NBA Draft Preview
by Leo Encarnacion
Better late than never, right? The 2020 NBA draft is FINALLY upon us and I wanted to document some thoughts on a couple of prospects that I find interesting before they are selected. These might not ultimately be the best players in the draft but they are the players that have caught my attention in my hours of Youtube scouting. This draft seemingly has 10 bigs projected to go in the lottery that can't shoot, they might end up being fine players but I'm not going to waste your time talking about shot blockers who may be able to develop a jumper one day. I've linked each of their highlight tapes to their names, just click and watch if you haven't seen these guys before. Here are my 3 most interesting prospects heading into the 2020 NBA draft:
Overview: Love Obi Toppin. He’s 6’9, can either grab and go or run the floor in transition, can create his own offense, not a great playmaker but can make the right pass. Shot 39% from 3 in college, not a huge volume but if he can develop into a consistent shooter in from deep in the NBA he could end up being a steal. Biggest knock on Toppin seems to be poor defensive instincts and other intangibles on that end of the floor. For that reason, I’d like to see Toppin end up on a team with veterans and someone who can cover up for his mistakes in the paint. Toppin is an above average athlete with good touch around the rim and a smooth jumper. Toppin’s age will undoubtedly be used against him as he enters the draft at 22 years old, making him a better fit for a team ready to compete today rather than a team stuck in a rebuild looking for hope.
Best Fit: Golden State Warriors, Atlanta Hawks, Washington Wizards, Phoenix Suns
Toppin would be best suited on a team that won’t require him to be the number 1 option from day 1. If I were Bob Myers of the Warriors I’d STRONGLY consider making a deal to move back a couple spots with a team that has their eyes on LaMelo Ball or James Wiseman, pick up some assets, and draft Toppin in the top 5. Toppin would fit in seamlessly with Golden State and would give them a versatile wing/big that can stretch the floor when they decide to play small ball. If he doesn’t end up in San Fransisco the Hawks, Suns and Wizards would be ideal fits because they have established stars and playmaking would allow Toppin to be a #3 option at best to start his career.
Overview:
Tyrese Haliburton is a prospect who is very interesting to me because I can see the elements of his game that make him a top prospect however I also see reason for pause. Let’s start with the positives. Haliburton’s ceiling as a playmaker is sky high as he enters the league with passing and vision being his best skills. He excels as a playmaker in the Pick N Roll in the half court as well as in transition. Haliburton isn’t scared to make the Sportscenter highlight pass and will likely become a fan favorite pretty quickly as a result. He does appear to be more comfortable passing with his dominant (right) hand but that is the case for most young players. The biggest question mark for me (and the rest of the NBA world) is his jump shot. He shot over 40% from 3 at Iowa State however his form raises questions about whether or not he’ll be able to get it jumper off against better defenders in the NBA. Haliburton has the tools to be a starter in the league for the next decade but his success will ultimately hinge on whether his shot translates to the NBA. Tyrese Haliburton has the size and length to be a difference maker on the defensive side of the ball if he’s committed.
Best Fit: New York Knicks, Detroit Pistons, Boston Celtics, Orlando Magic
Haliburton is best suited on a PG needy team, preferably one that already has a primary scoring option. Perfect scenario aside, I’d love to see him in a situation that allows him to run an offense early in his career even if that means going to a bad team. The team that drafts Haliburton will be praying to every God known to humanity that his deep ball translates to the league even if his form requires some tweaking. Boston might not make the most sense to you given that they have Kemba Walker and Marcus Smart however I think due to his size and playmaking ability Boston could select Haliburton and look to move Walker or Smart to another team. Moving on from Walker could give them a higher ceiling on the defensive end, Danny Ainge should at least be exploring this possibility.
Overview:
LaMelo Ball is easily the most polarizing player in the 2020 NBA draft. Depending on who you speak to, he could either be the next great superstar or he could be out of the league within his rookie contract. If I’m keeping it 100, I’m not really sure what to think about LaMelo because we haven’t seen him play against high level competition. I’m not going to pretend to be an expert on the quality of hoops in Australia but it is safe to say that we need to see more. Ball is touted as a 6’7 PG with elite vision and passing ability coupled with high scoring potential. The problem is that we haven’t seen these abilities consistently enough to be able to say he’s a sure bet in the league. Ball’s shooting percentages in Australia left something to be desired and his effort on the defensive end wasn’t always there. All of that being said, I still find myself interested in and rooting for LaMelo’s success in the NBA.
Best Fit: Golden State, New York Knicks, New Orleans Pelicans
LaMelo is a tricky prospect to try and place on a roster because I’m not sure if he’d be better suited being the man on day 1 or taking a back seat to an established veteran for a year or two. If Klay Thompson’s reported leg injury is serious, I wouldn’t be shocked to see Golden State roll the dice on the prospect who has the highest ceiling in the draft. If Ball slides down draft boards I would be SHOCKED if the Knicks passed him up given their struggles at point guard over the last decade. Giving Ball too much too soon could prove to be a mistake but I like his odds of making the most of his NBA career.
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