There’s great value in San Antonio Spurs 2020 2nd round draft pick
By Ethan Farina
San Antonio Spurs can strike gold with their 2020 2nd round pick
More often than not, 2nd round picks in the NBA don’t among to too much. For every Manu Ginobili, a team unearths they may pass through dozens of other young men who simply don’t have what it takes to carve out a meaningful role in the league. Thankfully, the San Antonio Spurs have a solid record of developing talent and are no strangers to finding value in the later parts of the draft.
A lot of attention has been paid to the Spurs’ first-round pick in this year’s draft. Given that it’s going to be the Spurs’ highest selection since they took Tim Duncan over 20 years ago the hype is understandable. But make no mistake, the San Antonio Spurs are set up to find a gem with their second-round pick.
The 2020 draft class has been criticized for being short on top-tier talent. A fair assessment, outside of Anthony Edwards and LaMelo Ball there aren’t many sure things in the upper edges of the lottery. But what this class lacks in star talent it makes up for in its depth of potential role players.
The San Antonio Spurs have a great opportunity with their 2nd round pick
Right now the San Antonio Spurs are slotted to have the 41st pick in the 2020 NBA Draft. At that spot, there should be plenty of value for whichever position they decide to look at. Here are a few players who could be available that the Spurs should consider using their second-round pick on.
Cassius Winston
Winston is a proven leader, with a resume that can go with many of the best guards to come out of the Big Ten. In his him at Michigan State, he was named the Player of the Year in the Big Ten and was a member of the All-American and All-Big Ten teams in both 2019 and 2020.
He’s a career 43 percent 3-point shooter and is smooth and efficient in pick and roll situations. He is slightly undersized but San Antonio has made do with undersized guards in the past. Picking a guard shouldn’t be a priority for the Spurs in this draft but they wouldn’t be able to find a much safer option with a 2nd round pick.
Jordan Nwora
A 6’7 wing with a smooth shooting stroke, Jordan Nwora thrived in an expanded role in his sophomore and junior years and has the potential to be a solid wing off the bench for any team that takes him. He can score from every level and would fit right in on the wing next to Derrick White or Lonnie Walker.
Daniel Oturu
Daniel Oturu was one of the most productive players in the Big Ten but his game doesn’t exactly mesh with what most NBA teams are looking for out of a big man in today’s game. He’s a dominant low post scorer and has shown off a developing outside shot. He connected on 36.5 percent of his 3-point shots during his sophomore year at Minnesota and his smooth shooting stroke indicates that he could add some floor spacing ability to his offensive profile down the road.
No matter who they end up taking with their 2nd round pick, the San Antonio Spurs are lucky to have their best picks in a draft class that is deep with prospects with solid role player potential.