2023 NBA Draft Grades
Atlanta Hawks: B
Kobe Bufkin was the best player available so this was a pick they just had to make. The backcourt is a little crowded, but Atlanta has time to figure that out. I was really high on Seth Lundy. Nice pickup in the second round.
Boston Celtics: B-
Jordan Walsh in the second round was a steal. He’ll be a great defender in the league. This is a slightly lower score just because they gave up their first round pick.
Brooklyn Nets: A-
Noah Clowney is a good fit, but Darig Whitehead is a nice home run swing at 22. He was one of the top players coming into college and his injuries really slowed him down. If he can come back healthy from his latest surgery, he’ll look like a steal.
Charlotte Hornets: B
You just have to pick BPA at 2 and Scoot was the best player available. Not a fan of the Brandon Miller pick. James Nnaji, who I had as my third best Center in this draft was an excellent pick at 31. Amari Bailey and Nick Smith Jr. were great values where they were picked.
Chicago Bulls: B-
Julian Phillips is a supreme athlete and has a chance in this league. Decent pick at 35.
Cleveland Cavaliers: B
Emoni Bates is worth a swing at 49.
Dallas Mavericks: A-
Dereck Lively II could be fantastic as a role man for Luke and will tremendously help their team defense. Love this pick and the movement around their picks to get additional first round selections. Prosper will help with their defense as well.
Denver Nuggets: B+
They picked up experienced players like Strawther and Pickett who will be able to help out immediately. It was a solid draft for Denver.
Detroit Pistons: A
Ausar Thompson was third on my Big Board. He’ll be an absolute stud in the NBA if his shot comes around. He did shoot 33.3% from an NBA 3 point line (regular season + playoffs) so he’s not that far away. There is a reason he took home the 4 MVP trophies in his 2 seasons in the OTE. He’s just a better basketball player than his brother right now. Love the Sasser pick too. He’s just a baller, who fell to the bottom of the first round because he’s on the shorter side.
Golden State Warriors: B
Brandin Podziemski is solid, but went a little too early. Especially with Cam Whitmore still on the board.
Houston Rockets: A+
Amen Thompson is the best athlete in this draft and if he ever gets a jumper look out league. Add in Cam Whitmore who was a potential Top 5 pick, but fell because of injury concerns and bad interviews, and you have an absolutely insane draft class for Houston.
Indiana Pacers: A-
Jarace Walker is just such a good fit. Add in Ben Sheppard who I love and Isaiah Wong who is just a baller and this is a great class.
LA Clippers: C
Just thought they could have gotten a little more at 30. There were still several players I had ranked much higher than Kobe Brown on the board still.
Los Angeles Lakers: B
Jalen Hood-Schifino has a chance to make an impact his rookie year for LA. Decent pickup. Maxwell Lewis at 40 was a steal.
Memphis Grizzlies: B+
GG Jackson at 45 is a swing worth taking after a pretty crazy fall for him in this draft. He’s a possible Top 10 pick in the 2024 draft if he stayed in school one year longer.
Miami Heat: A
Such a Miami pick. Jaime Jaquez Jr. is such a smart player and will fit into the Heat culture and make an immediate impact.
Milwaukee Bucks: C
I like Andre Jackson Jr., but this draft class didn’t help the Bucks much.
Minnesota Timberwolves: A-
Leonard Miller at 33 is a steal. He put up huge numbers against NBA players in the G-League and somehow fell to 33. Add in his physical tools and it just doesn’t make much sense. Great get for the Timberwolves.
New Orleans Pelicans: B
Jordan Hawkins is a solid pickup. Just about every team in the NBA can use his movement shooting.
New York Knicks: NA
No Draft Picks.
Oklahoma City Thunder: B
Cason Wallace is a great player and will earn minutes with his defense. OKC is a great place for Cason Wallace to learn and grow as a player.
Orlando Magic: A
Hot take: Orlando had a great draft. I wanted them to draft Ausar, but he was gone and you can only draft the players available. Anthony Black was easily the best guard available at 6. Taylor Hendricks and Jarace would have been stuck behind Paolo and Franz getting limited minutes. Anthony Black is an absolute foul merchant and a supremely high IQ player. Add in that he’s a 6’7 PG with a 39 inch vert and you can see the potential. I know people are surprised by the Jett Howard pick. But, he mostly fell due to multiple injuries. Look at his stats and watch his play from the first half of the season and it’s easy to see why he was a Top 7 pick on a lot of mocks early. And yes, Orlando will have to clear some of the logjam at guard.
Philadelphia 76ers: NA
No Draft Picks.
Phoenix Suns: C
Toumani Camara is a pretty good defender and will have a chance to get minutes on the Suns. A rarity for a number 52 pick.
Portland Trail Blazers: A+
Scoot Henderson is going to be an incredible player in this league! Add in Rayan Rupert and this was just a fantastic draft!
Sacramento Kings: B
They traded their first to free up cap space. I understand the move. And Colby Jones will be solid so they did decent on draft night.
San Antonio Spurs: A+
Victor!! Congrats on winning the lottery Spurs fans! I also love Sidy Cissoko and have no idea why he wasn’t a first round pick. He’s incredibly talented and no way he should have fell to 44.
Toronto Raptors: A-
Gradey Dick is the best shooter in the draft and has better defense than people realize. Great pick at 13.
Utah Jazz: A+
Taylor Hendricks was a great value at 9. Keyonte George could become a star. He has massive potential and injuries slowed him down. Add in Brice Sensabaugh who fell because of knee concerns, but is a Top 20 talent, and this class is incredible.
Washington Wizards: B+
Bilal Coulibaly is worth the swing for a team that plans on tanking for a few season. He’ll have plenty of time to grow as a player and make mistakes without losing minutes. His potential is insane at 6’8 with a 7’2 wingspan with incredible athleticism. Add in one of the best big man shooters in Tristan Vukcevic and I really like this draft for the Wizards.