking his spots alongside aggressive scorers in Zion Williamson and RJ Barrett. While it took him time to catch on last season, Reddish was tremendous for the Atlanta Hawks after the All-Star break, providing a good example of the benefits of NBA spacing and style for jumbo, developing wings.

McDaniels might not have Reddish's frame at a wiry 205 pounds, but sifting through our extensive draft database, the list of prospects 6-foot-9 and taller who averaged 13 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 block per game in college before hitting 20 years old, like McDaniels, is short. Especially in the regular season, forwards with McDaniels' length, agility, foot speed and shooting potential generally find a role in the NBA either as an energizer or oversize wing scorer.

He is stronger, is shooting the ball at a high level and has bought into film study. And from a sheer talent perspective, McDaniels truly has as much upside as any prospect in this draft not named Anthony Edwards or LaMelo Ball.

Josh Green: A premier defender with an improved jumper[/paste:font]
The importance of having sturdy perimeter defenders was on full display in the NBA Finals as the Los Angeles Lakers attacked the Heat's weak link every time down the court. That will surely help Josh Green, who is regarded as one of the best on- and off-ball defenders in the draft and possessed an open-court game well-suited for the NBA.

"For me, I think right away I'll be able to bring a defensive presence to a lot of teams," Green said after a recent workout in Las Vegas. "I think it's learning what you need to do as far as an impact on your team and being able to provide that instead of trying to go outside the box."

Green -- now standing 6-foot-6 with a 220-pound frame and a 6-foot-10 wingspan -- has made clear progress as an outside shooter, earning regular praise in Las Vegas from Impact Basketball president and founder Joe Abunassar.

Green had solid shooting metrics during his time at Arizona, connecting on 36.1% of 3s and 78% of his free throws. But his collegiate numbers always seemed more a product of his selective nature than pure shot-making, as he attempted just 2.8 treys per game (30.5 minutes per game) and struggled when heavily contested. Watching Green shoot the ball in Vegas, it's clear he is as dialed in as ever from beyond the arc.

"I can see a lot of improvement in my shot," Green said. "Tweaking a couple things with my shot. Making sure I hold my follow-through, get my footwork down a little better, and getting my shot off quicker. I think it's all come together to really help out in the end."

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He'll still turn down an occasional rhythm trey in 3-on-3 action, especially out of quick-hitting actions, but Green appears more confident in his decisions, and his jumper looks much more fluid than in the past (even off the dribble, which wasn't a strength at Arizona). While he figures to fill a 3-and-D role in the NBA, I noticed Green's progress creating space in drill work, even stepping back into above-the-break NBA 3s. A lot of that came against dummy defense -- and that shot-creation potential might not come to fruition until later in his NBA career -- but the improvement is noteworthy.

As long as Green brings the consistent defensive approach we've seen in the past and can make open catch-and-shoot 3s, he figures to have steady demand in the NBA.

Brandon Clarke mold, he could add value when surrounded with better decision-makers on both ends.

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Like fellow Colorado forward Andre Roberson before him, Bey also was one of the best rebounders in college basketball over the course of the past two seasons while serving as a defensive playmaker off the ball. He is one of only two prospects in our top 100 rankings to finish the season averaging at least 2.0 steals, 1.5 blocks and 12.0 rebounds per 40 minutes. While he still has room to improve in one-on-one situations, he flies around for blocks and steals off the ball thanks to his 7-foot wingspan and 42-inch vertical, seeing himself in a Shawn Marion-type role in the NBA.

"I feel like I'm just like [Marion]," Bey said. "Wingspan, bodywise, gamewise. I feel like I could be just like him. High motor, high energy. A guy who loves to hustle and does the little things no one wants to do."

More scouting notes

  • Standing 6-foot-7 with a compact frame, prep-to-pro prospect KJ Martin is one of the draft's most explosive athletes. In L.A., I saw him go through a full shooting workout, which is an area in which he has made great strides since the spring. A high-motor defender and rebounder with a solid feel for the game, the son of former No. 1 pick Kenyon Martin is the type of prospect who would have greatly benefited a traditional pre-draft process given the fact that not every team made the trip to IMG to see him play at the prep ranks. Even so, he remains an intriguing mid-to-late second-round flier given his traits and improving shooting.

  • After watching Cameroonian-Italian forward Paul Eboua work out in Santa Barbara, it's safe to say he is among the draft's most physically impressive prospects. Standing 6-foot-8 with a 7-foot-3 wingspan and a shredded frame, Eboua has all the tools teams look for in a forward prospect, though his game is still very much evolving. Eboua, who played 18 games in the Italian 1st Division last season, is progressing as a perimeter shooter in 1-on-0 situations. The 20-year-old said he will keep his name in the 2020 draft with an eye on finding a situation where he can develop, most likely by playing consistent minutes in the G League.

  • One of the most durable players in the draft, having started all 135 of his collegiate games at Penn State, Lamar Stevens is the type of physical combo forward defender (6-foot-8, 230 pounds) who could help an NBA team immediately on that end of the floor. I watched Stevens work out in L.A., and he looked in peak shape physically, playing above the rim and continuing to make strides from beyond the arc after shooting just 27% from 3 in college. While it remains to be seen if he hears his name called on draft night, it would come as little surprise to see Stevens on an NBA roster next season.

  • Washington State wing CJ Elleby had a strong showing during 3-on-3 games at Impact in Vegas, playing impressively off potential top-10 pick Tyrese Haliburton. A do-it-all 6-foot-6 forward who wasn't overly efficient with high volume in the Pac-12, Elleby showed some potential to fill a role as an off-ball spot shooter, cutter and occasional creator. While he is still finding an elite skill for the NBA level, Elleby improved his frame, looks more reliable from 3 and just turned 20 years old in June.
 
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