Grading Every 2016 NBA Draft Pick

1. Philadelphia 76ers – Ben Simmons, SF – Grade: A

The 76ers took the best available player, and a potential face of their franchise. They’ve got a frontcourt full of non-shooters, but Simmons is a terrific playmaker who will transform basketball in Philadelphia.

2. LA Lakers – Brandon Ingram, SF – Grade: A+

The Lakers had the easiest decision of the night picking Ingram here. We can’t expect Ingram to compare to Kobe, but he has the ability to make up for the scoring gap. Ingram’s toughness will allow him to produce while he gains strength.

3. Boston Celtics – Jaylen Brown, SF – Grade: C-

I’m still trying to figure out how the Celtics failed to deal this pick. A team looking to contend should pick the best available player, which Brown wasn’t at this point. However, he still has the body and game to fit into Boston's scheme.

4. Phoenix Suns – Dragan Bender, PF – Grade: A

Bender has a lot of people concerned about his lackluster numbers while playing for an average Israeli team. Suns fans will have to be patient with him, as he’s only 18 years old, but Bender will become a star with playing time and good coaching.

5. Minnesota Timberwolves – Kris Dunn, PG – Grade: A+

Even though shooting was their biggest need, I think Dunn is the safest pick in this draft due to his excellent defensive ability and mature outlook. Drafting Dunn has cemented the belief that Minnesota is the scariest young team in the NBA.

6. New Orleans Pelicans – Buddy Hield, SG – Grade: B+

With Ryan Anderson and Eric Gordon expected to be out, Anthony Davis is going to be surrounded with a bunch of broken jump shooters. They had to pick Hield or Murray here. Murray is better overall, but Hield has an attitude that will fit any team.

7. Denver Nuggets – Jamal Murray, SG – Grade: A

Somehow Murray fell into Denver’s lap to fulfill their shooting need. Whether he plays more point or off-guard is undetermined, but Murray will step in as one of the top perimeter threats.

8. Sacramento Kings (Traded to Phoenix Suns) – Marquese Chriss, PF – Grade: A-

On one hand, they already picked a project in Dragan Bender. On the other hand, drafting two bigs means one is more likely to work out. If both reach their potential, the Suns will have a potent frontcourt. If not, they didn't give up much anyways.

9. Toronto Raptors – Jakob Poeltl, C – Grade: A

At this point, he was the best player available, so I can’t knock the Raptors for this pick. He is great with his back to the basket and is just scratching the surface. He should be a starting center in the future.

10. Milwaukee Bucks – Thon Maker, PF – Grade: B

In a draft full of uncertainty, the Bucks reached for the most unknown player. Maker is 7-foot-1 with guard skills, which is pretty impressive for a kid that might be as old as 24. Still, he fits into the Bucks' long, athletic roster.

11. Orlando Magic (Traded to Oklahoma City Thunder) – Domantas Sabonis, PF – Grade: A+

The Thunder essentially got a young Steven Adams with this trade. He’s tough, smart and is the perfect role player to play with Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook.

12. Utah Jazz (Traded to Atlanta Hawks) – Taurean Prince, SF – Grade: C+

Clearly the Hawks were desperate here after being unable to make a trade. Prince is a solid player, but would have made more sense later in the first round. Atlanta needed a small forward, so I guess Prince is a decent selection.

13. Phoenix Suns (Traded to Sacramento Kings) - Georgios Papagiannis, C – Grade: D

This has nothing to do with Papagiannis and everything to do with the lack of creativity by Sacramento. If the Kings have any intention of keeping Demarcus Cousins long-term, Papagiannis will never be given enough time to justify this pick.

14. Chicago Bulls – Denzel Valentine, SG – Grade: A

By acquiring two point guards in the Rose trade, the off-guard position became more of a need. Valentine can play all three spots on the perimeter and is adept at making plays off the dribble. His shooting ability also makes this a great value pick.

15. Denver Nuggets – Juan Hernangomez, PF – Grade: B-

Hernangomez is going to provide some energy off the bench for a team that might not have Kenneth Faired for much longer. The issue is that there were better power forward options available at this point.

16. Boston Celtics – Guerschon Yabusele, PF – Grade: F

For a guy who won’t be in the NBA for a couple years, Yabusele really wasn’t worth a pick this high. Sure he might be a bruising role player at some point, but there were way too many ready players to take to grow with Jaylen Brown.

17. Memphis Grizzlies – Wade Baldwin, PG – Grade: B+

Their need was not really met here because Baldwin is a shoot-first guard who prefers to get his points before setting up teammates. Memphis needs an orchestrator if Conley leaves, even though Baldwin can play.

18. Detroit Pistons – Henry Ellenson, PF – Grade: A+

I may be alone here, but I still believe Ellenson is one of the five best players in the draft. There isn’t a thing on the offensive end that he can’t do. His rebounding prowess will make up for any defensive issues. Detroit got a big steal.

19. Denver Nuggets – Malik Beasley, SG – Grade: A-

Drafting Jamal Murray made this pick a little bit questionable, but Beasley is just another shooter to add to a roster that lacks guard scoring. His best days are ahead of him, so he can wait in the wings and learn from the guards ahead of him.

20. Indiana Pacers (Traded to Brooklyn Nets) – Caris LeVert, SG – Grade: C

I love everything about LeVert’s game when he is on the court. Unfortunately, that hasn’t been very often. Teams generally stray away from players who can’t stay healthy in college. This isn’t a huge risk since they plan on being bad for a while.

21. Atlanta Hawks – DeAndre’ Bembry, SF – Grade: A

Bembry will end up doing more for the Hawks than Taurean Prince, not to take anything away from him. At 6-foot-6, having a point forward like Bembry running the second unit could be the improvement that Atlanta’s bench needs.

22. Charlotte Hornets (Traded to Sacramento Kings) – Malachi Richardson, SG – Grade: B-

Shooting guard was an important need for the Kings. Richardson is a little overhyped and struggles to score inside the arc despite his long arms. If he can be a consistent 3-point shooter, this pick doesn’t look so bad. Otherwise, it’s a stretch.

23. Boston Celtics – Ante Zizic, C – Grade: A

Celtics fans were upset with the pick, but Zizic is the second-best true center in the draft. He can rebound, finish and defend the rim. I see nothing wrong with picking a player who can eventually add depth to a position they need.

24. Philadelphia 76ers – Timothe Luwawu, SG – Grade: B

Drafting a point guard should've been higher on their priorities list. After that, an athletic wing defender like Luwawu would be good. He should be able to play right away, and will benefit from playing with other NBA-level players overseas.

25. LA Clippers – Brice Johnson, PF – Grade: A-

The Clippers could have tried to go for a wing scorer, instead they pursued a security blanket for Blake Griffin. Johnson is an offensive-minded athlete who could provide good scoring off the bench for a team lacking post offense in the second unit.

26. Philadelphia 76ers – Furkan Korkmaz, SG – Grade: A-

Korkmaz was worth a mid-first-round pick, but slid due to the high buyout price that his Turkish team requires. Philadelphia won’t be challenging for a ring anytime soon so they have time to let the thin 18-year-old develop for a few years.

27. Toronto Raptors – Pascal Siakam, PF – Grade: D

Toronto has been taking projects for the last couple drafts. Siakam is no different. In terms of talent, he’s probably a mid-second-rounder. The fact that Deyonta Davis wasn’t taken here is a joke considering his upside and two-year age gap.

28. Phoenix Suns (Traded to Sacramento Kings) – Skal Labissiere, PF – Grade: C+

Similar to Toronto, Davis would have made so much more sense if they were looking to draft a power forward. Labissiere could turn out to be a stretch four that protects the basket. It may just take three or four years to reach that point.

29. San Antonio Spurs – Dejounte Murray, PG – Grade: A

This isn't a typical pick for the Spurs. Murray is turnover prone and prefers to look for his own offense. Yet, it seems like a perfect pick. Murray is 6-foot-5, athletic, talented and most importantly a fierce competitor. Pop will make him a star.

30. Golden State Warriors – Damian Jones, C – Grade: A

It doesn’t make sense to trust that Festus Ezeli will return. Jones is just as athletic with the chance to play a similar role as the former Vanderbilt star.

31. Boston Celtics (Traded to Memphis Grizzlies) – Deyonta Davis, PF – Grade: A+

One thing that Memphis needed was capable bodies. Davis should be able find a role as the second or third big off the bench next season as he learns under Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol. Memphis really got a good one here.

32. LA Lakers – Ivica Zubac, C – Grade: A

When you look at Zubac's game, it’s not hard to see why teams love him. He has nimble footwork in the post and takes pride in protecting the paint. In two or three years, we could see this as a big front office move for the Lakers.

33. LA Clippers (Traded to New Orleans) – Cheick Diallo, PF – Grade: C

It’s hard to see what Diallo will bring to the Pelicans. He can defend, but he’s too skinny to produce right now. A more ready big man would have made more sense, especially since they gave up two picks for him.

34. Phoenix Suns – Tyler Ulis, PG – Grade: A

Was anyone actually surprised with this pick? Ulis and Devin Booker have as close a relationship as any players in the league. Ulis deserved to be picked well before this, but a lack of size scared teams off. He is the best competitor in the draft.

35. Boston Celtics (Traded to Memphis Grizzlies) – Rade Zagorac, SF – Grade: A

Memphis has a lot of toughness on the wing, but not much skill. Zagorac will give the Grizzlies a diverse skillset whenever he decides to come over. The Serbian is long, smooth and thinks like a point guard. This pick is a fit for both sides.

36. Milwaukee Bucks – Malcolm Brogdon, SG – Grade: B-

Brogdon is a winner and great defender. The main reason I don’t like this fit here is because of his suspect 3-point shot. Milwaukee already has enough wing players who can’t stretch the court, even though Brogdon brings a team-first mentality.

37. Houston Rockets – Chinanu Onuaku, C – Grade: C+

What Onuaku brings isn’t what Houston needs. They need a big who can go on the block and get points. Defense is his calling card, which isn’t an issue. I’m just not sure if Mike D’Antoni wants a big who can’t score.

38. Milwaukee Bucks (Traded to Golden State Warriors) – Patrick McCaw, SG – Grade: A-

For Golden State, McCaw is a smart pick. You look at what Shaun Livingston has done and see a similar body type in McCaw. Only difference is that he’s a defensive specialist right now.

39. New Orleans Pelicans (Traded to LA Clippers) – David Michineau, PG – Grade: D

Michineau is purely a penetrating point guard. Unless he develops a jump shot, he will be a liability. There were plenty of other scoring guards who were passed here.

40. New Orleans Pelicans (Traded to LA Clippers) – Diamond Stone, C – Grade: A

Aside from having the best name in the draft, Stone could be a steal this late. If his defense catches up to his back-to-the-basket game then he will be a force. Brice Johnson and Stone on their second line frontcourt could be a scary sight.

41. Orlando Magic – Stephen Zimmerman, C – Grade: C+

Before the Ibaka move, this would have been a better pick. While it’s now an awful pick, Zimmerman is going to need time on the court to grow.

42. Utah Jazz (Traded to Brooklyn Nets) – Isaiah Whitehead, PG – Grade: A

Part of what makes this trade so good is bringing Whitehead to Brooklyn. He should be able to fight for minutes right away, allowing him to learn on the run. This really seems to be a perfect fit for the Seton Hall guard.

43. Houston Rockets – Zhou Qi, C – Grade: D

I understand that there might be some optimism that he will bring in fans like Yao Ming did, but this guy makes Brandon Ingram look like a body builder. He can block shots like a 7-foot-2 player should, and he also has a nice jumper.

44. Atlanta Hawks – Isaia Cordinier, SG – Grade: A-

Cordinier is a talented player that got picked right around where he should. Atlanta doesn’t have much to lose by taking an athletic playmaker this late in the draft.

45. Boston Celtics – Demetrius Jackson, PG – Grade: A+

Jackson dropping this low is the biggest tragedy in the draft. No matter what the pick says, he is a first-round talent that borders on lottery ability. Boston is stacked at point guard, but Brad Stevens will find a way to integrate Jackson.

46. Dallas Mavericks – A.J. Hammons, C – Grade: A+

Center is exactly the spot that Dallas is softest at. The only bad parts of Hammons’ game are inside his head. With a coach like Rick Carlisle, hopefully they can get the most out of the Purdue star.

47. Orlando Magic (Traded to Portland Trail Blazers) – Jake Layman, SF – Grade: B

It was a good move to get a combo forward just in case they lose some players to free agency. Layman is a mature all-around player even though he lacks a skill to hang his hat on.

48. Chicago Bulls – Paul Zipser, SF – Grade: A

Zipser is one of the few NBA ready foreign players in the draft. He profiles as a good defender who scores well on straight-line drives and spot-up threes. For a pick this late, Zipser could be a rotation player on a team with poor defensive wings.

49. Detroit Pistons – Michael Gbinije, SG – Grade: A+

Worst case scenario, Gbinije comes in to defend and hit open threes. You can’t look for much else out of a wing player in the latter part of the second round.

50. Indiana Pacers – Georges Niang, SF – Grade: B+

It seems like Niang is going to maintain a career as an end-of-the-bench NBA player that his teammates love for his professionalism. I would expect the Pacers to give him a guaranteed deal at some point.

51. Boston Celtics – Ben Bentil, PF – Grade: A

Boston used way more picks than they should have. Bentil will turn out to be one of the better players they get, as a strong stretch-four that gets hot quick. Think of a Marreese Speights type of player.

52. Utah Jazz – Joel Bolomboy, PF – Grade: A+

I’m under the impression that Bolomboy would have been a first-round pick had he played in a bigger conference. He was a senior, but his game still has a lot of room for growth. Utah has a lot to gain with Bolomboy.

53. Denver Nuggets – Petr Cornelie, PF – Grade: B

There is no need to talk about the reason for this pick. Denver doesn’t have any more roster space so they picked a draft-and-stash big who could be useful if he can put on some weight.

54. Atlanta Hawks (Traded to Cleveland Cavaliers) – Kay Felder, PG – Grade: A+

Imagine a fast break with LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Kay Felder. Talk about explosive. Obviously Felder will need some time to adjust to the NBA, but there is no reason to believe he can’t have a Nate Robinson-type effect off the bench.

55. Brooklyn Nets (Traded to Utah Jazz) – Marcus Paige, PG – Grade: D

I can’t understand why a player like Marcus Paige would be picked over players like Yogi Ferrell and Cat Barber. While their games have improved, Paige’s has only declined. Brooklyn must see something I don’t.

56. Denver Nuggets (Traded to Oklahoma City Thunder) – Daniel Hamilton, SF – Grade: C

His game is reminiscent of Kyle Anderson. He can do a little bit of everything. The only problem is that he is really slow. I mean Philadelphia-76ers-rebuild slow. OKC could use him next to quick guards to run the offense when the starters sit.

57. Memphis Grizzlies – Wang Zhelin, C – Grade: F

I have no idea when Zhelin will be able to play in the NBA. He’s a big body from China with decent skills. It seems more like a pick from a team that doesn’t want to pay anyone else right now to have more money for Mike Conley.

58. Boston Celtics – Abdel Nader, SF – Grade: C

There were players with higher upside available at this pick. Nader can find a roster spot if his shot selection improves. He has an NBA body, but it’s just a matter of what Boston wants to do with him.

59. Sacramento Kings – Isaiah Cousins, PG – Grade: A

Cousins is what the Kings needed in terms of point guard security. Something about his demeanor says that he is an NBA player. He could be a big steal, even if he never starts a game in the NBA.

60. Utah Jazz – Tyrone Wallace, PG – Grade: D

Like with Paige, there were much better point guards who were available. Selecting a big guard in today’s game makes a moderate amount of sense. He does have a sense of composure that should bode well in the NBA.