Lottery Grades

Another one in the books! After all the spicy rumors, things certainly could've been a bit more wild, but props to all parties for doing their best considering the circumstances. Here's our grades for the picks made by the lottery teams:

THE LOTTERY

1. ​Timberwolves: Anthony Edwards
   It's never a good sign when the highlight package for the #1 overall pick in the NBA Draft begins with his youth football highlights. ESPN needs to be better, but drafting betting your future on a guy who's stated he'd rather be playing football and doesn't enjoy watching basketball all while already having existing concerns about his work ethic and focus is pretty dang risky if you ask me. The ESPN talking heads touted the positional fit of Edwards in Minnesota, but I see a terrible stylistic fit here. A high volume scorer who plays inconsistent defense seems like the last thing the Wolves need as they try to become a winner.
   GRADE: D+
   
   
2. Warriors: James Wiseman
   Amidst the terrible Klay Thompson news and the uncertainty surrounding it, the Warriors ended up playing it straight and keeping the #2 pick. They threaded the needle by making a selection that was simultaneously both safe and a big swing for a potential star. Wiseman will be an excellent pick and roll partner with Steph, bare minimum.  And with his physical gifts, he could easily end up as the best player in this draft.
   GRADE: A
   
   
3. Hornets: LaMelo Ball
   It's hard to be too harsh on the Hornets since during the draft Trev, Steve, and I were joking that their ticker should've read, 'Team Needs: All', so Ball isn't a terrible fit. I'm just not in the camp that Ball actually was the best player available. This comes as no surprise given our big board, but both Okongwu or Hayes felt like prospects with similarly high ceilings but without the character concerns. 
   GRADE: C+
   
   
4. Bulls: Patrick Williams
   The Bulls have missed the playoffs for three years, have no bonafide cornerstones on their roster, yet have playoff aspirations under new coach, Billy Donovan. With that in mind, one would assume they'd be drafting for the best player available. Some teams really liked Patrick Williams heading into the draft, but with his developing jumper he'll be a defensive specialist in the short term and likely a solid if unspectacular starter long term.
   GRADE: C-
   
   
5. Cavs: Isaac Okoro
   Poor Cavs fans. Like Williams before him, Okoro could've made an immediate impact for a contender with his defense, physicality, and intensity. Unfortunately he's landing into a situation that's the polar opposite of what he needs to foster his development. This feels like a pick that will eventually be labelled as a bust.
   GRADE: D
   
   
6. Hawks: Onyeka Okongwu
   I'm obviously a fan of this pick from the perspective of simply adding the best player (Okongwu was #1 on our big board). I don't understand it from a timeline and fit perspective though. The Hawks' front office is apparently under a make the playoffs or else mandate, and Atlanta already has a crowded front court with John Collins, Clint Capela, and Dewayne Dedmon. As mentioned in our roundtable, I thought Tyrese Haliburton was the right call. 
   GRADE: B
   
   
7. Pistons: Killian Hayes
   The Pistons picked our top remaining player, and he happened to be also be at a position of need. Hayes looks like he'll have a great opportunity to learn on the fly, and will be a leading contender for Rookie of the Year.
   GRADE: A+
   
   
8. Knicks: Obi Toppin
   Keeping the local Toppin in the Big Apple is a great story and I think he'll have more than a few moments where he lights The Garden up with big scoring nights or one of his electrifying dunks. I don't think he was the best player available, however, and now he's joining an already packed front court, albeit one with mediocre players who likely aren't in the Knicks' long term plans. 
   GRADE: B-
   
   
9. Wizards: Deni Avdija
   Avdija is a worthwhile gamble here considering that most thought he was presumed to be going top 5 and since some think he could end up being the best player in the draft. This happening after our prediction that Avdija would have an NBA career similar to Jan Vesely is a litttttle spooky though. 
   GRADE: B-
   
   
10. Suns: Jalen Smith
    Many analysts thought this was a reach, but I disagree as we had Smith 10th on our big board. Smith should be a nice complement to DeAndre Ayton in the front court with his outside shooting, and will be able to back him up at center in smaller lineups. I think Tyrese Haliburton may have been a more useful addition to the Suns' rotation as they aim towards the playoffs, however.
    GRADE: B
    
    
11. Spurs: Devin Vassell
    When this pick happened I said to Steve and Trev, 'of course Haliburton falls to the Spurs!'. He just made too much sense for San Antonio as a high IQ guy who does all the little things right, so I was totally surprised in the moment. We had Vassell higher than his eventual 12th on our big board early on, but the video that surfaced of him with what looked like an altered jump shot spooked me and gave me flashbacks of Markelle Fultz. He's an immediate impact player for the Spurs defensively, and they have the perfect infrastructure for him to hone the form on his jumper. 
    GRADE: B+
    
    
12. Kings: Tyrese Haliburton
    Whether it's the first pick for a new, shrewd front office or simply good fortune, the Kings got fantastic value here. The #4 prospect on our big board, Haliburton will be a player who helps Sacramento  win games from day one. It'll be interesting to see how he fits in the rotation with De'Aaron Fox and Buddy Hield, but I'm confident he can play next to either player, and potentially even next to both in smaller lineups.
    GRADE: A+
    
    
13. Pelicans: Kira Lewis Jr.
    I don't fully understand how the Pelicans' rotation is going to work out with all their guards, but I do think Lewis will be a good player. We compare him to Dennis Schroder, so hopefully he'll be a similarly useful bench scorer early on. It feels like many more moves will be made by New Orleans this offseason, so this really should be an incomplete grade. I would've preferred a catch and shoot guy a la Aaron Nesmith here to help space the floor for Zion and Brandon Ingram if the roster stays as currently constituted, however. 
    GRADE: C+
    
    
14. ​Celtics: Aaron Nesmith
    Speaking of Nesmith! I'm still surprised the Celtics didn't move up with their three first round picks as predicted in our roundtable, but I do like Nesmith to them here.  His elite shooting brings a new element to Boston's wing rotation while still fitting into their multi-positional ethos. This feels like a pick we'll celebrate in future years for its good value.
    GRADE: A