With the NBA Draft coming to a close, how did the Los Angeles Lakers and other teams do in the first round?
The Los Angeles Lakers and rest of the NBA welcomed 60 new players to the league in the 2018 NBA Draft. This draft did not disappoint, as there were a number of trades completed. A number of teams should come away happy after the night, while others may be a little more disappointed.
Which teams are the happy ones? Check out our full first round team grades from the 2018 NBA Draft!
The first team under the microscope; the Phoenix Suns.
With the first overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, the Phoenix Suns selected Arizona center DeAndre Ayton like many expected. It became pretty apparent that Ayton was going to be the first pick for the past few weeks, and that is what ended up happening.
Ayton will provide the Suns with a new-age center in the middle, as he is able to play in both the post and also shoot from beyond the arc. For bigs in the NBA now, this is crucial and Ayton can do both well.
While Ayton does have some question marks on the defensive end, he certainly has the ability to be a great rim protector with his size. By taking Ayton, the Suns are building a strong core in the draft over the past few years, as they add Ayton into the lineup with Josh Jackson and Devin Booker.
Even though they have had a tough stretch the past few years, the addition of Ayton should help them improve next season. With a strong frame already, Ayton should be able to contribute right away for the Suns. For many bigs, the transition into the NBA can be a challenging one. However, Ayton certainly looks like he belongs physically in the NBA.
Grade: A+
With the second pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, the Sacramento Kings selected Duke power forward, Marvin Bagley IV. It became clearer as the draft drew near that Bagley would be the Kings selection despite Luka Doncic still being on the board.
Bagley has 20 point-10 rebound potential in the NBA. He was a monster in the frontcourt for the Blue Devils, averaging 21.0 points and 11.1 rebounds per game. His efficiency was great, as he made 61.4 percent from the field. Bagley will need to improve his jump shot and range, as he wasn’t a great shooter at the collegiate level.
Defensively, Bagley leaves a lot to be desired. While he is athletic and moves well, he doesn’t have great defensive awareness. That could make him a good match in the frontcourt with Willie Cauley-Stein, but there won’t be much spacing with both of them playing together.
Bagley is a good building block and has immense potential. However, passing on Luka Doncic will knock down the Kings grade a little bit. Bagley becomes the highest ceiling player on the team, but that is a crowded frontcourt in Sacramento before you even add in former Duke center, Harry Giles, who missed all of his rookie season rehabbing his knee.
Bagley is a great player, but when arguably the No. 1 player on the board is available and you pass him up, it negatively impacts your grade.
Grade: B
On the first of many trades of the night, the Dallas Mavericks ended up making the selection after a trade with the Atlanta Hawks. With the third overall pick, the Mavericks got Luka Doncic.
This move by the Mavericks looks to be a great one on paper, as Doncic is one of the most talented players in the draft at just 19-years-old. As a 6’8” player with the skills of a point guard, Doncic could be a matchup nightmare in the NBA.
Unlike some other European players, Doncic appears to be physically ready to come to the NBA and be a factor right away. The Mavericks now have an extremely talented backcourt with Dennis Smith Jr. and Doncic.
With the addition of Doncic, the Mavericks will now be focusing on adding a big man in free agency. More than likely, the Mavericks will have their eyes on Julius Randle and DeMarcus Cousins, which would both be good fits.
Getting Doncic with the third pick is certainly a good value selection by the Mavericks, and the cost to move up in order to get him wasn’t that high. Overall, great trade and a great selection by the Mavericks.
Grade: A+
There were a ton of rumors swirling around the fourth pick. The Memphis Grizzlies were struggling to get prospects to come workout for them and they were dangling it in trade talks as a sweetener in a package with Chandler Parsons. When the No. 4 pick came up on the clock, the Grizzlies decided to hold onto it and selected Michigan State center, Jaren Jackson Jr.
Jackson eventually relented, giving the Grizzlies the medical information they were looking for and it paid off. He landed in the top-5 and the Grizzlies get one of the highest ceiling prospects in this year’s draft class.
Jackson is a raw prospect, but he has all the tools to turn into a star. He has a jump shot, knocking down 39.6 percent of his 3-pointers. He is an excellent rim protector, as he averaged 3.0 blocked shots per game. Jackson also averaged 5.8 rebounds per game. When you take into account that he was playing out of position alongside Miles Bridges and Nick Ward, those numbers are quite impressive.
Jackson does have to improve his strength and awareness. He was sent to the bench with foul trouble too often, taking himself out of games.
That is something that can change with some coaching and as he learns the game. This was a strong pick by Memphis, as he fits the bill as a Grit and Grind type of player. Learning from Marc Gasol is a positive result as well.
Grade: B+
The Atlanta Hawks were part of the first trade of the night with the Dallas Mavericks. Atlanta moved back from the No. 3 pick down to the No. 5, picking up a future first rounder in the process. With the No. 5 overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, the Hawks selected Oklahoma point guard, Trae Young.
Leading up to the draft, there was some buzz that Young was dropping down the board. His size is a negative, as he is under 6’2” with a 6’3” wingspan. He was a sieve defensively in college, so there are major concerns about how he will play on that end of the court as well.
However, offensively, Young is very talented. He led the nation in points and assists last season as a freshman, the first time that has ever occurred. Young averaged 27.4 points and 8.7 assists per game. Those are excellent numbers. He has drawn comparisons to Stephen Curry, and Atlanta is hoping that comes true.
That is a lot of pressure to put on a player coming out of college to compare him to a multiple time MVP. However, to make the trade with the Mavericks worthwhile, he will have to come close to that.
Given the holes in his game, Young is a reach at No. 5. Trading away arguably the best prospect in this year’s draft class for him is yet another negative. This was a rough start to the night for the Hawks.
Grade: C-
The Orlando Magic were left in the dust a little bit on draft night. As the draft drew closer, rumors began emerging that the Magic were aiming for Trae Young. However, the trade between the Dallas Mavericks and Atlanta Hawks threw a wrench in those plans. With their main target off the board, the Magic used the sixth pick on Texas center, Mohamed Bamba.
At first glance, this isn’t a pick that makes much sense for the Magic. They have used big money on the center position in recent years with Nikola Vucevic and Bismack Biyombo already on the roster. However, a player of Bamba’s talent cannot be passed up.
Bamba was drawing a lot of attention in the days leading up to the draft. There were about seven teams looking to move up to have a chance to select him. A big trade up never occurred, as he fell right into the Magic’s lap.
Bamba had impressive workouts, showcasing his improved offensive game. He showed off some impressive 3-point range in workouts, which made him even more of a tantalizing prospect. What teams really like is his length.
Bamba is right about 7-feet tall, but has an 8-foot wingspan and 9’8” standing reach. That makes him an imposing force defensively as a rim protector. In his one season at Texas, Bamba averaged 3.7 blocks per game. He is already a strong rebounder as well, pulling down 10.5 per game at Texas despite the need to improve his strength.
While there is a logjam at center, the Magic made the right choice selecting Bamba. You take the best player available and worry about how it will work out later.
Grade: A-
With the seventh overall pick, the Chicago Bulls made a very safe and solid choice with the selection of Wendell Carter Jr. from Duke. Even though he might have been in the shadow of Marvin Bagley for much of the season, Carter was able to have a strong season as well and prove what he could do.
Carter certainly has the size to be a strong post presence right away in the NBA, as he is 6’10”, 250lbs, and has a nice wingspan. In addition to having the size to be a true center in the NBA, Carter also can shoot the ball from beyond the arc, which is a big bonus. At Duke, Carter shot 41.3% from three-point range.
Compared to his teammate Bagley, Carter is a much better defender, as he averaged 2.1 blocks per game. Being taken by the Bulls means that Carter will be paired up with Lauri Markkanen, which is a very nice pairing on paper. Carter showed that he could play alongside Bagley in college, but he and Markkanen fit a bit better with Markkanen’s style of play.
Overall, this was a solid pick by the Bulls, as their frontcourt looks like it will be set for years to come.
Grade: B+
After coming up short against the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals, the Cleveland Cavaliers are entering an offseason with a big question mark. While it’s hard to predict what will happen with LeBron James this offseason, the Cavaliers will have to try and do their best moving forward with or without him.
One of the glaring needs for the Cavaliers this season was at the point guard position. At the trade deadline, the Cavaliers acquired both George Hill and Jordan Clarkson. Unfortunately, neither played very well in the playoffs, as they were badly outplayed by the guards of the Warriors.
With the eighth pick, the Cavaliers addressed this need by selecting Collin Sexton from Alabama. Sexton had a great season for the Crimson Tide and is certainly capable of helping the Cavaliers at the guard spot. Sexton was asked to do a lot of Alabama, as he was their leading scorer despite being their point guard.
Sexton was a very hard-working on the defensive end of the court, which is also something that the Cavaliers need. While the Cavaliers hope James will be back, Sexton could help be a good supporting piece or the beginning of a new era.
Grade: B
With the ninth overall pick, the New York Knicks addressed a need on the wing with the selection of Kevin Knox from Kentucky. Even though Knicks fans booed the pick at the Barclays Center, Knox had a very nice season at Kentucky.
Knox has great size at 6’9” and should be able to play both forward positions for the Knicks depending on what type of lineup they are using. One of the weaknesses for Knox in college was his consistency, but as a freshman, that isn’t shocking.
In his freshman season, Knox was a very good scorer as he averaged 15.6 points per game. From beyond the three-point line, Knox shot it at 34 percent, which is pretty good. While taking a player like Mikal Bridges might have helped the Knicks in the short-term, Knox has the potential to be a player that could score 20 points per game in the NBA.
While it might take a couple of years, Knox has a very high ceiling coming into the NBA. Since Kristaps Porzingis might miss a chunk of the season, the Knicks likely won’t be going anywhere next season. This should allow Knox to develop in his rookie season and begin to grow into a good player for the Knicks.
Grade: B+
The Phoenix Suns landed at the No. 10 pick in the 2018 draft via a trade with the Philadelphia 76ers. The Suns traded the No. 16 pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, along with a 2021 first round pick of the Miami Heat, to get the No. 10 pick. With the No. 10 pick, Mikal Bridges of Villanova was selected.
This was another great addition by the Suns. They need some help on the wing and Bridges will immediately provide that. Bridges is one of the most NBA ready prospects in this year’s draft class. While he may not have as high of a ceiling as some of the other wing players, he is a very good player.
Bridges is the prototypical 3-and-D player. He is an elite defender with near elite athleticism. His 3-point shot improved every season at Villanova, as he knocked down 43.5 percent of his 3-pointers this past season. That 3-point shooting will fit in well in Phoenix as a floor spacer for Devin Booker and DeAndre Ayton.
The Suns greatly improved the talent on their roster with tonight’s draft. Bridges give them a player that is ready to contribute right away on the wing. He should see consistent minutes right off the bat and improve the team instantly.
A defensive pairing of Josh Jackson and Mikal Bridges is going to be difficult for teams to navigate. A lineup of Booker, Jackson, Bridges, T.J. Warren and Ayton will be a lot of fun for Suns fans to watch.
Grade: A-
The Los Angeles Clippers landed the No. 11 pick in the 2018 NBA Draft in a trade with the Charlotte Hornets. The Clippers flipped picks with the Hornets, sending two second-round picks to Charlotte to do so. With the No. 11 pick, the Clippers landed Kentucky point guard, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
This was an excellent selection by Los Angeles. Gilgeous-Alexander is arguably the best pure point guard prospect in this year’s draft class. At 6’6” and a nearly 7-foot wingspan, Gilgeous-Alexander has great potential on both ends of the court.
Offensively, there aren’t many point guards that will be able to keep him from seeing the floor. He is an excellent floor general that sets up his teammates well and can knock down an open jump shot. Defensively is where Gilgeous-Alexander could really earn his keep.
Once he grows into his body more, he could legitimately defend three positions. In certain matchups, he may even be able to defend power forwards. That kind of versatility is not easy to find and will give the Clippers endless lineup opportunities.
With older point guards currently on the roster, Gilgeous-Alexander gives Los Angeles a legitimate building block in the backcourt.
Grade: B+
After making a big deal to send Dwight Howard to the Brooklyn Nets, the Charlotte Hornets made another deal on draft day. With the Clippers looking to move up one spot, the Hornets end up trading the 11th overall pick to move to 12th.
With that pick, the Hornets got one of the best college players in the country in Miles Bridges. While Bridges had a solid two seasons at Michigan State, what position he is best-suited for in the NBA will be a question mark. At 6’7”, 220lbs, Bridges could be playing anywhere from shooting guard to power forward depending on how he quick he can be at the next level.
Bridges will provide the Hornets with a very good scorer that is very athletic for his size and can also shoot the ball from deep effectively. While he wasn’t the great three-point shooter in college, his shot selection can help improve his percentage at the next level.
The Hornets are in a bit of limbo now to where they stand in the playoff picture in the Eastern Conference. Even though they have a good amount of talent on the team, they certainly unachieved last season. Adding Bridges will provide them with a young player that should be able to play multiple positions in the NBA to help improve their bench right away.
Grade: B+
With their first lottery selection, the Los Angeles Clippers added to their backcourt with point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. With their second lottery selection, they bolstered the backcourt once again. With the No. 13 pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, the Clippers selected Boston College guard, Jerome Robinson.
Robinson has been shooting up draft boards throughout the pre-draft process. He was an underappreciated prospect coming into the process, but really began impressing teams. Robinson impressed so much, he was selected at the end of the lottery.
Robinson can really fill it up. He averaged 20.7 points per game, shooting 48.5 percent from the field, 40.9 percent from the 3-point line and 83 percent from the foul line. In addition to the scoring numbers, Robinson is also a solid playmaker and distributor.
Robinson has great size at 6’7”. Defensively, he will be able to showcase his versatility as he will be able to defend at least three positions. Robinson will have to add some strength to hold up against forwards, but he should be able to handle himself against backcourt players.
Robinson is a taylormade replacement for Lou Williams down the road. He has a similar skill set as a scoring guard that is also capable of being a playmaker.
Los Angeles needed to revamp their backcourt this offseason and they did that with their first round selections. However, some fans will question if passing on Michael Porter Jr. twice was a good decision.
Grade: B+
One of the surprises in the draft was the fall of Michael Porter Jr. in the draft. Just prior to the draft, it was announced that teams were concerned with the health reports for Porter. After missing nearly the entire season in college, Porter’s health is going to be questioned. However, he is a Top 5 talent when healthy.
Prior to getting hurt in a workout, Porter was projected by many to still be taken in the Top 5 despite essentially not playing last year. For the Nuggets, taking Porter with the 14th pick is a risky pick, but one that could pay off big time.
The Nuggets were very close to being a playoff team last season and if Porter is healthy, they will be getting a player that could be an All-Star one day. Since Porter was snubbed by many teams, he will be coming to Denver with a chip on his shoulder. As a player that has the potential of Porter, giving him extra motivation could be a scary thing.
The success or failure of this pick will ultimately be decided by whether or not Porter stays healthy. Even though there are certainly some risks, this could be a pick that puts the Nuggets in a great position for years to come.
Grade: B+
With the 15th overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, the Washington Wizards added to their backcourt with Oregon small forward, Troy Brown.
This is a peculiar selection by the Wizards. They have poured a ton of assets into their wing position, as they already have Otto Porter Jr. and Kelly Oubre. With those two locked into big-minute roles, there may not be many minutes available for Brown. He isn’t an ideal fit as a shooting guard given his shooting woes.
Brown needs to improve his 3-point shooting, as he made only 29.1 percent of his attempts as a freshman at Oregon. However, he plays well off the ball as a slasher. He isn’t an elite athlete, but Brown could develop into a solid two-way player.
He already has the size to hold up on the wing in the NBA. If he continues adding strength, he has a chance to even defend some power forwards in certain situations. His high basketball IQ will also be a plus for Washington, as he won’t hurt them when he is on the court.
While Brown has some solid intangibles, this is a bit of an odd selection for the Wizards given other needs and holes on the roster.
Grade: C
The Philadelphia 76ers landed the 16th pick in a trade with the Phoenix Suns. The 76ers traded the No. 10 overall pick, Mikal Bridges, to the Suns in exchange for No. 16 and future first rounder. With the No. 16 pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, the 76ers selected Texas Tech shooting guard, Zhaire Smith.
When watching Smith play the first thing that pops out is his athleticism. Smith is a freak athlete, registering some of the highest numbers at the NBA Combine. Just scroll through some highlights from his time at Texas Tech and that athleticism is on full display.
Right now, Smith relies heavily on his athleticism offensively. He is reluctant to shoot despite knocking down 45 percent of his 3-point attempts in college. However, he attempted only 40. Smith is an excellent rebounder for a shooting guard, pulling down 5.0 per game with the Red Raiders.
Defensively, he also gets the job done. He averaged 1.1 steals and 1.1 blocks per game. The blocks are what is really impressive given his position on the court. However, his fit with Philadelphia is questionable.
If he is not going to shoot the ball more, he could clog things up for the 76ers. While he is a much better defender than the wing players that may be leaving in free agency, he isn’t near the same shooter. Spacing is something that the 76ers need, so trading away a shooter in Mikal Bridges for Smith is an odd decision.
At some point, the 76ers have to stop looking into the future and look to improve the team now.
Grade: C+
With the 17th overall pick, the Milwaukee Bucks added the star of the NCAA Tournament in Donte DiVincenzo. After a strong season, the Bucks were looking to help add some talent to make another step forward. By selecting DiVincenzo, the Bucks are getting a player that is an athletic guard that can finish at the rim and also spread the floor with his ability to shoot.
Since the Bucks have their franchise-player in Giannis Antetokounmpo, they need to add players that will compliment him nicely. DiVincenzo can pretty much do it all offensively, which will be a welcomed thing for the Bucks, who needed help on offense as shown against the Celtics in the playoffs.
Even though DiVincenzo’s stats in college weren’t fantastic, he was on very talented Villanova team that had four players drafted on Thursday. However, in the biggest game of the season against Michigan, DiVincenzo was the star for Villanova.
In the Championship Game, DiVincenzo scored a game-high 31 points to help secure his team the win. Adding DiVincenzo will provide the Bucks with a versatile player that should help a lot on offense. With a successful career at a winning program, the Bucks will hope that DiVincenzo can help bring those winning ways to Milwaukee.
Grade: B+
With the No. 18 overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, the San Antonio Spurs selected Miami shooting guard, Lonnie Walker IV.
Walker is a high-upside selection for the Spurs. Given the current state of the team and the uncertainty surrounding Kawhi Leonard, it makes sense for them to swing for the fences. There were more polished prospects available, but not many had as high of a ceiling as Walker does.
Walker tore his meniscus heading into his freshman year at Miami so he was limited at times. However, there is a lot to like about him. Gregg Popovich will be happy to get his hands on a player of this caliber.
Walker is extremely athletic with a huge wingspan. He and Dejounte Murray could become quite a stifling duo in the backcourt. Offensively, Walker has some work to do. However, his form is solid and he did make 34.6 percent of his 3-point attempts. There is enough to work with there that he could develop into a reliable shooter.
The Spurs are a great landing spot for Walker and he fills a potential need for them on the wing. San Antonio usually makes the most of their late round picks and they look like they have another winner in Walker.
Grade: B
The Atlanta Hawks had a busy night. No. 19 was the second pick of the night for Atlanta. With the No. 19 overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, the Atlanta Hawks selected Maryland shooting guard, Kevin Huerter.
It was clear from the selections that Atlanta made that they had one goal in mind; grab as many shooters as possible. With their first selection, No. 5 overall, the Hawks picked Trae Young, one of the better shooting prospects in the draft. At 19, they selected arguably the best overall shooter in the draft in Huerter.
Huerter shot up draft boards throughout the pre-draft process as he scorched the nets in workouts. He was one of the standouts of the NBA Combine as well with his shooting prowess shining. However, he does more than just shoot the basketball.
Huerter is an underrated rebounder and playmaker as well. He stuffed the stat sheet at Maryland despite possibly being misused there. His athleticism is underrated in addition to his defensive ability.
The Hawks are getting a solid building block on the wing. Huerter has the size to play multiple positions and has a playing style that will translate well to the NBA.
Grade: B+
The Minnesota Timberwolves landed this selection from the Ricky Rubio trade with the Utah Jazz. With the No. 20 overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, the Minnesota Timberwolves selected Georgia Tech shooting guard, Josh Okogie.
Okogie jumps off the page given his eye-popping athleticism and wingspan. Okogie jumps out of the gym with a 42-inch vertical jump and a 7-foot wingspan. That profiles as an excellent defender.
Offensively, Okogie constantly attacks the rim. He averaged 6.6 free throws per game during his collegiate career, knocking down 77.7 percent of his free throws. What the Timberwolves will like is his 3-point shooting, as he knocked down 38.2 percent with the Yellow Jackets. His overall efficiency wasn’t great at Georgia Tech, but it should improve with better talent surrounding him.
3-point shooting was a sore spot for Minnesota last season, so Okogie will help there. With Jamal Crawford likely leaving in free agency, Okogie could have a role off the bench right off the bat.
His scoring punch will be much needed if Crawford indeed leaves. However, it is his defensive prowess is something that Tom Thibodeau will really like. Okogie brings a lot to the table that will help Minnesota right away.
Grade: B+
After a great season for the Utah Jazz, they are hoping to build on that momentum for next season. The Jazz was able to pull off a bit of an upset in the first round of the playoffs, as they eliminated the Oklahoma City.
In the series, the Jazz saw a great performance from rookie Donovon Mitchell, who certainly earned respect around the league. Mitchell had one of the best rookie seasons in recent years, as he proved to be a leader on the court for the Jazz very quickly.
With the 21st overall pick, the Jazz added a player that Mitchell battled with in college, as they selected Duke guard, Grayson Allen. Allen ended up playing four seasons at Duke and saw it all pretty much in college.
Allen is an interesting prospect for the Jazz, as he can play at both guard spots. Allen was able to adjust rather well to play with or without the ball, as he can shoot quite nicely as well.
While Allen did have some issues with his attitude, he is a good player and should be a decent addition for Utah. While he likely won’t have as good as a rookie season as Mitchell, Allen could find himself with a decent role rather quickly in Utah.
Grade: B
With the No. 22 overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, the Chicago Bulls selected Boise State forward, Chandler Hutchison.
Anyone who was following the pre-draft process had a good idea that this is where Hutchison would land. Hutchison stopped working out for teams during the NBA Combine and many people believed it was because he had received a promise from a team. The team rumored to have given that promise was the Bulls, and that rumor proved to be correct.
At Boise State Hutchison did a lot of things well. During his senior season, he did everything for the Broncos. He averaged 20 points, 7.7 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.5 steals per game. There is not one area that Hutchison is elite at, but he does virtually everything well on the basketball court.
Hutchison is extremely athletic with all-around skill. His versatility will be nice in Chicago as he can play off of the other players already in place.
Hutchison is a good building block on the wing for Chicago, who added a great player to their frontcourt with Wendell Carter Jr. with the No. 7 overall pick. Those two, along with Lauri Markkanen, could be the Bulls starting frontcourt for the next decade.
Grade: A-
Despite trading their best player in the offseason last year, the Indiana Pacers were able to have a very strong season. In the Eastern Conference Playoffs, the Pacers pushed LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers to the brink.
Unfortunately for the Pacers, they came up just short against James and the Cavaliers. Despite being eliminated, the Pacers are clearly on a good path with ow their team is shaped. With the 23rd overall pick, the Pacers selected guard Aaron Holiday from UCLA.
On a poor UCLA team this season, Holiday took a big step forward and had a great season. After averaging just 12.3 points per game as a sophomore, Holiday ended up scoring 20.3 points per game in his junior season.
In addition to the strong scoring season, Holiday also averaged 5.2 assist and 3.7 rebounds per game. As the younger brother of two NBA players, Holiday will be very prepared for the transition into the NBA, and he has the skill set to help the Pacers. While Holiday is a bit small, he certainly battles on the defensive end of the court and is fairly strong for his size.
Getting a player like Holiday will help sure up the bench for the Pacers, as he can play both on and off the ball with the second unit. His height might be an issue, but he was able to average over 20 points per game in college, which is no easy feat.
Grade: B
After being eliminated from the playoffs in the first round by the New Orleans Pelicans, the Portland Trail Blazers were seeking to add a good player in the draft to help them bounce back next season.
With the 24th overall pick, the Trail Blazers went with a talented guard prospect in Anfernee Simons. Last year, Simons elected to bypass college and spent the year playing at the IMG Academy.
Simons has shown the ability to be a good scorer that can hurt opposing teams in multiple ways. For Simons, coming to the Trailblazers is a good landing spot, as he will be able to learn from two of the best guards in the game.
Both Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum are great players, and they make up one of the best backcourts in the NBA. While Simons will hope to be playing behind them in the rotation, he might have a hard time getting extended minutes in his rookie season. However, practice time with and against Lillard and McCollum will be good for the development of Simons.
Since he didn’t play in college, this could be a risky pick for the Trail Blazers. However, there is no denying that Simons has a lot of talent.
Grade: B-
With the 25th overall pick, the Los Angeles Lakers were able to add one of the top shooting big men in the draft. The selection of Moritz Wagner at 25 may have come as a bit of a surprise, but he does fit a potential need for the Lakers.
Since Brook Lopez is a free agent this offseason, he likely won’t be returning as the Lakers pursue stars like LeBron James and Paul George. Even though Lopez had a down season for the Lakers, he was able to stretch the floor very nicely.
At Michigan, Wagner was one of the best shooting centers in college, and that is very appealing in the NBA now. Having a big man that can move and shoot three-pointers has almost become a necessity in the NBA now, and Wagner checks those boxes.
While Wagner has some good skills on the offensive side of the court, he will have to prove himself as a defender in the NBA. Also, similarly to Lopez, Wagner will have to prove that he can rebound. However, playing with good rebounders like Lonzo Ball and Julius Randle would help hide any potential rebounding weaknesses for Wagner. Overall, taking Wagner was a solid choice by the Lakers.
Grade: B
The 76ers were very active on draft night, as they made a trade with the Philadelphia 76ers earlier in the night to acquire Zhaire Smith from the Phoenix Suns. Despite having a solid player in Mikal Bridges with the 10th pick, the 76ers shockingly traded him for Smith.
Later on in the night, the 76ers made their second selection in the first round, as they took Landry Shamet from Wichita State. Shamet had a very good college career for the Shockers, and his size as a point guard is very appealing. Shamet is listed at 6’5” with a wingspan that is close to 7’0”.
Adding Shamet will provide the 76ers with another long player that could help them on the defensive end of the court with the ability to guard multiple positions. In addition to his great length, Shamet is also a knock-down shooter. Last season, Shamet shot 44 percent from three-point range, which will be important for him playing with Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid.
While Shamet has very great size for a point guard, his quickness to cover NBA point guards will be something to monitor. Overall, Shamet is a good pick at this points in the draft for the 76ers.
Grade: B+
It was a challenging season for the Boston Celtics in terms of injuries, but they were nearly able to make the NBA Finals without their two best players. Injuries to Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward looked like they would cripple the Celtics, but shockingly they were one win away from winning the Eastern Conference Finals.
The Celtics have done a nice job of building a solid young core in the NBA Draft and have brought in some talented free agents. Getting healthy will be the most important thing for the Celtics next season, but they were still able to add a talented big man at the end of the first round in Robert Williams.
Williams had a bit of a fall in the first round, as he was projected to be close to a lottery pick. Getting Williams will provide the Celtics with a very athletic big man to play behind Al Horford.
While Williams is very athletic for his size, he does have some learning to do in order to become a better basketball player. However, he will be going to a great situation in Boston with one of the top coaches in the NBA. Despite his fall in the draft, this is a good pick for the Celtics this late.
Grade: B+
After winning their second championship in a row and their third in the last four years, the Warriors were on the clock at 28. While they still have their amazing core of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Kevin Durant, and Draymond Green, one of the reasons for their success has been because of their solid supporting cast.
Drafting well in recent years has helped the Warriors have a good bench to go along with the best starting lineup in basketball. With the 28th overall pick, the Warriors selected Jacob Evans from Cincinnati.
Cincinnati was a grind it out type of team in college, and Evans will provide the Warriors with some of that grit. Even though Cincinnati didn’t score a lot of points, Evans was one of their top weapons on offense and a pretty good three-point shooter. Last season, Evans was able to shoot 37 percent from beyond the arc, which should help him be a good three-and-D player in the NBA.
After some solid seasons at Cincinnati, Evans should be able to come in right away and earn himself a role in the Warriors’ rotation. As a player that will bring a lot of energy on the defensive end and shoot three-pointers on offense, Evans will fit nicely in Golden State.
Grade: B
Despite some talk about trading the 29th pick, the Brooklyn Nets ended up using their pick to select Dzanan Musa. Coming from Bosnia, Musa appears like he will be coming over to the NBA rather than being a draft and stash player.
For the Nets, they have been able to do a fairly good job setting up their backcourt with some talent. Adding Musa gives the Nets a player on the wing that could develop into a good scorer. In International play, Musa was able to have some big performances, as he totaled a 50-point game in the FIBA U-17 World Cup.
One of the most glaring things for Musa will be to put on some size. Musa is listed at 6’9”, but he only weighs 185 pounds. In the NBA, Musa would have a hard time dealing with players on either end of the court at that weight, as he needs to get over 200 pounds at that height.
At just 19-years-old, Musa’s body still has some maturing to do, but he has proven that he can score on big stages in International play. If he is able to put on some size, Musa could become a solid scorer on the win for the Nets in a few years.
Grade: B
With the final pick of the first round, the Atlanta Hawks continued their trend of drafting players that can shoot at their position. At No.30, the Hawks took Omari Spellman from Villanova. While Spellman played center at Villanova, he is a bit undersized to play that in the NBA at just 6’9”.
For Spellman, he will likely be playing at power forward in the NBA. However, in order to do this Spellman will have to work on his quickness to guard players on the perimeter. Spellman was able to stretch the floor very nicely for Villanova, as he shot 43.3 percent from three-point range.
If Spellman is able to drop some weight and work on his quickness, he has the ability to be a great stretch four in the NBA. While he was a good player for Villanova, this pick was a bit of a reach for the Hawks. As a player that has some work to do on his body in order to succeed in the NBA, the Hawks could have gone in a few other directions.
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However, with shooting clearly being a priority for them in the draft, Spellman can certainly do that well, but he could be a big liability on the defensive end early on.