The 2020 NBA Draft goes down Wednesday, Nov. 18, which is just over a week away.
While a mid-November draft is something completely foreign to NBA fans, the hype and anticipation of a normal draft is slowly rising to a fever pitch.
As always, there's plenty of storylines to watch on draft night, here are a couple that I'm tracking ahead of next week's event.
What will the Golden State Warriors do?
The Golden State Warriors have the second overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft. NBA.com's draft experts Kyle Irving and Eric Fawcett have the Warriors selecting James Wiseman and Deni Avdija, respectively, in their latest mock drafts. And while it's intriguing to think about what young talent the Dubs can add to their title-contending roster (yes, I think this is a championship roster when healthy), I'm more interested in whether or not they'll make a move to get pieces that can help them win another ring right now.
Wiseman and Avdija would be great picks for any team, but both those players are going to need time to develop to reach their potential. The Warriors don't necessarily have time on their side with Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green all on the wrong side of 30. Their championship window is as open as it once was, so does the front office dangle the No. 2 pick in front of other teams who have vets to offer back?
I can't wait to find out.
MORE: Why the Warriors should view Deni Avdija as the next Andre Iguodala, not Darko Miličić
Where does LaMelo Ball get drafted?
Possibly the most polarizing player in the draft. Over the last couple of weeks, there have been reports of Ball sliding down team's boards, but there's also been reports of him potentially going No. 1 overall.
I've been less impressed with Ball's game and potential to be a star in the NBA. I think he can turn into a solid starter, but he's nowhere near the franchise changer that some have predicted he might become.
But it only takes one team to believe on draft night and there will be a team that's willing to draft Ball high and hope he develops into a cornerstone of their franchise. Will that team have to trade up to get him? Will he fall past the No. 5 pick? Will he fall out of the lottery completely? Or will he ultimately be selected first overall as many predicted he would some time ago?
Can the Toronto Raptors find another gem?
Toronto has had some success in the draft in recent memory. Being able to find guys like Pascal Siakam, OG Anunoby with picks in the 20s and an undrafted star like Fred VanVleet set the table for them to be champions in 2019.
Finding Terence Davis in the undrafted pile again last offseason showed that their scouting department has a knack for picking up unheralded gems.
MORE: What do the Raptors need to target in the draft?
The Raptors haven't had a first-round pick since 2017, let's see how they do in a year that wouldn't have made life easy for their scouts.
Will the Boston Celtics make a trade?
The Boston Celtics have three picks in the first round of the NBA Draft. They were so close to breaking through and getting to the NBA Finals once again. That's three times in four years that the C's were bounced in the Conference Finals.
Let's face it, there's not a player (or three) in Boston's favour that will help them get to the Finals and win a title. Especially where they're selecting in the draft (picks No. 14, 26, 30). So they have to be in the market for a trade, right?
The Gordon Hayward trade rumours are heating up and they've reportedly already been trying to package their three first-rounders to move up in the draft. To add to that, we know general manager Danny Ainge isn't afraid of pulling the trigger on a blockbuster deal. Boston is so close to breaking through, will draft night be the night they can do it?
Will a Canadian get selected?
Six Canadians were selected in the 2019 NBA Draft. That record will be safe in 2020 but the streak of Canadians picked in the draft might be in danger.
There's been a Canadian selected in each of the past 10 NBA drafts. Montreal Quebec's Karim Mane (Vanier College) is the most likely to be selected according to multiple scouts. Scarborough, Ontario's Isiaha Mike also has an outside shot at getting picked at the back end of the draft.
MORE: Get to know the Canadians in the 2020 NBA Draft
Canada has been spoiled over the last decade on draft night. It will be interesting to see if Mane, Mike or someone else can continue the draft streak.
Will the New Orleans Pelicans make a move?
Multiple reports have indicated that the New Orleans Pelicans are ready to deal Jrue Holiday. The Pels got their franchise star in Zion Williamson at last year's draft and shortly thereafter, they added Brandon Ingram to help to carry the team into the future.
Holiday will be a net-positive to any contending team that's ready to win now. The Pelicans can be a little bit more patient in their build towards a title, but on draft night they can potentially pull in a big haul for their former All-Star.
MORE: Which teams make the most sense for Jrue Holiday?
I expect the Pelicans to look to add a couple more young pieces to their stable by dangling Holiday as trade bait on draft night.
Will the Brooklyn Nets look to improve their roster?
Speaking of Jrue Holiday, if there's a team that could use the lockdown scoring guard and that has the pieces to make an intriguing offer it's the Brooklyn Nets.
Brooklyn holds the No. 19 pick in the draft, but they're not looking to add a rookie to the roster, they want impact players that can help them win now. Holiday fits that build in my opinion. Either way, I think the Nets will be shopping that pick for Holiday or someone else come draft night.
I'm intrigued by who it could be and also by what else they'll have to give up to get what they want in return.
The views on this page do not necessarily represent the views of the NBA or its clubs.
