Among the uncertainties surrounding the NBA as the novel coronavirus continues to be a major issue in the U.S. is the 2020 draft.
NBA teams won’t be able to look at college players during March Madness, and the rest of the pre-draft process is expected to be limited. The matter of when the draft will actually happen is up in the air, as well. Especially if the league tries to crown a 2020 champion.
For the Brooklyn Nets, based on where the standings were when the league went on hiatus, their first-round pick would convey to the Timberwolves. Minnesota acquired Brooklyn’s top-14 protected pick from the Hawks, which the Nets sent to Atlanta in a trade that delivered Taurean Prince.
But the Nets will not be without a first-round selection. They have Philadelphia’s top-14 protected pick, which Brooklyn acquired when they sent the No. 27 pick in the 2019 NBA Draft — which wound up being Mfiondu Kabengele — to the Los Angeles Clippers.
The Nets’ second-round pick belongs to the Boston Celtics, but Brooklyn the Denver Nuggets’ second-round selection.
Right now, the Nets fall have the No. 20 and No. 55 picks.
Here’s a look at one player Brooklyn could take at No. 20:
Jaden McDaniels | Washington | Forward
STATS: 13 PPG | 40.5 FG% | 5.8 RPG
The 19-year-old has the ability to play the three at 6-foot-9. If that’s not the type of guy worth investing in at No. 20 in the draft, then who is?
Now, McDaniels needs to improve on his 3-point shooting (33.9%) and defense if he’s going to play the three more than the four throughout his career. Should he take the route of playing the four, he needs to pack on a few pounds.
Actually, no matter what role he takes on the floor, McDaniels could afford to gain some weight.
Nets 2020 NBA mock draft radar:
Duke guard Tre Jones
Florida State wing Patrick Williams
Arizona wing Josh Green
Villanova wing Saddiq Bey
Colorado wing Tyler Bey
Evansville forward DeAndre Williams
Oklahoma wing Kristian Doolittle
Pesaro forward Paul Eboua
Kentucky guard Tyrese Maxey
Olympiacos center Aleksej Pokusevski
Western Kentucky center Charles Bassey
Arizona guard Nico Mannion
RELATED: Ranking the top five shooting guards in Nets history