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2020 NBA Draft Rankings! How did your team do?

Leroy Brock Cravens • Nov 23, 2020

1. Charlotte Hornets

Michael Jordan cleaned up during this drafted by picking what many said was the best player in the draft: LaMelo Ball. This guy is not only talented but also has had a large amount of professional experience overseas. LaMelo is clearly NBA ready as he was number one on most draft boards before falling to Jordan’s Hornets at number three. In addition to this Charlotte drafted some good young talent in Vernon Carey Jr and Grant Miller. Overall since Jordan got the steal of the draft with a side of good young talent, Charlotte’s draft performance is number one by far!

2. Miami Heat

Miami fans should be smiling for getting Precious Achiuwa. He’s a very talented player who’s 6’8 225lb frame will definitely help ease Bam Adebayo’s workload. Because they added such a quality player to assist an already championship hopeful team their performance is ranked at number two. 

3. San Antonio Spurs

The Spurs are a shadow of what they used to be during their early 00’s glory days. However, with their stellar recent draft picks of Tre Jones, and Devin Vassell it’s looking like they might return to contention sooner than later. For this reason, San Antonio is ranked at number three. 

4. Sacramento Kings

The Kings have been irrelevant for years, but drafting Tyrese Haliburton at No. 12 does give them a small glimmer of being a somewhat respectable team again. This Iowa State point guard has high potential and he might just be the guy who sends the Kings back to their good ole days when they were threats to the G.O.A.T Duo of Shaq and Kobe. For this reason and the fact that they also somehow got Robert Woodard and Jahmi’us Ramsey, who are considered high potential guys as well, their draft performance is ranked number four. 

5. Boston Celtics

Brad Stevens is getting more young talent in Aaron Nesmith, Yam Madar, and Payton Prichard. If his previous work is anything to go off, these young high potential guys will blossom into trouble for the rest of the league, and for that reason the C’s are fifth in draft performance this year. 

6. New York Knicks

The Knicks are trash. Their team is lackluster at best. Knick haters know it and even the fans, but they just drafted the national college basketball player of the year Obi Toppin. Since this guy is so well respected the Knicks draft performance is ranked number six, but knowing the Knicks they’ll still mess up this guy’s career or he’ll leave when he becomes a superstar. 

7. Philadelphia 76ers

Daryl Morey is starting off pretty well with the 76ers. He got rid of the overpaid Al Horford, and just drafted some ok talent in Isaiah Joe, and Tyrese Maxey. Because of this they are seventh in draft performance.

8. Orlando Magic

The Magic got Cole Anthony, he’s a solid player to pick given the choices they had. For this reason, the Magic are ranked eighth in draft performance. 

9. Minnesota Timberwolves

The fact that they did not pick LaMelo Ball caused them to take a dive in the draft performance rankings. Anthony Edwards is not the best player in the draft, and Minnesota will come to regret not choosing him. As far as their other picks are concerned they got one solid guy in Jaden McDaniels, and had another head scratcher with picking Leandro Bolmaro. Bolmaro wants to stay overseas for another year meaning the Wolves really just got Edwards and McDaniels to contribute this upcoming year as rookies. Because they made so many mistakes this draft even the supposed brilliance of Anthony Edwards can’t put them any higher than nine on the draft performance rankings. 

10. Los Angeles Lakers

Rob Pelinka, sorry I mean LeBron James aka LeGM traded the pick to get Dennis Schroder. This is a win period. For this trade alone LA is ranked tenth on the draft performance rankings. 

11. Detroit Pistons

GM Troy Weaver did a great job getting Killian Hayes and did a decent job getting Isaiah Stewart and Saddiq Bey. Detroit performance is ranked eleventh on the draft performance rankings due to them making very smart picks.

12. Denver Nuggets

Denver got players to help their pursuit of being the new face of the Western Conference. Give these guys some time to develop and maybe they will be in a couple years. Denver gets number twelve on the draft performance rankings. 

13. Golden State Warriors

The Warriors should’ve traded their picks, for a chance to land another star. Since they did not, their draft performance is thirteen. 

14. Washington Wizards

The Wizards might be able to go back to a form of decency with their choice of Deni Avdija. He could seriously be a star one day and because of that Washington gets fourteen on the draft performance board. 

15. Oklahoma City Thunder

OKC made trades during the draft to add to their supply of draft picks. They also got Aleksej Pokusevski, who is a decent pick. They did decent enough to earn the number fifteenth spot on the draft performance board. 

16. Dallas Mavericks

Dallas ended going with the safe picks of Josh Green and Tyrell Terry. Dallas could have swung for more risky players with higher upside though, and because they played it so safe they get a sixteenth ranking on the draft performance board.  

17. Toronto Raptors

Since Toronto did not have any high-level picks they get a seventeenth ranking for their draft performance. It remains to be seen what Malachi Flynn and Jalen Harris can become so the Raptors did not do terribly in this draft, they just did not make a big enough splash to secure Drake another championship ring either. 

18. Cleveland Cavaliers

The Cavs still haven’t recovered since their King left them again. Their draft haul of Isaac Okoro will not bring them back to the promised land, and they will have to continue rebuilding for the time being. Because this is the case the Cavs are ranked eighteenth. 

19. New Orleans Pelicans

For the Pelicans 2020 wasn’t 2019, they got Kira Lewis Jr this year he’s no Zion but he could hoop. The Pelicans had loads of other options they could’ve done to help them be closer to win now, and because of this they are nineteenth in draft performance. 

20. Memphis Grizzlies

Xavier Tillman and Desmond Bane are good players. Memphis did the best it could do which isn’t much for this reason they are twentieth in draft performance.

21. Utah Jazz

Utah did ok in this draft, but a lot of teams did better because of this they are twenty-first in performance rankings.

22. Atlanta Hawks

Atlanta’s draft was a meh. Sure, they got Onyeka Okongwu, but one defensive guy isn’t going to change their defensive shortcomings for the time being. For this reason the get twenty-second in performance rankings. 

23. Indiana Pacers

Indiana got Cassius Stanley who’s a pretty athletic guy maybe he’ll become something, but given what the other teams did the Pacers are number twenty-third for sure. 

24. Portland Trailblazers

Portland could’ve done a lot more with that number 16 pick. Their trade of that pick for Robert Covington wasn’t good enough and for that reason they are ranked number twenty-fourth. 

25. Houston Rockets

Sorry Houston Kenyon Martin Jr isn’t Kenyon Martin and for that reason the highest ranking you can receive is twenty fifth in the league for performance.

26. Brooklyn Nets

These Nets may talk a big game, but they didn’t do anything to bolster their championship hopes for this season in the draft. They are twenty-sixth in performance and could be lower, if not for the mistakes these teams below them made.

27. Milwaukee Bucks

Nothing special happened for Milwaukee this draft and that is bad considering Giannis has one foot out of the door. These guys are twenty-seventh in performance.

28. Chicago Bills

The Bulls could’ve gotten a better pick at no 4. Patrick Williams has a lot of upside but he’s not better than a lot of the guys who were drafted after him. The way things look now the Bulls made a mistake with drafting him causing them to go to a number twenty-eighth ranking in draft performance. 

29. Los Angeles Clippers

The Clippers didn’t do much in this draft to improve their team at all. Denver will destroy them again next year. Playoff P doesn’t stand a chance and neither does load management overrated Kawhi. These guys could’ve done much more in the draft. For this reason, they are second to last in draft performance. 

30. Phoenix Suns

It seems that after the Suns GM got Chris Paul he turned and leaf and stopped thinking completely. They needed to get a guy to help with some of the problems they had on their squad. They instead got a head scratcher with their number 10 pick in Jalen Smith. It doesn’t make any sense at all to draft a guy who will back up Ayton at all. They had one job and they failed! They are worst performing team in this year’s draft, better luck next time Suns. 

By Theo Yardley 10 Jan, 2021
Although their results so far have been inconsistent, the Warriors have been surprisingly good and entertaining to watch this season. I questioned whether the second pick James Wiseman would turn out to be a massive bust, but he already looks to have proved himself at the very least to be a solid starting center in the NBA. However, the biggest story of this young season is the reemergence of Stephen Curry. Many had begun to question his status as an all time great after a slow first couple games, seeming to forget the fact that he hadn't played in an NBA game for quite some time and is without a doubt the greatest shooter and one of the greatest playmakers the game has ever seen. His explosion for a career high 62 points against the Portland Trailblazers a few days ago has quickly silenced the haters and made the world remember, and again begin to appreciate the greatness of Steph Curry. If only Klay Thompson hadn't gotten injured in the preseason, one would have had to wonder how far this Warriors team could have gone in the playoffs. I wrote an article a few weeks ago where I stated my uncertainty over the Warriors future and my belief that the dynasty was over. Although I stand by my sentiments, I wouldn't be surprised if next season's team were again legitimate title contenders. Steph Curry announced that he is back and has plenty left in the tank with a bang. Wiseman along with Kelly Oubre and Andrew Wiggins present an intriguing cast of young running mates. If Thompson can come close to being the player he once was after two gruesome injuries not only will Steph be back next season, but so will the Splash Brothers. Somehow Stephen Curry's greatness is often overlooked, but it appears as though the greatest shooter in NBA history has a chance at making another run to the mountaintop.
By Max Estabrook 08 Jan, 2021
By Theo Yardley 19 Dec, 2020
The Warriors future outlook looks grim, as we were greeted with unexpected and horrible news on draft night. Klay Thompson struck down with an Achilles tear is out for the season. After tearing his ACL in the 2019 finals it had been a long and arduous rehab. He was on the verge of returning to 100%, but this injury means he may never be the player he once was. Both the Warriors prospects this season and the long term direction of the franchise are now brought into question. They looked primed to return to contention and possibly the finals with Curry, Thompson, Draymond Green and the #2 pick. Now we must question whether the dynasty is over. The load on Steph Curry will be tremendous and only time will tell if #2 pick James Wiseman will morph into an elite NBA player. Curry is no doubt an all time great player and there are enough pieces on this roster to form a competitive unit, but the championship window looks as if it is over. The period a team can be truly great in sports is often fleeting. The Warriors assembled some of the greatest teams in the history of basketball over a five year stretch that produced three championships and the best ever regular season record at 73-9. Many great teams never achieve anything meaningful, and although the Warriors dynasty appears to be on a steady decline it remains one of the most impressive stretches in NBA history.
By Leroy Brock Cravens 02 Dec, 2020
Nate Robinson was recently turned into a meme by Jake Paul. Only in 2020 is there any way that a former professional athlete loses a fight to a YouTuber. As soon as Nate Robinson jumped out the gate swinging like a mad man in the first round, I knew he would lose. There are reports detailing that this man actually trained before that fight. Upon further investigation, I am pretty sure that those reports are undoubtedly false. If he did train however, Nate’s trainers were either conmen or fake altogether and they shouldn’t be paid! Looking at his offensive game you can clearly see that there was a lack of proper training. In the first round, Nate Robinson literally threw himself at Jake Paul. There was no composure on his part at all. I guess his trainers told him that the game plan was to swing for the fences and hope something lands. The problem with this plan was that even when he did land punches, they did not come in combos. It was like he was only taught how to jab and hug. Did they teach him how to throw a cross? How about an uppercut? Where were the jabs to the body? Now he maybe had one part of the fight where he put together some fundamentally sound punches, but overall his offensive fighting was a disaster. Looking at his defensive game, it was nonexistent. It was insane watching that fight because he literally did so poorly at defending himself that Snoop Dog, who was announcing at the time, literally said “You gotta protect yourself dog”. His trainers should be sued or maybe even arrested because they definitely put his life at risk! The only defense he had was using his head to block the punches! He got put to sleep like a baby, and Jake was the babysitter. Do not get me wrong, I’m glad that Nate Robinson is alright and I wish him the best, but one thing is for sure, his trainers are terrible and they shouldn’t be paid!
By Leroy Brock Cravens 26 Nov, 2020
The Steelers are 10-0 and yet, some power rankings boards have them at number two behind the Kansas City Chiefs. This is literally their best start in their entire franchise history and there are still doubters to this potentially historical team. One doubter is the self-proclaimed Steeler fan himself, Stephen A. Smith! Why is it the case that he recently declared that these guys were “overrated”? How can an unbeaten team in the NFL be overrated? To determine whether Stephen A. Smith is correct let’s check the stats. As of right now the Steelers are behind the Seahawks, Chiefs, and Packers in total offensive TDs for the season. That means they’re top four in the league when it comes to scoring. Sounds very elite. On the defensive side, the team’s opponents totaled the third fewest passing yards, and the seventh fewest rushing yards against them. Those numbers mean that their defense is elite as well. Hmm, well if both their offensive numbers and their defensive numbers statistically point to them being elite then that means they must be elite instead of overrated, right? Well we still have one more thing to look at, strength of schedule. Just looking at the stats, it seems that their biggest flaw is that they’ve played easy teams all year besides the Titans and Ravens. So, it’s actually pretty easy to post good numbers against teams like: Dallas whose starting QB is out for the season and the Jaguars, who seem to think losing is better than winning now. Overall are these guys overrated? I’d say so because it’s incredibly easy to look good when your schedule is one of, if not the easiest in the league. Sure, they beat the Titans and the Ravens this year, but that’s football. Any team can get lucky on any given night, just ask Eli Manning how he won his super-bowls. The fact of the matter is that the Steelers won’t go undefeated this season and are overrated because once they face a truly battle tested team like the Chiefs, they will go back to the irrelevancy from which they came. Sorry Steelers fans, but this isn’t your year.
By Leroy Brock Cravens 23 Nov, 2020
Michael Jordan cleaned up during this drafted by picking what many said was the best player in the draft: LaMelo Ball. This guy is not only talented but also has had a large amount of professional experience overseas. LaMelo is clearly NBA ready as he was number one on most draft boards before falling to Jordan’s Hornets at number three. In addition to this Charlotte drafted some good young talent in Vernon Carey Jr and Grant Miller. Overall since Jordan got the steal of the draft with a side of good young talent, Charlotte’s draft performance is number one by far!
By Leroy Brock Cravens 23 Nov, 2020
You heard it here first that the Lakers will repeat and LeBron James will get his fifth ring by the end of this upcoming season. The recent trades and signings that Rob Pelinka aka LeGM made, because we all know that LeBron is the real GM of the Lakers, seem like something that would only happen in NBA 2K. The Lakers have literally made their team lightyears better than what they used to be in the span of a couple days. First, they got rid of Mr. No Clutch himself, Danny Green, and replaced him with Dennis Schroder. This trade sent an ageing and increasingly unreliable 33 year-old Danny Green away along with a draft pick for Dennis Schroder who posts similar numbers and is 27 entering his prime. Just this trade alone makes the Lakers a better team because unlike Danny, Dennis doesn’t miss wide open clutch threes. But wait there’s more! After doing this LeGM showed once again why he went to eight straight finals by acquiring Montrezl Harrell, Wesley Matthews, and Marc Gasol! These guys are all solid players that are immediate upgrades to a defending championship team. In addition to this the Lakers re-signed their clutch piece KCP and maintained a valuable trade asset in Kyle Kuzma. If they somehow manage to re-sign Markieff Morris then their offseason has been perfect. Now there might be some naysayers who think that another team has a shot at beating the Purple and Gold next year. These naysayers, like well known LeBron hater Skip Bayless, might say teams like the Nets, Bucks, or even the highly-overrated Clippers have a shot. Let’s be honest team chemistry goes a long way in the NBA, and neither of these proposed teams have a true leader or the talent to knock off this new and improved Laker squad. It’ll be an uphill battle for sure regardless of what team faces the Lakers this year. With all this said, there is absolutely no way that the Lakers don’t repeat. If I was a betting man I’d say put a huge amount of money on the Lakers winning it all next year because the way things are looking, no one will stand even a remote chance at dethroning them. LeBron is getting five that’s not a prediction it’s a fact.
By Theo Yardley 13 Nov, 2020
What’s up with Paul George? On paper the guy is easily a top 10 player in the NBA, and yet he continues to falter when it matters most in the playoffs. Early in his career with Indiana his teams had some success, reaching the Eastern Conference Finals before falling to the Big Three in Miami. These days, that success seems like a lifetime ago as the moniker Playoff P has become an ironic representation of his incompetence in the playoffs. Both years in Oklahoma City paired with an MVP in Russell Westbrook they failed to make it past the first round, with Damian Lillard infamously draining a series winning three over George in 2019. The same year George finished top 3 in MVP voting and made the All NBA first team. This past season George and Kawhi Leonard on the Clippers seemed like the team to beat, until George completely disappeared like never before in the playoffs. In the pivotal game 7 against Denver he went 2/11 from three and 4/16 overall. Basketball is obviously a team game and other important players like Kawhi Leonard failed to step up in pivotal moments, but Playoff P is in a class all his own when it comes to playoff failures. His corner three that hit the side of the backboard in that same game 7 was emblematic of his play the whole series. I’m surprised he didn't get any job offers as a stonemason with the amount of bricks the dude was putting up. All jokes aside, Paul George has the talent and physical tools to dominate any game he’s in, but so far in his career when the lights are brightest he and his teams have been mediocre. There is still time for George to turn around the narrative surrounding his legacy in the NBA, but for the moment he is without a doubt “Playoff P”, the guy who sucks in the big moments
By Christopher Davis 30 Oct, 2020
The short answer is no, is most definitely not overrated. Giannis Antetokounmpo was drafted in the 2013 NBA draft pick 15 by the Milwaukee Bucks. He is a 6’11 small/power forward with a 7’3 wingspan. In 2019 Giannis averaged 29.5 points with a 55.3 field goal percentage while playing an average 30.4 mins per game. Many people could make the argument that he is overrated because he just recently became a serious threat to other teams between 2015-2017. Even though he is one of the most dominant players in the league today he still hasn’t made a finals appearance, but Giannis has carried to the Bucks to their fourth consecutive playoff appearance. Giannis needs some help; he can’t do it all himself especially with the current Buck’s roster. You could say that Giannis is like the modern-day Scottie Pippen, a great player but a player that needed help. Scottie had Jordan and Giannis has nobody. If the Bucks could find Giannis some help find him a player that could be his Michael Jordan, Giannis will win a championship within the next couple years. Giannis could even develop a 3-point shot and if he does that, he might be able to take the Bucks to the finals himself, I’m not saying they’d win but they would make an appearance. Now if the Bucks could make it to the finals then that would open an opportunity for the Bucks to trade good players on bad teams for example Devin Booker. Hypothetically if the Bucks could get Devin Booker, they might be able to win the finals, Devin Booker is a young player with that has already shown his skill and that is the type of player Giannis needs. Giannis won the MIP (most improved player) award back in 2017 then he won the MVP (most valuable player) and the DPOY (defensive player of the year) award in 2019 so he joins Michael Jordan and Hakeem Olajuwon, and if Giannis wins the 2020 MVP award then he’ll be the only player to win the award while averaging under 31 mins of play. Giannis was even in the MVP race with Lebron James and its very hard to compete with a player like Lebron. So basically, Giannis is not overrated, people just say that because he hasn’t made a finals appearance but that could change if the Bucks could get him some more help or they say that because he just recently became a known player in the league even though he’s one of the most dominant today. He’s only been in the league for 7 years so could still show improvement over the course of the next couple years. Giannis is on the road to becoming a hall of famer and we are watching a superstar in the making.
By Theo Yardley 22 Oct, 2020
To be considered the greatest of all time in one’s pursuit in life, is an honor like no other. In the world of sport there is perhaps no greater debate in our current moment than who is the greatest basketball player in the history of the game. While some might pose a different answer, the only two true contenders in my mind are Michael Jordan and LeBron James. As LeBron James guided the Lakers to their 17th championship, and the 4th in his already storied career, this debate has exploded as never before. He is 35 years old yet seems to show no signs of slowing down, with dozens of records already broken and seemingly more to come. The only question remaining is whether LeBron James has equaled or risen above Michael Jordan as the greatest of all time. Even though I never got the privilege of seeing him play in his prime my gut feeling still gives the slight edge to Michael Jordan. He has a mystical invincible aura about him, where at the zenith of his powers there has in my mind never been anyone better. However, looking at the legacy of LeBron James he deserves to be considered as perhaps Jordan’s only true equal. While Jordan has an ethereal quality to his greatness, LeBron's legacy instead lies in the power of his voice on and off the court. Jordan never faced the era of social media and the internet that has dominated LeBron’s career. There is little mysticism left because we know too much. LeBron’s legacy lies not only on his unparalleled achievements on the basketball court but also the way he has used his platform for good in the world. While Jordan has often remained apolitical, LeBron James has refused to just “shut up and dribble.” Using his power and wealth to push for social justice and equality in this country. While on the basketball court he can never undo the six finals losses he has suffered, and he will never be considered the consensus GOAT, he has already done enough where there will always be a spirited debate with no clear winner between who is the greatest of these two titans of the sport.
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