CBS staff mock draft
This came out yesterday and in my opinion is one of the more sensible mocks I have seen on the internet.
https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/2020-nba-mock-draft-lamelo-ball-goes-no-1-to-warriors-james-wiseman-slips-to-hornets-at-no-8/live/My criticisms are
- Vassell probably should go higher then S Bey
- P Williams probably goes around end of the lottery (they have him 30th)
- Tyrell Terry I think he goes 15-20 or back to Stanford ( they have him out of the first)
- Xavier Tillman seems to sold to not go in the first over Oturu and Stewart
- Pokusevski I really worry that he never physically gains enough weight to play in NBA but he likely goes 1st rd as a late D&S
- Cole Anthony, I have to watch the video of the pick for the explanation but this might be taking BPA to fare. Garland, Sexton and Anthony seems like a disaster. Seems like a pick that would quickly be announced as a trade. Maybe Anthony to the Suns for Avdija and additional compensation?
For the Celtics
CBS has them taking
#17 Smith
#26 Oturu
#30 P Williams
The simple critique would be to swap out Oturu for Terry and this is a great draft haul.
The problem is we are know drafting 3 first round picks without a draft and stash is very unlikely
My deeper critique of these pick would be..
Celtics cant and wouldn't pass on Vassell at #17. I would make every effort to trade all 3 picks and R Williams to Hornets to get Wiseman but after that fails Vassell is a great addition outside the lottery. BS will have issues finding minutes for Langford and Vassell off the bench but his fit in todays game is to good to pass on. If as i predict Vassell goes late lottery, depending on who gets bumped down I would draft in the following order. Hampton, Maxey, Terry, Bolmaro, Maledon, P Williams. If we say Vassell and Bey swap places then I would take Tyrell Terry. Terry's weight and lack of strength are a major red flag but he is possibly the best shooting prospect in this class to go along with high end creation and BBall IQ.
At picks #26 and #30 the Cs will have a lot of role player type options.
If P Williams is available he has to much potential to pass on at #26. He is the perfect modern swing man who could develop into a nice utility player capable of guarding larger slower wings and smaller bigs. His potential as a shooter and vertical pop give him a height ceiling then G Williams or Semi. He could develop into a solid 5th starter. If Williams goes higher as I predict then I am all for drafting Xavier Tillman. He is very much a larger G Williams. Where Grant is a traditional 4/3 who plays some 5 in the modern NBA Tillman is a 4/5 who will only play the 5 in today's game. His IQ on both ends of the floor, strength and passing will make him an instant rotation player. The development of an outside shot will be his swing skill to a increased role but even without that he is a 15mpg NBA big on a really good team right now. Jaden McDaniels would also be a hard upside pass at this pick. He is likly a bust but also have the ceiling to be one of the best players in this class. At this point I wouldn't be at all upset if the Cs just took the McDaniels gamble but the roster may be stretched having he and Terry as two rookies unlikely to be physically ready to play in the NBA.
If the Cs are at the end of the 1st round with no trade out options then they probably have to role the dice on Aleksej Pokusevski and plan on stashing him for at least 2 years. He is a 7' big man who at around 200lbs plays on the perimeter and has outlier perimeter passing and ball handling for his size. He really needs to add 30-40lbs but if he does he could be the steal of the draft.
