NBA Draft 2020: Latest Mock Draft, Biggest Boom-or-Bust 1st-Round Prospects

Precious Achiuwa possesses a handful of qualities that should intrigue NBA teams, but he also has some notable deficiencies that could spur a drop in the 2020 NBA draft.

The teams set to select in the middle of the first round have to assess that risk for boom-or-bust prospects such as Achiuwa who could thrive in the right situation but also turn out to be a bust.

Arizona guard Josh Green also fits that description after he displayed a mix of qualities that could benefit and worry suitors.

2020 NBA 1st-Round Mock Draft

1. Golden State Warriors: Anthony Edwards, SG, Georgia

2. Cleveland Cavaliers: James Wiseman, C, Memphis

3. Minnesota Timberwolves: LaMelo Ball, PG, Illawarra Hawks

4. Atlanta Hawks: Obi Toppin, PF, Dayton

5. Detroit Pistons: Tyrese Haliburton, PG, Iowa State

6. New York Knicks: Deni Avdija, SF, Maccabi Tel Aviv

7. Chicago Bulls: Isaac Okoro, SF/PF, Auburn

8. Charlotte Hornets: Onyeka Okongwu, PF/C, USC

9. Washington Wizards: Killian Hayes, PG, Ratiopharm Ulm

10. Phoenix Suns: Cole Anthony, PG, North Carolina

11. San Antonio Spurs: RJ Hampton, SG, New Zealand Breakers

12. Sacramento Kings: Devin Vassell, SG, Florida State

13. New Orleans Pelicans: Tyrese Maxey, SG, Kentucky

14. Portland Trail Blazers: Aaron Nesmith, SF, Vanderbilt

15. Orlando Magic: Saddiq Bey, SF, Villanova

16. Minnesota Timberwolves (from Brooklyn): Patrick Williams, SF/PF, Florida State

17. Boston Celtics (from Memphis): Kira Lewis Jr., PG, Alabama

18. Dallas Mavericks: Aleksej Pokusevski, PF, Olympiacos B

19. Milwaukee Bucks (from Indiana): Josh Green, SG, Arizona

20. Brooklyn Nets (from Philadelphia): Jaden McDaniels, SF, Washington

21. Denver Nuggets (from Houston): Precious Achiuwa, PF/C, Memphis

22. Philadelphia 76ers (from Oklahoma City): Theo Maledon, PG, ASVEL

23. Miami Heat: Nico Mannion, PG, Arizona

24. Utah Jazz: Jahmi’us Ramsey, SG, Texas Tech

25. Oklahoma City Thunder (from Denver): Tre Jones, PG, Duke

26. Boston Celtics: Isaiah Stewart, C, Washington

27. New York Knicks (from Los Angeles Clippers): Jalen Smith, PF/C, Maryland

28. Toronto Raptors: Paul Reed, PF, DePaul

29. Los Angeles Lakers: Tyrell Terry, PG, Stanford

30. Boston Celtics (from Milwaukee): Leandro Bolmaro, SF, Barcelona B

Biggest Boom-or-Bust 1st-Round Prospects

Precious Achiuwa, PF/C, Memphis

James Wiseman’s early departure from Memphis could be viewed as a positive and negative development for Achiuwa’s draft stock.

Without the projected top-three selection occupying the paint, Achiuwa thrived down low and averaged a double-double. The big man finished his only collegiate season with six double-doubles in eight games, including a 22-point, 22-rebound performance against Tulane.

The additional attention also brought forth his shooting flaws, as he went 59.9 percent from the free-throw line, 49.3 percent from the field and 32.5 beyond the arc. Since his shot requires more work than those of others, Achiuwa may be best suited to a championship contender that can be patient with a developmental prospect.

The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie projected Achiuwa to land at No. 17 with the Boston Celtics, while Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Wasserman predicted him at No. 19 to the Milwaukee Bucks.

The Memphis product may have a better chance to succeed with either Eastern Conference franchise because he will not be rushed to the court. However, if he does not improve his shooting accuracy, Achiuwa may not last long anywhere, even if franchises are willing to wait on him.

Josh Green, SG, Arizona

Green posted decent numbers in his lone season at Arizona, but there are concerns about how his shot will hold up in the NBA.

He averaged 12 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game while shooting 42.4 percent from the field and 36.1 percent from three-point range. While those numbers were promising, Wasserman noted Green produced at a lower rate on pull-up shots and off pick-and-roll plays:

“His NBA value will rise with his shooting and playmaking development. Green can make spot-up threes and nice passing reads, but he only shot 21.2 percent on pull-ups and graded in the 16th percentile as a pick-and-roll ball-handler.“

Vecenie broke down Green’s shooting even further by voicing concerns with his release:

“He has an exaggerated elbow bend that he’ll need to fix to get a consistent release. That’s why he was so inconsistent from one game to another. The good news is that he hit 78 percent of his free throws, so if he can iron the mechanics out, he does have the requisite touch. But until that happens, I worry about what you do with him in the halfcourt on offense.“

The mechanics and his limited success in certain offensive situations led to some inconsistencies throughout Pac-12 play.

Green went through a six-game stretch from January 12 to February 1 in which he reached double figures on one occasion, shot 18-for-58 from the field and hit two three-point shots.

He only had two runs with 10 or more points in four games or longer, and both of them occurred before conference play escalated.

The good news for Green is he performed well against Gonzaga and Oregon, and his shooting skills can be fixed because he is a young prospect.

Just like Achiuwa, Green could benefit more from learning under established players on contending teams, which makes the Brooklyn Nets and Philadelphia 76ers among the more intriguing landing spots.

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90. Statistics obtained from ESPN.com.