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As Coach K described him, the gift from god, Zion Williamson set the tone for the evening with his emotional, heart felt reaction (and interview) to finally living out his childhood dream of hearing his name called first on draft night.

With the 2019 NBA Draft in the books, it’s time to take a look at which teams made the best and worst decisions on draft night.

NBADraft.net’s Mike Misek (East) and Jacob Stallard (West) break down the entire draft.

 

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Despite a bad workout in New York and the team not being entirely sold on RJ, they made the right decision in trusting everyone else’s view on RJ instead of their own, and holding onto the pick and selecting him. One of the main concerns about Barrett’s season at Duke was his tendency to play hero ball and forget the fact that he was playing with Zion Williamson. Initially, assuming the Knicks don’t strike it big in free agency, this concern is going to be mitigated by a lack of high end offensive talent around him. In that way, Barrett seems like a good bet to have a rookie season similar to Tyreke Evans’s rookie-of-the-year campaign. In the six games without Zion, Barrett averaged 26 PPG, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists. His ability to fill a stat line is not in question, and for a year, at least, he seems likely to be a high volume scorer. Long-term, however, his success will be determined by how his game and approach matures as the Knicks bring in more talent. Iggy Brazdeikas gives New York solid toughness. He lacks great speed and athleticism, but his determination and scoring ability should give him a shot to make the roster and play a few years at the NBA level. That is if he doesn’t leave the NBA to become a UFC fighter.

style="font-size: x-small; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; color: style="font-family: 'Comic Sans okc sea name="okc">Oklahoma City bgcolor="#ffffff"> style="font-size: x-small; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; color: rgb(0,0,0)">Draft Grade style="font-size: x-small; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; color: rgb(0,0,0)">Additions style="font-size: x-small; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; color: rgb(0,0,0)">Analysis bgcolor="#ffcc00"> style="font-size: x-small; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; color: /> size-full wp-image-83793 http://nbadraft.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/thunder_logo.gif /> bgcolor="#cccccc"> style="font-size: xx-large; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; color: rgb(0,0,0)">B- bgcolor="#cccccc">

23. [Player: Darius Bazley
2024 second round pick

Atlanta
Draft Grade
AdditionsAnalysis

A-

4. DeAndre Hunter
10. Cameron Reddish
34. Bruno Fernando

One of the major takeaways from Atlanta last season was that the two players most important to the rebuild, Trey Young and John Collins, were atrocious defenders. Beyond those two, rookie Kevin Huerter was bad on that end, and pretty much everyone not named Dewayne Dedmon was uninterested in guarding anyone. Pace is not a replacement for getting stops. Now, DeAndre Hunter alone will not fix that problem, but it is a big step in the right direction. Throughout the pre-draft process, Hunter has been widely pegged as a safe pick that lacks upside, but too often high floors are confused with a lack of upside. In reality, Hunter’s year-to-year improvement at Virginia is a good sign that he will grow further. After successfully acquiring Hunter while maintaining a second first rounder, the Hawks gambled on Cam Reddish. For months, it has been apparent that some team was going to bet on Reddish’s prep acclaim and physical make up so as to overlook a terrible shooting and decision making season at Duke. For all the apologists who think he had to sacrifice because of the presence of Zion and Barrett, it is worthwhile to note that in the six games where Zion was out, Reddish shot 35.5 percent from the floor and 27.5 from three while averaging 16.2 points on 15.5 shot attempts. He also upped his turnovers in that stretch to 3.5 per game. People can run circles around it, but he had an awful year. Sometimes that happens, but there has been no good example of a guy having that bad of a shooting season, immediately going to the draft off it, and finding success in the NBA. It might happen for Reddish, but it would be a first. The Hawks missed out on our top sleeper in Hachimura, who went a spot before Reddish, but landed our second favorite sleeper getting Bruno Fernando at 34 in a trade for peanuts. He has an almost ideal physical profile for a center prospect, and grew into a force in the paint during his sophomore season. The draft’s biggest mystery why he fell so far. Credit Hawks GM Travis Schlenk for another tremendous draft.
Boston
Draft Grade
AdditionsAnalysis
C+

14. Romeo Langford
22. Grant Williams
33. Carsen Edwards
51. Tremont Waters

This week has been quite the roller coaster for Boston. While draft night probably did not settle any nerves, it did aid in better positioning them for the summer. Dealing the 24th pick and Aron Baynes (to Phoenix) created more cap room, which will have the most immediate impact on the team. Romeo Langford entered his freshman season as a top 5 player in his high school class. His season was largely a disappointment, but the Celtics have done well in the draft in finding players that didn’t shoot up to their capabilities during the season (see Jayson Tatum). And there is reason to believe that a thumb injury may have had an impact on his efficiency. If he struggles, his inability to shoot from the perimeter might hinder his ability to impact games because the Celtics still have too much talent to allow him to dominate the ball. Grant Williams may have been a reach at 22. He is skilled, plays hard, competes on both ends, and has sufficient size and athleticism to possibly be a rotation guy, however the pick is likely too safe as Williams lacks upside. Edwards was a solid value where he went and has a chance to be a nice bench scorer for Boston. And the Celtics have done very well with undersized point guards taken late in the second round, so keep an eye on Waters.

Brooklyn
Draft Grade
AdditionsAnalysis
A-
31. Nicolas Claxton
2020 Philadelphia first rounder
Getting out of this year’s first round, and replacing it with a 2020 one is a huge win for the Nets. They were able to save a little extra room for their pursuit of elite free agents, essentially deferring a pick in the 20s until next year, and were still able to get Nicolas Claxton at #31 who has a ton of potential. We preferred Bruno and though he was the biggest steal, but we love Claxton as well. Georgia was a mess, which is why Claxton flew so far under the radar. No major program had less effective guard play, and the other big men on the team forced Claxton out to the wing as he was the most skilled. He still led the SEC in blocked shots, and showed the ability to get to the rim off the dribble. At the Combine, he came away with almost identical measurements as Jaxson Hayes, and is quite possibly just as athletic.
Charlotte
Draft Grade
AdditionsAnalysis

C+
12. PJ Washington
36. Cody Martin
52. Jalen McDaniels

On one hand, no outcome to the draft could clean up the Charlotte payroll, improve their chances of keeping Kemba Walker, or correct missteps from previous drafts. On the other hand, P.J. Washington is a solid player. Not every player who returns to school makes proper use of it, but Washington did. He improved his shot and got himself in better shape. As the college season hit its stride, Washington became a dominant force for the Wildcats, and with it a lottery pick. Cody Martin is long, versatile, athletic, and very productive at Nevada. He isn’t the scorer of his brother Caleb, but he actually has better form on his shot. As a 2nd round pick, he will have to adjust to having an impact on the game when having less of the ball. Jalen McDaniels has all the length and athleticism necessary to stick in the NBA and carve out a nice niche, but at the moment has far too little strength to guard anyone approaching a natural power forward and does not have the perimeter game of a small forward. Will he be afforded enough time on a roster to develop?

Chicago
Draft Grade
AdditionsAnalysis
A-

7. Coby White
38. Daniel Gafford

The first six picks played out in such a way that it would have been almost unimaginable for the Bulls to draft anyone but White. Following the season, Chicago’s front office stated that it was comfortable with four of their starters and needed more from the point guard spot. So tipping their hand apparently did not come back to bite them. Coby White was our fourth rated prospect and we prefer him to Garland because his hype was more tangible. He is a blur in transition, and his ability to shoot should allow him to play well off the ball alongside Zach LaVine, but this dynamic could also prove to be problematic. In as much as White fits positionally, the success of Bulls rebuild will depend greatly on the development of Lauri Markkanen and Wendell Carter as well as utilizing Otto Porter better than he was in Washington. Those three are skilled players, but need the guards to incorporate them in the offense. Last year, the Bulls were 26th in assists per made field goal. It will be worth watching to see if this can be done with this backcourt pairing. Daniel Gafford graded out as a first round talent for most of the year, but fell due to concerns about his ability to improve his skill set. He is very athletic for a four, but will need to show the desire to improve. Defensively, he can be impactful when off the ball defensively, but at the moment lacks the bulk to ideally handle full size NBA centers. He could be a steal at 38 if the Bulls can bring out his talent.
Cleveland
Draft Grade
AdditionsAnalysis

B-

8. Darius Garland
26. Dylan Windler
30. Kevin Porter Jr.

Going for Darius Garland comes with risk. It is hard to find much fault in what he did at Vanderbilt, but small sample sizes in four lightly game planned non-conference games
against mostly overmatched opponents are not ideal for sizing up lottery picks, and it is fair to question the seeming growing certainty of him as a prospect after he was no longer able to play. Regardless of that skepticism, it feels as though Cleveland declared its desire to make sure it is again the worst defense in the league, but will try to be more entertaining in the process. They are now heavily invested in two small, ball-dominant shoot-first guards. The supporting cast is largely shooters who need be set up by their teammates. On a team where the ball moved freely, this might be interesting, but it seems unlikely to be the case. It feels as though one of the guards will be moved one year from now.
Dallas
Draft Grade
AdditionsAnalysis

B-

45. Isaiah Roby
2 future second rounders

The Mavericks had a quiet night as they traded down from their only pick at 37 to get their guy in Isaiah Roby and also added a couple of assets for the future. Roby would not have been a giant reach to take at 37 but the Mavericks squeezed some additional value out of their original pick and landed a wing player who shows a lot of upside, particularly as a defender. He’s not going to be someone who can make a huge impact right away due to his limited offensive game but he has solid physical tools, can guard multiple positions, and may find a place as a defensive specialist off the bench. Adding two future second rounders improves their grade, however there were some decent prospects that were available at 37 that they may regret passing on (See Warriors picks). If you study past drafts, 40 is generally the Mendoza Line for when the talent drops off with 30-40 producing role players at a much higher rate than 40-60.

Denver
Draft Grade
AdditionsAnalysis

A-
44. Bol Bol

For the price of cash and and a future second rounder, the Nuggets moved into the festivities on draft night to take a guy projected to go in the mid-first round, hence the green room invite. Bol was once was seen as having the upside to be a top 5 player in this draft. Bol plummeted down draft boards because of injury and attitude concerns, lasting far longer than anyone else in the green room, ever. But the 7’3” kid with deep range, well-developed post moves, and only 19 years of age has tantalizing upside in the middle of the second round. Similar to Michael Porter Jr. last year, the Nuggets took a flyer on the super-talent with injury concerns. Regardless of the slide, Excellent swing for the fences pick, with limited risk, at this juncture. Perhaps falling to the mid second and being somewhat humiliated in the process will be the wake up call that Bol Bol needs. His spider-suit drip game was certainly on point and fit his look perfectly. Tim Burton is on line 2 with the movie pitch….The day that spiderboy fell to 44 in the NBA draft and decided to set the NBA on fire.

Detroit
Draft Grade
AdditionsAnalysis

C+

15. Sekou Doumbouya,
37. Deividas Sirvydis
57. Jordan Bone

The Pistons were in a position where gambling on an upside guy made sense. We just don’t believe Sekou Doumbouya was the right guy. Detroit won’t be able to move the needle with its roster and payroll where it is without some luck. His transition from the French second division to its top flight was not the smoothest. While praised as a stretch 4 candidate, his shooting from behind the arc and all around decision making did not really improve. His minutes have fluctuated, missed a month with an injury, and failed to make an impact in the playoffs. His best game was a 34 point breakout in what was essentially the French Anfernee Simons game at the end of the regular season against an already eliminated team that had not won a game in a month. With all that being said, he is still just 18 with great length and athleticism. The potential is there, so the rationale behind the pick – upside – is a good one. The form on his shot is not broken. He’s sort of a poor man’s Ben Simmons with his versatility. While his rebounding numbers are disappointing given his physical abilities, the moments where he gets one and then leads the break can lead one to imagine what could be. Focus will be the key. In trading up from #45 to #37 to draft sweet shooting Deividas Sirvydis, the Pistons are bullish on the prospects of another 18-year old, who averaged just 13-14 minutes per game in Lithuania. Jordan Bone gives the Pistons an athletic point guard who can fight for a roster spot in summer league and preseason.

Golden State
Draft Grade
AdditionsAnalysis


A-
28. Jordan Poole
39. Alen Smailagic
41. Eric Paschall

The Warriors missed out on their top target Dylan Windler, who they attempted to trade up to select at 26, but then was taken at 26 by Cleveland. But they connected on all of their other main targets. While our initial reaction to the Poole pick was that it was a reach, he may be just what the doctor ordered as a guy that can fill minutes at the 2 and spread the floor in the absence of Klay and KD. Poole has great range and shooting ability, but the biggest questions surround his defense, toughness, and maturity. Poole was rumored to be at the top of the Spurs board as well and may have gone 29th had the Warriors not selected him. The Warriors were back in the buying second round pick business, apparently the freeze out with other teams unwilling to sell picks to them ended after they lost in the Finals. They did very well adding two prospects that may ultimately prove to have first round value. The acquisition of the 39th pick from New Orleans to acquire Smailagic was made in order to jump in front of Vlade Divac and the Kings at 40, who had attempted to do the same to Golden State at 41. They are extremely familiar with him and those in the organization feel he has some Nikola Jokic type abilities. And the selection of Paschall was probably the best of the night for the Warriors as most expected him to go long before Poole OR Smailagic. The search for the next Draymond Green likely won’t ever come to fruition. But Paschall at least has some Draymond like qualities, (body type and versatility). So it’s interesting that the Warriors landed him at 41. Paschall will probably benefit considerably playing and practicing with Green. The bottom line is that all three guys can shoot, which is something the Warriors bench will need to shore up this offseason.

Houston
Draft Grade
AdditionsAnalysis

I

None

For the second year in a row the Rockets had no draft picks. They will have to hope to pull a rabbit out of the hat and find a gem among the undrafted players. Is there a marriage counselor available in free agency?
Indiana
Draft Grade
AdditionsAnalysis

B+

18. Goga Bitadze

It was an odd night for the Pacers. After paying Myles Turner and witnessing the growth of Domantas Sabonis, it seemed implausible that the Pacers would go with a slow, methodical center. They just were not going to allow Goga to fall to the Spurs. Bitazde is a promising player coming off a season in which he won the Euroleague Rising Star award while showcasing a nice post game and promising shot. He may struggle to get an opportunity early on, but his style actually fits the team well. Trading for T.J. Warren gives them a ready-made replacement for Tyreke Evans as a scorer off We are a firm believer in ALWAYS drafting best talent available and drafting for need only in a pinch, like the Warriors are currently in. So credit the Pacers for not allowing a glut of frontcourt talent from altering their draft strategy.

LA Clippers
Draft Grade
AdditionsAnalysis

A-

27. Mfiondu Kabengele
48. Terence Mann

The Clippers’ primary add was the big man out of Florida St. in Kabengele who possesses the ability to stretch the floor, something most of the Clipper bigs lack. But to get this pick, the Clippers sacrificed a 2020 first rounder which will presumably be a higher pick in a deeper draft, and the 56th pick, perhaps too steep of a price to pay for a guy with knee concerns who was not even assured to go in the first round. But every Clippers move these days has gold dust on it with Jerry West on board. On the positive side, they get great value as a player that legitimately impacted games and could have gone much higher if not for medical concerns. They also get him on a cheap rookie contract as a late first rounder. At 48, they picked up Terence Mann, a well-rounded wing who could soon be an impact player off the bench.

LA Lakers
Draft Grade
AdditionsAnalysis

C-
46. Talen Horton-Tucker

The Lakers jumped into the dance party by giving up a future second rounder and cash and they selected Horton-Tucker, a young forward out of Iowa State. With how few players the Lakers have on the roster right now, you would think they might want someone who could contribute now in the second round, but Horton-Tucker doesn’t turn 19 until November and is far from contributing at the NBA level, if he gets to that point.

Memphis
Draft Grade
AdditionsAnalysis

A-

2. Ja Morant
21. Brandon Clarke

To the surprise of no one, The Grizzlies selected JA at 2 to replace Mike Conley. Morant could have been the top pick in another draft, and is expected to team with Jaren Jackson to revitalize this franchise and lead it back to contention in a few years. Memphis then moved up two spots to get Brandon Clarke, a guy in the Aaron Gordon mold, but may take some time offensively. His ability to impact defensively is where his intrigue lies. We will see how well he fits in on this roster but he’s probably too talented to be glued to the bench. The addition of Morant alongside JJJ should have Grizz fans giddy.

Miami
Draft Grade
AdditionsAnalysis
B-
13. Tyler Herro
32. KZ Okpala
Herro is one of the draft’s best shooters as he showed missing just 6 free throws on the year. He became a standout defender at the college level. But whether that translates to the NBA is the big question. Given Miami’s history of holding players to a higher standard on the defensive end, could factor into how much leash is given to Herro in the early stages of his career. KZ Okpala is excellent value at 32. He was an early candidate for breakout star, but his shot abandoned him to a degree once Pac 12 play kicked in, affecting his stock. If he gets stronger and adds toughness, he can really develop. Okpala has more potential than Herro, so the Heat did well in adding both solid and upside.
Milwaukee
Draft Grade
AdditionsAnalysis

B

None

The Bucks were one of many teams playing hot potato with their 2019 first rounder in order to free salary cap space. Consistently moving first round picks to save money can be dangerous over the long-run, but shedding Tony Snell’s contract will better enable the Bucks to retain its core.
Minnesota
Draft Grade
AdditionsAnalysis


B-

6. Jarrett Culver
43. Jaylen Nowell

The Wolves decided to part ways with Dario Saric to move up to 6 from 11, which could prove a worthwhile gamble, though Saric brings a lot of intangibles to the table. Culver was believed by many to be a top 5 prospect in this draft and far better than someone the Wolves could have gotten at 11. Credit new GM Gersson Rosas for being aggressive and shaking things up. The Wolves are stuck at the moment and in need of a culture change. Culver is one of the highest character guys in the entire draft and a winner. He may be a tad over-valued at 6 however. Robert Covington can now play more at the 4 with Saric gone. Culver should be a contributor from day one, particularly if he can coexist with Andrew Wiggins (if he remains with the Wolves) on the perimeter better than Jimmy Butler did. Nowell is a decent pickup in the second round who shot effectively and could provide depth on the wing in the near future as he comes in as a relatively polished player.
New Orleans
Draft Grade
AdditionsAnalysis

A

1. Zion Williamson
8. Jaxson Hayes
17. Nickeil Alexander-Walker
35. Marcos Louzada Silva

Any time you add a potentially game revolutionizing talent, it was a pretty good day. When all was said and done, the Pelicans landed phenomenal haul of players. Obviously, the list starts with Zion who will revitalize the franchise even as they prepare for the departure of Anthony Davis. Davis may be a better talent than Zion ever becomes, but he was not the engine to bring out the best in his teammates and fan base that Zion can be. They also added Jaxson Hayes, a rim protecting, athletic big with as much upside as any center in this draft. He should work well in the frontcourt with Zion. At 17, they netted Alexander-Walker, a quality scorer and versatile, team focused guard. Finally, they took a flier on "Didi", Marcos Louzada Silva, a sharp shooting Brazilian 2-guard. Didi was electric with his shooting in practices at the Hoop Summit in Portland in April, impressing scouts with his great range and effortless stroke. He may be a bit of a project, but a shrewd gamble at 35 with the team on a long term building plan. They also shipped out the 57th pick and a future second rounder for a couple more future second rounders. Adding these three tremendous first rounders to an already-intriguing mix of young talent from the Lakers trade makes this Pelicans team one to watch immediately, and one to watch out for in a few years.
New York
Draft Grade
AdditionsAnalysis

B

9. RJ Barrett
47. Ignas Brazdeikas

Call it the Mitchell Robinson effect. Thunder GM Sam Presti gets an F from college coaches for setting a bad precedent, drafting a player that opted to skip college and then sit out the year instead of playing in the G-League. Then again they don’t get a vote with the way the NCAA currently doesn’t share the proceeds with their product. NCAA sports politics aside, the Thunder were willing to move down a couple spots where they snapped up a guy whose stock had been on the upswing lately in Bazley. He’s a high level athlete but lacks a high skill level, that he could have worked on over the past year, you know, playing college ball. Apparently the drafting the unfamiliar trumps the familiar theory helped both Bazley and Darius Garland. At the very least, Bazley should be a contributing rotation player who has the upside to become a starter. He is eerily similar to Jerami Grant, so it’s no wonder the Thunder scooped him up.

Orlando
Draft Grade
AdditionsAnalysis
B-

6. Chuma Okeke
 

John Hammond will always draft like John Hammond. He loves long athletes who shrink the court. A number of Hammond-esque prospects were still on the board at #16, so it was a little surprising to see Chuma Okeke be the one to get drafted. But if Okeke comes back to form from the injury, he is exactly what the Magic need with his ability to shoot and play multiple positions. Much like the Auburn team as a whole, Okeke would look thrilling and dynamic one night and awful the next. On the whole, his numbers balanced out well. His late season hot streak helped Auburn to the Final Four and aided his draft profile, but it ended in heartbreaking fashion with a torn ACL. As uncomfortable as it is to point out, full recoveries from torn ACLs are far from a guarantee, and that is a heightened concern with bigger players. Given the uncertainty facing the future of the Magic in free agency, it seems as though they could have gone down a much less risky road in the draft. Then again, GMs far too often try to be risk averse, so credit Hammond for taking a chance on a guy with a chance to be exactly what the team needs.

Philadelphia
Draft Grade
AdditionsAnalysis

B+

16. Matisse Thybulle
54. Marial Shayok

Matisse Thybulle has the body and athleticism that screams elite defender, and his statistics and college performance indicate he can be a difference maker on that end. His offensive stats have been up and down, but he’s shown the ability to hit three pointers. Credit Elton Brand for adding a player that could pay immediate dividends in the playoffs, as a lock down defender. Shayok will turn 24 in just over a month but was liked by a number of teams in the late second round as an NBA ready guy with shooting ability and character. While we absolutely love the Thybulle addition, holding onto our highest rated second rounder Fernando, at 34, instead of giving him away for a bag of peanuts would have put their draft over the top.

Phoenix
Draft Grade
AdditionsAnalysis

C-

11. Cameron Johnson
24. Ty Jerome
Dario Saric

It has become chic to defend the Cameron Johnson pick, but we don’t see it. Phoenix traded away their 6th pick for the 11th and Dario Saric, a trade that could have worked out but at the time likely dropped them out of the range on having good odds on landing a standout talent. They followed that up by taking a huge reach at 11 in a player they likely could have gotten in the 20s. Cameron Johnson is the draft’s top shooter, and he is 6’8, but he was expected to be a bubble first rounder due to the fact that he’s a below average athlete and defender and has major medical concerns (hips). Is he the next Kyle Korver? Unlikely, but nobody knew that Korver would become one of the game’s great 3-point shooters when he fell into the second round, so anything is possible. The Suns also acquired the 24th pick for a future pick and take Ty Jerome. Jerome should be a serviceable role player going forward and would seem to add some leadership and maturity to a team in need. Drafting Coby White at 6 would seem to have been the path of least resistance. But if the Suns feel confident that they can get DeAngelo Russell to join the team, then skipping on a on talented point in this draft may work out. If not and White fulfills his considerable potential, this draft will likely be seen as a disaster.

Portland
Draft Grade
AdditionsAnalysis

A-
25. Nassir Little

Nassir Little is a much more valuable player taken at 25 than at 10 for two reasons, first his rookie contract is cheaper, and second falling lower than expected will hopefully put a chip on his shoulder. It is a bit of a mystery why Nassir Little fell from a potential lottery selection to 25. The main reason likely being his lack of productivity and skill. The slashing wing is a tough defender and a stellar athlete, and fits well with the Blazers as he shouldn’t need to provide too much offensively with Lillard and McCollum carrying the load. Little will be able to continue to develop and then presumably take over as the long-term 3 for the Blazers, making him an excellent value at the 25th pick.

Sacramento
Draft Grade
AdditionsAnalysis

C

40. Justin James
55: Kyle Guy
60: Vanja Marinkovic

The Kings have drafted well in recent years, but without their first round pick they struggled to make any noise this year. They ended up with a trio of second-rounders but none of the three were really thought by most to even end up being drafted. James was a good scorer in college and Marinkovic is an intriguing draft-and-stash but neither are likely to move the needle. Kyle Guy had an excellent showing in the Final Four but doesn’t necessarily project to be much more than a spot up shooter, and didn’t have much predraft buzz either. It’s the second round so none of these picks are of too much consequence but all three picks were unexpected on the Kings part. Vlade played a game of leap frog with the Warriors in an attempt to get Alen Smailagic, and ultimately struck out.

San Antonio
Draft Grade
AdditionsAnalysis


A-

19. Luka Samanic
29. Keldon Johnson
49. Quinndary Weatherspoon

Criticize San Antonio’s drafts at your own peril. They generally develop players as well as if not better than any team in the league with the preeminent shot doctor and player development staff going. The Spurs missed out on their top target Goga who went a spot higher, but landed Croatian forward Luka Samanic. He may have been a slight reach at 19 but then the Spurs nabbed a falling Keldon Johnson at 29 to redeem themselves. Both picks would have been less surprising if they were flip-flopped. Samanic is an intriguing European prospect who fits the mold of a Spurs guy but he was slated to go around the turn of the second round. Johnson had some lotto buzz so this was a great pickup for the Spurs as they get a guy who can score and defend well with a great deal of room to grow. In the second round, the Spurs took Weatherspoon, a wing from Mississippi State who can score in a variety of ways. All three players figure to benefit greatly being on the Spurs.

Toronto
Draft Grade
AdditionsAnalysis

B+
59. Dewan Hernandez

At 59, it is hard to find fault in the Champion Raptors taking Dewan Hernandez who starred in the G-League camp after missing the season apparently for being truthful, following the NCAA witch hunt, . He has promising combination of size, strength, and athleticism, and provides good value for the Raptors.

Utah
Draft Grade
AdditionsAnalysis

C+

50. Jarrell Brantley
53. Justin Wright-Foreman
58. Miye Oni

The Jazz had a relatively uneventful night, shipping out a 2021 second rounder and ending up with three of the last eleven picks. All three were more or less fringe candidates to be drafted so nothing groundbreaking here. All three were stars at the college level and have experience under their belts but perhaps the most intriguing guy here is super productive Wright-Foreman, a guy who was relatively overlooked playing at Hofstra in the Colonial Athletic Association but who has an NBA body and athleticism and can score in bunches. Brantley was a standout athlete out of College of Charleston and has a chance as well. He’s a bit of an undersized 4, but has great length and solid energy and explosiveness. Oni was once thought to be a potential bubble first and has been doubted before. His NBA athleticism gives him a chance if his confidence and skill level improves.

Washington
Draft Grade
AdditionsAnalysis

A

15. Rui Hachimura
42. Admiral Schofield

The fact that Washington went through the draft without a permanent GM ensured that it would be a challenging landing spot for just about any prospect. And the Wizards are in luck because they landed one of the most solid and least situationally dependent prospects available. The Wizards are very much an organization in flux, and likely will not be steadied until a GM is named who may or may not like the players he inherited. The Wizards are a dumpster fire as they are committed financially long term to a player that may never get back to form physically in John Wall. While this makes for a challenging start for Rui Hachimura, he is long, athletic, hard working, and has showed great year-to-year improvement. He is one of the few prospects that Washington probably couldn’t ruin. It is a combination of traits that tends to be endearing to most GMs. Similarly with Admiral Schofield, who has always played extremely hard on both ends, and has developed his game over the course of his Tennessee career. His combine measurements mirrored that of Jae Crowder and he has a similar style of play, which is ideal for a 2nd round pick who has to earn his way on to a roster. Credit interim GM Tommy Sheppard for making the right pick, despite the fact that Hachimura’s agency didn’t make things easy for the Wizards by declining interviews, workouts and medical reports.

 

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5 Comments

  1. Jazz also acquired Mike Conley, a huge pickup

    I don’t know if I agree with some of these grades because some lack the existence of trades. A lot of the trades were unexpected and happened a day or two before the draft but still involved draft picks. One of those trades was the Jazz who traded out of the first round for a veteran who will undoubtedly help them out down the road in Mike Conley. True, he was not a college draft pick, but was nonetheless acquired by dealing away the 23rd pick. This is still a Jazz pickup on draft night because it included their pick at 23, and as such should be included in the grade. I would actually give more of their grade to their pick up of Conley than to their 3 picks in the 50’s who will likely have little value to their roster but Conley will have huge value. So just to get Conley by dealing away the 23rd pick I think was a huge pickup and they should have at least a B+ or an A- maybe even higher instead of a lowly C+

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