The NBA's version of the "hot stove" is crackling.
The league saw a series of notable trades in the hours after a moratorium on such deals was lifted -- only days ahead of Wednesday's annual draft.
The event was set for the unprecedented November date, only a week before Thanksgiving, owing to the shift in the league calendar due to the coronavirus crisis.
The draft itself has long been billed as a middling one in terms of the overall talent available, but the unusual circumstances surrounding the event has fueled some intrigue as teams and players alike have had to conduct their pre-draft activities in new and unforeseen ways.
All of which is to say a draft that might have been a relative afterthought may have taken on new meaning, as the league and its teams find themselves in uncharted territory in more ways than one.
Already one team, the Houston Rockets, have signaled major roster changes are in the offing following the departures of GM Daryl Morey and coach Mike D'Antoni -- and one such move has already shaken up the draft.
The team on Monday shipped out Robert Covington to Portland -- in exchange for Trevor Ariza and the No. 16 pick on Wednesday -- and it appears the tenures of James Harden and Russell Westbrook in Houston are also coming to close.
Those moves could have major ripple effects on the league -- and that's just one team's doings.
Our mock accounts for the Houston-Portland deal, but any other potential swap of picks are almost impossible to predict, so for now we'll roll with the order as it stood as of Tuesday morning.
Selections were mostly made based on a loose consensus of mock draft boards, weighed along with big boards and media reports.
The big three: 1-3
1. Minnesota Timberwolves - Anthony Edwards, G, Georgia
2. Golden State Warriors - James Wiseman, C, Memphis
3. Charlotte Hornets - LaMelo Ball, G, Illawarra Hawks (National Basketball League)
The Wolves reportedly have zero interest in Wiseman, while Ball's fit on a team led by young veterans is questionable. Edwards is the most sensible pick by that thinking, but reports have long indicated the Wolves and Warriors are looking to trade out. The Hornets will presumably take whichever of these three players is available when it's their time to pick.
Second tier: 4-9
4. Chicago Bulls - Patrick Williams, F, Florida State
5. Cleveland Cavaliers - Obi Toppin, F, Dayton
6. Atlanta Hawks - Tyrese Haliburton, G, Iowa State
7. Detroit Pistons - Killian Hayes, G, Ulm (Basketball Bundesliga)
8. New York Knicks - Isaac Okoro, F, Auburn
9. Washington Wizards - Onyeka Okongwu, C, USC
Williams has soared up mock draft boards on reports that the Bulls are interested in the 19-year-old, the draft's youngest player. His physical gifts are apparent, and you come to appreciate some of the nuances in his offensive game the more you watch him.
The Cavaliers could keep Toppin in Ohio, giving their young backcourt a high-flying target for lobs. .. The Hawks are reportedly interested in Haliburton in their quest to find a playmaking complement to Trae Young. .. Hayes has made no secret of his wish to join the Pistons organization, to which he has reportedly developed some ties through 2019 Detroit draft pick Sekou Doumbouya.
Okoro isn't the splashiest pick, but he feels like an ideal fit for defensive-minded new Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau, as recent reports have noted. .. The Wizards, meanwhile, might have the value steal of the draft in Okongwu, who could go as high as No. 4 to the Bulls, according to some mocks.
Value picks: 10-14
10. Phoenix Suns - Aaron Nesmith, F, Vanderbilt
11. San Antonio Spurs - Deni Avdija, F, Maccabi Tel Aviv
12. Sacramento Kings - Devin Vassell, G, Florida State
13. New Orleans Pelicans - Tyrese Maxey, G, Kentucky
14. Boston Celtics - Kira Lewis, G, Alabama
The Suns are reportedly keen on Nesmith, who nailed over half his three-point attempts in 14 games last season. .. Avdija is unlikely to fall as far as No. 11 to the Spurs, though someone had to take the hit to account for Williams' surge. .. The Pelicans have shipped out Jrue Holiday and brought back a pair of veterans in return, in Eric Bledsoe and George Hill. They also reportedly worked out Maxey last week.
We had the Celtics taking Lewis in our mock last week, and we've stuck to it here. Some reports have suggested interest in packing some or all of their three first-round draft picks in case the right opportunity presents itself.
Late teens: 15-19
15. Orlando Magic - Cole Anthony, G, UNC
16. Houston Rockets - RJ Hampton, G,
17. Minnesota Timberwolves - Precious Achiuwa, F, Memphis
18. Dallas Mavericks - Jalen Smith, F, Maryland
19. Brooklyn Nets - Saddiq Bey, F, Villanova
In Hampton, the Rockets get a guard of the future amid their apparent fire sale. .. Achiuwa could offer the Wolves a strong defensive complement to Karl-Anthony Towns' stretch game. .. Smith quietly averaged a double-double with strong numbers in blocks and three-point shooting, an intriguing package for the Mavericks. .. Scouts say Bey's tough defense and perimeter shooting is relatively pro-ready, potentially making him a fit for Brooklyn.
No man's land: 20-24
20. Miami Heat - Tyrell Terry, G, Stanford
21. Philadelphia 76ers - Cassius Winston, G, Michigan State
22. Denver Nuggets - Aleksej Pokusevski, F, Olympiacos-B
23. Utah Jazz - Theo Maledon, G,
24. New Orleans Pelicans - Robert Woodard, F, Mississippi State
Terry is a wild card, with some projecting him in the late teens, and others well into the second round. The Heat hit pay dirt on smooth-shooting youngster Tyler Herro in last year's draft. .. Winston is probably a reach at No. 21, but the Sixers could use his polished game for depth at the point guard position.
Late first round: 25-30
25. Oklahoma City Thunder - Jaden McDaniels, F, Washington
26. Boston Celtics - Josh Green, G, Arizona
27. New York Knicks - Malachi Flynn, G, San Diego State
28. Oklahoma City Thunder - Leandro Bolmaro, F, Barcelona
29. Toronto Raptors - Desmond Bane, G, TCU
30. Boston Celtics - Cassius Stanley, F, Duke
The Celtics close out their first round with a pair of talented wing players in need of further development, in Green and Stanley. .. The Knicks snag a point guard in Flynn, but Bane could be a nice fit there as well.