NBA draft Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images
The 2021 NBA Draft went off with a bang on Thursday night as all 30 teams got involved in the action one way or the other. By the time the smoke cleared, 60 players saw their name called, with a dozen others rapidly attaching themselves to a team as undrafted free agents the minute the draft was over.
We had a plethora of surprises, from Australia’s Josh Giddey jumping up to the No. 6 pick, to Alabama’s Joshua Primo going 12th to the San Antonio Spurs. Jared Butler took the Bol Bol annual draft slide award, falling all the way to the Utah Jazz at pick No. 40.
The 2021 NBA Draft was as wild and exciting as usual. With the smoke clear, how should we grade all 30 teams based on who they chose in the draft?
Looking at the players all 30 teams took in the 2021 NBA Draft, what grades do each of them deserve?
How did each team fare in the draft? To evaluate that, we’ll take a look at what each team did with the picks that it had. Obviously, a team like the Detroit Pistons had the opportunity to take a better player with the first overall pick than the Philadelphia 76ers did with the 28th pick, but how did each team do maximizing the draft slot that they had?
These grades are obviously arbitrary, as no one knows how these players will actually turn out: not Hoops Habit, not draft analysts like Sam Vecenie or Kevin O’Connor, not NBA general managers, and certainly not Kendrick Perkins. Seriously, how was he the choice to go on the telecast?
We’ll be evaluating the value at each pick based on a combination of my personal board and the general draft consensus; the Spurs may ultimately be justified in taking Joshua Primo with the 12th pick, but it was a poor value based on my board and consensus, and they could certainly have traded back and still chosen him. That sort of reach worked for the Phoenix Suns in 2019 with Cameron Johnson, and it absolutely did not in 2020 with Jaylen Smith.
Let’s go division by division and hand each team a grade. How did every team in the NBA do in the 2021 NBA Draft?
Josh Giddey jumping up to the No. 6 pick</a>, to Alabama’s Joshua Primo going 12th to the San Antonio Spurs. Jared Butler took the Bol Bol annual draft slide award, falling all the way to the Utah Jazz at pick No. 40.</p>
<h2>The 2021 NBA Draft was as wild and exciting as usual. With the smoke clear, how should we grade all 30 teams based on who they chose in the draft?</h2>
<p>Looking at the players all 30 teams took in the 2021 NBA Draft, what grades do each of them deserve?<br>
How did each team fare in the draft? To evaluate that, we’ll take a look at what each team did with the picks that it had. Obviously, a team like the Detroit Pistons had the opportunity to take a better player with the first overall pick than the Philadelphia 76ers did with the 28th pick, but how did each team do maximizing the draft slot that they had?</p>
<p>These grades are obviously arbitrary, as no one knows how these players will actually turn out: not Hoops Habit, not draft analysts like Sam Vecenie or Kevin O’Connor, not NBA general managers, and certainly not Kendrick Perkins. Seriously, how was he the choice to go on the telecast?</p>
<p>We’ll be evaluating the value at each pick based on a combination of my personal board and the general draft consensus; the Spurs may ultimately be justified in taking Joshua Primo with the 12th pick, but it was a poor value based on my board and consensus, and they could certainly have traded back and still chosen him. That sort of reach worked for the Phoenix Suns in 2019 with Cameron Johnson, and it absolutely did not in 2020 with Jaylen Smith.</p>
<p>Let’s go division by division and hand each team a grade. How did every team in the NBA do in the 2021 NBA Draft?</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background:#222423" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/07/30/nba-draft-grades-30-teams-2021/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Central Division </a>
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<img class="size-full wp-image-433579" src=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/07/30/nba-draft-grades-30-teams-2021/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2133,w_3200/http%3A%2F%2Fhoopshabit.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F1331396042.jpeg" alt="NBA Draft" width="3200" height="2133" srcset="https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1331396042.jpeg 3200w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1331396042-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><div class="fs-center-img">
<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:3200px;">NBA draft Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images</p>
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<h2>NBA Draft Grades: Central Division</h2>
<p><strong>Chicago Bulls: </strong>Ayo Dosunmo (38)</p>
<p>The Chicago Bulls moved what became the eighth overall pick in the Nikola Vucevic trade, and therefore had to wait until the second round to get their chance. They used it on Ayo Dosunmo, a combo guard who went to nearby Illinois. He will play hard on every possession and is a tenacious defender, but his shot is very streaky and there were better guards on the board like Jared Butler and Sharife Cooper.</p>
<p><strong>Grade: D+</strong></p>
<p><strong>Cleveland Cavaliers:</strong> Evan Mobley (3)</p>
<p>The Cleveland Cavaliers went into the draft with a single draft pick, having traded their second years ago for Kyle Korver. They made the absolute most of that pick, taking a player in Mobley who could easily be the best player in the draft in five years. He is a defensive difference-maker and can fit in just about any lineup. A slam dunk at No. 3.</p>
<p><strong>Grade: A</strong></p>
<p><strong>Detroit Pistons:</strong><a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/07/30/nba-draft-grades-30-teams-2021/"https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/c/cunnica01.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener" ref="nofollow"> Cade Cunningham</a> (1); Isaiah Livers (42); Luka Garza (52); Balsa Koprivica (57)</p>
<p>There was a lot of chatter that the Pistons were taking their time evaluating other prospects and fielding trade offers, but at the end of the day, they took the <a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/07/30/nba-draft-grades-30-teams-2021/"https://hoopshabit.com/2021/07/29/pistons-cade-cunningham-detroit-needs/">best player on the board in Cade Cunningham</a>, who is not perfect but is on track to be great. They had previously traded their own second-round pick but had picked up a few extras in other deals.</p>
<p>Isaiah Livers fell due to injury but was onetime a first-round talent and is worth the flier at 42. Luka Garza was college basketball’s best player last year, and the dichotomy between his offensive impact and defensive failures is as wide as Lake Michigan. Balsa Koprivica was a draft-and-stash, but he was absolutely not worth a draft pick given his current projection.</p>
<p><strong>Grade: A</strong></p>
<p><strong>Indiana Pacers:</strong> Chris Duarte (13); Isaiah Jackson (22)</p>
<p>The Pacers looked at their current roster, ready to compete for home-court advantage in the Eastern Conference, and added the best fit they could find in Oregon’s Chris Duarte, a 24-year-old 2-guard who can absolutely <em>play</em>. Duarte can handle, pass, shoot, finish and defend at a high level. The upside is limited, but it was a reasonable pick even if Moses Moody was still on the board.</p>
<p>Isaiah Jackson was likewise a reasonable pick at slot No. 22, but completely unfathomable for the Pacers to trade up to take him. They used Aaron Holiday, a legitimate rotational guard, to move up from 31 to 22 to take the Kentucky center. The Pacers already used a first-round pick two years ago on a center in Goga Bitadze, which was already inexplicable because they had Domantas Sabonis and Myles Turner. Now they go four deep at the league’s most replaceable position. Insane.</p>
<p><strong>Grade: C-</strong></p>
<p><strong>Milwaukee Bucks:</strong> Sandro Mamukelashvili (54); Georgios Kalaitzakis (60)</p>
<p>The Milwaukee Bucks decided to corner the market on players with difficult to pronounce names. After trading down with the Houston Rockets from 24 to 31, they pulled off an early draft-night trade with the Indiana Pacers to flip 31 into 54, 60 and two future firsts. That will help the Bucks financially, but it means they won’t get a player ready to help them now in any way.</p>
<p>Mamukelashvili is a stretch big who can handle and run, but he’s going to be cooked defensively. Kalaitzakis was a deep pull as a draft-and-stash from Greece; maybe Giannis gave them an inside scout? Neither player will make an impact anytime soon, and there’s a good chance not at all. The Bucks essentially traded out of this draft. (Also, put some money on the odds of the fourth Antetokounmpo brother, Alex, joining the Bucks in Summer League).</p>
<p><strong>Grade: C</strong></p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background:#222423" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/07/30/nba-draft-grades-30-teams-2021/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Atlantic Division </a>
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<img class="size-full wp-image-433580" src=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/07/30/nba-draft-grades-30-teams-2021/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_1067,w_1600/http%3A%2F%2Fhoopshabit.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F1331397379.jpeg" alt="NBA Draft" width="1600" height="1067" srcset="https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1331397379.jpeg 1600w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1331397379-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px"><div class="fs-center-img">
<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:1600px;">NBA draft Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images</p>
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<h2>NBA Draft Grades: Atlantic Division</h2>
<p><strong>Boston Celtics: </strong>Juhann Begarin (45)</p>
<p>After moving their first-round pick to offload Kemba Walker’s salary, the Boston Celtics were all too happy to take a draft-and-stash as they face a roster crunch for next season. The teenage Begarin is from France and has all of the tools to be a tough, physical wing but hasn’t yet put them together. Boston will watch from a distance to see if he does.</p>
<p><strong>Grade: C</strong></p>
<p><strong>Brooklyn Nets:</strong> Cam Thomas (27); Day’Ron Sharpe (29); Kessler Edwards (44); Marcus Zegarowski (49); RaiQuan Gray (59)</p>
<p>The Nets got things started earlier in the day, flipping Landry Shamet to the Phoenix Suns for Jevon Carter and the 29th pick. They then apparently thought one point guard wasn’t enough, adding two more over the course of the night to backup their two All-NBA guards.</p>
<p>Positional question marks aside, the Nets actually hit on some significant values in this draft. Cam Thomas is a score-only guard and Day’Ron Sharpe is a big with plenty of intangibles but hasn’t performed well yet; they were both fine values, although not the best players available at their positions when the Nets came up.</p>
<p>The Nets turned that around in the second, taking wing sniper Kessler Edwards with the 44th pick (25th on my board) and point forward RaiQuan Gray at 59 (36th on my board). Edwards could replace Shamet in the rotation from day one, while Gray needs to lose weight and improve his shot to find a place in the rotation. Zegarowski was a bit of a reach at 49, but he can absolutely shoot the ball so he has a chance.</p>
<p><strong>Grade: B</strong></p>
<p><strong>New York Knicks:</strong> Quentin Grimes (25); Rokas Jokubaitis (34); Miles McBride (36); Jericho Sims (58)</p>
<p>The Knicks seemingly didn’t want to take anyone, trading down three different times. <a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/07/30/nba-draft-grades-30-teams-2021/"https://hoopshabit.com/2021/07/29/nba-draft-new-york-knicks-shooting-needs/">They eventually got into the mix</a> at pick No. 25 with Houston wing Quentin Grimes, who was this year’s Combine warrior; there were better players available at 25. Then again maybe the Knicks knew what they were doing, as I would have taken McBride at 25 and he fell to them at 36; swap those two and the value was great.</p>
<p>Rokas Jokubaitis is a talented point guard who has performed well overseas and projects as a solid backup in the NBA. Jericho Sims was the third Texas center taken but it’s possible he ends up the best, but he has a lot of development still to do even as a four-year college player.</p>
<p>The Knicks are not a win-now team, and they should have invested more in high draft picks instead of continually trading down. With the trades themselves, they got middling value on their first-round trades but exceptional value in the second.</p>
<p><strong>Grade: B-</strong></p>
<p><strong>Philadelphia 76ers:</strong> Jaden Springer (28); Filip Petrusev (50); Charles Bassey (53)</p>
<p>Heading into the draft it was possible that all of the best guards would be gone by the time Philadelphia picked at 28, and they were rumored to be working the phone to try and trade up. Instead, the draft went a little wonky and the 76ers had their pick of a number of options, taking Tennessee guard Jaden Springer. He has length and can defend, but his jumper is hit-or-miss. I had Miles McBride one spot higher, but they were in the same tier and this was a great pick.</p>
<p>Filip Petrusev was also a solid flier at 50, a stretch-5 playing in Serbia last year; he will probably stay over there for another year before heading over. Charles Bassey does a lot of the big man things very well, from rebounding to shot-blocking to catching passes in the pick-and-roll. He should be able to carve out a role as a backup center for a decently long career.</p>
<p><strong>Grade: A-</strong></p>
<p><strong>Toronto Raptors</strong>: Scottie Barnes (4); Dalano Banton (46); David Johnson (47)</p>
<p>The Toronto Raptors have found success in the past taking athletic players with a great work ethic and teaching them how to shoot. They decided to lean into that on draft night with all three of their picks. Scottie Barnes is a polarizing player, one who does a lot of things well and brings a lot of character and leadership intangibles, things the Raptors love. He just really, really can’t shoot and isn’t a rim protector, so at four he was a reach. They should have gone with consensus and taken Jalen Suggs.</p>
<p>Banton was also a reach, a player most didn’t expect to be drafted but who went in the middle of the second round when players such as Sharife Cooper were still available. Some players such as Joel Ayayi and Aaron Henry fell out of the draft entirely, probably not willing to take a two-way deal, so it’s hard to knock the Raptors too much if that’s all they were planning to offer.</p>
<p><strong>Grade: C-</strong></p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background:#222423" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/07/30/nba-draft-grades-30-teams-2021/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Southeast Division </a>
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<img class="size-full wp-image-433572" src=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/07/30/nba-draft-grades-30-teams-2021/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_1066,w_1600/http%3A%2F%2Fhoopshabit.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F1331398392.jpeg" alt="NBA Draft" width="1600" height="1066" srcset="https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1331398392.jpeg 1600w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1331398392-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px"><div class="fs-center-img">
<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:1600px;">NBA draft Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images</p>
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<h2>NBA Draft Grades: Southeast Division</h2>
<p><strong>Atlanta Hawks:</strong> Jalen Johnson (20); Sharife Cooper (48)</p>
<p>The Atlanta Hawks stayed calm in the chaos around them, staying put and letting value fall to them. With the 20th pick, they took Duke forward Jalen Johnson, who has serious question marks about his commitment and shot creation but is a dynamo in transition, a good passer at 6’8″ with plenty of defensive tools. He was the highest-rated wing or forward on my board at 20.</p>
<p>Then the 22nd-ranked player on my board plummeted to them at 48, and the Hawks may have landed their long-term Trae Young backup. Sharife Cooper was one of the best passers in the draft, and at least with Atlanta, he joins a team used to dealing with a poor defensive point guard. Cooper needs to figure out his jumper to make a true impact, but he was a tremendous value at 48.</p>
<p><strong>Grade: B+</strong></p>
<p><strong>Charlotte Hornets:</strong> James Bouknight (11); Kai Jones (19); JT Thor (37); Scottie Lewis (56)</p>
<p>The Charlotte Hornets have a loaded backcourt already, with LaMelo Ball, Terry Rozier and Devonte’ Graham, not to mention restricted free agent Malik Monk. The last thing they needed was another ball-dominant guard, but the Hornets saw “UConn” next to his name and were contractually obligated to take him, as they did with Kemba Walker and Jeremy Lamb back in the day.</p>
<p>Kai Jones is a hyper-athletic project big and was fine value in a vacuum, but absolutely not before Turkish center Alperen Sengun. The pick they traded to take Jones has a really good chance of rolling over until it lands around this range, which is a weird asset play for the Knicks but totally fine for the Hornets. JT Thor is a raw power forward with insane upside, absolutely worth a swing in the early second. Scottie Lewis is a tough defender with shooting woes, and there were better wing options there, but any swing at 56 is mostly fine.</p>
<p><strong>Grade: D</strong></p>
<p><strong>Miami Heat:</strong> The Miami Heat traded their first-round pick in the Goran Dragic deal in 2015, and their second-round pick in a salary-dump trade of Brian Roberts in 2016. They made no selections this year.</p>
<p><strong>Orlando Magic:</strong> Jalen Suggs (5); Franz Wagner (8)</p>
<p>It was a disappointment for the Magic when they landed fifth in the draft lottery for a four-person draft but found favor Thursday night when the Toronto Raptors went off-script and let Jalen Suggs fall to them at five. He steps in immediately as their best guard and will help set an identity for this team. Franz Wagner joins him as a high-level defender who passes well and has a projectable shot, even if it’s not there yet. For a team often seeming to close its eyes before it throws a dart, these were a pair of bulls-eyes, the third and sixth-best players on my draft board.</p>
<p><strong>Grade: A+</strong></p>
<p><strong>Washington Wizards:</strong> Corey Kispert (15); Isaiah Todd (31)</p>
<p>The headline for the Washington Wizards is that they somehow traded Russell Westbrook and got <em>back</em> a first-round pick, along with a collection of decent veterans on movable contracts. They flipped that second first-rounder to the Indiana Pacers for 31 and young guard Aaron Holiday, another solid return.</p>
<p>Kispert can absolutely shoot the ball, but has good athleticism and can finish inside the arc as well. Defensively he is a negative but not a problem, and he should be a solid role player slotted around Bradley Beal. Todd at 31 is more of a head-scratcher, a talented stretch-4 who is probably a long way from making an impact. There were better players and better projects available there.</p>
<p><strong>Grade: B+ (including the trades)</strong></p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background:#222423" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/07/30/nba-draft-grades-30-teams-2021/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Northwest Division </a>
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<img class="size-full wp-image-433581" src=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/07/30/nba-draft-grades-30-teams-2021/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2133,w_3200/http%3A%2F%2Fhoopshabit.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F1317422901.jpeg" alt="NBA Draft" width="3200" height="2133" srcset="https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1317422901.jpeg 3200w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1317422901-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><div class="fs-center-img">
<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:3200px;">NBA draft Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images</p>
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<h2>NBA Draft Grades: Northwest Division</h2>
<p><strong>Denver Nuggets:</strong> Nah’Shon “Bones” Hyland (26)</p>
<p>The Nuggets had a single late first-rounder in the draft, and <a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/07/30/nba-draft-grades-30-teams-2021/"https://hoopshabit.com/2021/07/29/denver-nuggets-bones-hyland/">they used it on one of this summer’s biggest draft board risers</a>. Hyland can absolutely launch the ball from anywhere, and his length helps him on the defensive end. On the other hand, he turns the ball over a ton and doesn’t do well on any shot but a jumper. I would have taken Jared Butler here, but it’s reasonable value and fills a need.</p>
<p><strong>Grade: B-</strong></p>
<p><strong>Minnesota Timberwolves:</strong> The Timberwolves moved both of their picks in the Andrew Wiggins / D’Angelo Russell trade. The Warriors took Jonathan Kuminga with the seventh pick, and the New York Knicks ended up with the 36th pick and took Miles McBride.</p>
<p><strong>Oklahoma City Thunder:</strong> Josh Giddey (6); Tre Mann (18); Jeremiah Robinson-Earl (32); Aaron Wiggins (55)</p>
<p>The Oklahoma City Thunder came into the draft with six picks, three in each round. General Manager Sam Presti looked around and decided “I should probably find a way to get more picks in the future.” They flipped the 16th pick for a pair of future firsts and consolidated 24 and 36 into pick No. 32.</p>
<p>The problem is that the Thunder got poor value at every turn. Josh Giddey is an exciting “big passing wing” who could absolutely be a top-6 player in the draft, but I had him 10th on my board rather than sixth. Then they reached for Tre Mann at 18 ahead of a number of better guard prospects. Jeremiah Robinson-Earl doesn’t do anything at an elite level and wasn’t worth trading two picks to move up two spots. Aaron Wiggins is fine at 55 but again, better options were there.</p>
<p><strong>Grade: D+</strong></p>
<p><strong>Portland Trail Blazers:</strong> Greg Brown (43)</p>
<p>Down a first-round pick to the Houston Rockets from the Robert Covington trade, and down their own second from the Rodney Hood deal, they traded back into the second round to take Texas forward Greg Brown. He is a leap-through-the-ceiling athlete who many have compared to Derrick Jones Jr. The problem is that the Blazers currently employ the original DJJ, and he’s not working out for them.</p>
<p><strong>Grade: C-</strong></p>
<p><strong>Utah Jazz:</strong> Jared Butler (40)</p>
<p>The Utah Jazz are a contending team trying to find a way to bring back Mike Conley without wading neck-deep in the luxury tax, so their priorities weren’t on maximizing talent down the road. To that end, they moved the 30th pick in the draft to Memphis and sent a future first along with Derrick Favors to the Oklahoma City Thunder (not a part of their grade). Then, seeing Baylor guard Jared Butler fall they jumped back in and took him at 40, an excellent value (14th on my board, although I don’t get to see medicals) who can fill a role on a cheap contract.</p>
<p><strong>Grade: B+</strong></p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background:#222423" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/07/30/nba-draft-grades-30-teams-2021/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Pacific Division </a>
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<img class="size-full wp-image-433582" src=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/07/30/nba-draft-grades-30-teams-2021/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_1067,w_1600/http%3A%2F%2Fhoopshabit.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F1331394238.jpeg" alt="NBA Draft" width="1600" height="1067" srcset="https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1331394238.jpeg 1600w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1331394238-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px"><div class="fs-center-img">
<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:1600px;">NBA draft Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images</p>
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<h2>NBA Draft Grades: Pacific Division</h2>
<p><strong>Golden State Warriors:</strong> Jonathan Kuminga (7); Moses Moody (14)</p>
<p>The Warriors were at the center of countless trade rumors, and while they could still move one or both of these players, they ended up making both selections. The Kuminga pick at seven was a ceiling play, as he is raw but has a very real chance of becoming a plus scorer, and a slight chance at becoming a star. It’s hard to pass on that at seven, especially for a team not expecting to be in the lottery for the next half-decade or more. For a team <a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/07/30/nba-draft-grades-30-teams-2021/"https://hoopshabit.com/2021/07/27/golden-state-warriors-nba-draft-2/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">balancing both the present and the future</a>, it was an understandable move.</p>
<p>If they went upside at seven they were <a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/07/30/nba-draft-grades-30-teams-2021/"https://hoopshabit.com/2021/07/27/golden-state-warriors-nba-draft-3/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">“supposed” to go</a> with an older win-no” veteran at 14; given how the board fell that would likely have been Corey Kispert. Yet the Warriors got to have their cake and eat it to, as the player they likely would have taken at seven instead of Kuminga, Moses Moody, dropped all the way back to them at 14. Moody’s most likely outcome is a 3-and-D wing, and his upside is as a future star playing alongside Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson and taking the reigns.</p>
<p><strong>Grade: A</strong></p>
<p><strong>LA Clippers:</strong> Keon Johnson (21); Jason Preston (33)</p>
<p>The Clippers discovered just how valuable having big perimeter players can be in last year’s playoffs, abandoning a center and playing five like-sized players. Rather than regress and take a big man late in the first round they spent a modest price (one of a host of future seconds they own) to move up and take Keon Johnson, an elite athlete who needs a lot of skill development but who can one day stay on the floor in those situations. In the second they took 6’4″ point guard Jason Preston, who fills a need and brings size and passing to the position.</p>
<p><strong>Grade: A-</strong></p>
<p><strong>Los Angeles Lakers:</strong> The Los Angeles Lakers were rumored to be trying to trade up in the draft…until they weren’t, moving the pick to the Washington Wizards in the Russell Westbrook deal. They traded their second-round pick for Reggie Bullock in 2019.</p>
<p><strong>Trade Grade: F</strong></p>
<p><strong>Phoenix Suns:</strong> The Phoenix Suns came into draft day with the 29th overall pick, but moved that to the Brooklyn Nets along with Jevon Carter for Landry Shamet, saving them money this season and letting them try him out as a floor-spacer off the bench.</p>
<p><strong>Sacramento Kings:</strong> Davion Mitchell (9); Neemias Queta (39)</p>
<p>Full disclosure: I personally love both players the Kings took. I think Mitchell plays incredibly hard, and I love all the little things he does. That being said, his upside is very limited, and his shooting from last season was almost certainly a fluke. There were many better players available at nine, and the Kings have already invested a lot of money and draft assets into their backcourt.</p>
<p>At least the Kings had a plan, to address their porous defense, and after taking Mitchell ninth they took Utah State center Neemias Queta with the 39th pick. The 7’0″ Portuguese center is an elite rim protector, and offensively he can be a passing hub at the elbow. There is real worry about his lateral movement, but he has a very real chance of becoming a low-end starting center and <a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/07/30/nba-draft-grades-30-teams-2021/"https://hoopshabit.com/2021/07/29/nba-draft-neemias-queta-sleepers/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">that’s great value</a> at 39. I had Queta 26th on my board (and Mitchell 17th).</p>
<p><strong>Grade: B-</strong></p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background:#222423" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/07/30/nba-draft-grades-30-teams-2021/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Southwest Division </a>
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<img class="size-full wp-image-433583" src=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/07/30/nba-draft-grades-30-teams-2021/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_1066,w_1600/http%3A%2F%2Fhoopshabit.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F1331397448.jpeg" alt="NBA Draft" width="1600" height="1066" srcset="https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1331397448.jpeg 1600w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1331397448-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px"><div class="fs-center-img">
<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:1600px;">NBA draft Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images</p>
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<h2>NBA Draft Grades: Southwest Division</h2>
<p><strong>Dallas Mavericks:</strong> The Dallas Mavericks got out of the draft early. They sent their first-round pick to the New York Knicks in the Kristaps Porzingis deal, and their second at this past season’s trade deadline in the JJ Redick transaction.</p>
<p><strong>Houston Rockets:</strong> Jalen Green (2); Alperen Sengun (16); Usman Garuba (23); Josh Christopher (24)</p>
<p>The highest amount of NBA draft capital absolutely goes to the Houston Rockets, who walked away with four first-round picks. Jalen Green wasn’t the second player on my board, but he is an incredible talent and hard worker and the Rockets got great value in getting a player like that anywhere but first overall.</p>
<p>Alperen Sengun was a bit of a mystery coming in from the Turkish league, but he was the MVP at age 18 and put up stellar numbers. He was a huge value at 16 and the Rockets were right to trade in to get him, especially since the two picks they gave to the Thunder in order to do so are heavily protected picks from other teams.</p>
<p>The Spanish national team is competing right now with the 18-year-old Usman Garuba in their rotation. He is a special defender, a 4/5 who can guard the rim and defend in space. His offensive game is raw and he needs to improve as a shooter, but the defensive impact is so good he should have gone a few spots sooner and was a great pick at 23. Finally, Josh Christopher has scoring upside and could hit, but he was much further down my board and was the Rockets’ only “reach”. Otherwise, they nailed it.</p>
<p><strong>Grade: A-</strong></p>
<p><strong>Memphis Grizzlies:</strong> Ziaire Williams (10); Santi Aldama (30)</p>
<p>The Memphis Grizzlies<a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/07/30/nba-draft-grades-30-teams-2021/"https://hoopshabit.com/2021/07/26/nba-trades-nba-draft-pelicans-grizzlies/"> took on salary to move up to 10</a>, where they took a swing at Ziaire Williams. Perhaps when they made the deal they hoped that Josh Giddey or Franz Wagner would be there. I really liked Williams coming into his freshman season, but he was genuinely terrible. Why did he go 41 picks ahead of BJ Boston when both were preseason top 10 picks and both had bad seasons? I like the idea of the Grizzlies going for upside given their roster depth, but this was way too early for Williams.</p>
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<p>Same thing for Aldama, whom I had ranked in the late 40s. He is a big with good passing skills and can play on the perimeter, but he is a long way away from being able to contribute on an NBA court and might never get there.</p>
<p><strong>Grade: D+</strong></p>
<p><strong>New Orleans Pelicans:</strong> Trey Murphy (17); Herbert Jones (35); BJ Boston Jr. (51)</p>
<p>The Pelicans traded down to 17 in a huge salary-relieving deal, and the guy they took there was UVA wing Trey Murphy, a darling of the pre-draft process who shot up draft boards as teams started plugging him into a role in their minds. A really good shooter with the size to check forwards, he can’t do anything with the ball in his hands other than shoot off the catch. He can space the court around Zion Williamson but not much else.</p>
<p>Herbert Jones is a huge offensive question mark but one of the best defenders in the draft, and while he wasn’t the highest player available at 35 the value is fine. Same with BJ Boston Jr., who almost didn’t seem to get a second chance after a bad freshman season at Kentucky. He’ll likely play in the G League and rehab his value.</p>
<p><strong>Grade: C+</strong></p>
<p><strong>San Antonio Spurs:</strong> Joshua Primo (12); Joe Wieskamp (41)</p>
<p>The San Antonio Spurs saw the ripple effects of Toronto and Oklahoma City reaching slightly for their picks and said “hold my beer.” Joshua Primo was optimistically a late first-round player on most draft boards, and an early second on the rest (31st for me). This was a gigantic reach for the Spurs, especially when players such as Moses Moody and Alperen Sengun were on the board who offered higher floors with similarly high ceilings. It’s not as if the Spurs needed another guard!</p>
<p>They redeemed their grade slightly by taking Wieskamp at 41, a fringe first-round player due to his shooting and size. He could be the next Duncan Robinson, not as an overhyped best-case scenario but as a reasonable outcome. He will need to get comfortable flying off of screens at the NBA’s pace, and San Antonio is a solid place to learn that.</p>
<p>To wrap it all up, our big NBA draft winners are Cleveland, Detroit, Orlando and Golden State; fascinating for the dregs of the Eastern Conference. On the other end, Memphis, Oklahoma City, Charlotte and Chicago were the losers, with the Los Angeles Lakers mentioned because of their questionable trade for Russell Westbrook.</p>
<div class="fs-shortcode" data-type="StoryLink" data-theme="dark" data-text="Zion Williamson still first in 2019 Redraft" data-url="https://hoopshabit.com/2021/07/22/nba-draft-zion-williamson-2019-redraft/" data-call-to-action="Next"> <div class="story-link-next"> <a class="story-link-next-btn" style="background:#222423" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="story-link-next-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/07/30/nba-draft-grades-30-teams-2021/"https://hoopshabit.com/2021/07/22/nba-draft-zion-williamson-2019-redraft/"> <span class="call_to_action">Next:</span> Zion Williamson still first in 2019 Redraft </a> </div>
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