Post by dms269 on Jun 25, 2020 8:01:46 GMT -8
Top-10 Mock Draft
As we start down the final stretch of the season, let's look ahead to the possible top 10 draft picks and who we feel might be taken with those picks.
1. Washington Wizards (10-47): James Wiseman C 7'1'' 235 19 B C C- B- B A
Poor Washington. They go form having a top 5 pick in the creation draft to getting the #1 overall projected. There is no player in the league who needs the handles camp more than Trae Young. This team is a weird mix of old, young, and just not good players. Hayward is their best player currently, but if their GM was active enough he should be shipped off for whatever picks they could get. Wiseman is the most logical choice. There is a severe lack of decent bigs in the league, and Wiseman should be a top one to start.
2. Portland Trailblazers (14-45): Anthony Edwards SG 6'5'' 222 19 B B- C B- C A
Portland knew they were going to tank from the get go, trading away their first round pick in the creation draft. This team lacks talent across the board. Joe Harris is their best player, but is that really saying a whole lot? Edwards is the most logical choice for them. He gives them a great shooting guard to build around and would serve as a compliment to Harris on the wing.
3. Denver Nuggets (17-39): LaMelo Ball PG 6'8'' 180 19 B B C C C A
I honestly have no idea who the Nuggets should take here. I feel Toppin is the next best player, but they already have Zion at power forward. Haliburton would be the best pure point guard option, but this team lacks any offense outside of Zion. LaMelo kind of makes sense. He is a pure scorer and could compliment Zionās inside game well. If he can be moved to shooting guard, he would be a great pick. If not, I am worried he is a huge turnover issue.
4. Los Angeles Lakers (21-23): Obi Toppin PF 6'9'' 220 21 B C C B- B- A
If the Lakers could nab Toppin here, they just might win the draft. Toppin is a top tier big man who can come in and contribute from day one, which is exactly what the Lakers are missing. While Booker is still young, George and Paul are not getting any younger. Toppin could start from day one and be a key piece for this team, which should be playoff bound next season.
5. Toronto Raptors (21-33): Tyrese Haliburton PG 6'5'' 185 20 B B- C+ C D- A
The draft gets a bitā¦muddled here. The Raptors are a true tanking team. They have a total of four first round picks this season (Thunder (26th), Pelicans (27th), Grizzlies (28th)...wait, the Grizzlies are in the East? How did no one notice this??? Back to the topic, the Raptors tanked and are missing out on the top guys. They lakc talent across the board and should go with the best player available. That might be Hailburton, who is a solid mix or scoring and passing. He should be an anchor for this team for the next several seasons as they continue their tank, I meanā¦ārebuildā.
6. Golden State Warriors (20-31): Onyeka Okongwu PF 6'9'' 227 20 C+ C- C- B B- A
The Warriors are in a good situation overall. Russell and Brown are a solid young core, so Okyongwu will just add to this. He is a good defender, rebounder, and scorer. He isnāt quite as developed as some of the other bigs in the draft, but with camps he could be a nice starter. They just need a general manager who is a bit more active as their current one only has 7 posts. They are a long way away from get RC.
7. Utah Jazz (21-30): Cassius Stanley SG 6'5'' 190 19 B+ C+ C C D+ A
The Jazz have a major weakness and that is a scoring wing, so Stanley makes sense. Morant is already an elite point guard (though he needs the handles camp as well) and Issac is a top tier forward and Hachimura is a mismatch at small forward. Stanley can start right away and compliments the inside scoring nature that the Jazz starters have. This team has a bright future and Stanley will only help add to that.
8. Detroit Pistons (21-29): Udoka Azubuike C 6'11'' 280 21 B- F- C- A- C+ A
From first overall pick to mid-lotto, the Pistons are in a situation where they tried to go young in the creation draft and fell flat. Luka was a no-brainier pick, though he does show some major weaknesses (lack of jumpshot and 3-point shot). The Pistons could go in many directions here. Azubuike make sense and would provide a solid defensive big man core with Carter. Quickley could be the choice if they donāt think that Fultz is the answer. I went with Azubuike due to the lack of solid bigs in the league.
9. Philadelphia 76ers (22-28): Immanuel Quickley PG 6'4'' 185 19 C C+ B+ B- C A
The 76ers could be higher in this mock draft if they would just trade away C.J. McCollum. McCollum is a great shooting guard who is a top scorer, but he doesnāt fit the rebuilding nature of the 76ers and I donāt see his value spiking. Anyway, Quickley might be the best player available. What he lacks in scorer he likely will provide in good handles and solid defense. Avdija might be a better pick, but it is really a toss-up. Iām not sold on Augustin as their point guard of the future, but if they want to tank for a better point in the future, they could go with Avdija. Iād rather get my point now as wings tend to be easier to find later on.
10. Indiana Pacers (23-290: Deni Avdija SF 6'9'' 210 19 B- B- C+ C+ C A
The Pacers need help at multiple positions, and small forward isnāt necessarily one of them. I feel they have to take Avdija as he is the best player left on the board, regardless of position. Oubre or himself can play down at shooting guard and both would serve as good compliments to the point-forward nature of Jokic. Iām not a fan of how this team is currently structured (too many bigs, not enough wings), but they have to go with who they feel is the best player left.