NBA draft grades issued

CLEVELAND — The 2023 NBA Draft is over, and every team thinks they crushed it.

Thirty GMs, including Milwaukee’s Jon Horst, whose first pick came at 58thoverall, will preach excitement at a press conference over the next 24 hours concerning prospects they just met — or, in some cases, have yet to meet. Fans won’t know if it’s warranted for several years.

But right now? Everybody has opinions, including cleveland.com. So before any prospect logs a minute, here are your iron-clad 2023 first-round draft grades:

San Antonio Spurs

Pick: Victor Wembanyama, center Metropolitans 92 (First)

Grade: A+

Congrats to the Spurs on what had to be the least stressful scout of a top overall pick in several years. The NBA world has known Wembanyama was going first for at least the last 12 months, if not longer. Somebody just had to win the lottery.

The only thing stopping Wembanyama from wrecking the league is injuries, which are unfortunately common in big men, and as we detailed in our mock draft, he’s already suffered a few. But even if that history plagues Wemby’s career, no one would fault the Spurs for drafting him. He’s that good.

Charlotte Hornets

Pick: Brandon Miller, forward, Alabama (second)

Nick Smith Jr., guard, Arkansas (27)

Grade: B+

Miller was a logical pick here as a reliable shooter and defender who slots in nicely next to LaMelo Ball. He’ll create shots with others with his playmaking and the spacing he provides on offense.

But the top of the draft is less about fit than finding stars, in this grader’s opinion. And while Miller’s ceiling includes that outcome, his might not shine as bright as other prospects in this draft.

He struggled finishing at the rim early at Alabama. He didn’t easily create separation. And he only converted mid-range jumpers, a major tool for scorer of his size, at a 29.1% rate.

He also turns 21 next season, which means he’s closer to his ceiling than we think. Miller will be a good NBA player. But if someone behind Charlotte becomes great, the Hornets might kick themselves.

They won’t say the same thing about their other pick, though. Nick Smith was projected to be a top-five pick before the season, and I like betting that he can still realize that potential.

Smith’s defense is a problem. It caused him to lose minutes during the NCAA Tournament. He needs to get stronger.

He’s also a natural enough scorer that experts thought he might be in Miller’s range at one point.

Portland Trailblazers

Pick: Scoot Henderson, guard, G-League Ignite (third)

Kris Murray, forward, Iowa, (23rd)

Grade: A

Portland gets high marks for both picking Henderson and resisting the pressure being applied by Damian Lillard to trade this pick.

Lillard is a franchise icon, but Henderson could usher an even brighter future than Lillard’s past. And at 32 years old, Lillard’s supermax contract deserves a hard look. How much longer can he produce at the All-NBA level that justifies it? If they want to pivot toward the future? How much longer can they guarantee Lillard nets a huge yield?

Portland doesn’t know, which is why it couldn’t pass on the next franchise foundation to appease its current one with its third pick.

Twenty picks later, though? Murray can help Dame win next season, if Lillard will have him. Murray shoots, plays defense and knows ball. He doesn’t need it to be useful, either. Maybe that’s not enough between keeping Dame happy, but it won’t make him frown harder.

Houston Rockets

Picks: Amen Thompson, forward, Overtime Elite, (fourth)

Cam Whitmore, forward, Villanova (20th)

Grade: A+

Houston might’ve emerged with two of the top five prospects in this draft without having to sacrifice anything in a trade.

Thompson is an insane athlete who is a reliable jump shot away from becoming the best player on Houston’s already talented roster. He can already defend and pass, which are two skills the Rockets desperately need.

Whitmore is also an explosive athlete with elite defensive potential and a jump shot that showed signs of improvement during his lone season at Villanova.

The Rockets need an adult – besides new coach Ime Udoka — to organize all their youngsters. But after Thursday night, Houston boasts an incredible stable of talent.

Detroit Pistons

Pick: Ausar Thompson, forward, Overtime Elite (5th)

Marcus Sasser, guard, Houston (25)

Grade: A

Between Thompson, Jaden Ivey and Jalen Duren, the Pistons are athletic. Thompson adds a defensive upgrade and quality passing to an already enticing young core.

His jump shot is the key to his potential, but if he solves it, the Pistons might’ve picked a star at fifth overall. And playing next to Ivey and Cade Cunningham will help Thompson find points he can’t create for himself.

Sasser could be a reach, but he’s an elite shooter who was part of a top-five defense in the country last season.

He’s undersized, but the Pistons aren’t shooting for the stars at 25. They’re looking for rotation players, and Sasser fits that bill.

Orlando Magic

Picks: Anthony Black, guard, Arkansas (6th)

Jett Howard, guard, Michigan (11th)

Grade: B-

Black is a quality prospect, but the fit around Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner could be tricky.

Black is a good passer who can’t shoot, which means he’s best deployed with the ball in his hands. So are Banchero and Wagner, however, and the Magic might prefer the ball in their hands – especially late in games. Opposing defense will sag far off Black during those moments, which will gum up Orlando’s offense, which already ranked 24th in 3-point percentage last season.

That’s why they picked Howard, who was projected to go in the mid-teens or later Thursday night. But Howard presents his own concerns about one-way play. Howard is a smooth shooter, but he struggled on defense and grabbed less than three rebounds per game at Michigan despite a 7-foot-2 wingspan.

Together, Black and Howard form a high-level NBA player. But separately? They create tricky lineup arrangements for a team that has a chance to win soon.

Washington Wizards

Pick: Bilal Coulibaly

Grade: C

Nothing against Coulibaly as a prospect, but the Wizards could’ve likely traded down from eighth overall and still landed the French prospect.

Not that Washington will miss two 2028 draft picks, particularly after all of the trades it made this week, but Coulibaly is still a raw prospect. He’s long and could become an elite defender, but he averaged six points and three rebounds in France. He shot 36% from 3 on an extremely low volume.

Every projection concerning Coulibaly is just that. And the Wizards could’ve bagged a few more picks while picking him. Instead they sacrificed a couple, which is probably fine but unnecessary.

Indiana Pacers

Picks: Jarace Walker, forward, Houston (eighth)

Ben Sheppard, forward, Belmont (26th)

Julian Strawther, forward, Gonzaga (29th)

Grade: A

The Pacers, on the other hand, added two future picks for a player I think they were going to draft seventh, anyway. Walker is the perfect addition to a team that finished 26th in defense last season.

He’s strong enough to guard bigs and quick enough to guard smalls. His shooting woes can be hidden by Myles Turner, who spaces the floor from the center position. And Walker is a strong playmaker as a roll man, which will fit neatly with Tyrese Haliburton.

Walker fits a need and had a case for best player available at eight. The Pacers might’ve hit a home run.

Strawther and Sheppard might be reaches at the end of the first around

Utah Jazz

Picks: Taylor Hendricks, forward, UCF (ninth)

Keyonte George, guard, Baylor (16th)

Brice Sensabaugh, guard Ohio State (28th)

Grade: B-

Hendrick adds shooting and, crucially, defensive versatility to a plodding front court. He’ll compliment Lauri Markannen on offense and Walker Kessler on defense. Even if Hendricks never becomes a shot creator, he can contribute long-term.

George and Sensabaugh are both bucket-getters, but neither are known for their defense. Nothing wrong with that pick at 28, where Utah landed Sensabaugh. But with Whitmore on the board at 16, I think Utah could’ve done better than George.

It’s possible that Utah nabbed three rotation players tonight, which is hard to do. But this class had a higher ceiling.

Oklahoma City Thunder

Pick: Cason Wallace (10th)

Grade: C-

Wallace is a great defender and playmaker, but you wonder how much his passing can shine when Josh Giddey and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander – not to mention Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren – deserve the ball more. And while Wallace’s defense can help, his jumper is unproven.

Wallace shot 34% from 3 on four attempts per game last season, which won’t inspire emergency closeouts from NBA teams. And the Thunder already ranked 17th in 3-point percentage last season.

Gilgeous-Alexander shot 34.5%. Giddey shot 32.5%. Either they will gum Wallace’s driving lanes or he’ll gum theirs. When you add the fact that Oklahoma City took on $22 million of Davis Bertans’ contract to make this pick, it’s a head scratcher.

Bright side: At least Bertans can shoot.

Dallas Mavericks

Pick: Dereck Lively, center, Duke (12th)

Grade: B

The Mavericks had – and maybe still have? – bigger plans for this pick, plans that involved adding a veteran. But they did shed Bertans’ money, and they might’ve added a starting center in the process.

Lively could be the rare defender who protects the rim and defends guards on switches. He’ll score 10-12 points per game on lobs from Luka Doncic alone, and some teams expressed optimism about his jump shot during the pre-draft process.

Lively needs to add weight. He only averaged 5.4 rebounds in college, and Dallas was the worst rebounding team in the NBA last season. But the rest of his game checks out.

Toronto Raptors

Pick: Gradey Dick, forward, Kansas (13th)

Grade: B

The Raptors shot 33.5% from 3 last season, which ranked 28th. Dick shot 40.3% and might be the best shooter in this class.

Now that’s plug-n-play. Dick will struggle on defense, but the Raptors have enough strong defenders on their roster to hide him and/or cover his mistakes. And at 6-foot-6, he’s big enough to at least bother shooters and grab rebounds.

But here’s what matters: For years, the Raptors have clanked jumpers. Now they’ll clank fewer. That’s a win.

New Orleans Pelicans

Pick: Jordan Hawkins, guard, UConn (14th)

Grade: B

Hawkins can shoot, and the Pelicans ranked 15th in 3-point percentage last season, during which they barely had Zion Williamson, who will not increase their percentage.

Hawkins bring that balance along with some championship experience after winning the national title in April. But he also needs to get stronger, and he was inefficient when he wasn’t shooting 3-pointers. He shot worse from two-point range than 3, and he only generated 2.8 free throws per game during his career.

If the shooting translates, New Orleans will live with all that. But again, Whitmore was on the board. The Pelicans might be scarred by scary medicals at this point, but the Villanova forward would’ve been a worthy gamble here.

Atlanta Hawks

Pick: Kobe Bufkin, guard, Michigan (15)

Grade: B+

Bufkin is a good player, and he gives Atlanta leverage in negotiations with Dejounte Murray this summer. Murray wants a big contract extension, but Bufkin can (in theory) fill his role in short order.

The Michigan product has long arms – 6-foot-7 wingspan – for a 6-foot-4 guard. And he might become a more efficient scorer than Murray.

Bufkin can score at the rim and from 3-point range. He can play off the ball, which he’ll have to do next to Trae Young. And he could save the Hawks over $100 million.

Good pick, says the owner’s wallet.

Los Angeles Lakers

Pick: Jalen Hood-Schifino, guard, Indiana (17)

Grade: C-

A head-scratcher to the point that I’m not convinced the Lakers will keep the prospect.

Hood-Schifino is a quality defender and shot creator, but how often would he have the ball playing next to LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Austin Reaves and whoever else Los Angeles adds?

He shot 33.3% from 3-point range, too, which means he’ll cramp the Lakers’ spacing when he doesn’t have the ball. Maybe the Lakers see room for improvement there. Maybe they’re betting on Hood-Schifino’s five-star pedigree.

Or maybe they still plan on trading this pick the way they talked about doing all week.

Miami Heat

Pick: Jaime Jaquez Jr., forward, UCLA (18th)

Grade: B-

I don’t love Jaquez as an NBA prospect because he can’t shoot and he doesn’t move well on the perimeter.

But the fact that Miami disagrees with at least part of that assessment means I’m probably wrong. After the Heat’s latest playoff run, how can you not be a believer?

#HeatCulture.

Golden State Warriors

Pick: Brandin Podziemski, guard, Santa Clara (19)

Grade: C

Podziemski’s film, filled with craft floaters and step back 3s, is fun to watch. But he’ll create fun highlights for opponents in the NBA.

If the Warriors are pivoting towards a win-now focus, which Thursday’s Chris Paul trade suggests they are, how can they pick somebody who can’t defend?

Maybe Podziemski’s limitations won’t be as glaring against second units. He’ll provide a shooting spark and hide on non-shooters at the other end.

But where the Warriors want to go (late playoff rounds), non-threatening players are hard to find. And players like Podziemski get hunted.

Not sure about the Chris Paul trade, either.

Brooklyn Nets

Picks: Noah Clowney, center, Alabama (21)

Tariq Whitehead, forward, Duke, (22)

Grade: B+

Not sure either of these prospects will shine immediately, but that’s not how Brooklyn should be thinking.

Given all the firsts Brooklyn accrued in the Kevin Durant trade, they can afford to take flyers on young players with potential. This pair of 18-year-olds fits that bill.

Clowney is too skinny to bang with NBA bigs right now, but one day he won’t be. He might be able to make 3s by then, too.

Whitehead underperformed at Duke due to injury, But if his health stabilizes, the Nets might’ve nabbed a top-10 pick 12 picks later.

Other players might’ve inspired fewer headaches for coach Jacque Vaughn. But Brooklyn is playing the long game, and Vaughn might thank his front office later.

Sacramento Kings

Pick: Olivier-Maxence Prosper, forward, Marquette (24)

Grade: B-

Prosper can defend, and he might be able to shoot, too — he improved from 3-point range every season at Marquette. He’s also a weapon in transition and doesn’t play outside of his skillset.

If the shooting improves further, Prosper can play a role in future Sacramento playoff series, which we can assume will occur for the first time in over a decade.

Los Angeles Clippers

Pick: Kobe Brown, forward, Missouri (30)

Grade: C+

I’m skeptical of the 20-percent leap in 3-point percentage Brown saw last season, but who knows? He improved every season in college. He can read the game as a ball-handler. And his experience suggests he’ll be ready to contribute quickly.

He’s not much of an athlete, however, and again: the shooting needs to stick. Not a ton of slow-footed non-athletes on NBA rosters.

Bonus Pick:

Cleveland Cavaliers

Pick Emoni Bates, forward, Eastern Michigan (49)

Grade: B+

Anytime you can pick someone compared to Kevin Durant in the second round, you have to do it.

Bates comes with red flags, and defensive concerns, and as a frail a frame as you’ll see in the pros, but he once flashed all-star potential, which is more than you can say about 99% of second-round picks. Odds are, Bates won’t ever fulfill that potential. But what if he gets close, or even halfway there? Would you really want to waste that opportunity on another player that probably won’t workout, either?