NCツ
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Was NC Right?
In 2019 I did Draft Grades for the 2019 draft with grades ranging from D to A+ and comments on each selection. I will be looking back to see how well I did with these grades and comments.
Here is the link to the 2019 Draft Grades Article: https://fantasysportsdaily.net/forums/threads/2019-bsl-draft-grades.309/
Where NC was right:
2.) San Antonio Spurs - Zion Williamson - GRADE: A
Zion was recently traded from San Antonio in a blockbuster deal that sent him to Brooklyn. I said in the article in reference to his CPU Pre Season numbers that “If those numbers carry over to the regular season Zion has Rookie of the Year on lock.” Zion did in fact win Rookie of the Year that year. Since his rookie campaign he has found himself on multiple All-Defensive Teams, one All League Team, an All Rookie team, has won an NBA Slam Dunk Contest, and been an All Star Game selection once.
3.) Chicago Bulls - R.J. Barrett - GRADE: A-
Barrett has developed into the league’s best player since being selected 3rd overall. I wrote: “I would look for Barrett to have a monster training camp next season though” following an underwhelming first TC and well he has had more than one monster TC since.
6.) Minnesota Timberwolves (from Heat) - Darius Garland - GRADE: C+
I was critical of the Garland selection by Minnesota and I was correct about the Wolve’s mistake. I said the Wolves “could have invested a top pick in a strong draft on a player who had their potential drop, who lacks volume, and lacks efficiency as a scorer.” Garland could only top out at 15 ppg as a top option his rookie year and hasn’t season double digit scoring in a season since. Up until last season he was inefficient from the field but did see significant improvements to his 3 point shooting this past season in Houston. His pot definitely took a beating that first TC too as Garland has only gone +1 overall since that first big TC he had in Minnesota.
7.) Cleveland Cavaliers - Jaxson Hayes - GRADE: D
Hayes was pot reliant on draft night and well today I hope he still has some of that potential to work with. Through his rookie contract Hayes has only developed into a serviceable back up at best, not what you want out a top 7 pick. I wrote “I would have gone with Dedric Lawson, Bol Bol, or Brandon Clarke for a post player in this spot, not Jaxson Hayes” and I still 100% agree with that statement today. You can even add Goga, Reid, and Childs to that list of bigs I would have rather have taken there too.
8.) Atlanta Hawks (from Mavericks) - Cam Reddish - GRADE: A-
Cam Reddish has found himself back in an Atlanta uniform after being sent to New York. “Reddish looks like your prototypical “Three and D” player with great outside shooting and defense” and that has proven true over his career. He most recently landed himself on his first All Defensive team list and has shot 39.6% from deep during his career.
9.) Miami Heat (from Lakers) - Bol Bol - GRADE: B
Following the draft I stated that “Bol looks to be a strong shot blocker” and “As a prospect Bol looked to have potential to be a good scoring big with C+/B- scoring attributes on draft night, but his lack of volume in CPU Pre may prove otherwise.” Both of these cases have proved correct as Bol has had a career average of 3.0 BPG and has yet to have a double digit scoring season.
11.) Orlando Magic - Dedric Lawson - GRADE: A-
I was big on Lawson on draft night, thought he was capable of making an immediate impact for whatever team selected him. Cold got a steal and Lawson averaged 14/11 his rookie campaign in Orlando. This statement I made following the draft I would still agree with today: “There were three bigs selected before Lawson and other than Zion Williamson I would have taken Lawson before the other two.”
13.) Atlanta Hawks - Brandon Clarke - GRADE: B+
I didn’t have much to say on Clarke after my selection, I just knew I personally liked him enough on my board to take him at 13. I will stand by this quote “Clarke was the best big available at the time of this pick and the third overall big according to MAPLESCOUTING.” Clarke was for sure one of the top 3 bigs to come out of this draft class.
14.) Washington Wizards - De’Andre Hunter - GRADE: B+
If I didn’t take Clarke at 13 I would have taken Hunter. I predicted Hunter to become one of the better 3 and D players in the league and that is exactly what he has developed into. With career splits of 45/73/40, great defense, good rebounding on the wing, and low turnovers Hunter should be one of the more sought after free agents this off season.
17.) Los Angeles Clippers (from Hornets) - Yoeli Childs - GRADE: A-
I liked Childs value here at 17 and was accurate with my assessment on him. With his free throw shooting, defense, and rebounding he is an ideal big man to have on any contender. I wrote that his floor was a sixth man big and that is pretty spot on as right now Childs is good enough to start next to a premier big or back up 2 better guys. He was never going to be the guy to anchor a frontcourt.
18.) Detroit Pistons (from Timberwolves) - Naz Reid - GRADE: B-
I Didn’t write much on Naz, but what I did write was correct. I said that Naz Reid “has the free throw shooting to be a rotational big in this league as long as he continues to improve defensively and on the glass.” He has done exactly that and is a nice frontcourt piece for the Timberwolves.
28.) Indiana Pacers (from 76ers) - Skylar Mays - GRADE: B
Mays was absolutely a steal at 28th. While we can debate if he is worth the contract Greeme gave him, anytime you can get an efficient 17+ ppg player this late in the draft you definitely have a late round gem.
29.) San Antonio Spurs (from Raptors) - Chuma Okeke - GRADE: D
Every criticism I had about Rui I had about Chuma. I’m batting .500 on predicting prospects of this build. He is efficient enough shooting and an okay enough defender to warrant a final roster spot for teams, there were definitely guys in the second round I would have selected here over Okeke.
Where NC was kinda right:
1.) Philadelphia 76ers (from Kings) - Ja Morant - GRADE: B+
B+ was definitely too high of a grade here for Morant but man he looked great on draft night. I stated in the analysis “The Morant pick warrants a B+ grade due to the potential turnover problem Morant could face throughout his career.” This has been true for Morant and is why he has continued to find himself on tanking teams looking to use those turnovers as an advantage to tank.
4.) Los Angeles Clippers - Jarrett Culver - GRADE: B
I didn’t really have a prediction or much to say about this pick other than that the Clippers made the right pick. I did say following his lackluster TC that “I am expecting a bounce back training camp from Culver come next off-season” and he did bounce back. One of the seasons I gave this grade a B was because of how poor his outside shooting looked to be and it has not improved tremendously since. So I feel I was kind of right about this grade, but looking back maybe this wasn’t the right pick to make.
5.) Detroit Pistons - Coby White - GRADE: D+
Coby White did not spend much time in Detroit and I do find this grade pretty accurate. However White has found himself during his career as the starting point guard for contending teams like the Timberwolves and now potentially the 76ers. While he was extremely raw on draft night and panic definitely whiffed on this pick, he has outplayed his ratings from time to time and can contribute to contending teams.
19.) Boston Celtics - Daniel Gafford - GRADE: C+
I was worried that Gafford had used most of his pot on draft night as after his first TC he was B+/C+/C+ and 4 years later he is still B+/C+/C+.
20.) Washington Wizards (from Nets) - Bruno Fernando - GRADE: B-
Bruno was drafted by Washington but didn’t play a single minute for them until his junior year. My prediction was that he would make an immediate impact for Washington and well the Wizards didn’t utilize him in their playoff runs until his 3rd and 4th years. So I guess that’s kind of immediate right?
23.) San Antonio Spurs (from Pacers) - Nickeil Alexander-Walker - GRADE: C
Alexander-Walker was raw on draft night and I said the Spurs need to be patient with his development. Well patience was not what Walker was given as he is the earliest selection in this draft to already be out of the league.
24.) New Orleans Pelicans - Goga Bitadze - GRADE: B+
Goga was Henny’s first selection in this league and he proved his pencil to paper strategy can work. Goga was a contributor to the Pelicans title, and most recently the Clippers title. My only prediction was that he would make in impact in the Pelicans already crowded frontcourt and I think helping them win a title is a pretty good impact.
26.) Chicago Bulls (from Nets via Nuggets) - Keldon Johnson - GRADE: C+
I thought with Johnson’s potential he would need some time to develop. He is now a free agent looking to prove that he has developed enough to contribute to a contender. Playing in only 99 career games it is hard to truly gauge how far he has come since draft night but his shooting has been an impressive 41.5% from deep.
27.) Milwaukee Bucks - Tremont Waters - GRADE: B-
Teams were worried about Waters potential on draft night, but Milwaukee gave him a chance and Waters has become critical to the Bucks recent success. I was worried that if he didn’t develop he would fizzle out of the league and he has gone +3 since those comments.
Where NC was kinda wrong:
10.) Phoenix Suns - Nassir Little - GRADE: C+
Nassir was a selection I was somewhat critical of with Little looking to lack volume and efficiency from the outside. I wrote “at first glance Nassir is raw and seems to lack volume” and that has proven true throughout his career. I also wrote “He will need to use his potential to grow into an All-Star caliber player and that will begin with improving his 26.9% shooting percentage from deep.” His outside shooting has been good (38.4% 3PFG) and he has gone +3 since his rookie year, but Nassir has been nowhere close to an All Star as I thought he could’ve been with further development.
12.) New York Knicks - Luguentz Dort - GRADE: B+
I said this was a good selection by New York and some picks just flop. I thought if Dort could “get his handles up over time he [could have] become a premier point guard with balanced scoring, strong defense, solid rebounding." He never got those handles up and while still a good defender and efficient scorer who lacks big time volume, he has been unable to find a home where he can contribute.
16.) Boston Celtics (from Warriors) - Kevin Porter Jr. - GRADE: B
I liked Porter Jr. a bunch on draft night and thought this was a great value pick for Boston. While I do think this was still a good value (not great) I was definitely wrong in expecting him to develop into a 3 and D guy like I anticipated. Porter Jr’s 3 point percentage for his career is 28.3%.
21.) Oklahoma City Thunder - Jarrell Brantley - GRADE: C-
I was critical of the Brantley selection by Brantley but looking over his tenure in Oklahoma City he has made solid contributions. My take on Brantley was that “I would have taken any of the four guys selected following Brantley before him here at 21” and looking back I might would only take Goga over Brantley in this spot.
22.) Washington Wizards (from Trail Blazers) - Shamorie Ponds - GRADE: B
I thought Ponds was a great value pick here for the Wizards, but Ponds really just became a flop. I would not be surprised to see ponds out of the league here in a couple seasons.
Where NC was wrong:
15.) Utah Jazz - Rui Hachimura - GRADE: C
Yikes, I was so wrong on Rui looking back on my comments. “I was never big on Rui as I don’t think he has the quickness, outside scoring, and perimeter defense to thrive at Small Forward” is a quote Rui probably had saved on his phone from draft night to use as motivation. He is coming off a 20 ppg season that has warranted a max extension from the Jazz. I also said “may just peak as a good back up PF/SF option for a winning team” and he has been better than that for sure.
25.) Cleveland Cavaliers (from Rockets) - Talen Horton Tucker - GRADE: A
I had a “lottery grade” for Tucker and well I am very lucky I didn’t use one of my TWO lottery picks on him. Tucker is the second first round selection to already find themselves out of the league. Tucker could never develop his outside shooting enough to keep the Cavs interested in keeping him around. He was 18 on draft night so I do wonder what he might be today if he was still around.
If this article has proved anything it is that you should definitely invest in MAPLESCOUTING when preparing for drafts
This was fun to look back on and I may try and do Draft Grades more often so I can do more of these to look back on!
Leave a comment below on who you were completely wrong about from this draft class!
