Nba draft grades 2018 mavericks and hawks soar while wizards and grizzlies stumble

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NBA Draft Grades 2018: Mavericks and Hawks soar while
Wizards and Grizzlies stumble
How every NBA team graded out on draft night
by @Kyle__Boone Jun 23, 2018 • 12 min readKyle Boone
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Grades for each pick
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Early 2019 mock draft
The draft night dust has settled. As we sift through the night's biggest
, one thing has become increasingly clear to me: the
and were the clear-cut champions of the event. Both
swung for the fences early, with Dallas getting Slovenian star Luka Doncic,
and Atlanta getting 3-point savant to put alongside their top
pick, .
Whether Doncic or Young develop into the
type of players both franchises foresee
them becoming is a topic for a day down
the road. But it's clear both were enamored
with their top guys, and they made every
effort to get them. They both earn A's for
their draft night performance across the
board.
As for the rest of the ﬁeld ... I'll be as nice as
possible. Let's take a look at the report cards.
winners and losers
Hawks Mavericks
Kevin Huerter
Trae Young
NBA DRAFT GRADES
1 HAWKS
5. Trae Young | Oklahoma | Fr | PG | 6-2 | 178 (via trade with Mavericks)
19. Kevin Huerter | Maryland | Soph | SG | 6-7 | 194
30. Omari Spellman | Villanova | Fr | C | 6-10 | 254
HOME DRAFT TRACKER MOCK DRAFTS PROSPECT RANKINGS

Sign me up for the direction the Hawks are headed. By adding Trae Young,
they bolstered their talent with a true point guard who doubles as a deep
threat anytime he's on the court, and gave him a super weapon by drafting
sharpshooter Kevin Huerter at 19. I think Omari Spellman at 30 may have been
a tad high, but he's a big man with the ability to stretch the floor. Grade: A+
2 CELTICS
27. Robert Williams | Texas A&M | Soph | C | 6-10 | 240
I don't think it's hyperbole to suggest the made the best (and most
obvious) singular pick in the draft by selecting Robert Williams III at 27. It was a
stunner he even made it out of the lottery. So now Boston has a rim-protecting,
lob-finishing big man -- exactly the type of big man needed to help take them
to the next level. Grade: A
3 NETS
29. Dzanan Musa | Bosnia | SF | 6-9 | 187
40. Rodions Kurucs | Latvia | SF | 6-9 | 205
Dzanan Musa was labeled a "Bosnian scoring machine" on the ESPN broadcast
by Mike Schmitz. So I'm already all the way in. He's a project for the , but
Brooklyn is in no hurry to win immediately, anyway. Grade: B+
4 HORNETS
12. Miles Bridges | Michigan St. | Soph | SF | 6-7 | 220 (via trade with
Clippers)
34. Devonte' Graham | Kansas | Sr | PG | 6-2 | 186 (via trade with Hawks)
55. Arnoldas Kulboka | Lithuania | SF | 6-9 | 220
The get a huge upgrade in talent by adding Miles Bridges at the back
half of the lottery for the price of what could have been a top 10 pick a season
ago. Plus, adding Devonte' Graham as backup is a smart
move. Two safe picks who can help the Hornets and both relatively low risk.
Grade: B
5 BULLS
7. Wendell Carter Jr. | Duke | Fr | C | 6-10 | 251
22. Chandler Hutchison | Boise St. | Sr | SF | 6-7 | 197
The are re-tooling for the future, so swinging for the fences inside the
lottery is accepted -- if not downright encouraged. Instead, they opted for a
safe pick in big man Wendell Carter Jr. at No. 7 overall, and followed it up with
an even safer pick at 22 with Chandler Hutchison. A less than inspiring class,
especially considering , and even
were all available. Grade: C
6 CAVALIERS
8. Collin Sexton | Alabama | Fr | PG | 6-2 | 183
The Cavs could have been a big mover and shaker in the draft. Re-shuffling
the roster to try and prove to that things will get better would
have been an inspiring move. Instead, they sat patiently, took gritty point guard
Collin Sexton at 8, and let the rest of the chips fall. No knee-jerk reaction to a
potential LeBron departure. Just a smart pick looking towards the future.
Grade: B+
Celtics
Nets
Hornets
Kemba Walker's
Bulls
Michael Porter Jr. Kevin Knox Shai Gilgeous-
Alexander
LeBron James

7 MAVERICKS
3. Luka Doncic | Slovenia | SG | 6-8 | 228 (via trade with Hawks)
33. Jalen Brunson | Villanova | Jr | PG | 6-2 | 198
56. Ray Spalding | Louisville | Jr | PF | 6-10 | 215 (via trade with 76ers)
60. Kostas Antetokounmpo | Dayton | Fr | SF | 6-11 | 195
The Mavericks pulled the first shocker of the night by switching with Atlanta to
get the third pick -- which amounted to Luka Doncic. The Slovenian star is a
best of both worlds pick: he can help them win right away with his play making
skills, and has the talent to become a piece they can eventually build around,
too. Adding Jalen Brunson, Ray Spalding and Kostas Antetokounmpo are nice
pieces, too, but this grade is almost entirely driven by the selection of Doncic.
Grade: A+
8 NUGGETS
14. Michael Porter Jr. | Missouri | Fr | SF | 6-10 | 215
41. Jarred Vanderbilt | Kentucky | Fr | PF | 6-9 | 214 (via trade with Nuggets)
58. Thomas Welsh | UCLA | Sr | C | 7-0 | 255
Great job, well done, round of applause for the Nuggets, everyone. They were
the team gutsy enough to prevent Michael Porter Jr. from falling out of the
lottery altogether by essentially getting a player who has top-2 talent at 14.
Adding another former blue-chip recruit in Jarred Vanderbilt in the middle of
the second fills a huge need if healthy, too. Swinging for the fences. Grade: A-
9 PISTONS
38. Khyri Thomas | Creighton | Jr | PG | 6-4 | 199 (via trade with 76ers)
42. Bruce Brown Jr. | Miami | Soph | SG | 6-5 | 195
Khyri Thomas at 38 was a steal for Detroit. And Bruce Brown at 42 will be
considered one, too, if he stays healthy. Shaking up a backcourt that wasn't
productive last season is good management. I don't hate it. Grade: B
10 WARRIORS
28. Jacob Evans III | Cincinnati | Jr | SF | 6-6 | 200
3-and-D prospect Jacob Evans is a good fit for the . He should be able
to provide defensive help on the perimeter and spot-up shooting for the back-
to-back title winners. But not being able to buy into the second round for a
pick is baffling. Golden State needs as many young players on cheap contracts
as possible to keep its run going. Grade: C-
11 ROCKETS
46. De'Anthony Melton | USC | Soph | PG | 6-3 | 193
How De'Anthony Melton fell to the at 46 could be a documentary we
all watch in awe 20 years from now. He's a Marcus Smart-like player who can
impact the game at every level. Adding his A+ defense is huge. Grade: A
12 PACERS
23. Aaron Holiday | UCLA | Jr | PG | 6-1 | 187
50. Alize Johnson | Missouri St. | Sr | PF | 6-8 | 217
Warriors
Rockets

The needed point guard support. So drafting Aaron Holiday at 23 made
a ton of sense. Averaged more than 20 points last season and could be a day
one contributor for a playoff team. Grade: B
13 CLIPPERS
11. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander | Kentucky | Fr | PG | 6-6 | 180 (via trade with
Hornets)
13. Jerome Robinson | Boston College | Jr | SG | 6-5 | 188
The era won't last forever, and with he, and
all on expiring contracts heading into next season, getting Shai
Gilgeous-Alexander was a perfect choice. He needs development to be a
starter, but will have a long runway to get there. As for their selection of
Jerome Robinson at 13 ... we'll see if that pans out. But it feels like they drafted
a mid-second round talent in the back half of the lottery. That's going to leave
a mark on the report card. Grade: C-
14 LAKERS
25. Moritz Wagner | Michigan | Jr | C | 7-0 | 241
39. Isaac Bonga | Germany | PG | 6-9 | 200
47. Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk | Kansas | Sr | SG | 6-8 | 212
If the are planning to land more than one max player this summer, their
draft night plan was perfect. In Moritz Wagner and Svi Mykhailiuk, they get two
players who were productive in college -- and should be in the NBA -- on
cheap rookie deals. Both can be role players in deep rotations. Grade: B+
15 GRIZZLIES
4. Jaren Jackson Jr. | Michigan St. | Fr | PF | 6-11 | 236
32. Jevon Carter | West Virginia | Sr | PG | 6-2 | 196
The selected Jaren Jackson Jr. at No. 4. That's too high. He has
potential to be a rim-protecting, ﬂoor-spacing big. But at this point, it's no more
than potential. He has a long ways to go to realize it fully. The only factor
preventing Memphis from earning an F is its choice to take Jevon Carter at 32.
He's the best perimeter defender in this draft. Grade: D+
16 HEAT
No picks
Like the , the stayed quiet on draft night -- despite reports that,
basically, the entire roster could be trade assets. Their situation isn't as dire as
Toronto's, so they get a C+ for their silence. Grade: C+
17 BUCKS
17. Donte DiVincenzo | Villanova | Soph | SG | 6-5 | 201
The made hay with their lone pick by spending their 17th pick on
Villanova star Donte DiVincenzo. DiVincenzo starred at the Combine,
impressed in workouts, and rose from zero to hero by shooting his Wildcats to
their second title in three seasons. His scoring upside alongside Giannis is a
perfect ﬁt. Grade: B+
18 TIMBERWOLVES
Pacers
Milos Teodosic Patrick Beverley
Austin Rivers
Lakers
Grizzlies
Raptors Heat
Bucks

20. Josh Okogie | Georgia Tech | Soph | SG | 6-5 | 211
48. Keita Bates-Diop | Ohio St. | Jr | PF | 6-9 | 224
The drafted a potential 3-and-D talent with Josh Okogie at 20.
He has potential to be great, and I like the fit in Minnesota. The real steal for
the Wolves though is drafting Keita Bates-Diop at 48. First-round talent who
had a stunning freefall on draft night. Grade: B+
19 PELICANS
51. Tony Carr | Penn St. | Soph | PG | 6-5 | 199
Tony Carr had flashes that would wow you during his time at . If he
can channel his talent into New Orleans, I think he can be a fantastic glue guy
for a playoff team that has a ton of talent around him. Grade: C+
20 KNICKS
9. Kevin Knox | Kentucky | Fr | SF | 6-9 | 213
36. Mitchell Robinson | N/A | Fr | C | 7-0 | 223
The should have made point guard a priority in a draft that was full of
them, but it's hard to pick on them for drafting Kevin Knox at 9. He was the
youngest player in the draft and has already proven he can be productive at
the college level. If he can develop as a go-to scorer in New York, Porzingis
will have himself an excellent running mate. As for Robinson ... he's got a long
ways to go to be productive in the NBA. Grade: C-
21 THUNDER
45. Hamidou Diallo | Kentucky | Fr | SF | 6-6 | 197 (via trade with Hornets)
53. Devon Hall | Virginia | Sr | SG | 6-5 | 211
57. Kevin Hervey | UT-Arlington | Sr | SF | 6-8 | 212
For what they were dealt -- No. 53 and No. 57 -- the Thunder did a good job of
squeezing every last drop out of. Devon Hall fits the 3-and-D archetype, and
wing man Kevin Hervey has scoring upside if he stays healthy. The B+ grade
here is because of their last minute acquisition of Hamidou Diallo, who was
drafted 45th by Charlotte and dealt after the draft. Grade: B+
22 MAGIC
6. Mohamed Bamba | Texas | Fr | PF | 7-1 | 226
35. Melvin Frazier | Tulane | Jr | SG | 6-6 | 198
43. Justin Jackson | Maryland | Soph | SF | 6-7 | 229
The had one of the worst offenses in the NBA last season, but still made
no effort to try and land a versatile offensive weapon like Trae Young, who was
off the board by the time they picked. Instead, they scooped up lanky big man
Mohamed Bamba, whose 3-point shot at Texas was as trusty as Orlando's
recent draft history, and then selected Tulane swingman Melvin Frazier at 35. I
think the Frazier pick could work out, but I don't like Bamba's fit in Orlando.
The best pick was Justin Jackson at 43 -- that's all that needs to be said.
Grade: C-
23 76ERS
16. Zhaire Smith | Texas Tech | Fr | SG | 6-4 | 199 (via trade with Suns)
26. Landry Shamet | Wichita St. | Soph | PG | 6-5 | 189
54. Shake Milton | SMU | Jr | PG | 6-6 | 207 (via trade with Mavs)
Timberwolves
Penn State
Knicks
Magic

Drafting was a smart, low-risk move at 10 -- then Philly traded
him away for Zhaire Smith, the 16th pick of the draft who is far from being
where Bridges is in terms of his ability to contribute. Further, drafting a point
guard in Landry Shamet at 26 leads one to wonder ... is
process coming to an end soon? Grade: C-
24 SUNS
1. Deandre Ayton | Arizona | Fr | C | 7-1 | 260
10. Mikal Bridges | Villanova | Jr | SF | 6-7 | 210 (via trade with 76ers)
31. Elie Okobo | France | - | PG | 6-2 | 180
58. George King | Colorado | Sr | SG | 6-6 | 225
The Suns made the right choice by drafting Deandre Ayton at No. 1, then
followed it up with a savvy move down the board by drafting Zhaire Smith at 16
-- a pick that they traded to the 76ers for the tenth pick in Mikal Bridges. So
they got two top-10 picks out of the night, and added first-round talent Elie
Okobo to their roster at pick 31. Grade: A
25 TRAIL BLAZERS
24. Anfernee Simons | IMG Academy | SG | 6-3 | 183
37. Gary Trent Jr. | Duke | Fr | SG | 6-6 | 204 (via trade with Kings)
As if the ' backcourt needed more firepower, the addition of Gary
Trent Jr. gives them a bench weapon to deploy as a 3-point assassin
immediately. Portland was already on track for a great grade after taking
Anfernee Simons, a raw high school aged talent, at 24th overall. Grade: B-
26 KINGS
2. Marvin Bagley III | Duke | Fr | PF | 6-11 | 234
Sacramento chose to pass on Slovenian guard Luka Doncic in favor of Marvin
Bagley III, a do-it-all big who can rim-run, knock down shots and, on paper, fit
seamlessly with as a franchise cornerstone. I like the pick. And
trading their 37th overall pick -- Gary Trent Jr. -- to the Trail Blazers for two
future second-rounders was selling high. Grade: B+
27 SPURS
18. Lonnie Walker IV | Miami | Fr | SG | 6-5 | 196
49. Chimezie Metu | USC | Jr | PF | 6-10 | 220
Lonnie Walker IV fell a few spots lower than expected, so of course the
were the ones who made him the 18th pick despite being projected as a
lottery-like talent. In Walker, they have a heady scoring guard who can handle
the ball and create his own shot. His explosiveness will remind NBA fans of a
young . Grade: B
28 RAPTORS
No picks
The Raptors weren't involved on draft night with the Nets and Suns owning
their only picks, and didn't make a move to get into the top 60. For a team that
seems to be unwilling to hit reset but quite clearly not the best team in the
East, I'm dinging them for not making an effort to improve the roster on draft
night. Grade: C-
Mikal Bridges
Markelle Fultz's
Trail Blazers
De'Aaron Fox
Spurs
Donovan Mitchell

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29 JAZZ
21. Grayson Allen | Duke | Sr | SG | 6-5 | 198
52. Vincent Edwards | Purdue | Sr | SF | 6-8 | 225
Grayson Allen and Donovan Mitchell in the same backcourt may be too much
for my brain to process, but the ﬁt works. Both are proven scorers who can
play both on and off the ball, and together they should form an exciting
offensive duo for the to build around. Grade: B+
30 WIZARDS
15. Troy Brown | Oregon | Fr | SG | 6-7 | 208
44. Issuf Sanon | Ukraine | PG | 6-4 | 185
Even the ' GM their No. 15 pick, Troy Brown,
can earn a spot in the rotation. That seems like it would be something
important to factor in when drafting him! Further, drafting Issuf Sanon, a
Ukrainian point guard at 44, leaves me a bit bewildered. What direction is the
team going? Grade: D-
Jazz
Wizards doesn't seem conﬁdent
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