2020 NBA Draft Rumors | Hoops Rumors

2020 NBA Draft Results

November 19th, 2020 at 1:50am CST by Luke Adams

The 2020 NBA draft is in the books, and we tracked all of this year’s picks in the space below, taking into account each trade agreed upon over the course of the draft.

Here are 2020’s NBA draft results:

First Round:

Minnesota Timberwolves: Anthony Edwards, G, Georgia (story)
Golden State Warriors: James Wiseman, C, Memphis (story)
Charlotte Hornets: LaMelo Ball, G, USA (story)
Chicago Bulls: Patrick Williams, F, Florida State
Cleveland Cavaliers: Isaac Okoro, F, Auburn
Atlanta Hawks: Onyeka Okongwu, C, USC
Detroit Pistons: Killian Hayes, G, France
New York Knicks: Obi Toppin, F, Dayton
Washington Wizards: Deni Avdija, F, Israel
Phoenix Suns: Jalen Smith, F/C, Maryland
San Antonio Spurs: Devin Vassell, G/F, Florida State
Sacramento Kings: Tyrese Haliburton, G, Iowa State
New Orleans Pelicans: Kira Lewis Jr., G, Alabama
Boston Celtics (from Grizzlies): Aaron Nesmith, F, Vanderbilt
Orlando Magic: Cole Anthony, G, UNC
Detroit Pistons (from Trail Blazers via Rockets): Isaiah Stewart, C, Washington
Oklahoma City Thunder (from Nets via Timberwolves): Aleksej Pokusevski, F, Serbia
Dallas Mavericks: Josh Green, G, Arizona
Detroit Pistons (from Sixers via Nets): Saddiq Bey, F, Villanova
Miami Heat: Precious Achiuwa, F, Memphis
Philadelphia 76ers (from Thunder): Tyrese Maxey, G, Kentucky
Denver Nuggets (from Rockets): Zeke Nnaji, F, Arizona
Minnesota Timberwolves (from Jazz via Knicks): Leandro Bolmaro, G, Argentina
Denver Nuggets (from Pacers via Pelicans): RJ Hampton, G, USA
New York Knicks (from Nuggets via Timberwolves): Immanuel Quickley, G, Kentucky
Boston Celtics: Payton Pritchard, G, Oregon
Utah Jazz (from Clippers via Knicks): Udoka Azubuike, C, Kansas
Minnesota Timberwolves (from Lakers via Thunder): Jaden McDaniels, F, Washington
Toronto Raptors: Malachi Flynn, G San Diego State
Memphis Grizzlies (from Bucks via Celtics): Desmond Bane, G, TCU

Second Round:

Dallas Mavericks (from Warriors): Tyrell Terry, G, Stanford
Charlotte Hornets (from Cavaliers): Vernon Carey Jr., C, Duke
Los Angeles Clippers (from Timberwolves): Daniel Oturu, C, Minnesota
Oklahoma City Thunder (from Hawks via Sixers): Theo Maledon, G, France
Memphis Grizzlies (from Pistons via Kings): Xavier Tillman, C, Michigan State
Dallas Mavericks (from Knicks via Sixers): Tyler Bey, F, Colorado
Oklahoma City Thunder (from Bulls via Wizards): Vit Krejci, G, Czech Republic
Detroit Pistons (from Hornets via Jazz): Saben Lee, G, Vanderbilt
Utah Jazz (from Wizards via Pelicans): Elijah Hughes, G, Syracuse
Sacramento Kings (from Suns via Grizzlies): Robert Woodard, F, Mississippi State
San Antonio Spurs: Tre Jones, G, Duke
Charlotte Hornets (from Pelicans): Nick Richards, C, Kentucky
Sacramento Kings: Jahmi’us Ramsey, G, Texas Tech
Chicago Bulls (from Grizzlies): Marko Simonovic, C, Montenegro
Milwaukee Bucks (from Magic): Jordan Nwora, F, Louisville
Portland Trail Blazers: CJ Elleby, G, Washington State
Boston Celtics (from Nets): Yam Madar, G, Israel
Golden State Warriors (from Mavericks): Nico Mannion, G, Arizona
Philadelphia 76ers: Isaiah Joe, G, Arkansas
Atlanta Hawks (from Heat): Skylar Mays, G, LSU
Golden State Warriors (from Jazz): Justinian Jessup, G, Boise State
Houston Rockets (via Kings): Kenyon Martin Jr., F, IMG Academy
Washington Wizards (from Thunder): Cassius Winston, G, Michigan State
Indiana Pacers: Cassius Stanley, G, Duke
Los Angeles Clippers (from Nuggets via Nets): Jay Scrubb, G, John A. Logan College
Charlotte Hornets (from Celtics): Grant Riller, G, Charleston
Brooklyn Nets (from Clippers): Reggie Perry, C, Mississippi State
Philadelphia 76ers (from Lakers): Paul Reed, F, DePaul
Toronto Raptors: Jalen Harris, G, Nevada
Milwaukee Bucks (via Pelicans): Sam Merrill, G, Utah State

Pelicans Trade No. 39 To Jazz, No. 42 To Hornets

November 19th, 2020 at 1:14am CST by Arthur Hill

NOVEMBER 19, 1:14am: The Pelicans have issued press releases confirming that their deals with the Jazz and Hornets are both now official.

NOVEMBER 18, 10:47pm: The Jazz will acquire Elijah Hughes, the 39th pick in tonight’s draft, from the Pelicans, tweets Jeremy Woo of Sports Illustrated. New Orleans is also trading the 42nd pick, Nick Richards, to the Hornets, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).

In exchange for Hughes’ rights at No. 39, the Pelicans will receive a 2022 second-round pick from the Jazz, reports Andrew Lopez of ESPN (Twitter link).

The Hornets will send a 2024 second-round pick to New Orleans for the rights to Richards, tweets Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer.

Hughes, a 6’6″ junior forward, averaged 19.0 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game last season at Syracuse. Richards, a 6’11” junior forward, averaged 14.0 points, 7.8 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game at Kentucky.

Nets, Clippers Flip Late Second-Rounders

November 18th, 2020 at 11:28pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Nets and the Clippers swapped a couple of late-round picks, with Brooklyn choosing guard Jay Scrubb of John A. Logan College at No. 55 and shipping him to the Clippers, Shams Charania of The Athletic tweets.

The Nets received the No. 57 pick — Mississippi State big man Reggie Perry. Presumably, the Clippers added some sort of sweetener to move up two spots, though the details haven’t yet been reported. It’s also possible this pick swap will be part of the other trade the Nets and Clippers agreed to tonight, involving Luke Kennard and Landry Shamet.

Scrubb, 20, played two seasons for John A. Logan, which is in the National Junior College Athletic Association. He averaged 21.9 PPG as a sophomore. Scrubb committed to Louisville before deciding to enter his name in the draft.

Perry, 20, averaged 17.4 PPG and 10.1 RPG as a sophomore for the Bulldogs. He was named co-SEC Player of the Year.

Nuggets To Acquire RJ Hampton

November 18th, 2020 at 9:28pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Pelicans will trade 24th pick RJ Hampton to the Nuggets, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic. New Orleans will receive a 2023 lottery-protected first-rounder in return, according to Zach Lowe of ESPN (Twitter link).

Denver was among a handful of teams that worked out Hampton during the pre-draft process. The Nuggets also own the 22nd pick, which they used to select forward Zeke Nnaji of Arizona.

Hampton spent last season with the New Zealand Breakers in Australia’s National Basketball League. He appeared in 15 games before leaving in early February and returning to the United States to prepare for the draft.

Draft-Night Rumors: Warriors, Pistons, Avdija, Baynes

November 18th, 2020 at 8:10pm CST by Luke Adams

Drafting James Wiseman won’t prevent the Warriors from looking to add another big man, according to Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area, who reports (via Twitter) that Golden State is eyeing at least four different bigs. The team has its $17MM+ trade exception and the $5.7MM taxpayer mid-level exception available to acquire veterans later this week.

Here are a few more NBA draft-night notes and rumors:

It sounds like Detroit’s long-reported interest in Patrick Williams was legit. The Pistons made an effort to trade up to No. 3 in order to leapfrog the Bulls for Williams, but the Hornets didn’t budge, sources tell Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times (Twitter link).
Deni Avdija has a small buyout to get out of his contract with Maccabi Tel Aviv, as Bobby Marks of ESPN tweets. Avdija and the Wizards – who selected him at No. 9 – will pay that buyout. Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer adds (via Twitter) that he’s surprised by Avdija slipping to ninth — the Bulls and Cavaliers both considered the Israeli forward at No. 4 and No. 5, per O’Connor.
NBA executives fully expect Aron Baynes to leave the Suns in free agency, opening the door for No. 10 pick Jalen Smith to fill Baynes’ role as a stretch big, tweets Kevin O’Connor. According to O’Connor, the Pelicans are a potential landing spot for Baynes.

Hornets Draft LaMelo Ball With No. 3 Pick

November 18th, 2020 at 7:26pm CST by Luke Adams

The Hornets have used the No. 3 overall pick in the 2020 NBA draft to select guard LaMelo Ball.

President of basketball operations Mitch Kupchak had long vowed to select the best player available in the draft, and the Ball pick reflects that. The Hornets’ backcourt is one of the team’s strengths, with Terry Rozier and Devonte’ Graham having led the team in scoring in 2019/20.

There was a belief that Charlotte may prefer a big man in the draft, but James Wiseman came off the board at No. 2 and the Hornets decided not to use the No. 3 pick on USC’s Onyeka Okongwu. The Hornets will have cap room available and may look to address their frontcourt in free agency later this week.

A report earlier today indicated that Hornets owner Michael Jordan had given the team the “stamp of approval” to draft Ball.

Ball will be in line for a $7.8MM salary in his first NBA season.

Warriors Draft James Wiseman at No. 2

November 18th, 2020 at 7:22pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Warriors used the second pick in the draft to select former Memphis center James Wiseman.

The selection reflects Golden State’s desire to add size this offseason to compete with the Lakers and the league’s other big teams. Wiseman has the build of a traditional center at 7’1″ and 240 pounds.

Scouts and college basketball fans only got a brief look at Wiseman during his three-game career at Memphis. After being embroiled in an eligibility battle with the NCAA, Wiseman left school in December to focus on preparing for the NBA. He was dominant in his brief time with the Tigers, averaging 19.7 points, 10.7 rebounds and 3.0 blocks per game.

Timberwolves Select Anthony Edwards With No. 1 Pick

November 18th, 2020 at 7:12pm CST by Luke Adams

The Timberwolves have selected Georgia guard Anthony Edwards with the first overall pick in the 2020 NBA draft. The selection was first reported by Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).

The Wolves were on the phone discussing potential trade scenarios right down to the wire, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (via Twitter). Ever since Minnesota won the lottery in August, there was a belief that the team preferred to trade down and pick up extra assets, but it seems as if a favorable deal never materialized.

In Edwards, the Wolves will add a shooting guard to a core that features big man Karl-Anthony Towns and point guard D’Angelo Russell.

In his first and only college season, Edwards averaged 19.1 PPG, 5.2 RPG, and 2.8 APG on .402/.2.94/.772 shooting in 32 games (33.0 MPG) for the Bulldogs.

The Timberwolves have a second first-round pick at No. 17, so it’ll be an eventful night for the team.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Draft Rumors: Warriors, Smart, Wolves, Thunder, Cavs, More

November 18th, 2020 at 6:06pm CST by Luke Adams

The Warriors and Celtics had some discussions about a deal that would have involved the No. 2 pick and guard Marcus Smart according to Matt Moore of ActionNetwork.com. Sources tell Moore that those talks didn’t ultimately gain traction and aren’t expected to resume after the Celtics rejected a counter-offer from Golden State.

Michael Scotto of HoopsHype confirms that the Celtics called the Warriors to gauge their interest in moving the No. 2 pick and made Smart available, but talks “didn’t escalate.”

Here’s more on the draft as we prepare for what should be a fun night:

Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer (Twitter link) is hearing that the Timberwolves will likely remain at No. 1, barring a “blockbuster” move. However, it sounds like the No. 17 pick is still very much in play. Jeremy Woo of SI.com reports (via Twitter) that the Thunder are exploring a deal for the No. 17 pick.
Isaac Okoro is rising on the Cavaliers‘ board, according to Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report (Twitter link), who says if Cleveland trades down to No. 8, it would likely hinge on the team’s ability to land Okoro at that spot.
The Clippers are looking to buy a second-round pick and/or trade up from No. 57, league sources tell Scotto.
The Suns could still trade down from No. 10 or use the pick in a deal for a veteran player, but they’re unlikely to move up, tweets John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7.

Onyeka Okongwu Dealing With Broken Toe

November 18th, 2020 at 11:00am CST by Luke Adams

11:00am: Okongwu’s injury is a broken left big toe, a source tells Jonathan Givony of ESPN. It will require about one to three weeks of additional rest, but isn’t expected to affect his availability for the start of the regular season.

Sources from multiple teams tell ESPN that their doctors have known about the injury for some team and have reviewed medical documentation. They don’t expect it to be a long-term issue and don’t expect Okongwu’s draft stock to be significantly impacted, Givony writes.

8:48am: USC big man Onyeka Okongwu, viewed as a probable top-10 pick in this year’s draft, has an injured foot, according to former Suns GM Ryan McDonough (Twitter link). Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer, confirming the report, tweets that the injury could cost Okongwu training camp and possibly the start of the regular season.

McDonough says teams are “scrambling” to get full medical info on Okongwu to determine the severity of the foot injury. Bonnell, meanwhile, suggests that the issue may impact where the young center is selected in tonight’s draft, though probably not by a lot.

ESPN’s Brian Windhorst had previously alluded to a medical-related issue affecting Okongwu.

It will be interesting to see how substantially Okongwu’s stock is impacted by news of his foot issue. That sort of injury is worrisome for a big man and is probably a major reason why a report this morning suggested Okongwu is no longer seriously receiving consideration for the Hornets at No. 3.

However, if the injury isn’t considered serious, it could be an opportunity for a team that likes Okongwu to select him at a spot where he wasn’t otherwise expected to be available. The Wizards, for instance, have been frequently linked to Okongwu at No. 9, and this news seems likely to increase the odds he’ll still be on the board at that spot.