2022 NBA Draft Grades



Live 2022 NBA Draft Grades: Round 1 - Picks 16-30
2022 NBA Mock Draft





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  1. Orlando Magic 2022 NBA Mock Draft Orlando Magic: Paolo Banchero, F, Duke - D Grade
    Jabari Smith fell into the Magic's lap. All they had to do was select the best player in this class. And yet, they didn't do it. This isn't a Millen grade because Orlando didn't pick Chet Holmgren, but the Magic consistently suck because they do stupid crap like this.


  2. Oklahoma City Thunder Oklahoma City Thunder: Chet Holmgren, C, Gonzaga - MILLEN Grade
    We get a Millen grade at No. 2 overall! The Thunder had Jabari Smith fall into their lap unexpectedly, and they still went with the worse player. You'd think they'd be smart enough to pivot, but this is yet another dumb team making a dumb decision. Chet Holmgren is insanely skinny and will snap like a twig against real NBA centers.




  3. Houston Rockets Houston Rockets: Jabari Smith, F, Auburn - A+ Grade
    A no-brainer A+ grade. The Rockets obtained the best player in the class at No. 3 overall because of the two dumb teams ahead of them. Well done.


  4. Sacramento Kings Sacramento Kings: Keegan Murray, F, Iowa - C+ Grade
    I like Jaden Ivey more than Keegan Murray, so I'm not a fan of this pick. I don't hate it very much because Murray is the next-best player available after Ivey, but the Kings will likely regret this pick because they tend to do stupid things.


  5. Detroit Pistons Detroit Pistons: Jaden Ivey, G, Purdue - A+ Grade
    Much like the Rockets, the Pistons are committing highway robbery because of dumb teams in front of him. I think in a normal world, a case could've been made for Jaden Ivey to be the No. 2 pick in this draft. He fills a big need next to Cade Cunningham.


  6. Indiana Pacers Indiana Pacers: Bennedict Mathurin, F, Arizona - B+ Grade
    This is a solid pick, as Bennedict Mathurin was getting some top-five buzz heading into the 2022 NBA Draft. The Pacers need almost everything, including someone who can create his own shot, so they did well to select the prospect who is arguably the best player available.




  7. Portland Trailblazers Portland Trailblazers: Shaedon Sharpe, G, Kentucky - B+ Grade
    I thought the Blazers would pick Dyson Daniels, but Shaedon Sharpe makes a lot of sense as well. They really needed a guard to replace C.J. McCollum, so Sharpe should be able to slide into the starting lineup and fill that void right away.


  8. New Orleans Pelicans New Orleans Pelicans: Dyson Daniels, SG/SF, G-League - A- Grade
    Dyson Daniels should have gone a bit earlier than this, so the Pelicans are getting nice value. They're filling a need to go along with Brandon Ingram, as Daniels will be a great defensive player on an up-and-coming team.




  9. San Antonio Spurs San Antonio Spurs: Jeremy Sochan, F, Baylor - C- Grade
    This is a reach, but not an egregious one. Jeremy Sochan belonged in the early teens, so picking him at No. 9, especially over the likes of Jalen Duren, A.J. Griffin and Ousmane Dieng is not ideal at all.


  10. Washington Bullets Washington Bullets: Johnny Davis, G, Wisconsin - B Grade
    This pick makes sense, as Johnny Davis was pegged to go in this range. The Bullets needed some offensive firepower with Bradley Beal on his way out, so Davis will be a nice replacement.


  11. Oklahoma City Thunder Oklahoma City Thunder: Ousmane Dieng, SG/SF, France - B Grade
    The Thunder moved up to No. 11 to select Ousmane Dieng. He's arguably the best player available, so the Thunder did well to make up (a bit) for their Chet Holmgren gaffe earlier, though I'm not sure why they needed to move up. (Edit: The Thunder traded a future first-round pick for Dieng; not No. 11.)




  12. Oklahoma CIty Thunder Oklahoma City Thunder: Jalen Williams, SG/SF, Santa Clara - D Grade
    The Thunder should have just saved their future first-round pick and selected Ousmane Dieng at No. 12. Jalen Williams is a reach at this juncture; he wasn't supposed to come off the board until the late teens.


  13. Charlotte Hornets Charlotte Hornets: Jalen Duren, C, Memphis - A+ Grade
    The Hornets have to be thrilled about this, as they were hoping that the top true center in this class would fall to them at No. 13. The Hornets seemingly haven't had great center play since the Alonzo Mourning days, so that may finally change with Jalen Duren.




  14. Cleveland Cavaliers Cleveland Cavaliers: Ochai Agbaji, SG, Kansas - B Grade
    If the Cavaliers weren't going to draft A.J. Griffin, Ochai Agbaji makes the most sense. He's the No. 2 player available behind Griffin, and he fills a big need in the backcourt. Passing on Griffin doesn't seem very wise though.


  15. Charlotte Hornets Charlotte Hornets: Mark Williams, C, Duke - B Grade
    I talked about this in my mock draft. The Hornets could take Mark Williams even if they got Jalen Duren because they've had a need at center for three decades. They needed to shore up their front court desperately, so they had to get it right with two picks in the 13-15 range. I would've liked A.J. Grifin better, but I like this pick despite the Duren selection.



    16. Go to Live 2022 NBA Draft Grades: Round 1 - Picks 16-30
    Sorry for cutting this into two halves; I've received complaints about load times and putting the mock draft on two pages saves bandwidth.


    2022 NBA Mock Draft



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