2024 NBA Draft: Round 1 Breakdown
Zach and Brian break down the first round of the 2024 NBA Draft and give their thoughts on each selection
1. Atlanta Hawks: F Zaccharie Risacher, JL Bourg
Zach: Bleh. I don’t want to jump the gun too hard, but I don’t think it’s unreasonable to say that Zaccharie Risacher is in the running for the worst 1st overall pick of the last 20 years from a prospect perspective. To be fair, the Hawks were forced into a corner with Alex Sarr declining workouts and forcing his way to Washington, but Risacher is not at all the type of player you want with any 1st overall pick. Sure, he has some exciting size, shooting and all-around ability for a wing that can be a long-term starter, but Risacher is far from a star and won’t be what the pick label will advertise him to be. The Hawks made the right pick from a fit perspective, and perhaps Risacher will ultimately pan out as a very good player, but there’s not much here that I got excited over.
Zach’s Grade: B-
Brian: I don’t love Risacher as a prospect. However, I’m going to play devil’s advocate. If Risacher hits, he’s going to be very valuable. How do I know that? How much did Mikal Bridges go for? 5 first round picks, 4 unprotected, a second and Bojan Bogdanovic? That’s valuable. I don’t think he’s Mikal Bridges so don’t confuse that, but you can see why it's interesting. I’m not enthused but it could have been worse.
Brian’s Grade: B-
2. Washington Wizards: F/C Alex Sarr, Perth (NBL, 2005)
Zach: It seemed like a bit of a done deal for Washington with recent news that he was uninterested in Atlanta, but when you get the closest thing to a consensus 1.01 in this draft, it’s still an A. They get their big of the future who has oodles of talent to be the possible best player on this roster at some point.
Zach’s Grade: A
Brian: This was the right pick for Washington. They got their defensive anchor for the future and can stretch the floor. Washington had a good enough situation for Sarr to want to go there. Washington is going to be bad for a while, so I really like this.
Brian’s Grade: A
3. Houston Rockets: G Reed Sheppard, Kentucky (FR)
Zach: Sheppard has been a surefire fit with Houston from the jump, and they absolutely made the right choice to stay put and take him. He’s exactly what Houston needs to round out this rock-solid young core. Now, all they need is time to gel together.
Grade: A
Brian: I ended up having Sheppard #1 on my board in the end. I think this was perfect for Sheppard and a great situation for Houston. The fit with Amen Thompson, Sengun, Eason, Whitmore, is immaculate. Frankly I don’t have anything else to add other than watch out. Houston is going to have a problem down the line.
Brian’s Grade: A+
4. San Antonio Spurs: G, G/F Stephon Castle, UConn (FR)
Zach: For as much as I love Stephon Castle, I don’t want to crown this pick just yet mostly because San Antonio has a lot to figure out here, but from a fit and overall upside perspective, it’s an A from me. Castle’s shooting is going to be such an important piece of the puzzle and I think San Antonio is up for the challenge, and the fact that they were sold on him here means they’re ready and able to experiment with him as a lead guard. Castle has some of the highest upside in this class if he hits, without any doubt. Great fit and I like his floor early on.
Zach’s Grade: A
Brian: There isn’t a bigger swing skill in this draft than Castle’s jumper. I’m not going to say it's a home run pick yet. I’m a little more concerned about the jump shot than I was. We can talk about Dan Hurley’s system restricting him and all that, but what if it was masking his flaws? We will see. Now, that being said, Castle could be an All-Star. I believe there’s an outcome for that, but there’s a couple other things I want to highlight. Before 2023, Dan Hurley got 2 UCONN players into the NBA. James Bouknight went 11th to Charlotte. Now, I don’t completely blame this on Hurley because of the off court stuff, but Bouknight peaked at UCONN. The second player was Tyrese Martin in 2022 who played 16 games for Atlanta and hasn’t played in the league since. Now, Connecticut has had more talent, but I wonder if Hurley is getting these guys drafted higher than their talent. Jordan Hawkins is fine but we will see. Andre Jackson might not be able to shoot. We just don’t know. Could Castle be a better version of Andre Jackson? I think there’s a chance. We will see. I did end up with him at 3 but there is a chance that this goes south for SAS. However, I do feel good enough about a floor where Castle is a rotation player in the league.
Brian’s Grade: B+
5. Detroit Pistons: F Ron Holland, G League Ignite (2005)
Zach: So, after sleeping on this one, here’s where I’m at: I think Ron Holland was absolutely the best talent left on the board. I can’t question the pick at all on that end. Holland possesses a great deal of upside given his size and crazy motor, but his 3-point shot leaves so much to be desired, and even more so now that he’s on a team with such abhorrent spacing and a desperate need for it like the Pistons. That’s a lot of non-shooters in the building right now. Sure, they have Fred Vinson as their Shot Doctor to help these guys out and with further development, but that’s still a ways to go. I think there were better options for Detroit had they traded out of the pick, but it’s hard to argue with the talent.
Zach’s Grade: C+
Brian: I had Ron Holland at 8. There were a lot of reasons to like Ron Holland. The motor, the disruptor traits, the athleticism, it's all there. I also get that Detroit didn’t have a ton of options as agents were avoiding and given the season they just had, I get why. However, I don’t like the fit in Detroit with the absolute lack of spacing CURRENTLY. If Detroit makes a move and trades one of their young guys for some spacing, I like it more. If he was BPA on their board, then fine I get it. They need to make more moves if this is going to work, and I would start with trading Jaden Ivey, Jalen Duren or Isaiah Stewart. I’m not as high on them as the consensus is. I think Ivey is going to end up being a good 6th man, Duren a Montrezl Harrell type of big, and Stewart is just a back center in the Mason Plumlee type of archetype. This could turn out but time will tell.
Brian’s Grade: B-
6. Charlotte Hornets: F Tidjane Salaun, Cholet (France, 2005)
Zach: The second real surprise of the draft comes right on the heels of Holland with Salaun going to the Hornets at 6. It’s funny, because I literally mentioned this pick to Brian as an unideal outcome just a day before the draft. Salaun is pretty raw and one of the most raw guys in this class, but the shotmaking and size is something that could be really fun to pair with LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller and Miles Bridges. Size and good tertiary pieces was a big need and they definitely hit on that. This is maybe the biggest boom-bust pick of this class and I think this carries a lot of risk and pressure for Jeff Peterson’s first big splash of his tenure in Charlotte.
Zach’s Grade: C
Brian: We can now confirm that Krysten Peek has intel. I thought it was a bluff to try and get SAS to move up. Nope. So I was mentally preparing for this to be a possibility. I get why they did it. I don’t love it though. To play devil’s advocate: The Charlotte Hornets have had a culture problem for a few years now. It has seeped into the players and now the players have a job of trying to detoxify the culture. If there’s one thing that Tidjane Salaun does well, it's play hard. He improved as the season went on, got great size, great trajectory and all that is great. He’s also more raw than ground beef. So I think it's a signal that Charlotte will continue to try and be bad next season. What does this mean for LaMelo? Time will tell. However, Salaun could end up being a good player to try and help establish a culture. I’m also scared that this is going to end really badly.
Brian’s Grade: B-
7. Portland Trail Blazers: C Donovan Clingan, UConn (SO)
Zach: This was about what I expected out of Portland just based on the rumblings around Clingan. It’s not my absolute favorite move for them, but it makes plenty of sense for what they envision long-term. Clingan will be a fantastic defensive anchor and offer a lot that DeAndre Ayton cannot and I would venture to guess this may make Ayton expendable. I don’t believe an Ayton-Clingan pairing works right now even if I’m willing to assume they’ll try it but it probably doesn’t matter either way during their rebuild. This will unfortunately kill Robert Williams III in Portland, though. All that being said, Portland walks away as arguably one of the biggest winners in this first round with a haul of two starter-caliber pieces in Deni Avdija and Clingan.
Zach’s Grade: B+
Brian: Expected from the Trail Blazers, no surprise to me. Is Clingan their center of the future? Time will tell. Now, if the medicals checked out, which I’m sure they did, otherwise he would have fallen further, this could be a great pick. He’s going to play a similar role to what he had in his freshman season at UCONN. He’s going to need to outwork Ayton (which might not be hard), and the corpse of Robert Williams (for now). Clingan could be what Steven Adams was to Russell Westbrook for Scoot Henderson. Now the Avdija trade, I thought was great. Now some may think it was an overpay I don’t. I don’t think Avdija is this star, but he’s on a great contract, he’s 23, improved a lot this season, and could really fit with the Blazers core. 10/10 trade in my opinion.
Brian’s Grade: B+
8. Minnesota Timberwolves (via San Antonio Spurs): G Rob Dillingham, Kentucky (FR)
Zach: Wow! Some nice surprises in the top 10 so far, and Minnesota shocks the world by trading up to snatch Rob Dillingham. I’ve spent a lot of this cycle wondering if Minnesota would be looking for a guard of the future now that Mike Conley is getting up there in age and it seems they found him. It’ll take Dillingham some time to get into his groove on a team that runs tight rotations even though I think he can get real minutes on Day 1, but he has some ridiculous long-term upside that looks even better as a running mate to Anthony Edwards. Having someone as awesome as Conley as your mentor can’t hurt, either. In terms of price, the Timberwolves get an A+++ for only needing to give their 2031 unprotected first and a 2030 top-1 protected first swap to the Spurs, which feels quite low, even in a draft lacking in stardom.
Zach’s Grade: A
Brian: I’ll compare this trade to spending on a credit card. The Timberwolves need to pay up and win it sooner rather than later. If not, they will pay a lot down the road for it. I get why San Antonio did this. It’s just a real gamble for the Timberwolves. Dillingham has talent, but can he play in the playoffs with his size? That’s the big question. We will have to wait till next April to find out, but my guess would be no. However, with Tim Connelly’s comments about the reasoning behind it, I get it. It’s just really risky. This could be fantastic though and the fit is probably the best in the NBA currently for Dillingham. San Antonio was great, but they aren’t great defensively behind Wemby. Minnesota was the best defensive team in the league and they nabbed Dillingham.
Brian’s Grade: B+
9. Memphis Grizzlies: C Zach Edey, Purdue (SR)
Zach: Well, they did it. Zach Kleiman is a stats nerd in the same vein as a lot of the Twitter draft community and it just makes all the sense in the world they went after Edey. Now, I’m not very high on Edey and I’ve yet to be really sold on him as a lottery-level talent, but the angle for Memphis is pretty easy to see. They had a good thing going with Steven Adams and found rhythm in him, and I think Edey can play a similar role in theory (though I doubt it truly works in execution). I would assume Memphis isn’t done looking at big men, but even then, I think Edey can be a solid energy/per minute big off their bench in a plug-and-play role. From one Zach to another Zach who drafted a Zach, respect.
Grade: B-
Brian: It was reported that Edey was insane in the pre-draft process which makes sense. Given the Grizzlies are very analytically minded, Edey was definitely in play. I’m not as high on Edey but I get the reasoning behind it. However, Ja wants to get out and run, so getting Edey doesn’t exactly help that. I think Edey will be good off the bench for the Grizz. I struggle to see how it's going to work in the starting lineup unless Edey really gets faster.
Grade: B-
10. Utah Jazz: G/F Cody Williams, Colorado (FR)
Zach: Ainge loves his wings and with the state of the board, I had a feeling Williams would be the right pick. CoDub struggled a lot with his injuries for a big pieces of the season and it drastically hurt his value, but he’s apparently been killing it in his workouts. I think this was definitely the right pick for Utah and should make Williams a starting-caliber player from the jump if he has a successful Summer League and offseason. There’s a lot we’re going to need to see come to fruition with Williams, but I believe in the pure talent.
Grade: B+
Brian: This was a good pick. Given Ainge’s obsession with wings and the circumstances that happened, as soon as Memphis went off the board, I knew that the Jazz were going to take Cody. Tony Jones of the Athletic reported that Cody Williams was in play at #1 if the Jazz were there. (They also said the same thing about Donovan Mitchell in 2017). Now per Matt Norlander of CBS, Cody Williams was playing with a grade 3 ankle sprain (the same grade that Desmond Bane had this season that kept him out for several months), came back too early, and on top of that, had a wrist and orbital fracture. That messed with his confidence and was a big reason why he tailed off down the stretch. Before Williams went down with the injury, I had Cody Williams as the #1 ranked player on my board. He fell down the board as time went on but I got why people were intrigued. Frankly, I think this was the best pick that the Jazz could have taken. I don’t have any complaints.
Brian’s Grade: A
11. Chicago Bulls: F Matas Buzelis, G League Ignite (2004)
Zach: Basketball aside, it was awesome to see Buzelis so excited about getting to represent his hometown of Chicago, IL. He was visibly emotional and understandably so, and I think Bulls fans should be really excited about someone so passionate to be a potential franchise cornerstone. In regards to the actual basketball elements, I think the Bulls did well taking the best player on the board (in my opinion). He fits their needs as a forward and should be a fun player with Coby White, Josh Giddey and Ayo Dosumnu. If his shooting comes around, there’s a lot to like. I think the best thing about this pick is that the Bulls didn’t need to trade up for him. Well done, Artūras Karnišovas. Let’s hope this one pans out for them.
Zach’s Grade: B+
Brian: I’m not the biggest Matas fan, but this fit is great for him. I don’t know what happens with Patrick Williams, but Buzelis should play close to immediately for the Bulls. If he shoots it, he will be very valuable. If not, this could be another miss in a long line for Chicago.
Brian’s Grade: B
12. Oklahoma City Thunder: G Nikola Topic, KKCZ/Red Star (2005)
Zach: Talent wise, I can’t argue that Topic was a good get at cost. He was in serious competition to be a top 5 pick for a while, but everything just seemed to fall apart for him and will leave him likely out for the entire 2024-2025 NBA season with a torn ACL. Sam Presti has shown he doesn’t care about needing to wait for the right guys, and he believes he took the right guy here. Again, can’t argue too much with the talent, but based on their playoff performance and their current roster build, I think there were better options out there than taking Topic. This team will have a lot of guards when he’s healthy and a lot of mouths to ultimately feed and I think this pick could’ve been better spent on the frontcourt. Time will tell how this one works out since Presti cares a lot about being a step ahead for the team’s needs as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander approaches his prime. I’m willing to trust Presti has a vision here.
Grade: C
Brian: Presti trades Josh Giddey…and takes the Josh Giddey of this draft. Now, I’m more optimistic about the shot for Topic than Giddey. However, Giddey was a better rebounder and played more meaningful minutes for Adelaide. Topic is a gamble. It could work, it also really might not. However, if there’s a team that can take that gamble, it's the OKC Thunder.
Brian’s Grade: B-
13. Sacramento Kings: G Devin Carter, Providence (JR)
Zach: What an excellent pick by Sacramento. This kind of feels like a Tyrese Haliburton-type of pick in terms of getting value at the guard positon falling into their laps and I’ve been really excited about what he’ll bring to this team. With the Kings having just traded Davion Mitchell away and Kevin Heurter likely to follow in a possible star trade, Carter should slide in immediately as a key rotation piece. He’s a really standout two-way talent and he and Keon Ellis should be a deadly duo in the second unit. What makes this pick even more interesting is the fact that De’Aaron Fox chose not to sign an extension yet out of interest in seeing the roster take further shape so he can evaluate his future. This puts Carter in an interesting position down the line if the nuclear option happens, but even if it doesn’t, he’ll be a very crucial puzzle piece for the Kings. I think he can absolutely lock up a starting role next to Fox at some point in the next 2-3 seasons.
Zach’s Grade: A-
Brian: This does seem to be Monte McNair’s type, doesn’t it? They drafted Davion Mitchell at 9 in 2021 despite not having a workout with him. He signed Keon Ellis in 2022. Now, Monte drafts Devin Carter in 2024. I’m not as sold on Carter as many others are. I think at this point, the pick is fine. I don’t think it’s a home run though. I’m worried about Carter’s shot and if it doesn’t improve, it’s another miss by the same mistake by the Kings. I went back and looked at some of the stuff that people were saying about Davion Mitchell, and it’s basically the same thing. Carter does take more 3’s that are deeper, that’s true. However, some of those misses are bad. The defense is there and the Kings need defense without sacrificing offense. However, as I’m writing this, Davion Mitchell was just traded in a salary dump move, so it seems there’s a new vision to prioritize Ellis and Carter. Of the two, there’s a chance that Keon Ellis is the best shooter of them. However, if Carter hits, he’s going to be a great pick for the Kings and a hopeful sign they learned from their Mitchell mistake.
Brian’s Grade: B-
14. Washington Wizards (via Portland Trail Blazers): G Carlton “Bub” Carrington, Pitt (FR)
Zach: The first domino of the Deni Avdija trade falls, as Washington secures another potential franchise cornerstone in Pitt guard Bub Carrington. As much as I have strong feelings about moving on from Avdija, I think this is certainly one very solid part of a potentially solid full package. Carrington showed some really strong stuff at Pitt even in spite of his need for further development, so much so that I’ll plant my flag that he has some of the highest upside of this entire class. He’ll have so much time and opportunity to become a key piece of Washington’s rebuild and I think he has a good shot at being one of the best players of this class in a few years. Not counting the Avdija relation of this move, Will Dawkins is killing it so far.
Zach’s Grade: A
Brian: BPA! I had Carrington at 4 and as soon as that trade went down, I was hoping that Carrington would end up in Washington and it happened. Now, this is a risk for the Wizards as Deni was a good value player for Washington. It’s a worthwhile swing for a team that’s trying to be bad though. Carrington grew up in Baltimore. He played at Pittsburgh which isn’t that far from DC. He gets to stay close to home. Incredible for him. This trade could look pretty bad if Deni ends up being a real value and Bub struggles, but there aren’t many players that I think have All-Star Potential in this draft. Bub is one of them.
Brian’s Grade: A+
15. Miami Heat: Kel’el Ware, Indiana (SO)
Zach: Hmmmmm. I don’t love it, to be honest. Beyond just Ware not really feeling like much of a Heat Culture type of guy, I think there were better players to take for what this roster needs than a center. I would imagine this means Miami envisions Bam Adebayo playing at the 4 and sliding Ware into the 5, which I’m curious to see play out. Ware has some strong talent, no doubt about it, but he has a fair amount of red flags coming in, and I think he’s going to struggle defensively for a while. I think Miami can definitely help him correct some of these deficiencies with their solid developmental staff. They’ll invest a good amount into him if they felt good enough about taking him over a lot of who was on the board. It’s quite a zag from the Jaime Jaquez Jr. pick, but with the Jimmy Butler departure rumors, we’ll have to see how their offseason goes.
Zach’s Grade: C
Brian: The Heat take someone who is the opposite of Heat Culture. He will be forced to try hard in Miami in order to play. Frankly, the more I think about it, the more I think his representation should be ecstatic that Miami took Ware. This has the potential to be a massive steal. It all depends on Ware but he now has the structure to be an All-Star. The Heat turned Hassan Whiteside into a value add for a while, and Ware could be next.
Brian’s Grade: A-
16. Philadelphia 76ers: G Jared McCain, Duke (FR)
Zach: Great pick by Philly. I had wondered if Daryl Morey would just want to trade the pick, but I liked this decision. It not only gives the 76ers a cost-controlled player that can legitimately contribute to this team and make it easier to lock up bigger fish on the market, but it also gives Maxey a very solid running mate in the backcourt. McCain is electric and very unlike a lot of players Maxey has played with. As perhaps the best shot creator in this class, McCain has a lot of valuable traits to put next to Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid. He’s not perfect as a prospect and will have some questions about his size and athleticism at his position, but the 76ers took the right player here. I think this is also a fantastic outcome for McCain’s dynasty value.
Zach’s Grade: A
Brian: BPA! I think there’s a chance McCain could come in immediately and play. He’ll be good in the locker room as a rookie and will provide a lot of swagger which will help the 76ers. They need to hit on this off-season unquestionably, and McCain is a great start.
Brian’s Grade: A+
17. Los Angeles Lakers: G/F Dalton Knecht, Tennessee (SR)
Zach: The Lakers took advantage of Dalton Knecht in a freefall and snatched up one of the best shooters of the class of 2024. They need shooting and some quality role players, and they got one. Knecht is an eletric shooter and scorer and provides a crucial piece to improving this roster, but between his horrific defensive instincts and his age (he’ll be 24 when the 2024-2025 season concludes), I get why he fell and may not ultimately pan out. LA made the right pick, but it’s all about if it works out.
Zach’s Grade: B
Brian: According to the consensus, Dalton Knecht fell on draft night. I did not like Dalton Knecht that highly and the track record for 23 year olds in the top 20 is really bad. This could work. It could. I’m not banking. I think it was a fine pick. National media will tell you the Lakers won the draft. I'm saying that they got a player that probably should have gone in this area. I would have preferred Jaylon Tyson if I was LA but it is what it is.
Brian’s Grade: B-
18. Orlando Magic: F Tristan Da Silva, Colorado (SR)
Zach: This was maybe the most predictable pick of the entire draft. Da Silva is a Magic type of guy through and through and he’ll come in as an immediate impact player. He likely comes in as about a 7th-8th man type of player and I think he could easily play in the NBA for 10+ years, but I don’t know how much further he can really go. It’s a safe pick and I get why the Magic wanted him to round out their core.
Zach’s Grade: B
Brian: This is one of the most typical Orlando Magic picks I’ve ever seen. I thought for a minute that they might go with a guard. I was wrong. Da Silva will be good insurance for Chuma Okeke at the minimum. Da Silva could be in the rotation but best case scenario, he’s going to be a bench piece for a while.
Brian’s Grade: B-
19. Toronto Raptors: G/F Ja’Kobe Walter, Baylor (FR)
Zach: I didn’t love Walter as a prospect, but I think this is a move that makes perfect sense for the Raptors. Nice size, good shooter even in spite of the numbers, showed some ability to play good defense and has some understated upside if he hits his stride. He’s very much a Darko Rajakovic guy and I think his acquisition is a good sign of the vision of the Raptors around Scottie Barnes. I’m looking forward to seeing where he ends up in a few years.
Grade: B
Brian: Walter’s a fine gamble here for the Raptors. He’s got good size and can shoot better than the percentages indicate. He could end up being a Gary Trent Jr. replacement if they go in that direction. He should be able to fit with Scottie Barnes if he doesn’t need the ball in his hands to be effective.
Brian’s Grade: B-
20. Cleveland Cavaliers: G/F Jaylon Tyson, California (JR)
Zach: Love it! With the recent head coach hire of Kenny Atkinson, the retention of their core unit and stronger hope that Donovan Mitchell will re-sign with the Cavs, this pick is relatively low-pressure to find a rotation player. Even then, I think GM Koby Altman overachieved and took the absolute best fit in Jaylon Tyson, a sweet-shooting wing with a versatile toolkit and solid ball handling skills. He can be a strong fit with many iterations of Cleveland’s guys with Darius Garland, Mitchell, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen and should be the right wing to balance with Max Strus (and Isaac Okoro, if they do somehow keep him). He has a lot of on-ball reps with the Golden Bears and he’ll need to scale his game down to properly find a role, but I’m confident he can do so. Really solid pick overall and I’m excited to see how Tyson works out.
Zach’s Grade: A
Brian: I really like this for the Cavs. They are likely to lose Isaac Okoro in free agency and Jaylon Tyson might actually be able to shoot. Now, the defense needs work but he did it at Texas Tech. This could turn out great or really terrible. He could be like Austin Reaves in a sense…OR he’s Wendell Moore who, while writing this, was traded to Detroit in a salary dump move because of Minnesota’s tax bill.
Brian’s Grade: B+
21. New Orleans Pelicans: C Yves Missi, Baylor (FR)
Zach: For what it’s worth, I think DaRon Holmes II was the right pick over Missi. I don’t inherently think Missi is a bad pick, as they needed a center who has the mobility to play with Zion Williamson and Missi has that in theory, but a floor stretcher seemed much more in order than someone more traditional. Still, I like Missi’s upside a lot; his physical traits and athleticism are great, he’s really young and has a great ceiling with a team that’s been solid with development. I’m willing to give it a chance.
Zach’s Grade: C+
Brian: I think it makes sense to take a center. I don’t know if Missi was the right one. This could work out, but I think it would have made more sense to take a stretch big, whether that be DaRon Holmes or Kyle Filipowski. If I’m New Orleans, I’m trying to get into the second round to get Flip. However, Missi is young, really athletic, still learning basketball, and could be a top 10 player in this class if everything breaks right.
Grade: B+
22. Denver Nuggets (via Phoenix Suns): F/C DaRon Holmes II, Dayton (JR)
Zach: Another well-executed draft by Calvin Booth. Booth has put a big emphasis on landing pro-ready, cost-controlled pieces to build up the Nuggets, and he does it again with my favorite pick of his in the last few seasons with Holmes. Holmes is the perfect big man to complement Nikola Jokic and should really let it rip even in limited minutes. He can shoot, pass and plays like Jokic in a way that may even lend itself to them playing together. I don’t love that they had to move up for him, but it wasn’t a crazy price to pay, at least. He’ll be cheap for the next few years while they can figure out other ways to build around the margins.
Zach’s Grade: A
Brian: I had Holmes higher than 22 so I think that this was worth it. However, I think this was a bit of mismanagement from Denver. I don’t like giving out promises unless you are doing it to convince someone to stay in the draft. Holmes could be good. He might not be though. He can shoot it, pass a little bit, and play similar to Jokic. However, the fact that the promise got out and they had to make a move in order to get him, is mis-management (We will talk about that next pick). They still get their guy, so great job! They made it more expensive than they needed to, I think.
Brian: B-
23. Milwaukee Bucks: G, G/F AJ Johnson, Illawara (NBL)
Zach: Yikes. Not a fan of this one at all, to be honest. My real qualm is not necessarily about someone taking Johnson in this late first range (even though he was much more of a 40s range player for me), but a move like this can go so wrong and so easily for the Bucks. There’s a lot of pressure for this team to win right now despite a lot of questions about their core outside of Giannis Antetokounmpo, and there were plenty of winning pieces that could’ve easily found their way into a key role as a rookie (i.e. Terrance Shannon Jr., Baylor Scheierman, Tyler Kolek, Tyler Smith, Kevin McCullar Jr., Jonathan Mogbo, Nikola Djurisic, etc…). Between needing a significant amount of development as someone who will be a multi-year project (on top of another multi-year project in MarJon Beauchamp) and having a coach in Doc Rivers that won’t play the young guys, it’s going to be a while until we see what happens here. Johnson has a lot to work on (improve shooting, develop his handle and playmaking, get him up to date on his BBIQ, give him extensive reps in the G League and bulking him up from 167 lbs. are just a few areas to start) and unless the Bucks go belly up soon, I don’t see this working out for a while, if at all. See the full spread of draft picks made by Jon Horst since taking over as GM in 2017, and it’s easy to see that this could be a horrific selection to look back on. Johnson has some real upside, but that’s the only thing keeping this from getting a D- or even an F.
Zach’s Grade: D+
Brian: Alright, so AJ Johnson. It was reported via Sam Vecine that teams were struggling to get workouts in with AJ Johnson. There was speculation about a promise but nothing was confirmed. Jon Horst has had a history of giving out promises. (DJ Wilson) There are scouts that believe that AJ Johnson would have been at least a lottery pick if he stayed at Texas. In a vacuum, I think AJ Johnson could have gone in the first round. I had him at 42 on my big board. A reason why is I felt like he was more of a second team guy. If you see the recent Jon Horst picks, the only hits they’ve had, have been considerably better on their second or third team. (Donte DiVincenzo, Jordan Nwora, Sam Merrill). If they wanted AJ Johnson on a guaranteed first round contract, that’s fine. However, AJ Johnson is not ready. This team needs to win now. AJ Johnson can’t contribute at this point. By the time he might be able to, the Bucks might not have Giannis. (just reality) Maybe it works out down the line, but I wouldn’t have wanted to be the one swinging in the first round on AJ Johnson at this point.
Brian’s Grade: C
24. Washington Wizards (via New York Knicks): G/F Kyshawn George, Miami (FR)
Zach: Brian and myself both soured on George over time, but I’ve still held onto some optimism in a good landing spot. I feel pretty good with him in Washington now. I think there’s some good upside to develop here despite some extremely concerning bits to his profile and Washington has plenty of time and minutes to give him to iron him out. He’s got some impressive size and ball handling on the wing and it’s something that could be valuable for the Wizards. It wasn’t too much to pay to move up, but there were better choices still available on my board.
Zach’s Grade: B
Brian: I soured a lot on George but I like the fit for him in Washington. Now, pick 51 isn’t a lot to give up if they really wanted to secure him, so I get it. It’s not the choice I would have gone with but if they valued him that highly, sure.
Brian’s Grade: C+
25. New York Knicks: F Pacome Dadiet, Ratiopharm Ulm (France, 2005)
Zach: I expected the Knicks to go with a win-now piece with who was left on the board following the Mikal Bridges trade, but I don’t dislike this pick at all. Quite the opposite, given that they can now potentially stash Dadiet for the long haul and have a high-upside talent on ice while they make a push for the championship. The biggest key for him to get some burn early is dedicating himself to being a Thibs Guy (AKA, being a smart, defensive menace), teaching him how to use his size and getting him schooled up on his BBIQ. As a team that traded away a lot of their future, this is a great method to stretch out value over time.
Zach’s Grade: B
Brian: I really like the swing on Pacome Dadiet for the Knicks. Now, Thibs might not play him unless his defense improves. That being said, if his defense improves, Pacome is going to be awesome with his offensive ability. This could be a big swing that works out really well for the Knicks down the line. Really good get for the Knicks in my opinion.
Brian’s Grade: A-
26. Oklahoma City Thunder (via New York Knicks, via Washington Wizards): F Dillon Jones, Weber State (SR)
Zach: Sam Presti has shown he’s never afraid to go after his guys, and he did precisely that for mid-major superstar Dillon Jones in a deal that saw FIVE second round picks going to the New York Knicks. Jones is a bit of a funky NBA player for what he is, with my chief concern being a lack of shooting. Still, he was a mid-major superstar at Weber State and has some really impressive playmaking chops at his size and NBA fit. He’s big, burly and provides very solid rebounding. I think this is ultimately a bit too high for my taste and I think the price to pay could prove to be a bit much, but Presti has a vision. I’m willing to trust him adding Topic and Jones based on how well the Thunder have built their core.
Zach’s Grade: C+
Brian: I ended with Dillon Jones at 61 on my big board. That being said, it could have been a bit harsh. I just don’t know what he does at the NBA level. He’s got good size, can process the game well, but what else? Jones could be a Kenrich Williams replacement down the line. I do like Dillon in OKC, but I don’t think it was worth the 5 second rounders. Though, they have plenty to spare.
Brian’s Grade: C
27. Minnesota Timberwolves: Terrance Shannon Jr., Illinois (SR)
Zach: Respect to Shannon for getting into the first round after the wild ride of his last collegiate season and being proven innocent this month. Overall, I like this get for Minnesota. He’ll need to prove himself as an all-around wing talent that can back it up on defense, but if he does, the world is his for a rotation role in Minnesota. They’re pretty empty on wing depth, especially if Kyle Anderson is gone and Nickeil Alexander-Walker walks next summer, so there’s a big role for the taking.
Zach’s Grade: B
Brian: This could really work for Minnesota. Now, he’s old. He’ll need to go back to defense again, but if he can score and slash, then Shannon will be a great value add for the Timberwolves. You have to be betting on the Texas Tech film with him and the improved shooting. Time will tell how this goes though.
Brian’s Grade: B-
28. Phoenix Suns (via Denver Nuggets): G/F Ryan Dunn, Virginia (SO)
Zach: You could argue there were potentially better choices out there for the Suns, but I like the late flier on Dunn and what he brings as someone who doesn’t need to score on this team full of big-time scorers. Dunn is a stellar defender and should slide into a good role immediately as a depth piece without a lot of tough competition for minutes. The biggest concern is how poor his offensive game is right now and if the defense isn’t enough to make up for it, but I think it’s much less of a concern than I thought it would be yesterday morning.
Zach’s Grade: B-
Brian: His defense is nuts. The Suns could use some defense. His offense will get masked a bit in Phoenix with Booker and Durant. But for how long? This could turn into a great pick, or a terrible pick very quickly. It all depends on the shot. I get why Phoenix swung, but it's risky. You can’t survive with Andre Roberson playing in a playoff situation anymore.
Brian’s Grade: B-
29. Utah Jazz: G Isaiah Collier, USC (FR)
Zach: Just like the Cody Williams pick, Brian’s insight is far more valuable than mine on the Jazz’s move, but I think this is a home run of a pick. Would I have looked more to someone like Johnny Furphy or Tyler Smith in general? Probably. But, when a talent like Collier drops almost out of the first round entirely, this late of a take is pretty excellent no matter what way I cut it. The Jazz have another guard they can add into the mix that offers a different flavor than Keyonte George and Jordan Clarkson. The drop is definitely concerning and the NBA consensus on him affects some of my belief in him, but he’s a very worthy shot to take. Pretty impressed with what the Jazz have done in this first round.
Zach’s Grade: A
Brian: I have mixed feelings. Now, let's start with the positive. He can bully people and get to the rim. There is NOBODY on the Jazz that can do that until tonight with Collier. Cody Williams could get there too if he fills out. Depending on the Jazz, I will feel better about this pick. If the Jazz take Johnny Furphy, Tyler Smith, or Kyle Filipowski, I will feel better about taking Collier. I had Collier at 25. It was probably too far, I will admit. I’m just scared about the shot. The situation at USC was bad. I get it. He’s a better passer than the numbers indicate. Top HS recruit. He fell for a reason at the end of the day. It was too far. If Minnesota knew that Collier was falling to 27, would they have traded for Dillingham? Who knows. Collier has star upside but the shot needs to come. If he comes in and works, maybe humbled a little bit and is coachable, Collier will be great. Collier might be one of the best players at Summer League though. With Collier falling, I wonder if Jordan Clarkson is going to get moved. We will see though.
Brian’s Grade: B+/A- (subject to change)
30. Boston Celtics: G/F Baylor Scheierman, Creighton (SR)
Zach: We close out the first round with a very Celtics pick in Scheierman. I’ve been a little lower on Scheierman in terms of the overall talent this cycle, as I graded him more in the early-mid 40s on my final big board, but he was someone I always saw as a reasonable first round name. He makes a ton of sense on the reigning champions’ roster with his overall feel and excellent 3-point shooting. I really can’t argue with Brad Stevens’ choice at all: he wanted another rotation player who can contribute to their quest to repeat as champions, and he got it.
Zach’s Grade: B
Brian: Reports are that he shot 81/100 from 3 in Boston’s workout. Yeah…this was his floor. I honestly thought he’d go higher despite his age. He stood out on metrics when he was at South Dakota State. I think Scheierman will end up being an impact player for the Celtics eventually. I’d put my money on Jordan Walsh getting more of a first crack initially, but Scheierman might play if they have cap issues and have to move Sam Hauser.
Brian’s Grade: B+