2020 NBA Mock Draft 10.0: Final projections before Nov. 18

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The NBA Draft is tomorrow and uncertainty reigns up and down the first round.Multiple reports indicate that the top three picks (in some order) will wind up being LaMelo Ball, Anthony Edwards and James Wiseman. The top two picks appear to be available in trade talks.After that? Chaos could -- and seems likely to -- ensue.Already, the NBA lifted its freeze on transactions Monday to the merriment of pent up teams across the association. That day alone: The Oklahoma City Thunder shipped Chris Paul to Phoenix, adding to their overflowing cupboard of draft assets; the Milwaukee Bucks swung deals for both Jrue Holiday and Bogdan Bogdanović; and the Portland Trail Blazers bolstered their defense by acquiring Robert Covington. The day before, the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers swapped Danny Green and a late first for Dennis Schröder.But a whirlwind, one-week offseason is just getting rolling. Here's our final mock before the Nov. 18 draft:Editor's Note: * denotes official measurements from NBA Draft Combine

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1/30

Stats: 12 G, 31.2 mpg

2/30
17 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 6.8 apg, 1.7 spg
3/30
37.7% FG, 25% 3P, 72.3% FT

Measurements: 6-7, 181 lbs

Ball’s feel for the game is unteachable, his combination of handle and passing creativity at his size transcendent, and his red flags -- mainly, shot quality and defensive engagement -- are mostly coachable. He’s the highest-upside prospect available, and in this class, that’s all you can ask for. 

Is he a tidy fit with the Timberwolves’ current core of D’Angelo Russell and Karl-Anthony Towns? Not particularly. He and Russell both profile as ball-dominant lead guards, and defense might be considered optional for the trio. But the offensive intrigue is undeniable and from Minnesota’s position, talent should trump all.

There is also, of course, the possibility the Timberwolves view Anthony Edwards as being a tidier fit and having greater star potential. Or they could move the pick. On the latest Bulls Talk Podcast, Minnesota Star Tribune Timberwolves writer Chris Hine predicted Edwards at No. 1.

Such are the questions that will need answering on Wednesday. But standing pat and exiting the draft with Ball would be a solid outcome for the rebuilding Wolves.

4/30

Stats: 3 G, 23 mpg

5/30
19.7 ppg, 10.7 rpg, 3.0 bpg
6/30
76.9% FG, 0% 3P (1 attempt), 70.4% FT

Measurements: 7-1, 240 lbs

If the Warriors hang on to this pick, they’ll have a tough needle to thread. On the one hand, they enter the 2020-21 season with their title contention window wide open; ideally, whomever they select here will be able to contribute to winning basketball immediately. On the other hand, age will eventually catch up to Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green and drafting in the top two affords the rare chance at a superstar swing to take the reins when Golden State’s dynasty begins to fade.

Wiseman, perhaps, checks both boxes. Standing 7-1 with a chiseled frame and reported 7-5 wingspan, his body is NBA-ready. As a rim-runner, glass-crasher and shot-blocker that fluidly runs the floor in transition, he can be an imposing presence from his first day in the league. And what better developmental situation than Golden State to grow his perimeter skills -- he’s shown flashes of an outside shot and handle -- decision-making and defensive versatility? At a devalued position (center), his progress in those areas will be the key to his franchise player potential.

That upside marries the Warriors’ need for a man in the middle -- especially gearing up to compete against towering competition in the Western Conference including, among others, Anthony Davis, Nikola Jokić and Rudy Gobert.

7/30

Stats: 32 G, 33 mpg

8/30
19.1 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 2.8 apg, 1.3 spg
9/30
40.2% FG, 29.4% 3P, 77.2% FT

Measurements: 6-5, 225 lbs

With Wiseman off the board, USC’s Onyeka Okongwu -- who could very well be the best big prospect in the class -- is a logical option for Charlotte. But at the end of the day, Edwards is too tantalizing a talent to pass up for a small-market team that needs to shoot high when it can.

Yes, Edwards' focus waxed and waned in his freshman season at Georgia, as did his scoring efficiency. But his linebacker build and innate scoring skills are enough to make the gamble a worthy one. Uber-athletic wings that can get to the rim, foul line and pull-up jumper with ease are at a premium these days, and Edwards has the tools to even be a solid perimeter defender if he applies himself. Buy the talent and figure the rest out later.

10/30

Stats: 29 G, 22.5 mpg

11/30
9.2 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 1.0 apg, 1.0 spg, 1.0 bpg
12/30
45.9% FG, 32% 3P, 83.8% FT

Measurements: 6-8, 225 lbs

Williams’ stock has skyrocketed throughout the predraft process. Why? Well, he’s the youngest American-born player in the class (having turned 19 in August), flashed skill as a shooter and playmaker at Florida State and should be a disruptive defender at the next level because of his build and motor. He’s a highly valuable archetype and with room to grow.

But, for the Bulls? At No. 4? Here’s what our Bulls insider K.C. Johnson wrote of the possibility this morning:

“... The buzz surrounding the Bulls becoming increasingly focused on Patrick Williams is intensifying by the day.

"One league source even went so far as to say he’s under the impression that the Bulls have told the Florida State forward they plan to draft him should they not trade up from No. 4."

So, there's interest. It would be a move relatively out of left field for the new front office, but one that has some logic.

The Bulls also go the point guard route -- a position the new front office has telegraphed an intention to address this offseason. In that event, Killian Hayes and Tyrese Haliburton stand out as potential options. In a trade-back scenario, Kira Lewis Jr., whom the Bulls flew to Florida to work out, could be a target.

The Bulls, by all accounts, are hiding their intentions masterfully.

13/30

Stats (I-BSL): 33 G, 27.6 mpg

14/30
12.9 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 2.7 apg
15/30
52.6% FG, 35.3% 3P, 59.4% FT

Stats (EuroLeague): 26 G, 14.3 mpg

16/30
4 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 1.2 apg
17/30
43.6% FG, 27.7% 3P, 55.6% FT

Measurements: 6-9, 220 lbs

Here, Cleveland gets a prospect The Athletic's Jason Lloyd has reported they covet: Deni Avdija. After drafting combo scoring guards in consecutive drafts, Avdija brings value as a secondary playmaker on the wing -- someone who plays smart on both ends and should augment the rest of the Cavaliers’ core.

Warning flags about his shooting struggles will follow Avdija anywhere he goes. In Cleveland, though, he should be afforded the free reign to grind out the soft spots in his game without pressure to immediately perform under the brightest lights. His work ethic and toughness come highly lauded.

18/30

Stats: 22 G, 36.7 mpg

19/30
15.2 ppg, 6.5 apg, 5.9 rpg, 2.5 spg
20/30
50.4% FG, 41.9% 3P, 82.2% FT

Measurements: 6-5, 175 lbs

Another pick that is reported to be available in trade talks. But if Atlanta stays put, Haliburton fits the description of one of their biggest offseason needs as they attempt a jump in the win column: A contribute-now player that can ease Trae Young’s playmaking burden, while also playing off of him effectively.

A splendid team defender because of his length and instincts and an efficient spot-up shooter, Haliburton profiles as a perfect off-guard complement to Young. And when the Hawks’ superstar sits, the Iowa State product is a responsible enough decision-maker (2.3 assist-to-turnover ratio) and skilled enough passer to helm the offense in spurts. His ceiling is widely considered lower than some in his draft range because of questions about his upside as a scorer, but he’ll be a really good NBA player for a really long time. He could be exactly what Atlanta needs.

21/30

Stats (G-BBL): 20 G, 25.0 mpg

22/30
11.6 ppg, 5.3 apg, 3.1 rpg, 1.4 spg
23/30
49.7% FG, 21.8% 3P, 85.2% FT

Stats (Eurocup): 10 G, 26.8 mpg

24/30
12.8 ppg, 6.2 apg, 2.3 rpg, 1.5 spg
25/30
45.5% FG, 39% 3P, 90.9% FT

Measurements: 6-5, 216 lbs

A swing for a potential lead guard of the future feels a reasonable one for general manager Troy Weaver in his first draft atop the Pistons' basketball operations tree.

Hayes’ NBA fit comes with questions regarding his athleticism, ambidexterity and how he’ll adjust to both a higher competition level and more egalitarian offensive role. But his positional size, defensive versatility, stellar playmaking and scoring potential paint the specter of a perfect lead initiator for the modern era. The Pistons’ cupboard is relatively bare, and Hayes is as solid a place as any from which to start.

26/30

Stats: 31 G, 31.6 mpg

27/30
20 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 2.2 apg
28/30
63.3% FG, 39% 3P, 70.2% FT

Measurements: 6-9, 220 lbs

Toppin, a Brooklyn native and CAA client, perfectly fits the win-now mentality Tom Thibodeau appears to want to instill in New York. He's explosive, do-it-all offensive player -- from rim-rolls, to lob catches, to transition sprints, to pick-and-pops, he should contribute in a big way on that end from day one.

Defensively, Toppin is without a position -- too stiff to scamper after smaller guards or ball-handling wings, and too small to hold up as an interior presence at the center spot for extended stretches. He turns 23 in March. But if he falls to No. 8, the value, and his offensive upside, is too good to pass up.

29/30

Stats: 28 G, 30.6 mpg

30/30
16.2 ppg, 8.6 rpg, 2.7 bpg, 1.2 spg
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