Shoot The J NBA Draft Grades
Jason Daniels Grades
1. Phoenix: DeAndre Ayton C Arizona Grade: A I consider Ayton the best player in the draft, so Phoenix did what they were supposed to do. I don’t think Ayton is up there with past number-one picks like Ben Simmons and Karl-Anthony Towns, but I’d put him above Andrew Wiggins and maybe even Markelle Fultz (although that remains to be seen). Should contribute right away on the offensive end, and could turn into a capable defender under Igor Kokoskov’s tutelage. I don’t think the offense will be a concern, although you’d like the free throw shooting to get a little better. Defense is a red flag right now, but it isn’t any worse than Marvin Bagley or Luka Doncic, in my opinion. However, a bad defensive center sticks out more than a bad defnsive wing, so Ayton will need to get that in order quickly. If he does, he could make multiple All-Star Games 2. Sacramento: Marvin Bagley PF Duke Grade: B- I don’t necessarily disagree with the analysts who had Bagley as the number two prospect in the draft. I think he is an extremely gifted offensive player, but if he is playing the 5 spot, your team is likely to be in some trouble on the defensive side. I’d probably prefer Luka Doncic here, but Bagley should make a considerable impact for Sacramento right away. It’s easy to forget that he is one of the younger players in this class, having just turned 19 years old in March. I think he could turn into an 18/9 player who hits 1-2 three-pointers a game, but his ceiling as a defensive player is still fairly low, which pushes the grade down for the Kings. 3. Dallas, via Atlanta: Luka Doncic G Real Madrid Grade: A I like the aggressive move by Dallas to grab Luka Doncic at this spot. There could have been a chance that Doncic simply fell to Dallas at 5, but you never know what Memphis was going to do at 4. Plus, if Doncic turns out to be even remotely close to the player people envision him to be, he will be well worth the first-round pick they gave up to Atlanta (my understanding is that the pick is top-8 protected in 2019, top-5 protected in 2020, and unprotected in 2021). Dennis Smith Jr. struggled quite a bit for Dallas last year, but I think he and Doncic should be able to play well alongside one another; two ballhandlers adds a unique element to an offense, but both players will need to become more consistent at shooting the ball. 4. Memphis: Jaren Jackson, Jr PF/C MSU Grade: B I’m relieved that Memphis held on to the pick. Jackson may not be as big a contributor right away as Ayton, Bagley, or even Doncic, but he has a ceiling just as high as those players, should things go right for him. I think he projects as a 5, so he likely won’t get a ton of minutes next to Marc Gasol, but by the time he develops physically (he is one of the youngest players in the draft already) and hits his stride, Gasol could be gone anyway. I don’t think Jackson truly got the chance to showcase his abilities at Michigan State, as Tom Izzo routinely played him as a power forward, when he is at his best at center. The JJJ-Gasol dynamic will be an interesting one to watch, as head coach J.B. Bickerstaff will likely play them together for some stretches, but it may be in Jackson’s best interest to be on the court when Gasol is not. Although, to be fair, both Jackson and Gasol are able to play face-up, so putting them out there together could work in some scenarios. 5. Atlanta, via Dallas: Trae Young PG Oklahoma Grade: B- I didn’t really like Trae Young at this spot, but I credit Atlanta for picking up another first-round pick for only moving back two spots in the draft and still selecting the guy who they had supposedly targeted in the first place. I personally think that Young needs a little bit of help next to him to make him truly effective over the course of a season, so I might have liked him better in New York next to Kristaps Porzingis, Cleveland next to Kevin Love (and maybe LeBron James?), or even Orlando, but Atlanta’s roster is looking disparate at this point. On the bright side, this looks to be the early stages of an Atlanta rebuild, so Young may just be the first of several pieces. This first year could potentially be rough for him as he adjusts, but his offensive abilities are truly unique and well-suited for the modern NBA. If he figures things out on defense, the trade could be well worth it. 6. Orlando: Mo Bamba C Texas Grade: B I expected Bamba to get picked by Dallas at 5, so Orlando will definitely take this. Orlando could use a center better suited for a contemporary style of play than Nikola Vucevic and Bismack Biyombo, and Bamba could be just that, if he reaches his potential. His incredible wingspan makes him a great help-side shot blocker, but his narrow frame could potentially present a problem when guarding the low post. Bamba was also a willing 3-point shooter during his one season at Texas, but not exactly a good one, shooting less than 30 percent for the year. If he can get that even to, say, 36 percent and shores up his post defense, he could be well worth the pick for the Magic. 7. Chicago: Wendell Carter C Duke Grade: B+ One of my personal favorite players in the draft, Carter doesn’t project as a star, but could potentially be a consistent starter for 8-10 season in the league. Carter was overshadowed by Marvin Bagley at Duke, but his defensive potential could make him the better pro. He is capable of hitting 3-pointers on occasion, and is a solid free throw shooter and offensive rebounder. He can be foul prone, but I would personally attribute those problems to being a young big and also just overthinking things. He may struggle with fouls early in his career, but I think he should be a quality NBA player that sticks around for a long time off of his intelligence and willingness to play a role. 8. Cleveland: Collin Sexton PG Alabama Grade: B- Another one of my favorite players in the draft, but maybe not the ideal landing spot for him. I think that Sexton could eventually be a better player than George Hill, but he must improve his jump shot in order to do so. If that jump shot doesn’t improve, he could have a relatively low ceiling as a starting-caliber PG. I do like that the Cavaliers just took a player they liked, rather than trying to take a guy who fit next to LeBron James, although I do think that Sexton should fit in next to him, should James decide to stay in Cleveland for the 2019 season. 9. New York: Kevin Knox SF Kentucky Grade: B Kevin Knox shot up the draft board over the past month or so. I had seen him mocked at around the late-teens about a month or so ago, and he steadily climbed up the draft order until the Knicks grabbed him at the 9th spot. I think Carter may be a better fit for the Knicks to shore up the defense and rebounds alongside Kristaps Porzingis, but I do think that Knox should be able to play capably next to Porzingis, as well. Knox is another super young player, who will only turn 19 a month before training camp; he is capable of playing both forward spots and has a pretty good-looking shot. His defensive potential is a bit tougher to measure, as his athleticism should project him to be at least an average defender, but his inconsistency at Kentucky raises some questions there. Overall, I think it may be a slight reach, but I like Knox as a player, and he should be a fine fit for New York. 10. Phoenix, via Philadelphia: Mikal Bridges SF Villanova Grade: C- I like Mikal Bridges as a player, but I really don’t like that Phoenix gave up the 2021 first-round pick they acquired from Miami in the Goran Dragic trade, which could really come back to bite them. While Bridges is a nice player, I don’t see him having the ceiling worthy of trading a near-lottery pick (number 16 this year) and another that looks very well like it could be a mid- to high-lottery pick in 2021. On the positive side, the Suns do have a lot of intriguing young talent, and Bridges projects as perhaps the most ideal glue guy in the draft. If he and Ayton live up to their potential, the Suns could be a very quality team soon, and Bridges will have been a big part of it. 11. LAC, via Charlotte: Shai Gigeous-Alexander Grade: A- I liked SGA for both LA and Charlotte, as he would fit in nicely with both Kemba Walker in Charlotte and Lou Williams in LA. SGA is still a very raw player, but has the potential to be the best PG in this draft. He is super tall and long for his position and is also an excellent, willing defender, which should earn him some minutes early on alongside Lou Williams. Shooting must get better, but he at least has another skill to fall back on-- his defense-- while he improves there. 12. Charlotte, via LAC: Miles Bridges SF MSU Grade: B I thought this would have been a good spot for a team to take a chance on Michael Porter Jr., but Charlotte went a different route. Bridges is a solid player who is good at a lot of things, but not really great at anything except free throw shooting and maybe his explosiveness could be considered better than good. In Bridges’ defense, his free throw shooting was a big minus on his game, and he worked extremely hard in the offseason to increase it by nearly 20 percentage points. If he works that hard at other skills, this could end up being a steal of a pick. Concerns exist about who he guards on defense, as well as what type of forward he really is-- a 3 or a 4-- but as long as new head coach James Borrego allows Bridges to play to his strengths, I don’t really think the latter concern will be an issue. His defense may be a more real question, as he is not quite strong enough or long enough to stay on 4’s all the time and he is not consistently quick enough to stay with most 3’s. However, I think he is a very good, intelligent enough player to make it work. It also sounds like Charlotte never intended to keep Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and instead held him for ransom, more or less, knowing that the Clippers coveted him. The fact that the Hornets were able to get their man while also extracting a couple extra second round picks earns this a B grade. 13. LAC: Jerome Robinson SG Boston College Grade: B- I had mocked Robinson at pick #27 in our mock draft podcast, so this shows I was horribly wrong! The scuttlebutt I had read heading into the draft had Robinson climbing, but I did not imagine he would go this high. He is a good scorer and can handle pretty well for a 2-guard, but he didn’t register many blocks or steals on the defensive side. Robinson is a good enough player on his own, but with Michael Porter Jr. still on the board, and armed with consecutive picks, I am knocking the Clippers’ grade down a bit for not taking arguably the superior prospect with one of those two selections. 14. Denver Nuggets: Michael Porter Jr. SF Missouri Grade: A+ The risks and questions surrounding Michael Porter Jr.’s back injury are very real. However, for a team that was supposedly ready to trade this pick in order to get off of Kenneth Faried’s contract, this is a great move. The Nuggets just missed the playoffs after losing what was effectively a play-in game in game 82, but were without Paul Millsap for over half the season, and their core players outside of Millsap-- Nikola Jokic, Gary Harris, and Jamal Murray-- are still very young. The early indications seem to be that MPJ will take the 2019 season as a redshirt one, which the Nuggets can easily afford, as they won 46 games without the services of one of their best playesr for most of the year. Faried and Wilson Chandler could both come off the books next summer, as could Millsap, which could potentially lead to a lineup of Murray, Harris, Insert-Wing-Player-Here, Porter, and Jokic, which could be one of the most impressive offensive lineups we’ve seen in years. Certainly risks involved with Porter’s back injury, but his talent is undeniable and well worth the risk. 15. Washington: Troy Brown SG Oregon Grade: B- The Wizards needed help in their backcourt and elected to take Brown out of Oregon. I think going with a backcourt player was the right move, but I’m not entirely sold on Brown as the best fit for Washington. His shooting is not very good, and one of his stronger abilities is playmaking for teammates, so I’m not entirely sure where that fits in with Washington. On the positive side, he is a smart player who knows how to play off the ball, and his ability to cut to the basket should put him in a position to succeed in Washington, as should his willingness to play defense. 16. Philadelphia, via Phoenix: Zhaire Smith SG Texas Tech Grade: A- I’m personally not super high on Smith, as he is listed as a small forward, but stands only around 6’4”. However, Philadelphia seemed to be high on him and not only got him, but also acquired Miami’s 2021 first-round pick in exchange for Mikal Bridges. Should Philadelphia move Robert Covington for whatever reason, Smith should be able to take over that role fairly well, although his 3-point shooting may need to become a little more consistent to take Covington’s starting spot. But if Philadelphia is just looking for another versatile defender who can guard three or four positions in the mold of Covington, Smith should be up to the task. 17. Milwaukee: Donte DiVincenzo SG Villanova Grade: B I like DiVincenzo more than I figured I would-- he is a strong shooter with a lot of bounce and is a willing defender. I would think that Robert Williams, maybe Josh Okogie, or even Kevin Huerter may have made a little more sense for Milwaukee, as their defensive scheme is predicated on long, athletic defenders who can switch everything. DiVincenzo doesn’t quite fit that mold, although he should be able to at least guard 1’s and 2’s capably. On the offensive side of the ball, I like the move. Milwaukee needed more shooting outside of Tony Snell and (occasionally) Khris Middleton, and DiVincenzo can shoot it well. While he isn’t as long as many of the current players on the Bucks, his athleticism could allow for some very exciting (if not wild) lineups alongside Giannis, Thon Maker, and Eric Bledsoe. 18.San Antonio: Lonnie Walker SG Miami Grade: B+ I had seen Walker projected about 5-7 spots higher than this in most mock drafts heading into Thursday night, so by that measure, this is a great value pick. Walker can be a little erratic at times, and his 3-point shot is streaky, but I think the potential is there for him to develop into at least a quality 3-point shooter. Walker also has long arms and active hands, which should help him in becoming a solid NBA defender with a bit of coaching and more experience. A backcourt of Walker and Dejounte Murray should at least be a disruptive one on defense, but given both players’ somewhat frenetic styles of play, it could potentially be a disruptive one on offense in the early goings, as well. In the long run, though, I think this is a very solid pick, as Walker could very well become a quality starter who contributes on both ends by the time he matures. 19. Atlanta: Kevin Huerter SG Maryland Grade: B- I honestly don’t remember much about Kevin Huerter besides him hitting a couple 3-pointers in Maryland’s game against Iowa this past winter. He does, however, have a skill, and that skill is one of the most important a player can have in today’s NBA-- 3-point shooting. He is also a sharp passer and a willing and capable defensive player. He may not ever project as a starter, depending on what the Hawks do with Taurean Prince, but he does enough things well to be a solid role player, and could even play alongside Prince to give the Hawks some very good shooting on the perimeter. 20. Minnesota: Josh Okogie SG/SF Georgia Tech Grade: A- This was a bit of a surprise pick for me, as I expected Okogie to go a few picks later. Despite that, however, I don’t really consider this move a huge reach by Minnesota. Okogie is a skilled offensive player who actually played the post in high school and moved to the wing in college at Georgia Tech. I think this actually bodes very well for him in that he is still figuring out the nuances of the position. His shooting percentages at Tech were fine-- not great-- but that could largely be due to him getting the star treatment from the opposing team’s defense every night. It might not happen this year, but I project him as being able to give the Timberwolves quality and efficient offense off the bench, and his solid defensive abilities could even earn him some starts down the line. 21. Utah: Grayson Allen SG Duke Grade: B- Of course they did. To be fair, I actually like Grayson Allen’s game, despite him being one of the biggest heels in college basketball for the past 4 years. He has a pretty good handle and is a good passer for a wing player; he hits 3-pointers fairly consistently, and he has a good feel for the game. On defense, he should be able to guard 2’s, some 1’s, and some 3’s on occasion. I think he might be a little bit of an awkward fit on Utah’s roster as it currently exists; he will play the 2 spot, but due to their respective lack of length, I’m not sure if he can play next to Donovan Mitchell unless Mitchell is running point. But Quin Snyder is a good coach, Allen and Mitchell are both smart players, and they all should be able to figure it out. Overall, I think Allen should have a quality NBA career. 22. Chicago: Chandler Hutchison SG/SF Boise St Grade: B Another fairly safe pick by the Bulls here, but not a bad one, by any means. Chicago was sorely lacking at the 3 position last year, so Hutchison should be able to contribute right away. He is good at driving to the basket, both to score and to create for his teammates, and while his defense is fine, not great, I think he should be OK there at the next level. Three-point shooting needs some work, but his percentages likely suffered from being the top option on a mid-level team. 23. Indiana: Aaron Holiday PG UCLA Grade: B I thought this was a good value pick for the Pacers. Darren Collison is a point guard who kind of reminds me of like a long relief pitcher-- good enough to start here and there, and very good if he is coming off the bench, but not quite good enough to be an everyday starting player on a championship-level team. That being said, I like the Pacers’ move here to upgrade the PG situation. Holiday, like fellow UCLA Bruin Collison, is undersized for the NBA, but he has a knack for scoring. I think that, between Holiday and Collison, as well as Lance Stephenson and Victor Oladipo, the Pacers should have plenty of playmakers in the backcourt next year to potentially get out of the first round of the playoffs. 24. Portland: Anfernee Simons G USA Grade: C I don’t really think this is what Portland needed at this point. Simons is a good athlete with a lot of bounce, but the more nuanced points of his game need a lot of work. On top of that, I worry a bit about the fact that he hasn’t played a competitive game in over a year-- I feel like he will need a lot of time to just get to the point where he is comfortable playing real games again. On the positive side,this is at least an intriguing route to take, and Simons could potentially be like a blank slate, given his athleticism. I don’t know much about Portland’s player development coaches, but they will be under the microscope these next few seasons, for sure, as Simons could be a huge value, or his development could never take off. 25. LA Lakers: Moritz Wagner PF/C Michigan Grade: C- I really like Wagner as a player, but not at this point in the draft. He probably should play 5 in most lineups, but his narrow frame will make it difficult to guard guys like Al Horford or Karl-Anthony Towns. If he is at the 4 position, questions exist about his quickness and ability to stick with players on the perimeter. On top of that, he is not going to grab a whole lot of rebounds, either. I do like his kind of wonky offensive game, and think that it just might work in the NBA. Wagner plays super hard, so I trust that he will find a way to stick; I’m just not sure if LA is the best spot for him. 26. Philadelphia: Landry Shamet G Wichita St Grade: C+ Kind of like Mo Wagner, I like Shamet as a player, but it might just be as a college player. I’m not totally sure who Shamet guards in the NBA, as he lacks the quickness to stay with most front-line point guards, and lacks the length to stick on perimeter players. On the offensive side, Shamet is a knock-down 3-point shooter who should get plenty of good looks in Philadelphia’s offense. Should the team choose not to retain Marco Belinelli for the long term, Shamet could potentially step into that role of the play-making off-guard who can shoot 3’s. Philosophically, the 76ers could make it work with Shamet, as he is a smart player who can handle a bit, and knows how what to do off the ball. Ultimately I think the question will be over his athletic ability and if he is playable on defense. 27. Boston: Robert Williams C Texas A&M Grade: A+ OK, I’m super biased here, but this was an excellent pick. I had projected Williams around the 13-16 range, and he somehow fell into the Celtics’ lap. Questions exist about his motor, but I presume that they will be answered very quickly on a Celtics team that will be looking to contend for a championship this season. If Williams wants the minutes, they are there for him, as Boston takes things easy on Al Horford during the season, and have Daniel Theis recovering from a torn meniscus. Aron Baynes may be back on a longer term deal, but even if he does return, Williams offers skills that no current Celtics bigs have-- explosive athleticism, potentially elite shot-blocking ability, and a willingness to go up for alley-oops that nobody other than Al Horford and Jaylen Brown (before the concussion) showed during the season. I jumped out of my seat when I saw that he was still available at 27. Williams should be able to plug in and contribute very early in his career. And those questions about his attitude and motivation should be addressed quickly, as he will have one of the game’s consummate professionals in Al Horford as a mentor. 28. Golden State: Jacob Evans SF Grade: A- The rich get richer. Evans has good size at 6’5” and 200 pounds, and is a tough, willing defender, two things that Golden State needs. While the team is obviously talented at the top of the roster, their perimeter depth was seriously lacking, and it showed once Andre Iguodala got hurt during the playoffs. Quinn Cook is a great story and had his moments over the course of the season, but he looked more and more out of place the deeper the Warriors went in the playoffs. Evans has a pretty good 3-point shot at this point, so he should be reliable enough to hit those open 3’s that come from being a role player on the Warriors, but his biggest contribution will be competing on defense, where I think he will give the Warriors’ already-elite defense a big boost. 29. Brooklyn: Dzanan Musa SF Bosnia Grade: B- Musa is arguably the second-best international prospect in this year’s draft. He is a fiery competitor who even insisted on coming over to the NBA this year, rather than being stashed overseas for another year or two (which may have deterred a team or two from taking him, in my opinion). He needs a lot of work in the weight room and also needs to dedicate a lot of time to comprehending the nuances of an NBA offense, especially one as meticulous as the Brooklyn system. If the Nets are able to groom him into a player who understands those nuances of NBA schemes, he could be a nice value pick and a steady contributor. If he does not, or if that fiery temperament precludes his development, he may end up back in the Croatian league quickly. 30. Atlanta: Omari Spellman PF/C Villanova Grade: B- Spellman is a fine player, but I don’t think he is a really inspiring pick here. He is a big body, but one who also needs a lot of work in the weight room to be able to consistently use it to his advantage in the NBA. He has a pretty nice face-up game, which should add a unique element to his offensive game, should he get his body in order. Not a bad 3-point shooter, either, should the Hawks choose to utilize that skill. On defense, his big frame and upper body strength should help him in defending the post, but he is a little slow and may be in trouble if he is drawn out of the paint. Perhaps the biggest reason he was selected in the first round is the Villanova effect-- he won two championships in college, and the Hawks might like what he can do for building a winning culture in Atlanta. |
Josh Roth Grades
1. Phoenix: DeAndre Ayton C Arizona Grade: A- This was the right pick for the Suns at this time. He has great size and athletic ability for center. He was also an excellent shooter that will help space the floor. He does remind me a bit of Joel Embiid, but he will have to be more consistent on the defensive end especially altering shots to earn that comparison. He is a dynamic offensive player with good post skills and an ability to score in a variety of ways making him a nightmare in pick and roll situations. There are not a lot of centers that come along with his physical tools so this is a very hard pick to pass up. The only other player you could have argued here was Luka Doncic, but they made the right call. Should be a lot of fun to watch him and Booker lead the Suns for the years to come. 2. Sacramento: Marvin Bagley PF Duke Grade: B- I know there was fear of Luka Doncic not wanting to be a part of the organization, but that is who I would have taken with this pick. However, Marvin Bagley is not a bad pick here and does fit the organization fairly well. He is an offensive minded big that should partner fairly well with Willie Caulie Stein at least offensively. However there could be some issues on D. He will have to either guard the center or the power forward and with the new age of the NBA that is going to be very difficult to cover either. If he can work on his footwork on the defensive end, this could end up being an excellent pick. As is it stands, this is a solid pick that could have been better with Luka or even Jaren Jackson at this spot, but I get the pick and it is certainly not a bad one. 3. Dallas via Atlanta: Luka Doncic G Real Madrid Grade: A+ This was a worthwhile move for Dallas. They have a couple major holes, but this fits a more important need especially with the amount of centers available in free agency this year. Many people have said Luka is a can’t miss prospect and I am buying that hype. He accomplished a lot overseas and this is a much different age then it was when a Darko Millicic was drafted. There is more tape and more intricate scouting then there was before. Luka has the ability to guard multiple positions and can handle well. This should help out Dennis Smith Jr who isn’t the greatest facilitators and now this can allow him to focus on the scoring aspects and move Luka into that facilitating role. Luka will need to work on his outside shot more, but I think this could end up being the best player in this draft. 4. Memphis: Jaren Jackson Jr PF/C MSU Grade: A There was a lot of talk that Memphis was trying to deal this pick to unload Chandler Parson’s contract and in the end this was probably a great move on Memphis’s part to hold on to this pick. Jaren Jackson Jr fits really well with Marc Gasol. He can guard multiple positions, is a great athlete with good footwork. He will need to work on his ball handling skills and/or work on some post moves, but he has tremendous upside. He should be able to space the floor well and cut well to the basket or even work nicely with pick and roll/pop with either Conley or Gasol. Now the downside is it could take him some time to adjust to the NBA and if Memphis is wanting to compete now, it might be a little difficult with him playing starter minutes. The good news is they have JaMychal Green (who he could also play well with) so that should buy him some time. This was the best available player left and the Grizzlies made a smart decision here. 5. Atlanta via Dallas: Trae Young PG Oklahoma Grade: C I am not huge on this pick. Would have preferred to see them stick with Luka Doncic who can facilitate and I am personally bigger on Collin Sexton as a point guard then I am Trae Young. Trae is a quick point guard with good ability to create for himself and others. He is a good shooter that can make some wild shots that get people thinking of Steph Curry. However, he is not good at defense, he is turnover prone and I do have some issues with how he handles physicality. Due to his size he probably will never be great on defense but if he can be passable and he cuts on the turnovers then this could be a decent pick, but I have some serious doubts. Atlanta had other needs, but point guard was one of them with them souring on Dennis Schroeder so they had to pick one high, just thought they could have done better maybe even trading down further and gaining more assets. All in all not a bad deal and Trae does have potential to be a great offensive minded PG, but I am just not sure he was the best PG in the draft. 6. Orlando: Mo Bamba C Texas Grade: B- Probably the next best available player, but with a hole at point guard and their history with centers lately (since Dwight Howard) I had a little bit of reservations with the pick. I know it may have been reaching, but Collin Sexton would have been an interesting pick here or they should have looked to trade down and acquire more assets. That all being said I like Mo Bamba and the potential upside is extremely appealing. If he can get a consistent jumper and get stronger then he could be a very good center in this league. His wingspan is insanely good and is reminiscent (actually longer) than Rudy Gobert which gives him that sort of potential on the defensive end. I think he has solid footwork, but I want to see that get better as well as adding some bulk to his frame to take on physicality. 7. Chicago: Wendell Carter Jr C Duke Grade: A- Bulls had a couple needs entering this draft and it was to find a center and find a wing. Now they probably need a wing more and you certainly could have argued Michael Porter Jr here, but the injury seemed to have scared off a lot of teams and with reports that he might not play this year Bulls decided to keep it a safe pick. “Safe” picks sometimes get a bad rap for being low ceiling guys and I absolutely disagree with that assessment here. The great thing about Carter is that yes he is a high floor player, but there is still a lot of untapped potential there especially on offense. He showed that he can hit an outside shot and showed some ability to create in the post, however he will still need to work on polishing these aspects of his game. He is a solid defender especially as a rim protector despite not being overly athletic (still a good athlete), the key with him will be his footwork and quickness guarding pick and rolls and switches. He has the potential to be the next coming of Al Horford and if you told any GM that they would be thrilled. This was probably the right call for the Chicago Bulls. 8. Cleveland: Collin Sexton PG Alabama Grade: A- Cleveland landed what I think is the best point guard in this draft in Collin Sexton. Collin is a great athlete with quickness that should allow him to be an all-around point guard at the next level. He has the ability to be a great play maker as he has very good handles, has a quality jumper and the ability to finish with contact. The issue will be facilitating and decision making, but those are things that can be taught and if LeBron James comes back, there will be no better person to learn from than James. He also has defensive potential with is quickness and athleticism which makes him my favorite of the point guards available. If he is more consistent and decision making gets better he could have All Star potential. 9. New York: Kevin Knox SF Kentucky Grade: B This is a solid pick and probably the route I would have went too. Kevin Knox is a very good offensive player who can score in a multitude of ways. He is a solid shooter with very good athleticism. He has handles too to create for himself. However, his big liability is on the defensive end. He has good size and enough quickness to be a passable defender, but his issue is going to be his will on that end. Kevin Knox actually sounds familiar to another former Knick, Carmello Anthony, though not near the same offensive skill set as Melo. A more appropriate comparison would be Tobias Harris and that would be a very nice piece for the Knicks to add as they continue to rebuild this team. 10. Phoenix via Philadelphia: Mikal Bridges SF Villanova Grade: B- This normally would be a B+/A- territory, but the trade could end up biting them as it is Miami’s first rounder in 2021. Now there is some time before that pick conveys, but Miami could potentially be a lottery team then and that is a risk I am not sure if I make. Plus I like Zhaire Smith. That being said Mikal is a good player and a guy that can be a good starting three on this level. He is a good defender, maybe the best at his position, and is a good shooter, so your ideal 3 and D player. He needs to work on his ball handling ability to improve his offensive game, but this is a solid player that seems necessary to have in this day and age of the NBA. 11. Los Angeles Clippers via Charlotte: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander PG Kentucky Grade: A- Really big fan of this pick. As for the trade it was on ok move for them if there was fear that someone was trying to trade ahead of them for Shai, which is very possible considering the interest in Shai was starting to heat up around the league. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has great size and ability to score giving him potential to be an all-around point guard. However he will need to work on his ball handling and play making skills as there are some believe he will have a hard time creating for himself at the next level. However the Clippers needed a point guard and with what they have currently they can afford to slowly bring him along. This actually would have been a perfect fit for Charlotte who is unsure if Kemba Walker is in their plans, so a bit confused as to why Hornets didn’t just keep the pick, but seems pretty status quo for Charlotte. 12. Charlotte via Los Angeles Clippers: Miles Bridges F MSU Grade: B- Instead the Hornets get a second round pick and select Miles Bridges. I don’t mind Bridges in fact I think he could be a solid option, but I am having a hard time figuring out if he is a better 3 or 4 not that it will matter all that much in this era of the NBA. He is a good defender and can shoot well, but the problem will be his size and ball handling skills. He gets careless at times and if his handles don’t improve he may need to really step up his game even more on defense. However, he is a relatively good athlete and can make up for those shortcomings and size, which is less of a concern nowadays. I think worst case scenario he is a similar player to Jae Crowder, which isn’t a bad worst case scenario, but felt the Hornets should have went Shai. 13. Los Angeles Clippers: Jerome Robinson SG Boston College Grade: C+ Jerome Robinson isn’t a bad player and he is a guy that can really score, but he is a below average defender and undersized. This is a bit of a stretch for the Clippers who could have landed a guy like Robert Williams for center in case they lose DeAndre Jordan soon or traded down to get their guy. Jerome has the potential to be a solid shooting guard in this league as he really excels at shooting and ball handling, but he needs to work on his ISO moves and his defense if he is going to prove the Clippers right for drafting him this high. Again I don’t dislike the player, just a little high for my liking. 14. Denver: Michael Porter Jr SF Missouri Grade: A+ It’s a risk for anyone to draft Michael Porter Jr with the uncertainty of his health, but at this spot it is well worth the risk. Wilson Chandler will be back for one more year they can afford to even wait a year before they get Porter back on the court. If Porter was healthy he would easily be a top three pick if not the top pick. Add on to that with the final year of Wilson Chandler there is a hole at the small forward spot for Denver. Porter is a great athlete with good handles and ability to score in a variety of ways. There is some question marks on defense, but his size and length along with his quickness should make him a passable defender that could be a quality defender over time. Again the major issue here will be his health and back injuries are definitely alarming, but this is a pick that could have a few teams kicking themselves and could turn Denver into a legit power house out West. 15. Washington: Troy Brown SG Oregon Grade: B I love the potential and the game of Troy Brown, but the fit is just a tad questionable. Troy Brown has nice upside and could potentially be a nice starting guard in this league. He has great size and length to make him a two way player in the league, but he is raw. He has good IQ, but just needs to play more consistently and more assertively. For the reasons of potential no matter who took him I liked the pick around this spot, but my only issue is that the Wizards do need immediate help as they are a team that is locked in to Wall, Beal and Porter and need guys that can help now. A guy like Donte DiVincenzo or Robert Williams may have been better options, but I like the Troy Brown a lot so I won’t knock the pick. 16. Philadelphia via Phoenix: Zhaire Smith SG Texas Tech Grade: A I absolutely love this pick. I know they traded a guy that may be a better fit this year for them, but the upside of Zhaire Smith to me is so hard to pass up. He is maybe the best athlete in this draft, he can shoot and he is a good defender. There needs to be consistency with that jumper as he didn’t shoot much from outside not so much in terms of accuracy but surprisingly needs to come with his initiative. He will also needed to work on his ball handling skills to make him a viable threat as a top option on a team, but the potential is really good. To go along with good athleticism he has great length and is a shot blocking 2 guard. The trade could hurt as I do think Mikal is a safer pick, but they have Robert Covington and Mikal is less versatile than is Zhaire, plus they added a first rounder…nice move here. 17. Milwaukee: Donte DiVincenzo SG Villanova Grade: B+ I really like this pick and fit for the Milwaukee Bucks. They needed a shooting guard on this team and they landed maybe the next available one (only one I’d have considered over Donte was Lonnie Walker). Donte is a good athlete that can really shoot and create for himself. He should keep teams honest and should allow for Giannis to have an easier time getting to the lane. He is a solid defender, but with his size he could have some issues at the next level, but Milwaukee needs a two that can score on a consistent basis and alleviate pressure off of the Greek Freak and Middleton and if the tournament was any indication, Donte can certainly do that. He is also ready to help out right off the bat and his game should be more polished than Lonnie Walker’s would be so this is a good pick. 18. San Antonio: Lonnie Walker SG Miami Grade: A Talk about a perfect fit for Lonnie Walker. He has really nice size and athleticism for a guard and has the ability to be a really good 3 and D player. The difference from a lot of from 3 and D players is that he can handle the ball, although it still needs a bit of fine tuning to really take his game to the next level. His defense needs to improve as well, but I have no doubt that the Spurs will get the best out of him. He really has the potential to be one of the best players in this draft and it is a perfect pick for the Spurs who may be bracing for a departure of their star player Kawhi Leonard. This won’t necessarily have people forgetting about Leonard, but it could alleviate some of the pain. 19. Atlanta: Kevin Huerter SG Maryland Grade: C+ So I don’t necessarily dislike Huerter, but the fit seems odd. Huerter feels like a guy that should be on a team that is in contention and needs a player off the bench that can spread the floor and hit some threes. Huerter is a shooter and a slasher that will likely be playing his game off the ball. Now with Trae Young at point guard it could work out, but Trae is going to have to live up to the potential, which as stated early I have my doubts. Now I could be eating crow here and there are a lot of people that like what Atlanta has done, but I think I personally would have opted for a guy like Robert Williams or Dzanan Musa, guys with some upside. The player is fine and should help, but the fit seems less than ideal right now. 20. Minnesota: Josh Okogie SG/SF Georgia Tech Grade: B- A hard guy to peg since he was basically Georgia Tech’s offense. He has good athleticism and length for the next level. He also is a good defender, which is a huge plus for a Thibs team. He can be careless and ball dominant, but again he wasn’t in a great situation at Georgia Tech so hard to say if he would do the same in the NBA. He has upside on the offensive side as he can handle the ball a bit and can shoot, but will need to work on his decision making. Like with most Thibs rookies we may not see much of him next year, but he could potentially be a nice player and steal some big minutes if Andrew Wiggins continues to struggle. 21. Utah: Grayson Allen SG Duke Grade: B- Solid pick here for the Jazz. The Jazz need bench help and Grayson will provide that. Although he is a four year player, I think he has a little bit more upside than people give him credit for. He is a good shooter and athlete and can still be a decent all-around player in this league with fringe starter ability. Needs to play more consistently and really needs to improve mentally at the next level. I think there were only a couple other routes I would have preferred to see this team go. For example either Chandler Hutchison or Landry Shamet would have been guys I would have gone with, but this is a nice pick and should help the Jazz right away, which is what they need. 22. Chicago: Chandler Hutchison SG/SF Boise St Grade: B Another “safe” pick for the Bulls, but an interesting player. He is solid across the board and could be an underrated 3 and D player in this draft. I think he has bit of upside for being a senior. He is a bit of a late bloomer and didn’t really tap into his true potential until his junior year. He actually has solid handles, is a high IQ guy and can run the floor well. This may be a safe pick, but this is a pick that could have a long career in the NBA. Does he have starter potential? I think there is potential there but I think more than anything he is a good role player that gives you good depth. Bulls ended up with two players that can help now and that could end up speeding up the process, possibly even setting themselves up as an attractive location for free agents. Certainly there is a long ways to go before we can think about that, but two quality picks in this draft for the Bulls. 23. Indiana: Aaron Holiday PG UCLA Grade: B Indiana made a nice selection here. Now I personally like Landry Shamet a little better, but Aaron Holiday is a better ball handler and fits the Darren Collison mold well. He is an undersized guard that can shoot and create for himself and others. The main issue will be with his size as it will create hurdles for him trying to drive the lane or defending bigger guards, but he does have a decent wingspan and good quickness to allow him to play adequate defense. He is a good shooter from outside and with Oladipo being the guy who will be the primary ball handler and driver plus his defense will allow any inefficiencies that Holiday has to be masked a bit. This is a good pick and if Collison leaves within the next couple of years, this will be a very good replacement for him. 24. Portland: Anfernee Simons G USA Grade: C+ Simons is a very intriguing player with good upside and potential, but at the moment he doesn’t seem NBA ready. With that being said, I am not huge on the fit. Robert Williams would have been a nice here or Jacob Evans that can make an impact now. Now Robert Williams would have allowed them to have a backup plan in case Nurkic became too expensive whereas Jacob Evans could have assisted their wing play if that was the route they wanted to go. As it is they get a guard with good upside and ball handling ability that can eventually be a good back up to Lillard and McCollum or possibly even a replacement if they wanted to break them up, but I would have preferred to grab an NBA ready talent to help now. 25. Los Angeles Lakers: Mortiz Wagner PF/C Michigan Grade: C+ This was a little bit of a reach here especially with what many feel is a better center, at least potentially, in Robert Williams. Wagner is a solid player who can spread the floor a bit, is a solid, but not a great athlete and can play inside or out with good size for a big. However he is not very quick of foot and could really put him as a liability on defense if he plays anything other than the center position. He will need to work on his rebounding and free throws to stay on the court. With the Lakers going after the likes of Paul George and LeBron James and lacking a true center, this pick could have been a homerun with Robert Williams. Therefore I am less than thrilled with the pick and fit, but he could be useful for the Lakers and is possibly more NBA ready than Williams which does help a tad in trying to build an instant contender. 26. Philadelphia: Landry Shamet G Wichita St Grade: A- I love this pick and fit. Philadelphia having guys like JJ Reddick, Marco Belinelli, and Ersan Illyasova becoming free agents they needed to find a shooter in case they lose those individuals and at this point in the draft there probably wasn’t a better shooter than Landry Shamet. Landry can also play point guard and I could see him getting big minutes right off the bat as he is a great compliment to Ben Simmons. Landry can also handle the ball and play either guard positions. He doesn’t have a ton of experience as a point guard as he just started playing point guard last year, but he is more than capable. One issue will be his defense, he has very good length, but there are questions on whether he can stay in front of point guards as he is not overly quick. The bonus here is he may not have to guard point guards often, but will still need to improve his footwork. He also needs to keep work on his handles, but he is a high IQ player and one of the most underrated players in the 2018 draft. 27. Boston: Robert Williams C Texas A&M Grade: A+ Possibly the steal of the draft. I thought Robert Williams would for sure go within the top 15. The guys comp screams Clint Capela who is a near ideal center in this league. Robert can run the floor well, has potential to be a terrific rim and on ball defender and will cause some havoc on the offensive glass. Now he isn’t going to have much offensive versatility as he will likely be a lob or second chance scorer in the league, but in Boston they don’t need him to do anything more. Now he may be a bit of a project, but this is a guy that could be a good replacement for Al Horford when his contract comes up or his time in Boston does. He also can play beside Al Horford and create havoc for teams trying to drive. This is an excellent pick and there are going to be a lot of teams kicking themselves for passing on Robert Williams. 28. Golden State: Jacob Evans SF Cincinnati Grade: A This was one of my sleeper picks in this draft and of course he goes to Golden St, the rich keep getting richer. Jacob Evans is a very solid 3 and D guy that should excel in the Warrior’s system. He is not going to wow you with one particular arsenal in his game, although he has a very nice jumper, but he also doesn’t have any real weaknesses either. He should be a great role player for the Warriors and if Klay or Kevin Durant somehow someway move on from Warriors then he could potentially fill a role in the starting lineup as I do think he has starter potential. Some things he can work on is mainly consistent and probably needs to work on rebounding as he is a bigger guard. Overall this is a great pick and a guy that can help the Warriors right off the bat. 29. Brooklyn: Dzanan Musa SF Bosnia Grade: B+ This was a nice pick for Brooklyn who are still trying to rebuild a team with less than ideal assets. Dzanan is a good offensive player that can score in a variety of ways and has the potential to get better if he really hits the weight room. His strength will be his biggest issue at the next level, but this is something you can correct so should not be a big issue. He is not overly athletic either and with his current frame it makes his defense a question mark in the NBA, but he does has solid enough footwork to not be a liability at that end. This could end up being a sneaky good pick, but it may take a year or two to see that. 30. Atlanta: Omari Spellman PF/C Villanova Grade: B- This may have been Atlanta’s best pick in the draft. It’s all based on perception, but I am not huge on what they did during this draft. Omari Spellman is a solid player that could be a fringe starter in the league but a guy I see as a good post off the bench. He can spread the floor as he is good shooter that makes him a threat with the pick and pop game, but he is not the quickest of post which will affect him a bit on the next level especially on defense, although he was a solid defender in college. Reminds me a lot of Patrick Patterson and getting a player of that caliber as the final pick of the first round is certainly not a bad thing and should have a nice long career in the NBA. |