15. Orlando Magic: Jahmi’us Ramsey, Texas Tech
Guard, 6-foot-4, 19 years old
Orlando’s front office has long been obsessed with wingspan, and that could draw them to Texas Tech’s Jahmi’us Ramsey. The 6-foot-4 prospect would be one of the longest guards in the NBA, boasting a 6-foot-10 wingspan. Even if he never becomes a starting point guard, the Big 12 Freshman of the Year can be a valuable spot-up shooter off the bench. Especially considering Orlando may lose both DJ Augustin and Michael Carter-Williams to free agency, Ramsey would provide depth to make those potential losses less impactful.
16. Minnesota Timberwolves: Precious Achiuwa, Memphis
Big, 6-foot-9, 19 years old
Minnesota does not have a ton of depth in its frontcourt outside of Karl-Anthony Towns. The Timberwolves would be wise to add some big men in this draft, and one name that immediately comes to mind is former five-star recruit and McDonald’s All-American Precious Achiuwa. He originally was going to play forward next to James Wiseman for Memphis but instead switched to center, which was a much more natural fit. He ended up winning Conference Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year in the AAC.
17. Boston Cetics: Nico Mannion, Arizona
Guard, 6-foot-3, 19 years old
As the season progressed, Arizona freshman point guard Nico Mannion’s confidence took a bit of a hit as he struggled on the court against tougher competition. But that is one reason why he might be a perfect fit for a team like the Celtics, who already have a star point guard in Kemba Walker. Mannion could take his time to develop under head coach Brad Stevens, while also potentially serving as the backup point if the Celtics do not re-sign Brad Wanamaker.
18. Dallas Mavericks: Aaron Nesmith, Vanderbilt
Wing, 6-foot-6, 20 years old
The Mavericks currently average the second-most 3-point attempts per game (41.5) in the NBA. With the way that Luka Doncic can create space and spread the floor for teammates, Dallas needs the best shooters in order to become a championship contender. Vanderbilt’s Aaron Nesmith is likely the best in this class, shooting 52.2% from 3-point range on the season. Vanderbilt head coach Jerry Stackhouse played for the Mavericks from 2004 until 2009 and likely can put in a good word with the organization.
19. Milwaukee Bucks: Kira Lewis, Alabama
Guard, 6-foot-3, 18 years old
Milwaukee is playing with the fastest pace (105.4) of any team in the NBA this season. They need players who are capable of playing fast, and there are few, if any, better in this class than Alabama point guard Kira Lewis. His team played at the fastest tempo among all top-100 teams, per KenPom. Lewis also scored 5.1 points per game in transition, according to Synergy, which ranked among the top 20 of all Division I players. Only the Raptors, meanwhile, finish offensive possessions in transition more often than Milwaukee. Lewis could be the point guard of the future for the Bucks, and he could reach new heights playing alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo.
20. Brooklyn Nets: Saddiq Bey, Villanova
Wing, 6-foot-8, 20 years old
Among all Eastern Conference teams, only the Bucks have averaged more 3-point attempts per game than the Nets (37.9) in 2019-20. Especially with Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant set to return from injuries, Brooklyn will need as many knock-down shooters as possible. They can find one in Saddiq Bey, who has great size and converted 45.1% of his 3-point attempts this season. Bey made 2.5 shots per game from long distance and is able to contribute well without being the focal point of an offense.
21. Denver Nuggets: Paul Reed, DePaul
Forward, 6-foot-9, 21 years old
The Nuggets may lose multiple pieces of their frontcourt (possibly Paul Millsap, Mason Plumlee and Noah Vonleh) to free agency this summer. As an insurance policy, they could select Paul Reed. He has shown the skill set to become a future starter. But even off the bench, he would provide a ton of value as a versatile defender who is more than capable of recording blocks and steals at an elite pace. Much like Bol Bol, his long wingspan would make Denver’s bench unit even more intimidating.
22. Philadelphia 76ers: Tre Jones, Duke
Guard, 6-foot-3, 20 years old
The 76ers have suffered from a lack of depth in their backcourt behind Ben Simmons. But selecting Duke point guard Tre Jones would be an immediate answer to this problem. Jones, who won ACC Player of the Year and ACC Defensive Player of the Year, is arguably the best defensive point guard in this draft class. This will help earn him playing time right away in big moments. Plus, he is able to be a floor general and lead the offense when Simmons is not on the court.
23. Miami Heat: Keyontae Johnson, Florida
Wing, 6-foot-5, 20 years old
Keyontae Johnson was described as one of the “most athletic” players in the 2018 recruiting class, recording a 41.5-inch vertical even before arriving on campus. He then was introduced to “strong man” workouts during his first offseason with the Gators and added eight pounds of muscle to his 7-foot-2 wingspan. His sophomore season saw better marks in every possible statistic in terms of output and efficiency. That shows he was putting in the work to improve his craft, which is one of the skills crucial to NBA success. For what it’s worth: Both his parents have military and law enforcement backgrounds, which could help him adjust to the Heat’s intense conditioning program.
24. Utah Jazz: Theo Maledon, ASVEL
Guard, 6-foot-4, 18 years old
Theo Maledon has been a fixture for scouts in the NBA community for several years now. He has participated in the Jordan Brand Classic (2017), the U16 Euro Championships (2016, 2017) and the U17 World Cup (2018). Maledon also has received more playing time in the EuroLeague than most other international prospects so far this season. Utah’s experiment with Mike Conley at point guard has begun to appear less than viable, which means Maledon could be a better fit for the young Jazz core.
25. Oklahoma City Thunder: Tyler Bey, Colorado
Forward, 6-foot-7, 22 years old
Colorado junior Tyler Bey averaged 13.8 points, 1.5 steals and 1.2 blocks per game this season. After winning Pac-12 Most Improved Player of the Year in 2019, he won Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year in 2020. He was pulling down 9.0 rebounds per game, too, far more than expected for a player his size. In fact, his defensive rebound percentage (27.7%) ranked fourth-best among all players 6-7 or shorter. Bey would be a solid option on the wing for Oklahoma City, potentially replacing Terrance Ferguson in the starting lineup at some point.
26. Boston Celtics: Jalen Smith, Maryland
Big, 6-foot-10, 19 years old
The Celtics could use more size, and Maryland’s Jalen Smith could be an appealing project for the organization. As a sophomore, he averaged 15.5 points and 10.5 rebounds per game while also blocking 2.4 shots per game. Smith was also a surprisingly impressive 3-point shooter, hitting a shot per game from beyond the arc while shooting 36.8% from long range. He is a case study for the new 3-and-D big man and could play a valuable role off the bench in Boston.
27. New York Knicks: Vernon Carey, Duke
Big, 6-foot-10, 18 years old
Duke big man Vernon Carey averaged 17.8 points, 8.8 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game this season, earning him USBWA National Freshman of the Year. The former top-5 recruit was a focal point for his offense, though it too often relied on posting up against smaller defenders — a strategy which won’t translate to the NBA. However, Carey also showed a decent shooting touch. He was 8-for-21 (38.1%) from 3-point range, which means he might be more than just a post-up threat. If you believe in him improving as a shooter, he is certainly a first-round talent.
28. Toronto Raptors: Jared Butler, Baylor
Guard, 6-foot-3, 20 years old
Baylor sophomore guard Jared Butler is an underrated 3-and-D prospect who helped his team become arguably the best in the nation in 2019-20. The guard made 2.6 shots from beyond the arc per game while also grabbing 1.6 steals per game. He was accurate and prolific when shooting off the catch or off the dribble. Butler can shoot well off screens and dribble hand-offs, too. As a versatile combo guard, Butler likely can jump in as a plug-and-play option in the backcourt for almost any team in the NBA. In Toronto, he would provide depth behind Kyle Lowry. There are no reports that he has yet declared for the draft, however, which means it is possible that he returns to school. He is someone who could have very much lifted his draft stock with Baylor poised for a deep run in March Madness.
29. Los Angeles Lakers: Cassius Stanley, Duke
Wing, 6-foot-6, 20 years old
Duke freshman Cassius Stanley is one of the most versatile offensive players in the 2020 draft class. He can play anywhere one through three, including moments as the primary ballhandler both in pick-and-roll and in transition. Stanley is an outstanding athlete, as he broke the school record for vertical leap (46 inches) set by Zion Williamson. Stanley is one of the most electrifying prospects to come out of Los Angeles. He would be a great addition to his hometown Lakers, especially considering the organization does not have many draft picks over the next few years.
30. Boston Celtics: Immanuel Quickley, Kentucky
Guard, 6-foot-3, 20 years old
Quickley, a top-25 recruit coming out of high school, struggled as a freshman in 2018-19. But he dramatically improved his draft stock with 21.3 points per game this February, earning SEC Player of the Year by the coaches in his conference. His free-throw shooting (92.3%) ranked sixth-best among all underclassmen, showcasing a fantastic shooting touch that can help him from 3-point range in the NBA. He also has the most productive floater of all prospects in this class, which should impact his in-between game on offense.
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