NBA 2020 Mock Draft 1.0 – Options abound for OKC Thunder
By Rylan Stiles
Now the simulation gets wacky…let’s get weird folks!
The Cleveland Cavs ended up with the third overall pick, and are kind of stuck in no man’s land here. James Wiseman is off the board, and now they even have an Andre Drummond conundrum to muddy things up even more. So what do you do if you are Cleveland? In my opinion, you never reach for a player just because he is a positional fit, you take the best player available.
Here is where you could see a trade, but ultimately I expect at this spot for Anthony Edwards to come off the board.
Anthony Edwards is seen by some as the most talented player in this entire draft, so despite his clunky fit with the undersized guards the Cavs recently spent draft assets on, he is still the pick here.
Edwards is averaging 19 points on a 31 percent usage rate. The guard has also been able to haul down five rebounds, dish out three assists, and earn over a steal a game.
His 3-point shooting is a bit worrisome, only stroking the trey ball at a 31 percent clip. I really like Edwards skill set, and at 6’5 225 pounds, he provides more versatility than Sexton or Garland.
By no means is Edwards locked into the third pick in the draft, as mentioned, some have him pegged for the best player in the class. I honestly think the third pick would be the floor for the talented guard.
There are better landing spots for Edwards, his hometown of Atlanta is one that comes to mind. As I said, you do not reach for a less talented player just because he is a better fit. Find a way to make it work with Edwards if you are Cleveland. This could include trading Edwards, or even Sexton or Garland.
While it would be early to give up on the no size, no defense backcourt, I much prefer Edwards’ upside.