2023 NBA Draft Grades
Now that the 2023 NBA Draft has passed, I have my grades for the draft. I grade each team based on all their picks since I don’t think it’s fair to grade picks independent of each other. Any move that did not involve draft picks will not be included in the grades (for instance, the Bradley Beal trade will not be included in this post). In an interesting twist, there weren’t any teams that had a day which I strongly disliked, as every team had at least one reasonable selection. As a note, I don't typically penalize a team for not drafting a player that I'm higher on (for instance, I didn't penalize teams for passing on Cam Whitmore) since I figure they have more information about them than I do, especially regarding medical records.
Atlanta Hawks
Drafted
· Kobe Bufkin (15)
· Mouhamed Gueye (39)
· Seth Lundy (46)
Gave Up
· 2027 2nd Round Pick
I think the best way of describing how Atlanta’s draft went
was that it depends on how you feel about their team and what they
acquired. I think Bufkin is a nice guard
who can be a quality all-around player, but there’s one big issue: he’s behind two All-Star guards in the depth
chart. I think that we can’t grade this
fully yet since it depends on future moves a bit. If Trae Young is traded, I love it. If Dejounte Murray is traded, I’d rather keep
Murray. If nobody is moved, I don’t get
it. They traded a distant future to get
the 39th pick, which they used to select Gueye. While I’m not the biggest fan of him, 39th
is reasonable, especially when they only had to give up 1 future 2nd. He’s raw, but he has some potential as a big. As for Lundy, there are people who are
obsessed with him, but I think he’s fine.
He’s a good shooter and has nice size, though I don’t see him being a
major NBA role player unless I’m missing something about him. Overall, a mixed bag; while I like Bufkin, I
don’t like him here. Grade: C
Boston Celtics
Drafted
· Jordan Walsh (38)
Acquired
· Kristaps Porzingis
· 2024 1st Round Pick (GSW, top-4 protected)
· 2024 2nd round pick (SAC)
· 2025 2nd round pick (best of DET/GSW/WAS)
· 2026 2nd round pick (best of MIN/NOP/NYK/POR)
· 2027 2nd round pick (ATL)
Gave Up
· Marcus Smart
· Danilo Gallinari
· Mike Muscala
· Julian Phillips (35)
Boston had quite an interesting draft and possibly the
busiest; it took me a significant amount of time during the draft to figure out
who they actually selected. They came
into the draft with the 35th pick but ended up moving up 10 spots in
the trade that netted them Porzingis. I
will confess that I am not a Porzingis fan at this point; I believe that he is
better on paper than he is in actuality, especially if he’s dealing with
injuries. It stings to give up Smart,
but I think Derrick White is honestly a better player at this point on both
ends of the court. While they lose a
leader in the locker room, I’m genuinely wouldn’t be shocked if there was a
timeline on his impact. The Golden State
pick was a nice bonus though; even if it’s a later pick, it’s nice to have it
down the road. With the 25th
pick, they ended up doing a series of interesting moves: they flipped the 25th pick in exchange
for the 31st pick and 2 future 2nd rounders, the 31st
pick for picks 34 and 39, pick 34 for pick 38 and a 2nd round pick, and
pick 39 in exchange for a 2027 2nd round pick. They selected Walsh with the 38th
pick, and I think there’s a case to be made that he is the right player for the
Celtics (there’s a case to be made that Colby Jones at 34 is, and I personally
love James Nnaji at 31). Walsh is
insanely competitive and an elite defender who is versatile already; I could also
see him developing into a decent offensive player as well. I would have considered taking him with a
first round pick, so the fact that they turned him into a situation where they
could also get 4 second round picks is nice as well; that said, I’m not a
massive fan of the Porzingis trade. Grade: B
Brooklyn Nets
Drafted
· Noah Clowney (21)
· Dariq Whitehead (22)
· Jalen Wilson (51)
I think Brooklyn took a couple swings in this draft and I
really like it. With the 21st
pick, they took Clowney, who is a bit raw and young, though I really like him
considering his effort, willingness to do dirty work, competitiveness, and
upside on both ends, especially defensively.
With Whitehead, Brooklyn got a guy who was a highly touted prospect who
was limited due to injuries in college yet became a sharpshooter as a
result. At worst, Whitehead is an elite
sharpshooter with nice size; at best, he becomes more like the on-ball star
that he demonstrated he could be in high school. I honestly don’t feel like this pick has the
downside that many are making it out to be given how good of a shooter
Whitehead is. I am really high on Wilson
even though he fell in the draft due to an underwhelming combine performance
and thought he should have been a first rounder. I think he can be a versatile forward who is
so smart and knows his role on both ends; while I expect he will be signed to a
two-way contract, he has the potential to be on a full contract within a
year. Grade: A+
Chicago Bulls
Drafted
· Julian Phillips (35)
Gave Up
· 2026 2nd round pick
· 2027 2nd round pick
Chicago originally had no picks, but then they traded to get
the 35th pick by giving up 2 future 2nd rounders. That is a totally reasonable trade amount to
give up since the 35th pick is so early in the second round. As for the player they suggested, Phillips is
a very interesting selection to say the least.
He was highly recruited in his class out of high school, but struggled
with inefficiency and shot selection during his freshman year at
Tennessee. It’s worth noting that his free
throw percent his high and that his inefficiency is likely more due to his shot
selection, but I’m a little nervous about if he’ll achieve his upside since he
never had a period with consistent success of more than a game or two. That said, I still think it’s a fair pick from
an upside play, but this adds a wrinkle into what the plan is in Chicago, since
I don’t believe that they have an answer for that either. Grade:
C+
Charlotte Hornets
Drafted
· Brandon Miller (2)
· Nick Smith Jr. (27)
· James Nnaji (31)
· Amari Bailey (41)
Gave Up
· Colby Jones (34)
· Mouhamed Gueye (39)
It was expected that Charlotte would be busy on draft night
whether they kept all 5 of their picks or moved some, but the major focus would
be on what they would do with the second pick.
They selected Miller, which wasn’t too surprising and is justifiable since
he is one of the top players in the draft given his ability on both ends of the
court. One of the obvious questions is whether
bringing him in given his potential role in providing a gun in a shooting at
Alabama, especially given rumors that they could bring back Miles Bridges, who
just missed a year due to a domestic violence situation. While I didn’t have an official big board, he
would be number 4 if I had one, but I think 2-4 are all arguable at 2. Ultimately though, I think a big contributor to
the reason they chose him over Scoot Henderson, who was reportedly also considered,
was due fit, which is not something that should be considered when a team is as
bad as Charlotte was last year. With the
27th pick, they got Smith, which has the potential to be a massive
steal. Smith had top-5 potential
entering the season, but struggled due to an injury in college, which caused
him to slip. Even if the fit is clunky, I
think it is a good idea to take someone with such high upside at that point in
the draft after struggling as a team.
They traded picks 34 and 39 to move up to 31 where they took Nnaji, a raw
center with insane upside who I thought should have been a first round pick; I’m
not sure if he’ll play in the NBA this year, but he could make a team whenever
he does. Lastly, they took Bailey, who
is an interesting guard who played well in the second half of the season and
has some nice upside; I would expect he will sign a two-way deal, where he
could develop a little more before making the jump to the NBA. Grade:
B+
Cleveland Cavaliers
Drafted
· Emoni Bates (49)
Cleveland came in with one second round pick, and made an
interesting selection by drafting Bates.
A former top recruit who was highly touted in high school, he fell down
draft boards after struggling with efficiency and shot selection while playing
selfishly. While their greatest weakness
is at the wing, they realistically weren’t going to find anyone to fill this
role so late in the draft. My view of it
is that it’s worth a shot drafting Bates and signing him to a two-way deal with
the hopes that he will end up changing his game a bit (insert laughter to
express doubt here). Even though I don’t
see his game changing, I think it’s worth taking a risk on someone like him so
late in the draft. Grade: A-
Dallas Mavericks
Drafted
· Dereck Lively II (12)
· Olivier-Maxence Prosper (24)
Acquired
· Richaun Holmes
Gave Up
· Cason Wallace (10)
· Davis Bertans
· TBA (trade with Sacramento hasn’t been finalized yet)
Dallas was expected to have a busy night, and while they
didn’t trade for a well-known veteran player, I think they made some
interesting moves that make sense. They
ended up moving down in the draft to get the 12th pick instead of
selecting the 10th pick, which I thought was really smart since they
were able to get off Bertans contract (which was pretty bad at this point) and
get the player who they wanted anyways in Lively. While he’s still raw and didn’t put up good
numbers in college, he had an amazing second half of the season and
demonstrated just how dominant of a defender and rim protector he could be
while also having some offensive upside.
I’m not sure if he’ll be ready this year, but I think he can contribute
some later in the year. They then acquired
the 24th pick in the draft and got Holmes in the trade; while it’s not
sure what they’re giving up yet since the trade hasn’t been finalized, Holmes
could provide some minutes at center that they need and will fit with the
lineup better than he did in Sacramento, though I’m surprised they took him
back after he fell out of the rotation in Sacramento and isn’t a great defender. They selected Prosper, who is a skilled
player and great athlete who should be able to be a clear help
defensively. While the jumper isn’t
consistent yet, I think he could be solid at it, especially alongside a playmaker
like Luka Doncic. Ultimately, they helped
out depth and targeted a couple needs, which should help Dallas out at least a
little to start. Grade: A-
Denver Nuggets
Drafted
· Julian Strawther (29)
· Jalen Pickett (32)
· Hunter Tyson (37)
Acquired
· 2024 2nd round pick (IND)
Gave Up
· Maxwell Lewis (40)
· 2029 1st round pick
Denver entered the draft with the 40th pick, but
made it clear that their goal was to improve their depth since they’ll likely
lose some players in free agency. They first
traded for the 37th pick, an Oklahoma City 1st for 2024,
and a 2024 2nd rounder in exchange for a 2029 1st; while
that’s a risky move since it’s so far out, ultimately Denver’s focus is on
winning another championship. They then
turned the 40th pick and the 1st rounder from OKC into
the 29th and 32nd picks in the draft, allowing them to
select 3 NBA ready prospects. I think
Strawther is an interesting fit considering his size and shooting ability;
while I don’t think he has the athletic ability that Christian Braun has, I
think that the size, shooting, and IQ all make me think of this pick a
bit. Pickett has a smooth jumper, nice
handle, great size, and is a smart passer, which make me think that he can play
at either guard position, which will be a nice option of the bench. Hunter Tyson is a great shooter and nice
rebounder who should provide some help as a stretch-4 who can hit key
shots. While there’s a case to be made that
they selected each of these guys earlier they were projected to go and that
they are each reaches, Denver has their core and just needs to fill their depth
with guys who know their role and can compete; I think they did just that. Grade:
A-
Detroit Pistons
Drafted
· Ausar Thompson (5)
· Marcus Sasser (25)
Gave Up
· James Nnaji (31)
· 2 Future 2nd round picks
· 2025 2nd round pick (best of DET/GSW/WAS)
· 2026 2nd round pick (best of MIN/NOP/NYK/POR)
Ironically, I’m not a massive fan of the players Detroit
drafted, but I don’t hate their draft. I
personally believe Thompson is most likely to be a bust in this draft due to
his poor finishing and shooting abilities (for a real shocking one, if I had an
official big board, I’m not sure he would be in the top-16 on mine), but he
still has awesome upside as a defender, athlete, and playmaking; I think
Detroit could take a risk on that, especially since there were no elite
sharpshooters that made sense with the 5th pick. I personally don’t get the Sasser one as much,
but part of that is because I don’t think I see what others do. While there is a natural comparison to be
made with Jalen Brunson, I think that Sasser isn’t a good enough point guard to
be the 1 while being too small to be a starting 2. I guess getting an older backup guard isn’t
the worst thing to get with the 25th pick, but I doubt I would have
taken Sasser with a top-40 pick personally.
I personally am higher on Nnaji, but Detroit already has a boatload of
bigs, so he might not be able to reach his ceiling there. Grade:
C+
Golden State Warriors
Drafted
· Brandin Podziemski (19)
· Trayce Jackson-Davis (57)
Gave Up
· Cash
I consider Golden State’s draft to be interesting. Podziemski is a solid pick who will likely be
nice as a complimentary bench piece for Golden State and should be able to contribute
pretty soon on the offensive end. It is
also worth noting that he is incredibly competitive and can do a lot of things
well, which should help him get playing time.
Late in the draft, they acquired Jackson-Davis for cash, which is a nice
pickup for a team who could afford it.
While I’m not as high on Jackson-Davis as some people are (I heard many
people proclaiming him to be a 1st round talent, something I
disagreed with and would’ve opted more towards the 40’s), he is a skilled
player who provides a lot of value at this point of the draft. He is probably going to be a 2-way player
given how late he was drafted, but I could see his experience, skill
(especially offensive footwork), and effort providing Golden State a win at
some point this season. Grade: B+
Houston Rockets
Drafted
· Amen Thompson (4)
· Cam Whitmore (20)
I understand if certain individuals are not as high on this
draft depending on how they feel about these two players. I personally am high on both players, so I
love their draft. I’m very high on
Thompson; if I had a big board for the draft, he would be second only behind
Victor Wembanyama due to his size, athleticism, playmaking ability (especially
in transition), defensive potential, work ethic, and upside. While raw, I believe that there is a spot for
him in Houston given their need for a point guard (even if they sign one in
free agency, I think he could adjust to playing alongside one due to his IQ). Whitmore’s fall shocked everyone; I had him
going 5th and I had him as the 5th best player in this
class. While I heard that Houston was
considering Whitmore with the 4th pick at times is wild that they
still got him at 20th. He's
an amazing athlete who can contribute quickly due to his size and athletic
ability, though he is not a good decision-maker with his shot or
playmaking. That said, amazing draft to
get the players I had 2nd best and 5th best with the 4th
and 20th picks. Grade: A+
Indiana Pacers
Drafted
· Jarace Walker (8)
· Ben Sheppard (26)
· Mojave King (47)
· Isaiah Wong (55)
Acquired
· 2024 1st round pick (OKC)
· 2028 2nd round pick (PHO)
· 2028 2nd round pick (WAS)
· Cash
Gave Up
· Bilal Coulibaly (7)
· Julian Strawther (29)
· Jalen Pickett (32)
Indiana was one of the most active teams leading up to the draft
and still wound up with 4 picks. They had
the 7th pick, but traded down to the 8th pick to still
get their guy while getting some additional assets. I am high on Walker (he would be 6th
on my draft board, though 5-7 are extremely close) and love the fit in this
roster, as he can be a versatile defender alongside Myles Turner who can also pair
with Tyrese Haliburton as a screener and additional playmaker. He is also competitive and aggressive, which
makes him a perfect key piece in the roster even with a lower shooting
potential. Sheppard is an interesting
selection coming from Belmont, a school not considered a notable basketball
school. He’s a nice athlete and shot
well in college, though I question how he will shoot in the NBA with a low free
throw percent. They had the 29th
and 32nd picks, which they moved for the 40th pick and a
future first, which is a move that I like to condense picks a bit. They then traded down the 40th
pick to get the 47th pick and some cash, which isn’t shocking to get
that result back. I think King is an
interesting selection; while raw, he’s a nice athlete, has a solid handle, and
has upside as a shooter. Lastly, they
selected Wong, who is a steady scorer on offense with a solid handle; while I
think he’ll struggle as a defender, I really like him as a 2-way player. I like their draft overall, though I’m not
sold on Sheppard, which keeps me from giving a higher grade. Grade:
A-
Los Angeles Clippers
Drafted
· Kobe Brown (30)
· Jordan Miller (48)
The Clippers made two selections in this draft, with one
being a bit surprising and the other not.
I understand liking Brown and wanting him on the team due to his experience,
playmaking, aggressiveness, physicality, and dedication. While I could see him struggling from 3
early, I also see him being a good shooter.
I’m not sure how much more he will be other than a high energy backup
center who is undersized for the Clippers.
Further, what is he going to be on this current roster? My fear is that the Clippers won’t utilize
him much and he will turn into what I projected Mo Wagner would be (which is
what he kind of is). As for Miller, I
think he is a solid 2-way player who should be solid at a lot of thing while
having a nice feel for the game; that’s not the worst thing to get on a two-way
contract. Grade: C+
Los Angeles Lakers
Drafted
· Jalen Hood-Schifino (17)
· Maxwell Lewis (40)
Gave Up
· Mojave King (47)
· Cash
The Lakers draft was interesting, to say the least. With their first-round pick, they
Hood-Schifino, a move that I considered to be a surprise. While I love his upside as a big point guard,
he is incredibly raw, something that could limit his contributions to a Lakers
team in the next few years. While I’m
not opposed to the mindset of developing young players while competing, there
has to be a realization that the young players won’t develop if they can’t find
minutes on the competitive team. They
moved up from 47 to 40 to acquire Lewis, something that I don’t blame them for
doing since they didn’t have to give up a lot.
Lewis fits well with this team since he is a player who should provide
some minutes off the bench on both ends (especially off ball, though he can
operate on the ball as well). I think
that move was a better decision than their first rounder. Grade:
B-
Memphis Grizzlies
Drafted
· G. G. Jackson (45)
· Tarik Biberovic (56)
Acquired
· Marcus Smart
Gave Up
· Tyus Jones
· Marcus Sasser (25)
· 2024 1st round pick (GSW)
Memphis originally had the 25th pick, but then
something big happen: the initial Kristaps
Porzingis trade fell apart, which allowed them to sneak in and get Smart. I’ve heard him described by multiple people as
what Dillon Brooks thought he was, which is justifiable on the offensive
end. While I think Brooks might be a bit
better defensively, Smart is a better passer and overall better offensive
player than Brooks, which gives them an upgrade who is versatile defensively
who can also fill in for Ja Morant during his suspension. The Golden State pick could be interesting,
but I think the bigger loss is Tyus Jones, who is a steady point guard that has
been one of the best backup guards in the game for a few years now. Jackson fell for a few reasons, most notably
immaturity and shot selection, though I had him as a top-16 player in this
draft due to his size, handle, athleticism, and scoring ability. I think the upside is massive, though he
definitely is a project. With Biberovic,
I didn’t think he’d be drafted by any means, but I think he’s worth taking a
chance on as a draft-and-stash player who can play. Overall I thought they made some good
moves. Grade: A
Miami Heat
Drafted
· Jaime Jaquez Jr. (18)
There has been a ton of talk about how this was an amazing Miami
pick and culture talk, especially since Jaquez idolizes Jimmy Butler. That said, I think it’s a solid pick. I’ve been high on Jaquez for a few years due
to his skill level, IQ, effort, and feel for the game, which is something that I
think will make him fit. I’m not sure
about the immediate translation of his defense or jumper, but if nothing else
he can provide some size that will help at the forward spots. I don’t think he will be a star, but I think
he could be a solid contributor in the league.
Grade: B+
Milwaukee Bucks
Drafted
· Andre Jackson (36)
· Chris Livingston (58)
Gave Up
· 2030 2nd round pick
· Cash
While they originally only had the final pick of the draft,
Milwaukee ended up trading for the 36th pick by giving up just a
future first and cash. In Jackson, they
get a guy who isn’t a good shooter or scorer, but is an elite defender and
passer who makes the right winning plays.
I think he will fit with Milwaukee defensively while also a high IQ on
both ends. Even though he isn’t a good
shooter, I think the fit is amazing.
With the final pick, they selected Livingston, a previously highly
touted recruit who struggled in his lone season in college. While I’ve never discussed this in any publication,
but I personally think the best way to utilize picks in the late 50’s is to
either select a skilled draft-and-stash guy or to use it on a young athletic
player with high upside on a 2-way deal.
Grade; A-
Minnesota Timberwolves
Drafted
· Leonard Miller (33)
· Jaylen Clark (53)
Gave Up
· 2026 2nd round pick (UTA)
· 2028 2nd round pick (MIN)
Minnesota was in a difficult situation in this draft with
only the 53rd pick entering the draft, but they made a trade for a
polarizing player that I personally love.
While raw, I love Miller’s upside as a wing with rebounding and
playmaking ability; despite his struggles shooting and defending, I think he
can play off the bench immediately. I personally
believe giving up 2 2nd rounders is not an unreasonable price to
acquire him. As for Clark, he’s a nice
defender and solid player; I’m not sure if he’s going to be a major contributor,
but he’s the type of guy that is valuable to have on a 2-way deal given his
defensive fundamentals. His IQ alone gives
him a bit more of a chance than most picks in the 50’s to carve a role. Grade:
A
New Orleans Pelicans
Drafted
· Jordan Hawkins (14)
While New Orleans’ best help for next year would be health,
they still figured they could use 3-point depth, which is addressed by Hawkins,
who I consider to be the best shooter in the draft. That said, I think his game is a bit more
limited than a lot of people make it out to be; while he is an awesome shooter
off movement, he isn’t that good on defense (though he plays hard) or on the
ball. I question just what Hawkins will
be able to do as an NBA player if he is heavily contested or if his shot isn’t falling. While I think he can have success and can
help the team, I don’t believe this was the best use of the pick, especially if
one of their stars is injured (which isn’t uncommon) and needs someone to fill in,
though that might have been difficult to pull off at that point in the
draft. Grade: C+
New York Knicks
New York made no moves during the Draft. Grade:
N/A
Oklahoma City Thunder
Drafted
· Cason Wallace (10)
Acquired
· Davis Bertans
· 2029 1st round pick (Denver)
Gave Up
· Dereck Lively II (12)
· Hunter Tyson (37)
· 2024 1st round pick
· 2024 2nd round pick
Oklahoma City has an obscene number of picks in their
arsenal and not many roster spots remaining, so it was expected that they would
move some or partake in trades to move up.
What was expected was for them to trade out of the 37th pick,
where they used a few of their picks to take a chance on Denver not being good
in 2029 and getting their pick. If
nothing else, the pick could be valuable as the odds of Denver’s core remaining
together by that time get slimmer. What wasn’t
expected was for them to trade up to the 10th pick by agreeing to a
salary dump where they acquired Bertans.
Bertans is owed $33M over the next two years, which is a lot for a
player who largely fell out of Dallas’ rotation last season. That said, OKC had the cap room and were able
to move up 2 spots to get Wallace. I’m
really high on Wallace (I would have had him as the 8th best player
in this draft) as he has amazing defensive instincts and appears to have
offensive upside that he didn’t get to showcase at Kentucky. While many have discussed the fact that Kentucky
guards (and many other top recruits at the school) do better in the NBA than they
did in college, I think that he’s likely to perform better in the NBA due to
the fact that defense-first guards don’t usually get to showcase their entire skillset. While OKC already has several guards, two of
their better guards in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Josh Giddey are big enough
that I think Wallace could play alongside the duo for a 3-guard lineup at
points. If nothing else, he’ll provide
intensity, defense, and some nice offense off the bench. Grade:
A-
Orlando Magic
Drafted
· Anthony Black (6)
· Jett Howard (11)
Acquired
· 2030 2nd round pick (MIL)
· Cash
Gave Up
· Andre Jackson (36)
Orlando had a very interesting trade where they went from
having a pick I loved to making multiple moves I didn’t. I’m a massive fan of Black; while I have him
as the 7th best player in the draft, 5-7 are extremely close, so I
find 6 reasonable. I think having big
playmakers is the best thing to build around, so I think Black is an amazing
choice, especially since I consider him to be the best point guard in the half
court in this draft. While there’s questions
about his fit due to his lack of a shot, I’m not sure if Markelle Fultz is
going to be the long-term option at point guard; even if he is, I think having multiple
point guards playing together is a good idea, especially Fultz and Black, who don’t
demand the ball on every play. With the
11th pick, the selected Howard; while I’m not in love with the pick,
I get it, given that he’s a bigger shooter.
I think this is a bit high for Howard even though I like Howard’s
potential, but he gives Orlando an extra shooter. They moved the 36th pick for a
future pick and cash; that’s not the worst deal, but I think this draft is a
stronger one, and the players drafted in the 30’s would be 1st-rounders
in most other drafts. Grade: B-
Philadelphia 76ers
Philadelphia made no moves during the Draft. Grade:
N/A
Phoenix Suns
Drafted
· Toumani Camara (52)
Phoenix only had 1 pick and used it to select Camara, who is
a great defender and has an NBA body. I
don’t see him playing a lot on the ball, which might be tougher since his free
throw percentage was not high, but I like him as a 2-way option, especially as
he adjusts to the next level of competition.
They were likely getting a 2-way player with this pick, so I think this
pick is fair. Grade: B
Portland Trail Blazers
Drafted
· Scoot Henderson (3)
· Kris Murray (23)
· Rayan Rupert (43)
There was a lot of speculation about what Portland should do
and if they should have taken any trade.
I don’t think it’s necessarily true that they have to trade Damian
Lillard now with the pick, but ultimately, I think the best thing was to draft the
best player available; if there isn’t a slam dunk trade available and Lillard hasn’t
formerly requested a trade, you make the selection. While I was higher on Amen Thompson this
draft, I would have gone with Henderson here since his floor is much higher
than Thompson’s is. They got an
explosive scorer who is also a willing passer, an amazing athlete, and has
defensive upside (though it might take a couple years to realize that). With their next pick, they got Murray, who I
think could be a solid 3-and-D player for them.
He’s not as good as his brother by any means (something that was often
implied that I didn’t do a good enough job at emphasizing in my mock drafts),
but he can provide some minutes quickly.
With Rupert, they got a guy I thought should have been drafted in the
first round even as he was falling on boards.
I think he can contribute early as a defensive player, though he was in
a limited role offensively last year and struggled with his jumper. That said, I think there’s potential there on
the offensive end, especially as a playmaker.
Ultimately, I think they made some good selections here, even if there
are questions after. Grade: A
Sacramento Kings
Drafted
· Colby Jones (34)
· Jalen Slawson (54)
Acquired
· TBA (trade with Dallas hasn’t been finalized yet)
Gave Up
· Olivier-Maxence Prosper (24)
· Richaun Holmes
· 2024 2nd round pick
After an impressive regular season that resulted in them ending
their playoffs drought, Sacramento wound up trading their draft pick, which
wasn’t the worst move since they’re deep and were able to use that to dump
Holmes, who had fallen out of their rotation.
The trade hasn’t been finalized yet so it’s uncertain what they got in
return for it, though I don’t expect them to get back much. They traded up to get Jones 34th,
which I think is fine. I’ll confess that
I’m not the biggest fan of him due to his lack of success from the line and the
fact that I don’t think he’s an elite athlete, but he is a smart player who
looks like he could be a good playmaker.
On the other hand, I am pretty high on Slawson and love this pick. He probably isn’t going to be a key rotation
piece, but he is a great athlete who can finish and shoot well. I think he’s the type of off-ball player who
could fit well with this team in small doses.
Grade: B
San Antonio Spurs
Drafted
· Victor Wembanyama (1)
· Sidy Cissoko (44)
Acquired
· 2026 2nd round pick (UTA)
· 2028 2nd round pick (MIN)
Gave Up
· Leonard Miller (33)
Let me start by saying that they could have drafted me with one
of their picks and I would have praised their draft since they got
Wembanyama. I don’t think he’s as much
of a lock as many are making him out to be, but I think Wembanyama has an
insane ceiling due to his potential as a shooter, ball handler, passer, and
defender at 7’4. There are of course
concerns, but San Antonio is in the right position to develop him over the next
few years. I don’t love them trading
Miller for 2 2nd rounders, especially since I thought Miller was a
top-15 player in this draft, but he was polarizing, and there are only roster
spots to give. I thought Cissoko was a
nice selection; while he is a bit raw, he has nice upside on both ends of the
court that even provided potential for him to end up in the first round. I know that I could have stopped by just
saying Wembanyama’s name, but I like them getting Cissoko as well. Grade:
A+
Toronto Raptors
Drafted
· Gradey Dick (13)
Toronto’s night was over by the end of the lottery where
they selected Dick, who had quite the draft (don’t mention the suit, don’t
mention the suit…okay, are we sure that wasn’t Machine Gun Kelly subbing in for
him?). While there have been several
suggestions about what their greatest weaknesses were this season, I think
Toronto’s two biggest ones were depth and shooting, both of which Dick can
provide. He’s one of the best shooters
in this class (definitely the best stand-still shooter) and has nice size as
well. He has his weaknesses, but I think
that there is upside for him to be average on defense and as a passer. My lone question is who they are using as a
playmaker, since Dick really needs a good playmaker in order to be at his best
since he can’t create looks for himself.
If they know something that I don’t, then this grade could improve after
free agency. Grade: B
Utah Jazz
Drafted
· Taylor Hendricks (9)
· Keyontae George (16)
· Brice Sensabaugh (28)
Utah entered the draft with 3 picks and ended up not trading
any of them, instead selecting an interesting player at each slot. Hendricks was a massive riser in the draft
process; while I’m not as high on him as many (I would have him outside my
top-10 prospects), I think that he is a guy who will fit nicely as a versatile
defender who can stretch the floor as well.
I’m most concerned about his upside since he is poor with the ball in
his hands, but he can still be a valuable player. While George is a polarizing player, I am
really high on him; he would actually be a top-10 player on my board, which is
a bit higher than consensus, to say the least.
He reminds me a lot of Cam Thomas, who I was high on when he was
drafted, because his free throw percentage is so high that I think the shot is
legit. I think that he was largely
hampered by injuries, so being healthy and improved shot selection could make
him a massive steal. As for Sensabaugh,
I’m not a huge fan of him due to his poor defense and lack of athleticism, but
he is such a skilled scorer that he could find a role. He can shoot from anywhere and is such a great
scorer that he can at minimum find a role off the bench. Overall I think it was a good draft for them
that could pan out into something amazing.
Grade: A-
Washington Wizards
Drafted
· Bilal Coulibaly (7)
Acquired
· Tyus Jones
· Danilo Gallinari
· Mike Muscala
· 2026 2nd round pick (CHI)
· 2027 2nd round pick (CHI)
· Cash
Gave Up
· Kristaps Porzingis
· Jarace Walker (8)
· Julian Phillips (35)
· Trayce Jackson-Davis (57)
· 2028 2nd round pick
· 2028 2nd round pick (PHO)
Since I’m only grading the moves involving draft picks for
this year, I will not be including the Bradley Beal trade (which I thought they
won, though it was a puzzling trade for both sides). Prior to the draft, Washington traded Porzingis
for an odd return that made it feel like a salary dump. They got back Tyus Jones, Danilo Gallinari,
Mike Muscala, and moved back from the 25th pick to the 35th
pick. I will say that I absolutely love
Jones and think he’s good enough to be a starting point guard on a competitive
team, but I’m shocked that Porzingis having a career year and moving back 10
spots netted Jones and not an additional pick (with all due respect to Gallinari
and Muscala, they were only in the trade for salary purposes). After Coulibaly was drafted 7th,
they really wanted to select him 8th, so they traded two future 2nd
rounders (including one they got from Phoenix in the Bradley Beal); I honestly
am fine with that amount to give up to move up the one spot. While selecting him here might be considered
a bit high (I would have him 9th in this class and I am a bit higher
than many on him), the upside is so high with his size, athleticism, defensive
potential, finishing ability, and shooting potential. Washington is clearly rebuilding, and I think
seeing what Coulibaly can be makes so much sense in this situation. They traded the 35th pick for 2
future seconds (a fair and normal return for an early 2nd rounder)
and traded the 57th pick for cash (a standard return for a late 2nd
rounder); while both players selected there would be interesting with Washington,
it’s not something I’m bothered by at all.
Grade: B-
What did you think of the draft? Any surprises? Let me know in the comments!
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