Based entirely on my own opinions, let me know what you would change. I will do my best to articulate my points to the fullest. I will bring up undrafted free agents if they feel notable and impact my grade for the team.
ATLANTA HAWKS
Picks: Jalen Johnson at 20, Sharife Cooper at 48
Sharife Cooper is certainly up there as the steal of the draft, and that pick by itself would get an A+. The ability that the hawks now have to run basically the same offense with Trae Young in or out is very intriguing, and a long term fit of Sharife and Onyeka could be an ideal match both offensively and defensively. However, Jalen at 20 is the weak link of their picks. It is not a bad pick by any means, I'm just not sure if Jalen is actually good at basketball. They are also beginning an unhealthy stock piling of nonshooters, with Sharife, Jalen, and Onyeka last year. I personally would've targeted Cam Thomas, JRE, or Quentin Grimes with #20.
GRADE: A-
BOSTON CELTICS
Picks: Juhann Begarin at 45, with Sam Hauser undrafted
I don't understand picking Begarin this high. No real NBA skills besides athleticism, in a 2-3 position that is getting kinda crowded. If they think that they can capitalize on his athleticism all power to them, but at the moment their bench is garbage and they needed some more ready contributors. I would've considered David Johnson, Aaron Henry, Sharife Cooper or Charles Bassey with this pick. Sam Hauser on the other hand was a great pick up. An elite shooter, great off movement or catch and shoot. I have no idea how he went undrafted and Weiskamp went 31. One of the top undrafted pick ups.
GRADE: B
BROOKLYN NETS
Picks: Cam Thomas at 27, Day'Ron Sharpe at 29, Kessler Edwards at 44, Marcus Zegarowski at 49, RaiQuan Gray at 59
One of my bigger winners of the whole process. Cam Thomas was a steal at that spot, and should learn from the top dogs while being a valuable movement shooter right away. Very excited to track his development, will fit right in. Day'Ron Sharpe was another great pickup. A more NBA ready piece in my opinion, and with his high IQ and motor, will fill holes that the Nets had all year round. A big body that will fight for rebounds, make the quick reads in the short role to the open shooters, and be solid on defense. Kessler was another great pick. A top 10 defender in the class, with solid shooting potential. Their long term option at guarding big wings. RaiQuan and Zegarowski I have weaker feelings on, not that they are bad picks but I just don't see them being influential in the grand scheme of things. Both are smart and RaiQuan is a big body, so there is that.
GRADE: A
CHARLOTTE HORNETS
Picks: James Bouknight at 11, Kai Jones at 19, JT Thor at 37, Scottie Lewis at 56
My big winners of the draft, they absolutely dominated from start to finish. They got 2 top 10 guys on my board in Bouknight and Kai, and 2 top 10 guys that fit super well. Bouknights main appeal to me is as an offball scorer in the mold of Bradley Beal, perfect with the ball dominant Lamelo. One comparison that kept popping up with Bouknight was Terry Rozier for me, so just an outstanding fit there. Kai Jones was 7 on my board, and picking him up at 19 was high way robbery. Can come in right away and catch lops/run wit the core they have set already, with the potential to be a perfect second star to Lamelo. And, with another steal of the draft, JT Thor at 37. I cannot express how good of a pick this is for the Hornets. High upside, great defender and another player that can run with Lamelo. A long term lineup of Lamelo Bouknight Bridges Thor and Kai is long, athletic, tall and skilled, and I cannot wait to see what happens in Charlotte. Scottie Lewis was another good pick, a great athlete and defender,
GRADE: A++++
CHICAGO BULLS
Picks: Ayo Dosunmu at 38, Ethan Thompson undrafted
Getting the #10 guy on my board at 35 as your only move is a great way to do a draft. Ayo Dosunmu is a great great fit in Chicago, especially as a long term option at PG with Lavine. He can guard either guard position, giving Lavine the lighter assignment every night. He can run the pick and roll, and has experience doing it with a huge physically dominating presence like Vucevic in Cockburn. He can play off ball and hit the open threes off of Lavines gravity. And, with him being a Chicago boy, playing at Illinois, and then going to the Bulls? Too good to be true. Top tier pickup for Chicago. Ethan Thompson is a solid undrafted pickup, high skill dude that just seems like a real roleplayer.
GRADE: A+
CLEVELAND CAVALIERS
Picks: Evan Mobley at 3
I mean, you can't go wrong with Evan Mobley. They now have a frontcourt for the future, and one that will absolutely lock up. It is a luxury to always have at least 1 top tier rim protector on the court at all times, and it will more than make up for Garland and Sextons defensive deficiencies. The one thing that I am worried about in Cleveland, is Mobleys offensive development. Sexton is a dude that can be prone to ball dominance, and Garland is a great player but also is best with the ball in his hands. I wanted Mobley in a situation where he would almost be forced to be a creator, because I know he has the skills. But still, easy pick and they capitalized
GRADE: A
DETROIT PISTONS:
Picks: Cade Cunningham at 1, Isaiah Livers at 42, Luka Garza at 52, Balsa Koprivica at 57, Chris Smith undrafted
I mean you can't bash Detroit tooo much for these picks. Cade was a great pick, and the right pick. Automatically means that they had a good draft. He is a sure fire cornerstone that fits in great with their existing core. The starting lineup of Killian, Cade, Saddiq, Grant, and Stewart is very intriguing, and they are my dark horse playoff team for sure. Livers, all things considered, was a good pick as well. Fits right in, will get open shots with Cade, and will be a solid defender. However, I think they originally has the ability to draft JT Thor, and that was obviously the right thing to do. Very disappointed that they passed up on that opportunity. Less good pick at 57, but Koprivica can fill a solid second string center role in the future, makes quick decisions. I don't expect anything from Garza, not great pick and I have nothing to say. Chris Smith is a great upside play as well, I love Detroit going for bigger wings/guards with skill, great philosophy.
GRADE: A-
INDIANA PACERS:
Picks: Chris Duarte at 13, Isaiah Jackson at 22, Duane Washington undrafted
One of the first bad drafts so far. I like Chris Duarte, I really do, but I don't understand him at 13. At 24 years old with limited upside, he is basically a free agency signing. In a vacuum, he's a good player, but in terms of the draft, picking him over Moses Moody is completely nonsensical to me. Moody is younger, a better defender, and with more self creation upside and similar shooting projections. Duarte is a Carilisle guy, I get that, but I don't see a reasonable path for this team to take that next step. I've always been low on Jackson, and I don't understand the fit in Indiana unless they are planning on trading Turner. I like his switchability next to Sabonis, but to me this felt like 2 reaches that doesn't increase the ceiling of this team significantly. I do like the shooting of Washington in the undrafted pool, a real solid move.
GRADE: C-
MIAMI HEAT
Picks: None, but AJ Lawson, Javonte Smart, RJ Nebhard, Dejon Jarreau, and Marcus Garrett undrafted
For a team that didn't have picks, Miami got a haul. They have been needing back court defense for a while in my opinion, and with Lawson, Nembhard, and Jarreau, they more than answered the call. The versatility in their lineup, with Nunn, Robinson, and Herro as scoring guards, and Garrett and Lawson being more than capable of locking up is great. Now, obviously not all of the undrafted guys will pan out. But getting a bunch of solid defensive guards is a great way to go about fixing your needs, because I think 1 will turn around and be a solid role player. Miami recognized a need and went and fixed it, a masterclass in undrafted free agency.
GRADE: A-
MILWAUKEE BUCKS
Picks: Sandro Mamukelashvili at 54 and Georgios Kalaitzakis at 60
I love love love Sandro in Milwaukee. Giannis covering up for his mistakes on defense is exactly what Sandro needed, and he can be a legit floor spacer on the other end. If everything comes together, a pick and roll with Sandro ooping it up to Giannis is so enticing, I can't wait to see Mamu and his development. I had legit not idea who Georgios is. Now that I have done a bit of research, it looks like he has a unathletic bad shooting raw 22 year old who couldn't play in a Greek league... who happens to have the same agent as Giannis Antetokounmpo. It to me looks like this is a thank you to the agent for having Giannis sign the supermax, because Georgios isn't an NBA player. Sandro was such a good pick that it works out though, literally the perfect fit.
GRADE: B+
NEW YORK KNICKS
Picks: Quentin Grimes at 25, Rokas Jokubiatis at 34, Miles McBride at 36, Jehrico Sims at 58, Aamir Simms undrafted
I really like the draft that New York did in a vacuum. HOWEVER, them not picking Sharife Cooper is such a bad mistake. The Knicks needed more shot creation and someone to take the ball out of the hands of Rose, Randle, and Barrett. Them not taking Sharife drops their grade a huge amount for me. However, the guys they got are solid as well. Quentin can fill that Reggie Bullock role pretty instantly if RB is gonna get paid a bit too much. Rokas I am not super high on, but he is a good shot creator and a pure point guard, who I am excited to see try and fill the theoretical shoes that Sharife had laid out in front of him in the eyes of Knicks fans. McBride I think is a straight up better prospect than Davion, so snagging him so much later than the Kings got Mitchell is really impressive, and he is a dude that can immediately come and play, unlike most rookies under Thibs. I like Sims at the 5; the Knicks really like their rim runners which is fair. I hope Noel stays and teaches Sims better pick and roll defense, he could become really solid. Simms is a top 5 undrafted pick up, I expect him to make an impact somewhere somehow. So, 5 good prospects, but it feels like this could've been so much more.
GRADE: B+
ORLANDO MAGIC
Picks: Jalen Suggs at 5, Franz Wagner at 8
Snagging Jalen is such a good move. The Magic have guards for days; Fultz, Hampton, Anthony are just the young ones. However, none of those guys are the guy. I think they can all be solid players, but they needed a cornerstone to build the rest of the franchise around. Secondly, I am really glad that they didn't get the chance to pick Scottie. They need spacing more than anything, and while Jalen and Franz are not elite spacers, it was better than mocks that had Scottie and Keon going to Orlando. Jalen is going to make all of his teammates better and I am really excited to see it. Franz being another long defensive wing is really interesting, and they got him without having to give up a ton of spacing. I really like what the Magic are building, hopefully they can get one more great building piece next year (Nikola Jovic, look out for him Orlando). But right now, Suggs Anthony Franz Isaac and WCJ is pretty intriguing.
GRADE: A
PHILADELPHIA 76ERS
Picks: Jaden Springer at 28, Filip Petrusev at 50, Charles Bassey at 53, Aaron Henry and Daishen Nix undrafted
I am a pretty big fan of the Sixers draft. Jaden Springer, learning under George Hill with his natural traits can make a really great player, hopefully his playmaking and shooting improve because if them he will be a great player for years to come. Petrusev is more eh for me, but shooting around Embiid is always gonna be a must (he is a draft and stash guy FYI from what I have heard). Charles Bassey is a great back up center, if he can learn under Dwight I think he simply becomes Dwight (current dwight). Aaron Henry going undrafted is one of the steals of the night, I love the defense that Philly is building. Taking a flyer on Daishen is solid, he still has legit potential. The pattern I am detecting however, with the picks of Jaden, Henry, and Daishen, is that they are trying to find a way to replicate the skills of Ben Simmons. Jaden and Daishen are beefing up the playmaking, and Springer + Henry and beefing up the defense. I really like the draft for Philly, probably the best defensive group that any team drafted, and taking defense is always good with me, the most translatable skill.
GRADE: A-
TORONTO RAPTORS
Picks: Scottie Barnes at 4, Dalano Banton at 46, David Johnson at 47, Justin Champagnie and Moses Wright as undrafted free agents
Love me some Scottie Barnes. I also really like the fit he has in Toronto. They either see him as 1) a point guard, 2) a power forward, or 3) a switchable center. He can fill that 1 if (probably when) Lowry walks, he can be a power forward if they trade Siakam, or he can be a center right now. The switchability if they end up going with OG, Siakam, and Scottie as the front court is so so interesting, I cannot wait to see what Toronto ends up doing. I would've taken Suggs, but still a solid solid pick. Banton is more of an iffy pick to me, but going with jumbo facilitators is never going to be a bad pick. I expect him to be in the G-league for a little bit, and that experience along with the Raptors developmental staff, I would not be shocked for Banton to be a coveted back up PG for years to come. David Johnson I really really like in Toronto. I think he has always been an underrated prospect, and with Nick Nurse trying to iron out the flaws in this game, I think it is one of the best picks of the draft, and I can totally see David Johnson being a 5th starter in Toronto in 2-3 years. The Raptors I also think are the second best team in undrafted free agency, behind a team that we will get to in part 2. They got two top 60 guys to me, and they got 2 guys that perfectly fit the culture in Toronto. Champagnie can be pretty close to Deandre Bembry right away in my eyes, and Moses Wright I always thought was kind of like Chris Boucher. Very impressive haul for the Raptors
GRADE: A
WASHINGTON WIZARDS:
Picks: Corey Kispert at 15, Isaiah Todd at 31, Jay Huff as an undrafted free agent
Very meh draft all around. Kispert was a bit of a reach, but he is an immediate help, and they want immediate help around Beal. Todd was a pretty good pick (they got the two best assets in the 22/31 trade), and I think him learning under Bertans will be great for his long term development. Jay Huff, another shooter, not much to say but it is solid value. Man though, the Wizards did not go for fit. They have a solid front court core, with Deni, Rui, and Gafford, and basically no one in the backcourt that is worth anything. Tre Mann I thought was the pick for Wizards, but they got another small forward. Todd is good, but not better than Rui, and they directly overlap. Huff is good, but just a Thomas Bryant but much much worse. The Wizards have no depth in the back court, and if the haul was Mann and McBride/Dosunmu instead of Kispert and Todd, I think everyone would be a lot happier.
Grade: B
Alright, that is a lot of words! 2800 actually, almost 6 pages lol. I will get the Western Conference one done in the next 1-2 days, let me know what you think!