2020 NBA Draft Results

Round 1 Picks 16-30

Chris Ransom follow @DraftUtopia Last Updated: November 18, 2020.

16. Detroit Pistons: Isaiah Stewart, PF, Washington D+ Grade
    
    
    The 6-9 250 lb Isaiah Stewart had 17 points per game, 8.8 rebounds per game, a 57% field goal percentage, a 25% three point percentage, and a 77.4% free throw percentage. Stewart reminds me of a poor mans Derrick Favors.
    
    
    
    The Pistons are getting him as a backup to Blake Griffin at 16. Not exactly sure if that's the smartest decision since he's not even the best player on his own team. A shooting guard or small forward would have been a better pick for Detroit.
    
    
    
17. Oklahoma City Thunder: Aleksej Pokusevski, PF, Olympiacos BC B D- Grade
    
    
    Oklahoma City gave up two first round picks to move up for a guy with a second round grade on our board. To be fair, I mocked him to Brooklyn back in August which is why I'm sparing the Thunder with a D- grade.
    
    
    
    
    
18. Dallas Mavericks: Josh Green, SG, Arizona B- Grade
    
    
    The 6-6 210 lb Josh Green had 12 points per game, 4.6 rebounds per game, 2.6 assists per game, 1.5 steals per game, a 42.4% field goal percentage, a 36.1% three point percentage, and a 78% free throw percentage this past season in his freshman season at Arizona. Green is a nice value pick and will play right away next to Luka Doncic with Seth Curry being traded to Philadelphia which is why this pick now gets a B- grade.
    
    
    
19. Detroit Pistons: Saadiq Bey, SF, Villanova B Grade
    
    
    The 6-8 216 lb Saddiq Bey had 16.1 points per game, 4.7 rebounds per game, 2.4 assists per game, 48.4% field goal percentage, 47.7% three point percentage, 77.6% free throw percentage in his sophomore season at Villanova. Detroit grabs Bey with the pick they got for trading Luke Kennard to the Clippers after the Clippers sent Landry Shament to Brooklyn for this pick.
    
    
    
20. Miami Heat: Percious Achiuwa, PF, Memphis B+ Grade
    
    
    The Miami Heat have their starting five back next season. Point guards Goran Dragic and Kendrick Nunn are both averaging over 15 points per game which is one reason why the Heat are doing so well in the Eastern Conference. You also have Duncan Robinson and Miami's 2019 first round pick Tyler Herro at shooting guard. Jimmy Butler dominated at small forward. Butler led Miami with 20.2 points per game before his injury before improving on that total with a dominant 2020 NBA Playoff run for the ages. The bigs on this team include power forward Kelly Olynick, and center Bam Adebayo make an outstanding core when all five are healthy.
    
    
    
    The 6-9 225 lb Percious Achiuwa can play small forward or power forward with his versatility. He passes shoots short range, mid range, long range, gets offensive rebounds, defensive rebounds, blocks, and steals. After James Wiseman did not return to Memphis, Percious Achiuwa took over as the leader of the Memphis Tigers.
    
    
    
    Percious Achiuwa had 15.8 points per game, 10.8 rebounds per game, 1.9 blocks per game, 1.1 steals per game, 1 assist per game, a 49.3% field goal percentage, a 36.4% three point percentage, and a 58.2% free throw percentage as a freshman. Percious Achiuwa is a great value pick for the Miami Heat at 20.
    
    
    
    
    
21. Philadelphia 76ers: Tyrese Maxey, PG, Kentucky B Grade
    
    
    The 6-3 198 lb Tyrese Maxey is a point guard who gives Philadelphia more depth at point guard. He plays like a shooting guard and may be one of the only combo guards in this draft that's versatile enough to play both guard spots. He has the short range, mid range, and long range shots that you want an NBA shooting guard to have despite playing the point.
    
    
    
    The 19-year-old Tyrese Maxey was one of the top recruits in College Basketball. Tyrese Maxey had 14 points per game, 4.3 rebounds per game, 3.2 assists per game, a 42.7% field goal percentage, 29.2% three point percentage, and a 83.3% free throw percentage.
    
    
    
22. Denver Nuggets: Zeke Nnaji, C, Arizona C Grade
    
    
    The 6-11 240 lb Zeke Nnaji had 16.1 points per game, 8.6 rebounds per game, a 57% field goal percentage, a 29.4% three point percentage, and a 76% free throw percentage. He won PAC 12 Freshman of the Year, but Arizona has Nikola Jokic and Bol Bol at center, so I'm not sure how Zeke Nnaji fits into this team unless he's a backup to Paul Millsap at power forward.
    
    
    
23. Minnesota Timberwolves: Leandro Bolmaro, SG, F.C. Barcelona D- Grade
    
    
    Minnesota has D'Angelo Russell as their starting point guard and Ricky Rubio as their backup point guard. You also got Anthony Edwards the first overall pick and Malik Beasley as the backup shooting guard.
    
    
    
    I had a top 50 grade on Leandro Bolmaro. That's why this pick got a D- grade.
    
    
    
24. New Orleans Pelicans: R.J. Hampton, PG, NZ Breakers B Grade
    
    
    Great value pick. Not sure where he fits though with Eric Bledsoe, Lonzo Ball, and Kira Lewis Jr. on the roster. If New Orleans can keep R.J. Hampton in New Zealand and let him develop, then this could be a great pick.
    
    
    
25. New York Knicks: Immanuel Quickley, SG, Kentucky D+ Grade
    
    
    I like Immanuel Quickley. New York needed to draft a point guard though.
    
    
    
    The 6-3 188 lb Immanuel Quickley is versatile enough to play shooting guard or point guard with his versatility. This season, he averaged 16.1 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per game. The 21-year-old shot 41.7% from the field, 42.8% three point percentage, and a 92.3% free-throw percentage.
    
    
    
    
    
26. Boston Celtics: Payton Pritchard, PG, Oregon C Grade
    
    
    Payton Prichard won the PAC 12 Player of the year in College Basketball. That doesn't change the fact that Prichard will be a bench warmer to Kemba Walker despite scoring 20.1 points per game in the PAC 12 in 2019-2020.
    
    
    
27. Utah Jazz: Udoka Azubuike, C, Kansas C- Grade
    
    
    There were better centers on the board. That's my biggest reasoning for giving Utah a C- grade at 27.
    
    
    
28. Minnesota Timberwolves: Jaden McDaniels, SF, Washington B+ Grade
    
    
    Minnesota now has three star players with point guard De'Angelo Russell, shooting guard Anthony Edwards, and center Karl Anthony-Towns. The Minnesota Timberwolves still need two good starting forwards at both small forward and power forward. Minnesota can take the best forward on the board at 28 and draft the other forward position at 33 with their second round pick.
    
    
    
    The 6-9 200 lb Jaden McDaniels had 13 points per game, 5.8 rebounds per game, 2.1 assists per game, 1.4 blocks per game, a 40.5% field goal percentage, a 33.9% three point percentage, and a 76.3% free throw percentage. Jaden McDaniels is a good small forward prospect for Minnesota.
    
    
    
29. Toronto Raptors: Malachi Flynn, PG, San Diego State C+ Grade
    
    
    Toronto is still the second best team in the Eastern Conference even after losing their best player Kawhi Leonard to the Los Angeles Clippers. They even got a good starting five with Kyle Lowry at point guard, Freddy VanVleet at shooting guard, O.J. Ananunoby at small forward, Pascal Siakam at power forward, and Marc Gasol at center. They also brought on Serge Ibaka for depth, but with Gasol declining and being limited to 36 games, Ibaka has stepped up in relief of Gasol.
    
    
    
    Kyle Lowry is 34-years-old. It's time to find his successor in a 2020 NBA Draft where the strength of this draft class is ultimately the point guard position. The 6-1 185 lb Malachi Flynn had 17.6 points per game, 5.1 assists per game, and 4.5 rebounds per game with San Diego State on an Aztecs team that was undefeated until losing to Utah State in the Mountain West conference tournament.
    
    
    
30. Memphis Grizzlies: Desmond Bane, SG, TCU B- Grade
    
    
    Desmond Bane is considered the consensus top senior in this draft. He was the second senior drafted after Payton Prichard. I feel like this is a solid pick by Memphis to end the first round.