2022 NBA Draft Grades
Now that the Draft has occurred and I have figured out what prospects are going where (which always takes a bit longer), I can now give my grades. I grade each team’s entire draft rather than by pick because I don’t believe it makes sense to look at each pick isolated when those can play a role in what is done with future picks.
I have three important notes with how I grade these decisions. First, I do not penalize teams for decisions
that were out of their control (for example, I will not criticize the Kings for
not drafting a player selected in the top 3; while that may sound silly, a
surprising number of people will do that).
Second, I do not grade decisions on moves that did not occur because I
don’t know if a deal was on the table (for example, I won’t consider the fact
that the Hawks didn’t trade John Collins because I don’t know what returns were
available, though some initial reporting I heard was a bit pessimistic). Third, I do not grade a decision based on where
I thought a prospect should be drafted. Many
do this and will criticize teams because they selected a guy that they could
have gotten a few picks later, but I think that is irrational unless we know
with certainty who each team is picking prior to the draft (something I do not
do). As such, all grades are determined
based on value of each move and how I think the decision fits with this team.
Atlanta Hawks
Selected:
· AJ Griffin (16)
· Tyrese Martin (51)
Received in Trades:
· $2M
Gave Up in Trades:
· 44th pick (Ryan Rollins)
I really liked Atlanta’s draft. Griffin was one of my favorite players in the
draft and a guy who I think would be a no-brainer top-6 pick if healthy who
slipped to 16. He’s one of the best
shooters in this draft class and has a lot of upside. If he gets hurt or isn’t ready, the Hawks currently
have the depth to afford to not require his presence, so this feels like a
low-risk, high-reward pick, the best kind of selections. While I didn’t have him drafted, Martin is a
fair choice because he had a breakout shooting season from deep and has some
scoring upside; I expect he will either be on a 2-Way deal or signed to the
G-League for this year. Getting him at
51 and $2 million is not a bad return for the 44th pick. Grade:
A+
Boston Celtics
Selected:
· JD Davison (53)
I expected Boston to either select a draft-and-stash player
or an older player who was willing to either play in G-League for a year or
sign a 2-Way deal. Ultimately, they went
a different route and went with Davison, a former 5-star and top-10 recruit
prior to his freshman year who slipped mightily after a rough season at
Alabama. He is raw, but he is a skilled
athlete who is an awesome finisher and has potential as a shooter (I think
there is the possibility he can develop a 3).
At this point in the draft, they aren’t going to select anyone who is
likely to contribute next season, so they might as well select a guy who is
athletic and has a high upside to sign to a 2-Way deal. Best case scenario is that they get a minor
contributor down the road, worst case scenario is that they get a guy who they
waive, which isn’t any worse than selecting a draft-and-stash prospect who is
unlikely to play in the NBA. Grade: A-
Brooklyn Nets
The Nets made no moves leading up to or during the Draft. Grade:
N/A
Charlotte Hornets
Selected:
· Mark Williams (15)
· Bryce McGowens (40)
Received in Trades:
· Protected 2023 1st round pick
· 2 2023 2nd round picks
· 2024 2nd round pick
Gave Up in Trades:
· 13th pick (Jalen Duren)
· 45th pick (Josh Minott)
Going into the draft, it was expected that Charlotte wanted
to get rid of one of their two picks and once Duren and Williams were still on
the board at 13 with Cleveland not at all expected to take a big, it made sense
for them to give up the 13th pick if they either didn’t care who
they acquired or preferred Williams (I think the latter might have been the
case). While the future 1st
is protected, they were also able to net 4 2nd rounders, which
overall is a solid return for the 13th pick. The Hornets have been looking for a big for
the future for a few years and now they have Williams with the 15th
pick, a young athletic big who projects to be a rim runner and paint protector
with some playmaking ability, which should make him fit with the team and, in
particular, LaMelo Ball. They traded the
45th pick and a future 2nd to select McGowens at 40, who
is raw in many aspects but is an aggressive scorer, has a nice handle, and has
potential to be a good shooter. I think
the Hornets largely did what they hoped and got some more back, so it was
successful. Grade: A
Chicago Bulls
Selected:
· Dalen Terry (18)
The Bulls had a pretty straight forward draft and didn’t
make any trades, but selected Terry, a guy who was rising on boards and wasn’t
a surprising pick. Terry is a wing who
has nice size, plays hard, seems to be beloved by everyone, and is has a high
basketball IQ. He also has some
potential as a playmaker and shooter, though he often seems hesitant about his
shot. I wonder if Chicago would be able
to help him with his confidence shooting because he is an efficient scorer, but
they wouldn’t need him to be a top scorer immediately and really need depth off
the bench to do just what his strengths are.
Grade: B+
Cleveland Cavaliers
Selected:
· Ochai Agbaji (14)
· Khalifa Diop (39)
· Isaiah Mobley (49)
· Luke Travers (56)
Gave Up in Trades:
· Draft rights to Sasha Veznekov (57th pick in 2017)
The Cavaliers ended up selecting 4 draft picks, something
that is a bit uncommon (albeit 2 were draft-and-stash players). Their 1st rounder was used to
select Agbaji, a superstar in college who seems perfectly primed to shoot and
defend at a high level in the NBA, making him the perfect supporting wing
player. Considering the lack of depth
the Cavs had at wing last year, he will be valuable, especially considering how
NBA-ready he is already. They used the
39th pick to select Diop in a draft-and-stash option, a player who
is incredibly raw but really athletic and has potential as a shot blocker and
finisher. They gave up the draft rights
to Sasha Veznekov (which isn’t a big deal for them) to select Mobley, who has
had success as a big around the perimeter (though isn’t a good free throw
shooter, so I’m not sure how cleanly it will translate) and is the brother of
now teammate Evan Mobley. At worst, Isaiah
is worth a shot as a 2-Way player. With
their last pick, they selected a surprising one in Travers, a draft-and-stash
guy from Australia who is incredibly raw but has shown glimpses of finishing
and occasional shooting potential. Grade: B
Dallas Mavericks
Selected:
· Jaden Hardy (37)
Received in Trades:
· Christian Wood
Gave Up in Trades:
· 26th pick (Wendell Moore)
· Marquese Chriss
· Trey Burke
· Sterling Brown
· Boban Marjanovic
· 2 Future 2nd round picks
The biggest move by the Mavericks came in a trade where they
gave up the 26th pick, Chriss, Burke, Brown, and Marjanovic to get
Wood. Wood is a skilled big who can
finish and shoot, which on paper makes him a nice fit next to Doncic. There are many questions about him, including
off-court behavior issues, what he can be on a winning team, and if he can be
more consistent (he often will float in and out during games). That said, they really didn’t give up much in
order to get him so that limits the amount of risk on this decision. We’ll have to see how it winds up panning out
since I can see this going really well or really poorly. They ended up trading back into the draft by giving
up 2 2nd rounders to get Hardy, someone invited to the Green Room
who fell a bit. He is raw and not a good
shooter but he is an awesome athlete with nice measurements and is an aggressive
scorer so I would like to see what he does for them off the bench. Grade:
B
Denver Nuggets
Selected:
· Christian Braun (21)
· Peyton Watson (30)
· Ismael Kamagate (46)
Received in Trades:
· 2 Future 2nd round picks
Gave Up in Trades:
· JaMychal Green
· 2027 1st round pick
· 2024 2nd round pick
Denver initially only had the 21st pick, which
they used to draft Braun. Braun is a solid
off-ball player on offense who is a great athlete with nice defensive chops
too. I think he will be a solid off-ball
wing who will be ready to contribute soon into his career. He’s likely not going to be a star, but
Denver needs depth more. They made a
trade prior to the draft where they gave up JaMychal Green and a future 1st
and 2nd in exchange for the 30th pick and 2 future 2nd
rounders. Watson was used with the 30th
pick and he is a solid athlete who was a top-10 prospect out of high school but
is incredibly raw in all aspects of the game.
He is a developmental project, but he might be worth it with a pick that
late in the draft. They later gave up a future
2nd rounder to draft Kamagate with the 46th pick, a
draft-and-stash big who has potential to be a skilled big man on both ends of
the court. Draft: B
Detroit Pistons
Selected:
· Jaden Ivey (5)
· Jalen Duren (13)
Received in Trades:
· Kemba Walker
· 2025 2nd round pick
· 2026 2nd round pick
Gave Up in Trades:
· Jerami Grant
· 46th pick (Ismael Kamagate)
The Pistons were busy leading up to the draft, as they ended
their season with the 5th and 46th picks with aspirations
to get 2 players in the lottery. Prior
to the draft, they traded Grant for the Bucks 2025 1st round pick, 2
future 2nd rounders (one in 2025 and one in 2026), and a pick swap
for this year to exchange the 46th pick with the 36th
pick. While it is natural to wonder if
that was the best return for a guy who averaged 20.9 PPG and shot 35.3% from deep
in 2 seasons with Detroit, I consider Grant to be best suited as the 4th
best option offensively on a contending team, so clearing the cap space and
getting multiple picks for the 4th choice is a bit of a steal
(especially since he isn’t part of their long-term plans). During the draft, Ivey fell into their laps,
which was awesome for them because they were trying to acquire him. Ivey is an aggressive score-first guard who
can operate both on and off the ball while also being able to shoot and showing
some defensive chops. I think he will
fit well alongside their current ball handler in Cade Cunningham and will allow
Cunningham to operate off the ball some as well. They gave up the 1st rounder they
got from Portland to take on Walker’s salary and acquire Duren, the other lottery
pick they were hoping for. Duren has
incredible potential as a shot blocker, defender, and finisher due to his size
and athleticism; while he’s raw, they have Isaiah Jackson who is ready to take
on more of that load early on. As for
Walker, I expect they will buy out his contract, but that will still give them
the cap room to chase after a bigger free agent this offseason. As for the 2nd rounder, I guess it
depends which draft-and-stash guy you prefer; I like Kamagate, but Procido has
potential as a 3-and-D guy in the future with some playmaking chops as
well. Getting the 2 players you want
without giving up much? That seems like the
perfect draft. Grade: A+
Golden State Warriors
Selected:
· Patrick Baldwin Jr. (28)
· Ryan Rollins (44)
· Gui Santos (55)
Gave Up in Trades:
· 51st pick (Tyrese Martin)
· $2M
There were a few options that the Warriors could take with
this draft, though I expected they would opt for an NBA-ready prospect who
could provide some minutes immediately.
Ultimately, some players I expected they’d consider weren’t available
anymore (such as Jake LaRavia and Christian Braun) and they took a chance on
Baldwin, who had a rough year at Milwaukee after being a top-5 recruit. While he struggled all-around and isn’t the
best athlete, there is hope: he is a
good rebounder, has nice fundamentals all around, and has potential as a
shooter considering his smooth stroke and free throw ability. While I’m not the biggest fan of Baldwin’s
game and floor, Golden State has the depth (especially since I expect Jonathan
Kuminga and Moses Moody will take a leap) and the development acumen to make it
worth the risk. They flipped their first
second round pick and some cash to acquire the 44th pick and
selected Rollins, who I like more than Martin honestly. He’s a good all-around player and solid
athlete who has potential as a shooter, making him a nice option as a 2-Way
player. As for Santos, it wouldn’t
surprise me if he doesn’t come to the NBA anytime soon (or ever), but he has
potential as a shooter and playmaker, which would make him fit if he came. Grade:
B
Houston Rockets
Selected:
· Jabari Smith Jr. (3)
· Tari Eason (17)
· TyTy Washington (29)
Received in Trades:
· Marquese Chriss
· Sterling Brown
· Trey Burke
· Boban Marjanovic
· Future 2nd round picks (for 26th pick)
Gave Up in Trades:
· Christian Wood
Prior to the Draft, the Rockets traded Wood to the Mavericks
in exchange for a 2nd round pick, Chriss, Brown, Burke, and
Marjanovic. While Wood averaged 19.1 PPG
and 38.4% from deep with a 57.5 eFG% in 2 seasons in Houston (desirable numbers
for a big), he has yet to show he can do anything and has had some behavioral
issues in the past, making it a bit of a miracle that he netted a 1st
rounder. As for the others, Marjonavic,
Brown, and Burke could all wind up getting waived or not doing much (though Brown
can shoot and Burke has some offensive brilliance on-ball at times), though I
could see Chriss helping them at times, especially as a backup
defensively. Once the draft started, their
pretty clear favorite pick of Paolo Banchero suddenly became the top pick,
leaving them with Smith, who is incidentally my favorite player in this
draft. He is one of the top shooters in
this draft and a talented defender, as well as a beloved teammate and young
man, something that would help a team with a young apparent star in Jalen Green
and a team that likely has a headache from dealing with behavioral issues in
the past couple seasons. I thought the
pick of Eason is a good one because he has upside as a finisher, shooter, and
defender, though he is raw and reckless, something Houston can be patient about. They ended up flipping the 26th
pick for the 29th pick and some other 2nd rounders and
took Washington, a player they were targeting and were able to acquire while
gaining more assets. He is a bit raw but
has potential as a shooter and playmaker, allowing them to have another point
guard option in the event that they decide Kevin Porter Jr. is not someone they
are interested in investing any more in due to off-court issues. This draft might allow them to take a step
forward. Grade: A
Indiana Pacers
Selected:
· Bennedict Mathurin (6)
· Andrew Nembhard (31)
· Kendall Brown (48)
Received in Trades:
· Cash
Gave Up in Trades:
· 58th pick (Hugo Besson)
· 2026 2nd round pick
· Cash
Indiana used the 6th pick to select Mathurin,
someone who was incredibly popular among teams and has had success in college
with efficiency both on and off the ball, something that Indiana can absolutely
benefit from. I don’t expect him to be
much of a defender initially or playmaker ever, but acquiring a ball handler
was not an essential need since they have Tyrese Haliburton, so they can utilize
him off the ball. He’s a guy who can fit
into any offense so Indiana would benefit from selecting him. They got another ball handler in Nembhard, a
guy who can operate and succeed both on and off the ball as a combo guard. He is a smart player and showed he could
operate in a fast-paced system as well.
They traded a future 2nd and cash for the 48th
pick who was Brown, a guy who is raw but an awesome athlete with potential as a
finisher, defender, and playmaker. I had
him going in the first round, so I thought this pick was a bit of a steal given
the potential. They wound up trading the
58th pick for cash, which is about all they’d get for that
anyways. I’d say it was a solid draft
for them. Grade: A-
Los Angeles Clippers
Selected:
· Moussa Diabate (43)
The Clippers selected a surprising pick in my opinion in Diabate;
while I wasn’t surprised to see him drafted (though I didn’t have him going in
my mock draft), I can’t say I expected him to go to the Clippers. He is incredibly raw and I don’t expect will
be much of a shooter or playmaker, but he is strong and athletic with potential
as a finisher and defender. That said, he
is undisciplined on defense and needs a lot of reps, but there is hope
there. Ultimately, they took a chance on
a former highly touted recruit coming off a rough freshman year, so maybe it
will be worth a shot to try him on a 2-Way deal. Grade:
B-
Los Angeles Lakers
Selected:
· Max Christie (35)
Gave Up in Trades:
· 2028 2nd round pick
· Cash
The Lakers originally didn’t have a draft pick but traded a
future 2nd in order to get the 35th pick, which they used
on Christie. I find this to be an
unusual pick because he is so raw and struggled during his freshman year. That said, he is a good athlete and has shooting
potential along with a nice stroke, so there is upside for him to be a nice
complementary piece, especially if the shot comes sooner. Still, I was surprised that the Lakers, who
likely traded into this draft to add a spot for cheaper than the veteran’s
minimum, opted to draft a guy who seems so raw.
It might work out for them, but I’m not sold in the short term. Grade:
C+
Miami Heat
Selected:
· Nikola Jovic (27)
Miami had a quieter draft than I expected and still wound up
with Jovic, a player who could have gone a few picks earlier. Jovic is raw and isn’t the best defender, but
there is a lot of potential due to his versatility and stroke. He has a nice shooting stroke and while the
shot is inconsistent right now, there is hope that with the right reps and
around the right teammates he can improve.
He also has shown potential as a playmaker as well, which is something
that could really help expand his offense.
He hasn’t proven to be a great defender, but I think it’s a possibility that
he could due to his size. Isn’t the type
of hard-nosed player I would expect to fit in Miami, but the upside is nice for
pick 27. Grade: A-
Memphis Grizzlies
Selected:
· Jake LaRavia (19)
· David Roddy (23)
· Kennedy Chandler (38)
· Vince Williams Jr. (47)
Received in Trades:
· Danny Green
· Future 2nd round pick
Gave Up in Trades:
· 22nd pick (Walker Kessler)
· 29th pick (TyTy Washington)
· De’Anthony Melton
· 2024 2nd round pick
· Cash
Memphis might have been the busiest team during the Draft, though
I was a tad confused by the selections. It
was expected that they would trade the 22nd and/or 29th
picks, so I wasn’t that surprised to see them trade up to 19. I also wasn’t too surprised by LaRavia being drafted
(I expected him to be a late 1st) and I think the fit will work
since he is a good shooter, playmaker, and has a really high basketball IQ, all
of which will allow him to operate successfully off (and on at times) the
ball. They traded Melton (I figured
there was a chance since they have multiple guards) to get Green (who I expect
will be waived) and the 23rd pick, which they chose Roddy with. I am not a fan of Roddy because while he is a
skilled player who can shoot from deep, his free throw shooting wasn’t good
(usually a better indicator of initial shooting success) and he isn’t in the
best shape for an NBA player. While I
normally am not as worried about the latter due to teams working on this to no
end with players, there is a big difference between playing at a different
school than Colorado State, something I think will be a difficult jump for a
couple years. Honestly, I would rather
have Melton for more money at that point because he’s a rotation guy you can
definitively count on whereas I’m not sure that will be the case with
Roddy. I liked giving up not much to get
Chandler, someone I thought should have been a 1st round pick due to
his athleticism, playmaking, and IQ on both ends; I hope he gets a standard
contract rather than a 2-Way deal, but I could see it go either way. As for Williams, I didn’t have him being
drafted but I think it’s a fair pick since he has solid size and is an awesome
shooter, making him a nice 2-Way guy. I’m
a bit puzzled by some moves, but I was critical of their draft last season and
I now get it. Grade: C
Milwaukee Bucks
Selected:
· MarJon Beauchamp (24)
· Hugo Besson (58)
Gave Up in Trades:
· Cash
Milwaukee entered with 1 pick, the 24th pick, and
drafted Beauchamp with it. He plays hard
on both ends and looks like a good defender already since he’s an excellent
athlete. He isn’t a good shooter or
passer yet (I think the passing is more likely to come), but he’s an excellent
finisher with a nice handle and seems to be someone who wants to improve his
game while playing at a high energy. I
think he could provide some value off the bench for Milwaukee just causing
havoc and should earn minutes with his defensive intensity. They traded into the 2nd round by
acquiring the 58th pick, which was used on Besson, a draft-and-stash
player who I think could be a decent combo guard with potential as a playmaker and
shooter. It ultimately felt like a
couple of low risk moves that could pay off.
Grade: B+
Minnesota Timberwolves
Selected:
· Walker Kessler (22)
· Wendell Moore (26)
· Josh Minott (45)
· Matteo Spagnola (50)
Received in Trades:
· 2023 2nd round pick
· 2026 2nd round pick
· Cash
Gave Up in Trades:
· 19th pick (Jake LaRavia)
· 40th pick (Bryce McGowens)
· 48th pick (Kendall Brown)
· 2025 2nd round pick
· 2027 2nd round pick
· Future 2nd round pick
Minnesota was incredibly busy on draft night making moves with
picks. Their first move occurred when
they exchanged the 19th pick and a future 2nd for the 22nd
and 29th picks. The 22nd
pick was used on Kessler, who was one of the best paint defenders in college,
but I have concerns about his fit in the NBA.
The Timberwolves wanted to improve rim protection, which he will do, but
I’m not sure how he’ll handle switches, especially since dropping might only
work so much. Additionally, I don’t know
what he’ll be offensively since he hasn’t shown any glimpses of shooting
potential. That said, it was known that
they were eyeing him so it’s impressive that they were able to get more by
moving down to get the guy they still wanted.
As for the 29th pick, they turned that and a couple future 2nd
rounders into the 26th pick and Moore, who is an all-around skilled offensive
player with potential to be a versatile defender, making him a quality role
player. They then turned the 40th
pick into a future 2nd and the 45th pick, which was used
for Minott, a very raw but big wing who has a potential as a finisher; I expect
him to be signed to a 2-Way deal and get a lot of time developing in
G-League. They got another 2nd
for the 48th pick, which wasn’t surprising that they traded since
there are only so many roster spots to fill.
Finally, they selected a draft-and-stash guy in Spagnola at 50, a shooting
guard who looks like he will be a talented shooter. Maybe I’m just not seeing it but I don’t love
the fit of Kessler, though I think the others are solid choices. Grade:
B-
New Orleans Pelicans
Selected:
· Dyson Daniels (8)
· E.J. Liddell (41)
· Karlo Matkovic (52)
I didn’t feel like New Orleans entered the Draft with any
specific weaknesses they needed to improve on (maybe point guard), but I
believe they still improved their team substantially. Daniels had impressive measurements and
looked more athletic than I thought he was prior to the Combine. He is an awesome ball handler and is
extremely smart on both ends; while he isn’t a good shooter, he is smart enough
off the ball to overcome that issue and make him an impactful player. While I doubt he will be an All-Star, I expect
he will be a serviceable player throughout his career. With the 41st pick, they got a guy
I expected to go in the first round and projected going 19th in
Liddell. While I’m not sure why he fell
and if there are any red flags for that (I don’t know of any), they get a guy
who was a star in college but should be a supporting cast shooter and defensive
forward in the same kind of mold as Grant Williams. Matkovic is a draft-and-stash player who is
raw but has potential in the paint on both ends and has some potential as a
shooter. Overall, I liked their
draft. Grade: A+
New York Knicks
Selected:
· Trevor Keels (42)
Received in Trades:
· 2 Protected 2023 1st round picks
· 2025 1st round pick
Gave Up in Trades:
· 11th pick (Ousmane Dieng)
· 3 2023 2nd round picks
I get why a lot of people have criticized this draft for the
Knicks and I understand the idea of basically using the 11th pick to
dump Kemba Walker is a bit underwhelming, but I get the idea. They likely didn’t love anybody at that
selection and want to clear some cap space for free agency. By trading the pick they did, they are able
to save a few million and coupled with Walker could potentially save around $15M
in cap space. They acquired multiple
future 1st round picks, though a couple protected ones might not
even convey in the first round at any point.
On top of that, if Tibs is coaching, how much would a rookie (especially
one picked at 11) actually play? Do I love
this idea? No, but it is possible they know
something regarding free agency that I don’t.
As for the 42nd pick, Keels is a strong physical combo guard who
can do damage in the paint; I think he might be able to contribute in some
ways. Ultimately, their grade will be
better determined after free agency. Grade: C+
Oklahoma City Thunder
Selected:
· Chet Holmgren (2)
· Ousmane Dieng (11)
· Jalen Williams (12)
· Jaylin Williams (34)
Received in Trades:
· JaMychal Green
· 2027 1st round pick
Gave Up in Trades:
· 30th pick (Peyton Watson)
· 2 Future 2nd round picks
· 3 2023 Protected 1st round picks
Oklahoma City selecting Holmgren was the least surprising
thing in the draft though it makes a lot of sense for their team. They have several potential contributors in
their future, led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Josh Giddey, and Lu Dort, but
they don’t have many long-term bigs.
Holmgren is an incredibly skilled player on both ends, as he can shoot,
handle, pass, and block well. He is really
skinny, which makes me wonder how elements of his shot blocking will translate
in the NBA, but he is a talented player who as one of the highest ceilings in
this draft who is a good offensive player at worst. They traded to get a third lottery pick in
Dieng, who is a big ball handler with amazing athleticism who looks like he
could be an exceptional player in the future, but he is incredibly raw and will
need a lot of time. That said, OKC should
have the patience to allow for that. As
for giving up 3 1st rounders to get him, all are protected and I don’t
expect all of them to convey as 1st rounders, so it’s not a bad
trade by any means if you’re high on Dieng.
With the 12th pick the selected Jalen Williams, a wing with
nice athleticism and size who I suspect will be a quality 3-and-D guy with some
ball handling chops, someone who can help the Thunder transition to winning in
the near future. While some were puzzled
by the trade they made to get Green, trading the 30th pick is kind
of like trading a 2nd rounder so by that logic effectively they gave
up 3 2nd rounders to get a future first to add to their stash and
Green with the hopes of getting future assets later. Finally, since Jalen Williams wasn’t enough,
they added Jaylin Williams, an aggressive, hard-nosed player who looks like he
will be a good defender and solid role player.
Grade: A-
Orlando Magic
Selected:
· Paolo Banchero (1)
· Caleb Houstan (32)
Received in Trades:
· 2028 2nd round pick
· Cash
Gave Up in Trades:
· 35th pick (Max Christie)
Orlando pulled of a rare move by fooling everybody with who
would be selected with the top pick and taking Banchero despite telegraphing it
would be Jabari Smith. I wonder if they
figured that Houston might trade up if they didn’t reveal who they were
drafting, but I’m not sure regarding the logic or value of this. That said, they got Banchero, a potential superstar
who I expect will be ready to score a lot immediately coming into the NBA. I question what his defense will be, but Orlando
has multiple guys who can defend so he has time to learn how to defend. While some are worried about his tendency to
favor midrange shots over 3’s, I’m not worried because Jayson Tatum was the
same kind of way and ultimately got more confident. With their next pick, they selected Houstan,
who is a good shooter and while he isn’t that great otherwise, was a top-10
recruit prior to his freshman year, so there’s potential. As for their other pick, I don’t mind the
Magic trading their other second, but a return of a future 2nd and cash
is a low return for a pick in the 30’s. Grade: B+
Philadelphia 76ers
Received in Trades:
· De’Anthony Melton
Gave Up in Trades:
· 23rd pick (David Roddy)
· Danny Green
It was sounding like the 76ers would look into trades to
acquire an NBA ready talent and they ultimately gave up the 23rd
pick to get Melton. Melton is an awesome
defensive combo guard who is also a good shooter. He will be an awesome complementary piece
alongside the team and will play at a high energy level, something they could really
benefit from. Green is injured and
likely won’t play this year, so an injured player and the 23rd pick
is not a steep price to pay for a contributor who would help out much more
while on a reasonable contract. Grade: A+
Phoenix Suns
The Suns made no moves leading up to or during the Draft. Grade:
N/A
Portland Trail Blazers
Selected:
· Shaedon Sharpe (7)
· Jabari Walker (57)
Received in Trades:
· Jerami Grant
· 2024 2nd round pick
Gave Up in Trades:
· 36th pick (Gabriele Procida)
· 2025 1st round pick
· 2025 2nd round pick
· 2026 2nd round pick
The Trail Blazers had a notable time leading up to the draft
for 2 reasons: their trade prior to the draft
and their selection. Prior to the draft,
they acquired Grant, someone they had been reportedly trying to acquire for
over a year, in exchange for a future 1st rounder, 2 future 2nd
rounders, and swapping their 2nd round picks this year. While this is a solid return for what they
gave up, I think Grant is a bit overrated by a lot of people now. While he put up high scoring numbers in
Detroit, they didn’t win much and he had games where he was coasting on offense
and a non-factor. While he won’t be the
top player for Portland (that would be Damian Lillard), I still don’t think he
is the best 2nd option. They
might have another plan in store, but I don’t see them going past the 2nd
round of the playoffs with that lineup. That
said, I do like how Grant fits with the team if they get another great
player. As for the 7th pick,
they had several options to select that I would review positively, and Sharpe
is one of them. While he is incredibly
raw and a bit of a mystery, Portland has many young players who look like they
could be good (I like Nasir Little and Anfernee Simons) and Sharpe would have
time to develop and showcase why he was the top high school player in 2023
before reclassifying. He has a lot of
upside so I think it is a solid pick even if he doesn’t pan out. They gave up the 46th pick they
acquired in the Grant trade for a future 2nd, something that really
wouldn’t impact my grade when it’s a draft-and-stash player anyways. They selected Walker 57th, who is
a good shooter and solid defender, though I think with his athleticism will
likely be best suited on a 2-Way contract or a G-League deal where he will be
able to get more playing time and be successful. Overall, I think the grade will change after
the offseason, but I think they made an awesome draft pick and a trade that doesn’t
feel like a final move. Grade: B-
Sacramento Kings
Selected:
· Keegan Murray (4)
Received in Trades:
· 2024 2nd round pick
· 2026 2nd round pick
· Draft rights to Sasha Veznekov (57th pick in 2017)
Gave Up in Trades:
· 37th pick (Jaden Hardy)
· 49th pick (Isaiah Mobley)
The first thing I would like to start out with is the most
popular discussion point regarding Sacramento drafting Murray 4th
and not selecting or trading Jaden Ivey.
First off, I will not criticize the Kings for not trading for the 5th
pick where they could have gotten him because I do not know if there was even a
deal on the table for that. Most
importantly, I do not consider this a bad pick because Murray is a talented
player and I figured would go top-5 anyways.
He doesn’t have the upside that Ivey has, but he has a much higher floor
and is a skilled all-around player who can defend, shoot, finish strong, cut
off the ball, pass some, and always seems to make the right plays. While there is the debate that Sacramento
should not have been looking for fit over talent considering how bad they have
been, I still think Murray has All-Star potential so it’s not like they chose a
guy who could have fallen out of the lottery or something like that. They ultimately traded the 37th
pick for 2 future picks; while I was curious to see what Hardy would have been
able to become with them, the 2 2nd rounders are standard for a pick
in the 30’s. They flipped the 49th
pick for the rights to a solid draft-and-stash player who I don’t expect will
come over soon but it’s not like they would get much out of the 49th
pick in immediate impact anyways in most situations. I think the hate towards Sacramento’s draft
is coming from misguided people online who think Ivey is already an All-NBA
player and never bothered scouting Murray; I for one think that they had a good
draft overall and don’t think the grade would trade much had they taken Ivey. Grade:
B+
San Antonio Spurs
Selected:
· Jeremy Sochan (9)
· Malaki Branham (20)
· Blake Wesley (25)
Received in Trades:
· 2024 2nd round pick
· Cash
Gave Up in Trades:
· 38th pick (Kennedy Chandler)
San Antonio had a busy night, entering the draft with 4
picks, 3 in the first round, and with several players that could work for
them. I like the selection of Sochan
since he is a versatile and aggressive defender who can guard multiple
positions and has glimpses of playmaking as well; while he is a bit raw, his
game reminds me a bit of how Ben Simmons plays.
I expected Branham to go a bit earlier and is a solid scorer, shooter
and defender who I think could wind up being a nice 3-and-D player with
development on both ends. They also got
Wesley, who is raw and a bit of a project but is a good athlete, great playmaker,
and competitive defender and is a player I could see having a shot of being a
good starting point guard. While I like
Chandler, ultimately it was unreasonable to expect the Spurs would add all 4
picks to the roster, so that’s not unreasonable to see him traded. Ultimately, I think they took 3 guys who aren’t
necessarily NBA starter ready but can have an impact early and could all be
good in the future. Grade: A-
Toronto Raptors
Selected:
· Christian Koloko (33)
Toronto had one pick and used the early second round pick to
draft Koloko, a guy that had his followers and made me wonder if he would be a first-round
pick. He is raw despite being older, but
he is skilled at both ends in the paint while having some shooting potential
(though he’s not there yet). On the surface
level taking a raw big is an interesting decision for them since they have
several decent bigs, but I think Toronto is a team that is looking to make a
trade this offseason, especially since they have several versatile wings/forwards
and an All-NBA guard; if they do, Koloko could be a solid backup who reminds me
a bit of Chris Boucher. Grade: B
Utah Jazz
The Jazz made no moves leading up to or during the Draft. Grade:
N/A
Washington Wizards
Selected:
· Johnny Davis (10)
· Yannick Nzosa (54)
While there were reports that the Wizards were shopping the 10th
pick, they ultimately selected it and chose the player who was least surprising
in Davis. Washington has been looking
for a point guard, and while I don’t think he is the playmaker needed to be a
lead guard, he is a good ball handler who rarely turns the ball over, making
him an appealing secondary handler.
While I have critiqued his lack of efficiency in college, I could see him
being more efficient alongside a more talented player in Bradley Beal (if he
remains with the team, which I expect).
Nzosa is going to be a raw draft-and-stash prospect, but he is athletic
and has a lot of potential on both ends in the paint. I don’t think this draft shifted the shape of
the team this season, but we’ll get a better idea of their outlook in free agency. Grade:
B-
What did you think about the Draft? Any moves you were surprised by? Let me know in the comments!
Comments
Post a Comment