The Big Lead

Reminder: The 2020 NBA Draft is Next Week

By Ryan Phillips

Adam Silver, Houston Rockets v Toronto Raptors
Adam Silver, Houston Rockets v Toronto Raptors / Takashi Aoyama/Getty Images
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There's a lot going on in the world right now and among all the garbage we've been dealing with some things have, understandably, fallen through the cracks. Like, for instance, the 2020 NBA Draft never happened because of the COVID-19 pandemic and is scheduled to take place next week. Yeah, the draft is next week and the NBA's 2020-21 season starts in a little more than a month. Wild, right?

While it's not shocking some people have forgotten about the draft, it could be incredibly consequential. There is some legit top-tier talent available (including a member of the Ball family!) and it should be fun to see how things shake out.

At the top of the draft, LaMelo Ball, Georgia guard Anthony Edwards, Memphis center James Wiseman, USC center Onyeka Okongwu, Dayton forward Obi Toppin and Israeli forward Deni Avdija are creating the most buzz. All of those guys could provide an impact as soon as December for whichever teams select them.

There is also a ton of intrigue at the top of this year's draft. The Minnesota Timberwolves have two solid building blocks in Karl-Anthony Towns and D'Angelo Russell already, and they also own the No. 1 overall selection. They could go in a number of different ways at the top and are poised to get a lot better.

The Golden State Warriors (remember them?) should enter this season fully healthy and own the second overall pick. While some have speculated they could package the pick with players to secure a third star next to Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson. They could also use it to end up filling a need and a bridge to the future.

The Chicago Bulls are another intriguing squad that has the fourth pick and a new head coach in Billy Donovan. The Atlanta Hawks could also add to their stable of young, high-upside talent with the sixth pick.

There are a lot of intriguing storylines to follow, it just feels like they've been buried underneath everything else happening in the world. That said, the balance of power in the NBA could legitimately shift next week when the picks are revealed.