Tag: Anthony Edwards

NBC Sports mocks LaMelo Ball to Minnesota Timberwolves with No. 1 pick

In the constantly-changing debate for who will be the No. 1 pick, the current trend favors LaMelo Ball going to the Timberwolves.

The ebbs and flows of the months leading up to any draft often leads to trends developing. For the 2020 NBA Draft, the trends have largely centered around the No. 1 pick. The general consensus on who will go first in the draft has been a constantly-changing consensus, making it hardly a consensus at all.

The current trend, though, is that Ball is the top pick in the draft. Following a report from Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Wasserman, it seems that Ball is the current leader in the clubhouse to be drafted No. 1 by the Timberwolves.

That leads to the most recent mock draft from NBC Sports’ A. Sherrod Blakely in which Ball is mocked to the Wolves.

“There isn’t another player in this draft that has been more scrutinized than LaMelo Ball. Regardless of the reality TV background and all the notoriety that comes with that, Ball is an absolute baller who provides the Timberpups with a much-needed shot of talent (defensive shortcomings are what they are) and superstar potential.”

Interestingly, while most consider it a two-horse race between Ball and Anthony Edwards, in this mock draft, Edwards was not selected until the No. 5 pick. James Wiseman was the No. 2 pick while Obi Toppin and Deni Avdija were the No. 3 and No. 4 picks, respectively.

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Bleacher Report proposes two Jrue Holiday blockbuster trades for Pelicans

As teams look for the final piece to contend, Jrue Holiday’s name will be one that comes up often in potential trade rumors.

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For teams looking for the final piece to become a title contender, Jrue Holiday is going to be a name that will likely come up in discussions. As a veteran that has long established himself as one of the top defenders in the league, Holiday has value to any team due to his versatility on both ends of the court.

There are numerous reasons why the Pelicans should not trade him, but that won’t stop teams from making offers. Bleacher Report’s Preston Ellis proposed a number of trades to create the next superteam and included Jrue Holiday in a pair of those deals.

The first deal would send Holiday to Brooklyn with the Pelicans getting a host of assets:

Orlando Gets: Caris LeVert

Brooklyn Gets: Jrue Holiday, Aaron Gordon

New Orleans Gets: Jarrett Allen, Spencer Dinwiddie, Taurean Prince, 2021 lottery-protected first-round pick from BKN

If the team is looking to remain competitive while also potentially dealing Holiday, this deal would go a long way to ticking off both boxes. Spencer Dinwiddie would immediately step into the starting lineup and replace Holiday offensively and then some. Taurean Prince would provide badly-needed wing depth and Jarrett Allen would be the starting center next to Zion Williamson. Adding another first round pick would be a cherry on top.

It would be quite hard for the Pelicans to turn down this offer as it probably won’t get much better. In reality, it would likely be the Nets who would turn down this offer as trading away four players for just two in return would gut their depth.

The second trade of Holiday would send him Minnesota:

New Orleans Gets: James Johnson, Jarrett Culver, Naz Reid, 2020 No. 1 pick

Minnesota Gets: Jrue Holiday, 2020 No. 13 pick

First, it’s a bit hard to call a team of D’Angelo Russell, Karl-Anthony Towns and Holiday a superteam, but that’s neither here nor there. As noted in the article, though, the only way the Pelicans do this trade is if they find one of Anthony Edwards, LaMelo Ball or James Wiseman as a can’t-miss prospect and nothing suggests that would be the case.

James Johnson’s best seasons are long behind him and while Jarrett Culver was a top-five pick last season, his rookie season was largely a disappointment and his stock has certainly dropped substantially in the last year. Naz Reid is a fine young player but doesn’t move the needle much.

This trade would be a far larger pill to swallow for Pelican fans than the first one and it’s hard to see the Pelicans pulling the trigger on this one.

Realistically, it’s going to take a blockbuster trade for the Pelicans to part ways with Holiday, who is not only a strong player but a franchise legend that still has multiple productive years remaining.

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Warriors add dynamic wing with No. 2 pick in ESPN’s Post-Lottery NBA Mock Draft

In ESPN’s Post-Lottery NBA Mock Draft, Jonathan Givony has the Golden State Warriors landing Anthony Edwards with the No. 2 selection.

As the chance of a title is still on the books for teams inside the Orlando Bubble, the Golden State Warriors have advanced to draft season on the NBA calendar. After registering the league’s worst record at 15-50, the Warriors earned a top-five pick in the 2020 edition of the draft.

Following the NBA Draft Lottery, the Warriors landed the No. 2 selection on the board. With the order set, mock drafts are beginning to roll out with predictions for what Bob Myers and Steve Kerr will do when the Warriors are on the clock.

Prior to the lottery, Iowa State’s Tyrese Haliburton, Israel’s Deni Avdija, Memphis’ James Wiseman and USC’s Onyeka Okongwu have been listed alongside the Warriors in mock drafts.

In Jonathan Givony of ESPN’s Post-Lottery Mock, the Warriors landed an explosive young wing piece. After the Minnesota Timberwolves selected LaMelo Ball with the first mock selection, Givony slotted Georgia’s Anthony Edwards to the Warriors at No. 2.

According to Givony, the 19-year-old would add instant offense alongside Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green and Andrew Wiggins.

Via ESPN.com:

Edwards would add instant offense to an already high-powered nucleus with his ability to get downhill and rise up from anywhere on the floor. Small-ball lineups featuring Stephen Curry, Edwards, Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins and Draymond Green would blend skill and versatility. Edwards also has the long-term upside to grow into the face of the franchise down the line. His freshman season was inconsistent, but he is powerful with tremendous shot-making prowess and has significant upside to grow into on both ends of the floor.

View Givony’s full ESPN mock draft here.

On his way to earning SEC Freshman of the Year honors, Edwards averaged 19.1 points per game on 40.2% shooting from the field with 5.2 rebounds and 2.8 assists per contest. If he slips past the Timberwolves, Edwards would add a downhill slashing dynamic to Kerr’s rotation. While he develops, Edwards could pair with sophomore Eric Paschall as Golden State’s lead duo off the bench.

With the NBA and NBPA agreeing to push back the draft that was slated for October 16, the Golden State Warriors will have more time for homework before they hit the clock on draft day.

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Report: League insiders believe Timberwolves will draft Anthony Edwards over LaMelo Ball

The Minnesota Timberwolves will have a franchise-defining decision in the 2020 NBA Draft at the No. 1 pick between LaMelo Ball, James Wiseman and Anthony Edwards.

The choice the Minnesota Timberwolves have with the No. 1 pick will be a difficult one. While both Karl-Anthony Towns and D’Angelo Russell are versatile players, none of the top three prospects in LaMelo Ball, Anthony Edwards and James Wiseman are perfect fits for Minnesota.

Potential pre-draft workouts and combines could go a long way in separating the trio before the draft. For now, though, the early leader in the clubhouse appears to be Edwards.

In Tim Bontemps recent ESPN piece, he spoke with league insiders on a number of topics, including who the Wolves will take with the No. 1 pick.

“Most league insiders expect the Wolves to take Georgia guard Anthony Edwards, considered the best positional fit among the top three prospects (including National Basketball League guard LaMelo Ball and Memphis center James Wiseman).”

If the Wolves view Russell as the point guard of the future, Edwards emerging as the pick makes sense. As more of a combo guard or shooting guard, Edwards is a more natural fit alongside Russell.

That isn’t to say, though, that Ball couldn’t still be an option. Early in his time at Illawarra, he played an off-ball role alongside Aaron Brooks before an injury sidelined him for the season. Russell, meanwhile, has plenty of experience playing next to a ballhandler, both in Brooklyn and Golden State.

It’ll be an interesting decision for not just the Timberwolves in the draft but for multiple teams as they debate which prospect will sit atop their big board. For Minnesota, though, it’ll be a decision that could shape the future of their franchise.

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There is more smoke coming out of the …

There is more smoke coming out of the Warriors front office right now than anywhere else in the league. One week they like Tyrese Haliburton. Another week it’s Anthony Edwards. One week they like James Wiseman. Another week they like Onyeka Okongwu more than Wiseman. I think there is some truth to some of the stuff being thrown out there, but that front office does tend to be very talkative, and the Warriors know what they are doing when they talk to reporters. The front office started the smoke screen process earlier than anyone else this year, using its willingness to engage with reporters to its advantage.

Anthony Edwards the favorite for draft No. 1 pick?

While Minnesota would love to pull off a blockbuster move and team up Phoenix Suns star Devin Booker with close friends Russell and Towns, Phoenix isn’t going for that. Most league insiders expect the Wolves to take Georgia guard Anthony Edwards, considered the best positional fit among the top three prospects (including National Basketball League guard LaMelo Ball and Memphis center James Wiseman).

LaMelo Ball moves to Timberwolves, No. 1 pick in The Athletic 2020 NBA mock draft

LaMelo Ball moved to the No. 1 pick in Sam Vecenie’s latest mock draft for The Athletic, matching his spot in Vecenie’s big board.

While The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie has long had LaMelo Ball as the top prospect on his big board for the 2020 NBA Draft, he has not had him as the top pick in his mock draft. When taking team needs and rumors and reports around the league into account, Ball would typically fall out of the top spot.

However, in Thursday’s latest update from Vecenie, Ball now holds the No. 1 spot. Vecenie talked about the numerous reasons for moving Ball to the top spot with a snippet of that to follow:

“So who do they rate as the top player? No one is particularly sure at this juncture. But my guess is Ball makes a lot of sense as the guy they think has the highest upside. He had a terrific half year playing in Australia against pros, and his advanced numbers across the board are better than Edwards’. Both were wildly inefficient, but Ball had a ridiculous 3-to-1 assist rate to turnover rate. He rebounded well and had a high steal rate. And even beyond that, the scouting tells you that his ability to make plays with ball in hand is special. I have him at No. 1 because his upside as a playmaker and passer is exceptionally high. But my bet is that this projection gets adjusted again before the draft happens — whenever that may be.”

Vecenie also notes how none of the top three prospects stand out as the best fit in Minnesota versus the others, making the decision even more difficult. Ultimately, it appears it came down to Ball having the highest upside of the three.

At this point, though, Ball won’t be able to separate himself from the likes of Anthony Edwards and James Wiseman unless there are in-person workouts with teams, which doesn’t feel likely. If that is the case, expect these rankings of prospects to remain largely fluid and unpredictable until draft night.

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While Minnesota would love to pull off …

While Minnesota would love to pull off a blockbuster move and team up Phoenix Suns star Devin Booker with close friends Russell and Towns, Phoenix isn’t going for that. Most league insiders expect the Wolves to take Georgia guard Anthony Edwards, considered the best positional fit among the top three prospects (including National Basketball League guard LaMelo Ball and Memphis center James Wiseman).

Charlotte Hornets rank as most common landing spot for LaMelo Ball in 2020 NBA Draft

The perception of LaMelo Ball varies from analyst to analyst as evidenced by the wide variety of landing spots in 2020 NBA mock drafts.

The flurry of mock drafts for the 2020 NBA Draft in the weeks since the NBA Draft Lottery has offered little clarification as to where LaMelo Ball might land. One of the most polarizing prospects in the draft, Ball is seemingly guaranteed to be selected with one of the first three picks, but where he falls among those picks has been essentially anyone’s guess.

On HoopsHype, Bryan Kalbrosky broke down the most common landing spots for each prospect in the aggregate mock draft. The results for Ball were expectedly inconclusive.

Of the 25 mock drafts taken into consideration, the most common landing spot for Ball was Charlotte with the No. 3 pick, which Ball was drafted to nine times. Interestingly, the next most common landing spot is the Timberwolves with the No. 1 pick, where Ball was drafted eight times.

The Warriors with the No. 2 pick were the third most-common landing spot at five times while a trio of mock drafts saw Ball land in Chicago with the No. 4 pick.

Only Ball has this level of uncertainty in his landing spot among the top three picks. Georgia’s Anthony Edward’s most common team was Minnesota with the No. 1 pick with 16 of the 25 mock drafts projecting him there. Memphis’ James Wiseman’s most common landing spot was Golden State as 14 mock drafts slated him to the No. 2 pick.

While, ultimately, this has little impact on where Ball goes, it is an interesting look at how differently Ball is viewed by different people leading up to the draft.

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NBA Draft: Anthony Edwards most common No. 1 pick among mock drafts

The top pick this year appears to be narrowed down to either LaMelo Ball or Anthony Edwards, according to most mock drafts.

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When it comes to the 2020 NBA Draft, there isn’t a clear-cut choice on the No. 1 overall pick like there was last year with Zion Williamson. As a result, most mock drafts are split on which player the Minnesota Timberwolves should take with the top selection.

The top pick this year appears to be narrowed down to either LaMelo Ball or Anthony Edwards as both players project to have the most upside at the next level. Ball has elite court vision while Edwards possesses has the athleticism and two-way potential teams will be looking for this year near the top of the draft.

HoopsHype compiled the results of 11 mock drafts from media outlets that cover the NBA and came to the conclusion that Edwards was the most common No. 1 overall pick. Of the 11 mock drafts used, from the likes of USA TODAY, ESPN, The Athletic and others, Edwards was chosen with the top pick eight times.

According to ESPN’s Draft Model, Anthony Edwards has the highest chance among all prospects to be an All-Star at some point during his NBA career. Regardless of defining what his role would look like alongside D’Angelo Russell and Karl-Anthony Towns in Minnesota, that makes him the odds-on favorite to be the No. 1 pick in 2020.

Edwards established himself as a human highlight reel during his lone season at Georgia and offered a glimpse of what he can bring to the next level toward the end of the season. He averaged 21.8 points per game in February and proved to be nearly unguardable near the rim. He also believes no player is better than him in the draft given his defensive ability.

Of course, mock drafts are far from a perfect indication of how the draft will play out. However, most picks are based on the latest intel from the around the league so it could provide a glimpse into a specific player’s range on draft night.

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