2020 NBA Re-Draft: Warriors Fix James Wiseman Whiff After Anthony Edwards Goes No. 1

Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves are taking on the Golden State Warriors Sunday Night at Chase Center for the second time in three days.

Naturally, this is the perfect opportunity to hold a 2020 NBA re-draft.

Standard re-drafting rules apply. Players will be selected without regard for their fits with the teams on the clock. This exercise is more about identifying the most deserving name in each spot.

Everything that has happened through the first four-and-change seasons of this class' tenure is up for consideration. But remember: We are also re-drafting players based on who we want for the rest of their careers. That will, at times, allow for—or necessitate—some forward-looking projections and gut feelings.

Original Pick: Anthony Edwards

Anthony Edwards' Original Draft Position: No. 1

Easy decisions are fun!

You can make the case that other players from this class have turned in better individual seasons at the front end of their NBA tenure. It won't matter.

Edwards remains the only player in this group capable of being his team's best scorer and passer while also playing at an All-Defense level. And though he has yet to truly party crash MVP discussions for an entire season, his entry into that clique is a matter of when, not if.

Original Pick: James Wiseman

Tyrese Haliburton's Original Draft Position: No. 12

Shaky returns to start this year coupled with a prickly performance to close last season could eventually jeopardize Tyrese Haliburton's No. 2 spot in any 2020 re-draft proceedings.

But not yet.

This is the same Tyrese Haliburton who looked like a top-five-MVP-ballot, First-Team-All-NBA shoo-in last year before a hamstring issue and roster shakeups derailed his 2023-24 campaign. Playing at that level for roughly half of the season does not happen by chance.

Even now, as Haliburton and the Indiana Pacers struggle to find any semblance of productive consistency, the 24-year-old still ranks inside the top 10 of Dunks & Threes' Offensive Estimated Plus-Minus

Original Pick: LaMelo Ball

LaMelo Ball's Original Draft Position: No. 3

It has become trendy to suggest that LaMelo Ball is the quintessential bad-team, good-stats guy and, thus, overrated.

Consider this your reminder that trends can be stupid.

Knock LaMelo for his stance-less defense. Ding him for his spotty availability and mountain of ankle issues. Express concern over his ability to lead and shape organizational culture. But let's not pretend a 6'7" primary ball-handler with preternatural vision and off-the-dribble shot-making can't be part of a winning team.

And let's also not pretend he's an empty-calories star when the Charlotte Hornets have a better offensive rating with him on the floor this year than the Indiana Pacers have with Tyrese Haliburton.

Original Pick: Patrick Williams

Tyrese. Maxey's Original Draft Position: No. 21

Of the four to five stars who populate the 2020 class, Tyrese Maxey is easily the most scalable.

His blow-by speed on the ball can break entire defenses. And he continues to develop more layers and directionalities to his half-court navigation. But he is also First Team All-Capable-Of-Playing-Next-To-Anyone-On-Offense. First option, second option, third option—it doesn't matter. He'll put up 20-plus points while downing over 38 percent of his triples.

Nudging Maxey up above LaMelo Ball is worth a discussion. Especially when factoring in availability. But LaMelo is, for now, the more capable driver of an entire offense that doesn't feature a co-star.

Original Pick: Isaac Okoro

Desmond Bane's Original Draft Position: No. 30

Desmond Bane's career arc remains to-die for.

He entered the league as a modestly used shooting specialisti. Fast forward to now, and he's a primary offensive engine-type who has dramatically increased his playmaking and self-creation bandwidths.

Choppy play to start this season is worth monitoring moving forward. But fewer than 20 games does nothing to eclipse the previous two seasons, through which he basically averaged 22 points and five assists while swishing 39.5 percent of his nearly eight three-point attempts per game—benchmarks hit by only Stephen Curry, Paul George and Kyrie Irving.

Original Pick: Onyeka Okongwu

Devin Vassell's Original Draft Position: No. 11

Not unlike Desmond Bane, Devin Vassell has materially broadened his offensive horizons over the past half-decadeish.

Off-ball movement and the idea of his shooting earned him acclaim entering the NBA. He has since developed into someone who can break down set defenses, drill tough jumpers and initiate team offense coming around ball screens for extended stretches.

If he ever strings together multiple seasons of better health, we will need to have some uncomfortable conversations about where he belongs relative to the five other players still sitting in front of him.

Original Pick: Killian Hayes

Deni Avdija's Original Draft Position: No. 9

This is a nod to the relative completeness of Deni Avdija's game. He does not dominate in any one arena, but he brings a mix of passing, rebounding, open-floor decision-making, physical drives and defensive mobility and versatility that will make front offices who love checking multiple boxes absolutely swoon.

Skimpy half-court spacing as well as too many on-ball cooks around him still often mutes his offensive impact. But when his three-ball is falling, on actual volume, Avdija has a stronger case to get bumped into the first five than tumble outside the top seven.

Original Pick: Obi Toppin

Immanuel Quickley's Original Draft Position: No. 25

Guards who can score at every level on or off the ball too often fall by the wayside. We should not let that happen with Immanuel Quickley.

Defenses devolve into tizzies when he gets going downhill, fearing his on-a-dime floater and capacity to shift gears. His three-point shooting scales to set catch-and-shoot jumpers, looks off movement and self-created bombs. The passing falls short of floor-general level, but he continues to show live-dribble playmaking flashes.

Pesky defense cements Quickley's place ahead of players who boast more size. He has largely disappointed on the less glamorous end when healthy since arriving in Toronto, but at just 6'3", he has a longer track record of navigating screens like an obsessive 6'8" power wing.

Original Pick: Deni Avdija

Jaden McDaniels' Original Draft Position: No. 28

Jaden McDaniels will look like the NBA's best perimeter defender for possessions and games at a time. It should be quite some time before All-Defense discussions are waged without at least mentioning everything he brings to the table.

Steadier offense is all that separates him from rather handedly leapfrogging up to four of the names currently in front of him.

Sure, McDaniels has provided glimpses into a more complex arsenal when getting downhill. And his three-point percentage isn't always in the gutter. But the volume at which he provides efficient shot-making as a driver and shooter is much too infrequent to view him as a cornerstone two-way player.

Original Pick: Jalen Smith

Onyeka Okongwu's Original Draft Position: No. 6

A lack of size can get the 6'9" Onyeka Okongwu into trouble when tasked with shouldering traditional big-man responsibilities. But he's doing a lot of the anchor-center stuff better this season, and his overall mobility is a value add at the position.

There are also more dimensions to his offense than meets the eye. His three-point volume has yet to venture beyond experimental, but he can put the ball on the deck, make passes on the move and catch defenses off-guard with disarming push shots from the in-between.

More so than anyone else in this exercise, you can't help other than wonder if Okongwu's place is actually repressed by our lack of exposure to him shouldering a heavier workload.

Original Pick: Devin Vassell

Isaiah Stewart's Original Draft Position: No. 16

Standing 6'8" does nothing to detract from Isaiah Stewart's appeal at the 5. He does all the typical big-man stuff extremely well. His rim protection holds up against the very best, and he's honed his center-of-the-floor navigation and timing after setting screens.

Plus, Stewart provides enough stretch to try running five-out or stashing him alongside another big. The Detroit Pistons have so far punted on his outside volume this year, but the 38.3 percent he shot from distance last season on almost four attempts per game continues to float Brook Lopez-in-miniature-and-with-better-mobility hopes.

Original Pick: Tyrese Haliburton

Isaiah Joe's Original Draft Position: No. 49

Shooters who pinball around the court and exhaust defenses to the point of collapsing have serious value in today's NBA. They are even more lethal when they're also willing to set screens and crash the glass.

Pepper in a try-hard defensive motor and rock-solid instincts and timing from the help side, and we have just described Isaiah Joe—the certified re-draft lottery pick whose end-of-the-second-round selection looks comical now.

Original Pick: Kira Lewis Jr.

Payton Pritchard's Original Draft Position

Circus handles and general confidence made up a large portion of Payton Pritchard's value through his first four seasons.

And then this year tipped off.

Pritchard has noticeably leveled up his scoring portfolio in ways that give him the inside track on winning Sixth Man of the Year and contending for Most Improved Player honors. A bulk of the attention is paid to the three-point volume and distance. Rightfully so.

But Pritchard is making quicker decisions across the board, whether it's to fire up shots or just get off the ball. He also happens to lead the league in points scored per possession coming out of the pick-and-roll.

Original Pick: Aaron Nesmith

Naji Marshall's Original Draft Position: Undrafted

Remaining underappreciated is kind of Naji Marshall's thing. Not only did he go undrafted in 2020, but the New Orleans Pelicans apparently thought he was dispensable enough to let walk in free agency for absolutely nothing this past summer.

That decision looked egregious in the moment. It is indefensible now.

Marshall continues to reinforce his value as a malleable defender and complementary offensive force. His three-point shooting leaves much to be desired, but he knows how to bust up defenses with a downhill floater, finishes in transition, kickouts on drives and dimes to cutters and trailers.

Meanwhile, his appeal skyrockets even further in undersized lineups, where he can handle outsized assignments and bring punchiness on the glass.

15. Orlando Magic: Isaac Okoro

Original Pick: Cole Anthony

Isaac Okoro's Original Draft Position: No. 5

Isaac Okoro is the toughest to place from this group. His defense versus both guard spots and some 3s holds up really, and he's shown the capacity to knock down set jumpers during the regular season. But he's yet to deliver offensive utility in the playoffs.

16. Portland Trail Blazers: Aaron Nesmith

Original Pick: Isaiah Stewart

Aaron Nesmith's Original Draft Position: No. 14

A fringe wing who can guard up and doesn't play outside himself on offense has a lottery case in this class. Nesmith's offensive volume ultimately remains too scattershot to place him any higher.

17. Minnesota Timberwolves: Josh Green

Original Pick: Aleksej Pokuševski

Josh Green's Original Draft Position: No. 18

There is a real feel to Josh Green's live-ball dribble, and he's a plop-and-play dynamo when his threes are falling. Putting together a more distinct defensive resume would go a long way.

18. Dallas Mavericks: Patrick Williams

Original Pick: Josh Green

Patrick Williams' Original Draft Position: No. 4

Patrick Williams remains worth a flier for his defense and efficient three-point shooting. The glaring lack of offensive volume of overall dynamism low renders him one of our biggest fallers.

19. Brooklyn Nets: Tre Jones

Original Pick: Saddiq Bey

Tre Jones' Original Draft Position: No. 41

Finding low-turnover game managers this far outside the lottery, let alone at No. 41, is a friggin' steal. And if Tre Jones shot the three more like Tyus Jones, this would be muuuuch too low.

20. Miami Heat: Jalen Smith

Original Pick: Precious Achiuwa

Jalen Smith's Original Draft Position: No. 10

Jalen Smith isn't the sweetest-shooting big man but spaces the floor just enough to operate at the 4 or 5. And in any given game, he'll provide the necessary rebounding and interior presence to unlock five-out combos that don't entirely ignore the less glamorous end.

21. Philadelphia 76ers: Obi Toppin

Original Pick: Tyrese Maxey

Obi Toppin's Original Draft Position: No. 8

22. Denver Nuggets: Precious Achiuwa

Original Pick: Zeke Nnaji

Precious Achiuwa's Original Draft Position: No. 20

23. New York Knicks: Nick Richards

Original Pick: Leandro Bolmaro

Nick Richards' Original Draft Position: No. 42

24. Milwaukee Bucks: Saddiq Bey

Original Pick: R.J. Hampton

Saddiq Bey's Original Draft Position: No. 19

25. Oklahoma City Thunder: Sam Merrill

Original Pick: Immanuel Quickley

Sam Merrill's Original Draft Position: No. 60

26. Boston Celtics: Xavier Tillman Sr.

Original Pick: Payton Pritchard

Xavier Tillman Sr.'s Original Draft Position: No. 35

27. Utah Jazz: Cole Anthony

Original Pick: Udoka Azubuike

Cole Anthony's Original Draft Position: No. 15

28. Los Angeles Lakers: Vit Krejčí

Original Pick: Jaden McDaniels

Vit Krejčí's Original Draft Position: No. 37

29. Toronto Raptors: Paul Reed

Original Pick: Malachi Flynn

Paul Reed's Original Draft Position: No. 58

30. Boston Celtics: James Wiseman

Original Pick: Desmond Bane

James Wiseman's Original Draft Position: No. 2

Quick Thoughts on the Final 10

Obi Toppin falling this low may surprise some. But power forwards who can't play small forward or center are liabilities at the highest level.

Though James Wiseman is still worth a flier, we can't lean too far into a "Look at the physical tools!" dice roll following his Achilles injury. Saddiq Bey's ACL injury is concerning long-term for someone who never defended well, but his microwave shooting should stick.

Sam Merrill gets a huge boost from going with the final pick in real life. Anyone who can light it up from three in an instant is worth a back-of-the-first-round gambit, even if opposing offenses will relentlessly target him at the other end. Cole Anthony may be lucky to crack the top 30 right now; his offense has fallen off the face of the earth.

I am once again begging someone to give the 6'8", moonlights-in-all-things Vit Krejčí a bigger role. Precious Achiuwa will feel nine spots too low on one night and nine too high on the other. Xavier Tillman Sr. has proven to be shiftier on defense in small bursts so I'm willing to overlook the offensive warts.

Honorable Mentions: Aleksej Pokuševski, KJ Martin, Jordan Nwora, Malachi Flynn.