2020 NBA Mock Draft: 4.0 halfway through the NBA season
31
Landers Nolley II Guard, Virginia Tech
17.9 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 0.9 steals, 0.3 blocks, 42% fg, 41% 3pt, 30 mpg
Pick Via Atlanta Hawks
Moving into the second round, the Philadelphia 76ers once again have a plethora of picks. With their first of this year, the team will address the floor spacing problem they have struggled with since ‘The Process’ began.
Landers Nolley of Virginia Tech can shoot the ball very well and has done so at a volume rate in Blacksburg. This volume scoring skill will not be necessary in the NBA, as he will likely be a career bench player, but knowing he could have the ability to be a lead scorer off the bench is great for Philadelphia.
At 6ft 7, Nolley is not as good of a defender as his frame may indicate, but his size does give Brett Brown some flexibility in moving him to either wing position. Nolley’s presence will help inside scorers such as Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons have more room to work with in the lane and down low.
Draft Stock Trend: +3
32
Jeremiah Robinson-Earl Forward, Villanova
10.6 points, 9.5 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.3 steals, 0.6 blocks, 45% fg, 27% 3pt, 31 mpg
Pick Via Golden State Warriors
What a turn of events it has been for Villanova’s Jeremiah Robinson-Earl. In my first mock draft, Robinson-Earl was a projected lottery pick who was thought to be a candidate to shoot up draft boards as the season went on.
In reality, the opposite happened. Robinson-Earl has been rather average so far this season, and very likely could return for a sophomore season at Nova. His three point shooting may be the most disappointing part of his game this year, as he has shown signs of increasing his range.
No matter his performance during the college season, if Robinson-Earl declares for the 2020 NBA draft, he will be selected. A team in the second round would be happy to roll the dice on a player who was once thought to have top-ten potential. Power forward isn’t necessarily a positional need for the Mavericks, but the talent here trumps the specific team needs.
Draft Stock Trend: -9
33
Kira Lewis Jr. Guard, Alabama
16.2 points, 5.9 rebounds, 4.6 assists, 1.7 steals, 0.4 blocks, 43% fg, 32% 3pt, 38 mpg
Pick Via New York Knicks
Many analysts consider Kira Lewis to be a first-round selection, but I am not as convinced that he is at that level yet. Considering the point guard talent in this class, it seems unlikely that he is good enough to be taken in the first. However, the 76ers get a value pick in Lewis in the second round. Lewis is an absolute workhorse for Alabama, playing a whopping 38 minutes per contest for the Tide.
Lewis has the ability to score at a large volume, but has failed to do so at a consistent mark. The shot, athleticism, speed, and ball handling is all there, but he tends to get a bit too aggressive and careless with his many touches. Nonetheless, Philadelphia can utilize him as an offensive spark off of the bench and hope that he can find some consistency to take on a larger role.
Draft Stock Trend: n/a
34
Zeke Nnaji Center, Arizona
16.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, 0.8 assists, 0.5 steals, 1.1 blocks, 66% fg, 14% 3pt, 29 mpg
Pick Via Cleveland Cavaliers
In my last mock, Zeke Nnaji was set to be a first round pick thanks to his unexpected phenomenal play his freshman year at Arizona. He slips way down in this mock not because of his play, which has continued to be stellar, but because of the way the order shook up and what each team needed. Lucky for Charlotte, the Hornets get another first round talent to put alongside R.J. Hampton.
Nnaji has been extremely efficient so far at Arizona while playing alongside two first-round talents. This shows NBA scouts that he has the ability to thrive even when he is not one of the top options on the team. If Nnaji is still available at 34, Charlotte would have to be all over getting him there, as it would be an absolute steal.