We have been doing draft coverage for months now at Kings Pulse, and have profiled over 60 prospects in the 2020 NBA Draft.
With the draft just days away, we did one final mock with Bryant West where we alternated picks (Rich 1, Brenden 2, Bryant 3). For the sake of this recording, we did not allow any trades to take place.
Give the pod a listen for our reasoning, but here are the results:
1. Minnesota Timberwolves – LaMelo Ball
2. Golden State Warriors – James Wiseman
3. Charlotte Hornets – Anthony Edwards
4. Chicago Bulls – Killian Hayes
5. Cleveland Cavalier – Isaac Okoro
6. Atlanta Hawks – Devin Vassell
7. Detroit Pistons – Tyrese Haliburton
8. New York Knicks – Deni Avdija
9. Washington Wizards – Onyeka Okongwu
10. Phoenix Suns – Patrick Williams
11. San Antonio Spurs – Aleksej Pokusevski
12. Sacramento Kings – Tyrese Maxey
13. New Orleans Pelicans – Cole Anthony
14. Boston Celtics – Obi Toppin
15. Orlando Magic – Kira Lewis Jr.
16. Portland Trail Blazers – Saddiq Bey
17. Minnesota Timberwolves – Desmond Bane
18. Dallas Mavericks – Aaron Nesmith
19. Brooklyn Nets – Josh Green
20. Miami Heat – Jaden McDaniels
21. Philadelphia 76ers – Tyrell Terry
22. Denver Nuggets – RJ Hampton
23. Utah Jazz – Theo Maledon
24. Milwaukee Bucks – Jalen Smith
25. Oklahoma City Thunder – Jay Scrubb
26. Boston Celtics – Precious Achiuwa
27. New York Knicks – Isaiah Joe
28. Oklahoma City Thunder – Jahmi’us Ramsey
29. Toronto Raptors – Tyler Bey
30. Boston Celtics – Robert Woodard III
31. Dallas Mavericks – Grant Riller
32. Charlotte Hornets – Xavier Tillman
33. Minnesota Timberwolves – Leandro Bolmaro
34. Philadelphia 76ers – Malachi Flynn
35. Sacramento Kings – Tre Jones
36. Philadelphia 76ers – Zeke Nnaji
37. Washington Wizards – Nico Mannion
38. New York Knicks – Devon Dotson
39. New Orleans Pelicans – Nate Hinton
40. Memphis Grizzlies – Immanuel Quickley
41. San Antonio Spurs – Elijah Hughes
42. New Orleans Pelicans – Killian Tillie
43. Sacramento Kings – Naji Marshall
44. Chicago Bulls – Jordan N’wora
45. Orlando Magic – Isaiah Stewart
46. Portland Trail Blazers – Cassius Stanley
47. Boston Celtics – Daniel Oturu
48. Golden State Warriors – Cassius Winston
49. Philadelphia 76ers – Paul Reed
50. Atlanta Hawks – Ty-Shon Alexander
51. Golden State Warriors – Myles Powell
52. Sacramento Kings – Jalen Harris
53. Oklahoma City Thunder – Vernon Carey Jr.
54. Indiana Pacers – Reggie Perry
55. Brooklyn Nets – Mason Jones
56. Charlotte Hornets – Markus Howard
57. LA Clippers – Lamine Diane
58. Philadelphia 76ers – CJ Elleby
59. Toronto Raptors – Kaleb Wesson
60. New Orleans Pelicans – Yam Madar
Hello Kings Herald! I was a long-time lurker on SacTown Royalty, and I’ve followed this site since Day 1 but on-and-off since the Kings missed the playoffs (because of the lockdown forcing the Bubble and the Kings choking in the bubble (and this season in general)).
Hello Everybody!
BTW, does this site allow posts by users? And a mobile app? Sorry, I’ve never posted before on here!
Welcome! We don’t have a specific section for Fan Posts, but there is a Reader Submissions button at the top. We won’t publish everything that is submitted (submissions are reviewed for content, clarity, etc), but we are open to submissions.
We do not have a mobile app, but the site should be mobile friendly for the most part.
Thanks for the info! So, do you have to enter a real name in the Reader Submissions form? I don’t want to reveal my real name out in the open.
Also, a mobile app would be nice but the web verison seems good for mobile, but I’m on desktop for now!
I do not see any way Obi Toppin falls to 14. Interesting that Poku is projected at 11.
I think what this Mock points out most of all, is that this is the most unpredictable draft I can ever remember.
Yup.
Even without covid, this draft was wack!
I think the only other contender for the most unpredictable draft was the 2013 draft.
Agreed, and personally, I’d prefer Toppin to Maxey, if they’re both available at 12
I hope Poku slips to us at 12. IMO he is a top 5 player.
Yam Madar as Mr Irrelevant? He may surprise people. Relentless on-ball defender.
Thanks!
Also, I really hope you’re wrong!
The Kings drafting an undersized Combo Guard and an under-sized PG as their two first picks doesn’t seem like a great approach to me.
If the top of the draft turns out the way we see here, I’d be hoping like hell that somebody would be desperate to move up to draft Toppin.
Again, my hottest take for this draft is that Quickly is going to be the best pro out of the Kentucky guards.
Maxey? Ew. I really hope he isn’t the guy the Kings pick. I think there’s a strong possibility that his poor offense will negate his great defense.
Heard Payton Pritchard has a 1st round promise. You guys forgot about him.
We did not forget. None of us like him as a prospect.
should supply and demand factor into #12 here? I’m looking at all the PGs and the possibility of getting one in the 2nd round. (You have Jalen Harris dropping to 52 even). How much more does Maxey offer than the others?
it’s a mock draft based on what 3 people would do if they were the GM for various teams. I don’t think he can infer much other than the preference of the people drafting when their pick came up.
Blind guess is that no team bases its lottery pick off of who might be available in the 2nd round.
I think I was about 10 years old when I learned that, drafting teams for apba baseball. A good hitting shortstop gets drafted before an outfielder with the same stats because there was less supply of good hitting shortstops. Grade A starting pitchers, only a few of them in the deck of cards, therefore always top picks. Supply and demand. Uniqueness matters. How much does one player stand out over the average player at his position. Therefore if you draft a point guard at #12, you should be able to identify what that player can do which the other 20 PGs in this year’s draft alone cannot do. It’s an honest and valid question.
My guess is that the T-Wolves will not alter their #1 pick thinking based on what may be available at 33.
My guess is that the Hornets will not alter their #3 pick thinking based on what may be available at 32.
Lather, rinse, repeat for the Dubs (2, 48), Kincks (8, 38), Bulls (4, 44), Pels (13, 39), Celtics (14, 47), Hawks (6, 50), Kings (12, 35), Wizards (9, 37), Spurs (11, 41).
I can’t speak to APBA baseball, but if I go back and look at the aggregate of 2nd rounds over the past decade, core rotation players are the small percentage exception and not the rule. I just can’t envision – or come up with examples – of teams deferring what they do with their lottery pick based on what they perceive is some sort of positional gold rush in the second round. Your mileage may vary.
I think scarcity absolutely players a role. It just doesn’t really play a role within a single draft. Because, ultimately, these teams aren’t actually competing to win a single draft and unlike APBA, they aren’t drafting a full team from the full set of NBA players. So yes, for example, the scarcity of wing initiators, or unicorns, in the NBA will push those guys up the draft board. But the same forces don’t really work within the confines of a single draft.
Solely focusing on this year’s draft is more to illustrate the point. If you expand the pool of players to the entire nba, the question would be not only what separates him from the other 20 PGs in this year’s draft, but also from all the other PGs in the league. Where does he fit on the bell curve of PGs? If he is above average, and if so by how much? How easy or difficult or costly or economical is it to acquire a similar PG? And I realize the stats tell more in baseball than basketball, but the concept of supply and demand applies equally.
Again, I just can’t envision or come up with examples of teams deferring what they do with their lottery pick based on what they perceive is some sort of positional gold rush in the second round. Your mileage may vary.
It’s not a gold rush. It’s a cornfield.
Utah just traded down 4 spots (23 to 27) to acquire the #38 pick.
Is 23 a lottery pick?
I’m open to your theory. Show your work, and apba does not count. Give me enough solid examples of an NBA team deferring who they spend their lottery pick on due to who they know will be there when they draft in the 2nd round and I’ll be convinced. Otherwise, I’m sticking with my notion that NBA teams do not let their 2nds round picks influence who they take in the lottery.
I do think that lottery teams frequently determine that they are enamored of no one in particular and ultimately trade down for more picks. That is an entirely different animal than passing on (say) Kira Lewis or Killian Hayes or whoever because you are convinced that (say) Payton Pritchard is (a) at the same level and (b) you are the only front office brilliant enough to realize that and are that confident that he will be there in the 2nd round.
I really want Bolmaro!!!!
If the Kings can get him at 35 then they win this draft.
Badge Legend