Preparing for the NBA Draft is a long and slow process. Professional scouts spend years assessing the prospects in each draft class, media members rush to extract as much draft content as possible once the lottery order has been settled, and players visit teams across the country in hopes of proving themselves worthy. for selection. When the draft day finally arrives, the marathon turns into a sprint, and suddenly everyone is trying to catch their breath after what just happened.
The NBA draft in 2022 was a fog from the start. For months, Jabari Smith Jr. was expected to be No. 1 overall for the Orlando Magic. Minutes before Magic came on the clock, there were rumors that Magic was actually leaning towards Duke Paolo Banchero. Banchero himself said he did not know he was first until 30 seconds before his name was announced.
Uncertainty with the best choice set the tone for an unpredictable night. Now that the dust has settled, here are our winners and losers from the night of the draft.
Winner: Detroit Pistons
The Pistons were considered the biggest losers in the lottery after retiring at number 5 in the draft with four top players. Fortunately for Detroit, good things happen in the NBA Draft when you choose after the Sacramento Kings. The Pistons made Jaden Ivey fall on their laps Jaden Ivey of Purdue, then made an aggressive move to land Memphis center Jalen Duren at number 13. We had both players ranked in the top 5 on our big board, making Detroit the most the biggest winners in the draft by one mile.
Ivy’s speed and athleticism are a perfect match for Cade Cunningham’s more deliberate play. Cunningham can spread the floor and defend the more difficult task. Ivy can provide incredible rim pressure with her speed. This is a combination of a back zone in the style of thunder and lightning, which will give your opponents blows for years to come.
Duren’s grabbing at number 13 is also an amazing business. He adds another monstrous athlete to the list, which should hit the Cunningham homings and provide excellent protection for the rims behind Ivy for years to come. We like Duren for his mega long and sturdy frame, explosive jumping ability, flexibility in pick-and-roll coatings and ability to play short roles. Earlier this month, I wrote that the Pistons should have taken him at number 5 if Ivy had been offboard.
Detroit suddenly has one of the brightest futures in the league after coming out with two of our top five players in this draft class. What a great extraction.
Loser: Sacramento Kings
Hours before the draft, this ESPN graphic is circulating on Twitter:
The Kings couldn’t really break the draft again with the fourth pick at the highest level of four players, could they? Wrong. Sacramento committed a cardinal sin in the draft by fighting with the best player available. Ivy obviously had the highest and most stellar power on the board, but Sacramento passed him on to Iowa striker Keegan Murray. This is nothing against Murray, who has to be a good professional for a long time with a 6’8 frame and a sweet shot, but he just doesn’t have the ceiling of someone like Ivy.
The Kings were so concerned about the relationship between Ivy and De’Aaron Fox that they allowed a better prospect to slip through their fingers. We knew the Kings held the keys to this draft from the start, and it should come as no surprise that they made the wrong decision after years of mismanagement. Murray will be a good player and we won’t be very surprised if he ends up with a better career than Ivy, but we are fighting Sacramento for a trial instead of results here. Franchises like the Kings – who haven’t made the playoffs since 2006 – need to get serious about the draft. Instead, they were just trying to hit a double.
Winner: Orlando Magic
Everyone thought that Jabari Smith Jr. would be the best choice for Magic – including Banchero, who continued to cancel his training with Orlando because he did not think there was a chance to become number 1. In fact, only one outcome predicts Banchero to the Magic after settling the lottery – and that was us.
Banchero was my best player in this class from my first board the day after the NBA 2021 draft to my last board this week. I wrote why Magic should take it after winning the right to choose number 1 in the lottery. He was both the best player and the best fit in my eyes, and Orlando eventually came to the same conclusion.
Here is my big breakdown of why Banchero is the best prospect in this class of draft. Ultimately, it comes down to his ability to create punches for himself and others at 6’10,250 pounds. Smith is the better scorer, Holmgren is the better defender, but no one attacks as well as Banchero. I also like that Magic brings together Michigan winger Caleb Houston in the second round. Houstan had a super disappointing new year with Wolverines, but his size and shooting potential made him a decent bet in the second round.
Loser: Charlotte Hornets
The Hornets went into draft number 13 and 15. Everyone knew the Hornets needed a center and two great options – Jalen Duran and Mark Williams – were still on board when they first appeared on the watch. So Charlotte made a deal, sending the number 13 to the Knicks, which was diverted to Detroit and eventually became Duren. The Hornets took Williams two picks later.
Williams apparently fits in with Charlotte as a rim protector with an incredible 7’7 wingspan. He will be fine there. We just rated it as a much better prospect because it is more flexible at both ends of the floor. Williams is not a plus pass or a plus shooter – he will mostly run and score and block shots, and that’s perfectly fine. We just think that Duren has more playmaking skills in the short game and can play different pick-and-roll covers, while Williams can really only play drop.
In exchange for the No. 13 Hornets, they won the first round of the Denver Nuggets in 2023. We expect the Nuggets to be contenders for the title, with Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. returning, so the selection is unlikely to be too high. We’d rather the Hornets just take Durren and then maybe pull out of number 15. Of course, Charlotte was also trying to make room to bring Miles Bridges back, which they had to do. We just think their night of drafts could have gone better.
Winner: Houston Rockets
I was so excited about the Paolo Banchero-Jalen Green couple that it seemed inevitable. Instead, Magic shocked the world by taking Banchero to No. 1, which allowed Jabari Smith Jr. to descend to No. 3. While we would give Magic B for taking Smith first overall, the Rockets get an A for borrowing. it at number 3. It just feels like a better place for his skill set, and the fit is great with Green.
Smith is an incredible 6’10 scorer and is also a good defender. He will create an ocean of space to attack other Houston players. With their other first-round pick, the Rockets have selected two other players who can make the defense pay in space. We love Tari Eason – Houston’s 17th overall – for his ability to go down and attack the basket while also being a defensive shooter. The fact that Houston received TyTy Washington, a potential lottery talent with great length and killer middle-class game, at number 29, makes their draft even more impressive.
The Rockets already had a great young talent in Jalen Green to start the recovery. Smith, Eason and Washington will make Green better while improving the overall talent base on the list. Houston’s future looks much brighter today than it did last week.
Winner: Shedon Sharp
Shaden Sharp decided not to play for Kentucky after signing up in the middle of the season as a rookie №1 for next year. It was the best decision he had ever made. While top prospects like Jaden Hardy and Patrick Baldwin Jr. damaged their shares tremendously by playing to the next level, Sharpe used his call for a mysterious man to become number 7 overall. You wonder if other leading perspectives will follow this path in the future.
Baldwin and Hardy were each of the top five rookies in high school who are likely to enter the lottery if they do not play last season. In the end, Baldwin had a terrible New Year in Milwaukee for various reasons and slipped to № 28. Hardy faced stiff competition in the G League Ignite, went through pain in growth, got better over the season, but still fell to the second round. Sharpe, meanwhile, gave up the competition and decided that his physical tools were enough to make it out of the lottery. He was right.
Loser: New York Knicks
The Knicks entered the draft with number 11 selected. They did not use it. After several draft day deals, New York came up with three first-round picks, but they are all protected by the lottery or are expected to be near the end of the draft order. Here’s what the Knicks came up with:
- Pistons first round selection in 2023 (protected 1-18 until 2024, protected 1-13 in 2025, protected 1-11 in 2026, protected 1-9 in 2027)
- Selection from the first round of Wizards 2023 (protected 1-14 in 2023, protected 1-12 in 2024, protected 1-10 in 2025, protected 1-8 in 2026)
- Bucks’ first round selection in 2025 (protected 1-4)
New York has also cleared $ 18 million in space for caps that it reportedly wants to throw at Jalen Bruson. Maybe these moves will end up looking good for the Knicks, but right now it hurts to miss a lottery choice while getting a re-election that will be less valuable.
Winner: Memphis Grizzlies
The Grizzlies have gained more credibility for their draft day decisions than any front office in the league. That’s what happened when you found Desmond Bain in 30th overall a few years ago and Brandon Clark in his 20s.
Memphis came out with Jake Laravia, David Roddy and Vince Williams. Laravia and Roddy …
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