NBA Mock Draft 5.0: How high can Obi Toppin fly?

The NBA has a plan and a schedule for the draft and out latest NBA Mock Draft looks at player fits and high risers like Obi Toppin.

The NBA Draft was supposed to be conducted last night, June. 25, but the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has pushed back the 2019-20 season and all the dominos that fall after it. The draft is currently planned for Oct. 16 but, of course, who really knows at this point.

Still, the trajectories of teams are coming into focus and the stock of prospects are rising and falling, even though players aren’t playing or working out with teams yet. This NBA Mock Draft incorporates both prospect analysis and leans heavily on the situations of each team to try and find good fits.

Who is rising and falling in our latest NBA Mock Draft?

The analysis of each individual player here relies heavily on the insights of our own draft experts, Trevor Magnotti, Ben Pfiefer and Jackson Frank. Each pick is not necessarily a guess at who each team will or even should take, just a hopefully insightful match between prospect skill and upside and each team’s need.

And if you’re looking at any of these picks wondering what the heck I was thinking, just remember that mock drafts are made to be mocked.

Bolmaro is a young (19), offensive-minded wing with potential as floor-spacer and secondary creator. He impressed in increasing minutes for Barcelona this season and, as a draft-and-stash option, could be appealing for a Celtics team that is already loaded on the wing.

The Lakers might prefer a 3-and-D wing here but their focus is on the present and getting someone who could contribute immediately is probably more important than chasing upside. Dotson’s shaky shooting (33.2 percent on 214 career 3-pointers) lowers his ceiling but the Lakers could use his aggressive on-ball defense against certain matchups.

Learn more about Devon Dotson with our full scouting report.

The big skills Smith provides — shooting and rim protection — could be extremely valuable for a Raptors roster staring down a future without Marc Gasol or Serge Ibaka. Smith is raw but the Raptors also have depth and can afford to be patient.

Riller played four years at a smaller school (College of Charleston) but put up eye-popping numbers, including two consecutive seasons with a usage rate over 30 and a true shooting percentage over 60. There are questions about how he’ll hold up against NBA athletes but he’s a highly-skilled creator.

Pokusevski is an extremely young and extremely raw big-man prospect, but has tantalizing athletic potential and has shown flashes as a shooter. He’s likely a draft-and-stash but his upside is worth waiting on for the Celtics.

Maledon is a big point guard capable of playing on and off the ball. There are questions about how much his average burst will limit his upside attacking the basket but he could be an interesting fit next to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as the Thunder look for a long-term backcourt partner for their budding star.

If Jones can hit 3-pointers like he did this season (36.1 percent on 108 attempts) he’s a viable backup point guard. If his true ability level is closer to the 26.2 percent he made on 103 attempts as a freshman he’s probably only playable situationally. Still, he’s a solid point guard defender and could give the Jazz some of the backcourt energy they got from Emmanuel Mudiay this year.

Reed is a bouncy, disruptive forward with potential as a shooter and pick-and-roll finisher. He has a tendency to make things more complicated than it needs to be, but with some refinement, he could be a valuable and versatile contributor.

Learn more about Paul Reed with our full scouting report.

Terry’s lack of strength limits his potential as a defender and finisher and might cap his ceiling somewhere below “starting point guard.” Luckily the 76ers already have that spot filled and mostly need shooting. Terry is one of the best shooting prospects in this class, able to hit on spot-ups, off movement or off the dribble.

Learn more about Tyrell Terry with our full scouting report.

Nothing about Tillman pops off the screen but he does a lot of things well and should find a role with his defensive awareness, screen-setting and mistake-free play on offense. The Nuggets have their foundation in place and he could be useful down the road as a big man off the bench.

Precious Achiuwa has the offensive skills of a center in the body of a (beefy) wing. But everything is going to be running through Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant next season and the Nets will need athletes to fill lanes in transition, crash the glass and bring energy on defense. Achiuwa certainly fits the bill in that regard.

If everything goes according to plan, the Bucks will be celebrating a championship just a few days before they make this selection. That means not worrying about Giannis leaving and having the breathing room to take a raw but high-upside wing like Hampton and let him learn with the Herd if necessary.

Learn more about R.J. Hampton with our full scouting report.

The most obvious roster-building template for the Mavericks is to add spacing and shooting around the pick-and-roll combination of Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis. Bane is an excellent shooter (43.3 percent on nearly 600 career college attempts) and has the strength to hold up on defense as well.

The Celtics have a crowded wing rotation but Nesmith is an excellent shooter who excels running off screens and shooting off movement, a wrinkle the Celtics can always use. There are questions about his defense and athleticism but even if he’s a situational play, he could find a spot.

Stewart is a more traditional big who does work on the glass with energy and strength. He didn’t even place on our latest Big Board, but he does show up in the first-round of those influenced by team sources.

Markelle Fultz has made himself the Magic’s point guard of the (near future) but Lewis could have value as a change-of-pace option, providing energy and scoring burst.

Learn more about Kira Lewis with our full scouting report.