Draft Predictions Roundtable

The 2020 Draft is shaping up to be one of the most unpredictable nights of NBA transactions in a long time. Naturally, we thought we'd take a stab at predicting how it's going to play out. Below, friends of Hoop on Hoops share their visions for how they see Wednesday playing out:

1. Who are your top 5 prospects, in order?
   Trevor "Coach" Smyth: Wiseman, Oneyka, Killian, Devin [Vassell], Tyrese [Haliburton].  Wiseman might be a bust but his size and potential are TOO good to not take a shot if he is on board #1.
   
   Michael "Steve" Stevens: Wiseman, Onyeka, Killian, Edwards, Maxey
   
   Nick Ricciardi: LaMelo Ball, Anthony Edwards, Obi Toppin, Tyrese Haliburton, Deni Avdija
   
   Jackson Hille: Killian Hayes, Okongwu, Carey Jr., Wiseman, Haliburton
   
   Evan Fehler: Ball, Wiseman, Toppin, Avdija, Edwards
   
   Brooks Howard: Ball, Okongwu, Edwards, Patrick Williams, Wiseman
   
   John Hooper: I'm sticking with what's on my big board: Okongwu, Hayes, Wiseman, Haliburton, Edwards
   
   
2. Who's your most underrated prospect?
   Coach: Most underrated is Aaron Nesmith. His stroke and size are perfect for the NBA. He should get drafted in the top 10 but probably will slip to late 1st.
   
   Steve: Tyrese Maxey!!  I'm getting huge Donovan Mitchell vibes from him. I know the league is super deep at PG, but this dude is a baller. Elite quickness and legit thinks he is the best player on the floor. Could also be Dennis Smith Jr 2.0, but I don't think so. Calipari has a great track record with guards coming out of his program. 
   
   Nick: Tyrese Haliburton. Long, excellent ball control, great special awareness. A slightly more NBA ready version of Lonzo Ball.
   
   Jackson: Vernon Carey Jr. He's a modern era Z-Bo in the making
   
   Evan:  Tyrese Haliburton
   
   Brooks: Tyrese Maxey
   
   Hoop: Desmond Bane. Yes, his jumper's a little funky looking and he's not a great athlete, but I think he's a virtual lock to have a productive NBA career with how well he shoots, and how smart and tough he plays
   
   
3. Who's your most overrated prospect?
   Coach: Anthony Edwards. His made for TV workout was awful. Klutch guy, so there is baggage coming on day one.  O-VER-RATED!!
   
   Steve: LaMelo Ball. Wouldn't touch him at all. 
   
   Nick: James Wiseman. The Hornets will fall victim to a case of the “upsides”. He's athletic with long arms, but you can’t teach worth ethic or competitiveness which will be his downfall. 
   
   Jackson: LaMelo Ball. He does everything below par except passing, and I don't trust his level of effort
   
   Evan:  Everyone from the University of Arizona. Nico Mannion, Josh Green, and maybe Zeke Nnaji too.
   
   Brooks: Isaac Okoro
   
   Hoop: There's a few other lottery guys I have major doubts about - Okoro, Maxey, even Ball - but I really just don't see it with Deni Avdija. He's an average athlete who doesn't do any one thing exceptionally and was completely forgettable playing in the closest league to the NBA.
   
   
4. Who's your favorite deep sleeper?
   Coach: Nico Mannion. Red hair flame thrower. Probably asked to do too much at Arizona and would benefit from staying another year in college because his numbers took a nose dive second half of the season. All that said, he’s got great genes and would be a fun 2nd round pick.
   
   Steve: Robert Woodard II. Love his wingspan and his defensive versatility. His dunking ability fires me up and his 3-point shooting jumped dramatically from year 1 to year 2, which is promising. 
   
   Nick: Nico Mannion. Think Luke Ridnour but Italian and with red hair.
   
   Jackson: Mason Jones. He does everything above par, and will be a solid bench player
   
   Evan:  Has Cole Anthony dropped far enough to be a deep sleeper? 
   
   Brooks: Xavier Tillman Sr.
   
   Hoop: It's hard to choose just one but my favorite has to be CJ Elleby. Elleby, aka Klay Jr, isn't perfect but he has good length, a ridiculous stroke from three, and is surprisingly stout defensively. And look out for tough as nails Nate Hinton too.
   
   
5. Who's your favorite team-prospect match?
   Coach: LaMelo Ball and the Knicks. Pure chaos in the Big Apple. If somehow it works it will be must-see tv.
   
   Steve: No comment. 
   
   Nick: Onyeka to Warriors. It's a match made in heaven (to have a chance against AD and lakers next year).
   
   Jackson: Cole Anthony-Knicks: he's a ball hog, but I think he actually fits well with Barrett as the 2, plus the J. Cole - Cole Anthony connection in NYC would be perfect.
   
   Evan:  Deni Avdija to the Bulls. What a great fit for the organization's direction of... Draft good players who aren't leaders or "dawgs" and at the end of the day won't help the team turn around from bums to playoffs. He'll be another Lauri Markannen, Lavine, Wendell Carter, or whomever. A good player who doesn't help the team win.
   
   Brooks: Onyeka Okongwu to the Wizards
   
   Hoop: The Knicks and LaMelo for their tragic comedy, the Spurs and Pokusevski to keep the International vibes rolling, and the Hawks and Haliburton for fit.
   
   
6. What's your dream draft night for your team?
   
   [editor's note: all answers came in before the Dennis Schroder and Chris Paul trades. For the record, Jackson and Evan are both are fans of the Lakers move for Schroder.]
   
   Coach: (WARRIORS) Warriors draft night situation has them getting Ben Simmons.  Trade #2 and next year 's Minnesota pick plus Draymond for Ben Simmons.​
   
   Steve: (WARRIORS) I want to use the TPE and get Evan Fournier. 
   
   Nick: (76ERS) Sixers trade Al Horford, Matisse Thybulle, and the 21st pick to Houston for Covington and Austin Rivers (In this scenario Russ is traded as well to clear cap space for Horford).
   
   Jackson: (LAKERS) Trade our pick + Kuzma/Green for Eric Gordon OR take the best available guard left, so maybe Kira Lewis or Payton Pritchard 
   
   Evan:  (LAKERS) Trade the pick in a package with Green and Kuzma for DeMar DeRozan.
   
   Brooks: (WIZARDS) First round: Okongwu falls to 9 somehow, then we scoop up Cassius Winston at 37
   
   Hoop: (WARRIORS) We move Wiggins and replace him with Kelly Oubre using the TPE
      - Trade Wiggins to Philly for Al Horford and the #21 pick
      - Trade #2 to Phoenix for Oubre and #8
      - Pick #8: Pokusevski, #21: Bane, #48: Woodard II, #51: Elleby​
   
   
7. Prediction for biggest trade of the night?
   Coach: Chris Paul is traded to the Bucks.  Bucks go to the championship and lose. 
   
   Steve: GOBERT IS GETTING DEALT !!!
   
   Nick: NYK trades the #8, #27 pick and Kevin Knox to Golden State for their # 2 pick. NYK drafts LaMelo Ball, Golden State drafts Onyeka Okongwu.
   
   Jackson: The Knicks or the Spurs trading to the #1 pick to draft LaMelo, or a Westbrook trade to the Knicks
   
   Evan: Not a single trade gets done night of the draft.
   
   Brooks: Harden for Simmons lets do this
   
   Hoop: There's no way the Celtics and their 3 firsts aren't making a move. Here's my spicy 3-teamer that should happen, getting Gobert to BOS, Hayward to BKN, and LeVert to UTA.
   
   
8. Any other predictions or draft night things you're most interested in?
   Coach: 
      - Does LaMelo slip out of the top 5?
      - Who gets rewarded with Oneyka!?
      - Will a team draft up to draft Wiseman?
      - What do the Warriors do if they keep their pick and Wiseman goes #1?
      - What do the Spurs do? 
   
   Steve: I'm hoping Morey gets frisky and makes some moves. 
   
   Nick: Golden State at #2 is the centerpiece. They are in a weird spot of win now mode but with aging/back half of their career stars. Do they use the pick to pick up another established player to take another shot at it and the Lakers? Or do they keep the pick looking towards life after the Splash Brothers? Time will tell! 
   
   Jackson: I think a Ben Simmons, Harden, or CP3 trade would happen the first week of free agency but I'm curious as to whether some team might try to jump ahead and strike first. I could easily see some secondary type trades, like Aldridge going somewhere, and Tobias Harris/Horford going somewhere too. 
   
   Evan: I think the media has overhyped free agency and all the trade that's could happen. It gets clicks but doesn't really happen at the rate it feels like the media portrays. Free Agents will get signed, a couple good players will be traded (Chris Paul), and that's it.
   
   Brooks: I'm most interested in seeing if the #1 or #2 pick move in this draft for an established veteran. That and will Bradley Beal be on the move?
   
   Hoop: It's going to be a blast watching the arms race amongst the contenders. GSW, MIL, BOS, MIA, BKN, and LAC all have an urgency to their decisions this offseason to catch up to the Lakers.