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Usually there aren’t too many surprises in the NBA Draft this time around, but Thursday night started with a big one when the Orlando Magic selected Duke forward Paolo Banchero with the first overall pick. For weeks, the expectation had been that they would get Jabari Smith out of Auburn, and it’s still unclear if that was all an elaborate smokescreen or if they changed their minds at the last minute.
The Magic reportedly never received Banchero for a formal workout or interview in Orlando, suggesting it could be the latter.
Regardless, the Oklahoma City Thunder then took out big man Chet Holmgren from Gonzaga as expected, while the Houston Rockets walked away with Smith to round out the top three. The Rockets had probably been planning on Banchero, but Smith should still be a great fit as a sharp-shooting forward to pair with Jalen Green.
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Of course, no draft could be complete without the Sacramento Kings doing something out of the ordinary, and they took Keegan Murray with the fourth overall pick despite nearly all forecasts suggesting Purdue’s Jaden Ivey was clearly the fourth-best player. . Maybe they really believe in Murray, or maybe they were wary of taking a guard with his No. 1 pick for the third straight year.
Either way, it worked out for the Detroit Pistons, who were happy to take Ivey at No. 5. After getting Cade Cunningham with the first pick last year, they now have the makings of a great young backcourt.
Disappointing draft on trade front
Leading up to draft day, we heard a lot about how many trades involving current NBA players were likely to fail. For example, on Wednesday, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, who is as connected as anyone when it comes to the NBA, said he expected a lot of trades.
“Trades are the new free agency this time of year,” he said. “Teams know that their best opportunity to improve is not going to be in July in free agency, it’s going to be around the draft with trades. I think we’re going to see a lot of them tomorrow night.”
However, things did not develop that way. While several picks were shuffled around, as is the case every year, there were very few trades involving established NBA players. Kemba Walker was traded from the Knicks to the Pistons as part of a larger deal, and the two sides are expected to work on a purchase that would allow Walker to become a free agent this summer. Additionally, the 76ers and Grizzlies traded players, as the Sixers sent veteran forward Danny Green and the No. 23 overall pick to Memphis in exchange for De’Anthony Melton.
There was also a trade that closed the day before the draft, as the Pistons traded forward Jerami Grant to the Portland Trail Blazers in exchange for a 2025 first-round pick (via the Milwaukee Bucks, protected numbers 1-4 ) and multiple choose permutations. Those guys aren’t chopped liver, but none of those moves could be considered a landscape disturbance, or even a major one. So it’s safe to say that the draft was disappointing on the business front.
The Knicks have a busy night
The New York Knicks entered draft night with just two picks: 11th and 42nd. Even with the usual rumors, it looked like it was going to be an easy night. Of course, that’s not possible with this franchise, and three trades and hours of confusion later, they walked away with Trevor Keels (No. 42), three future first-round picks and some extra salary-cap space. In the first deal of the night, they sent the No. 11 pick (Ousmane Dieng) to the Oklahoma City Thunder for three future firsts. Then, they bagged one of the first picks they got from the Thunder and four future second-round picks to get the 13th pick (Jalen Duren) from the Charlotte Hornets. Ultimately, they sent Duren and Kemba Walker to the Detroit Pistons for another future first-round pick. For full details on all moves, including pick protections, go here.
It’s no secret that the Knicks’ top priority this offseason is Jalen Brunson. The lefty guard is hitting free agency and should have a significant payday after impressing in the Dallas Mavericks’ run to the Western Conference finals. In addition to hiring his father as an assistant coach, the Knicks have also cleared enough cap space to make a competitive offer. The question, though, is whether those moves paid off for Brunson. If they can’t sign him, giving up a lottery win to shed Walker’s salary won’t age well.
Knicks fans, not surprisingly, were upset. In particular, Stephen A. Smith and Spike Lee looked dejected on ESPN’s late-night draft broadcast.
Pistons win again on draft night
Last year, the Detroit Pistons won the lottery and selected Cade Cunningham with the first overall pick. After a bit of a slow start to his rookie season, he fired it up and seemed like a great enabler. While the Pistons fell to the fifth pick in the lottery this year, they were once again big winners on draft night.
First, they got lucky with Jaden Ivey at No. 5. The Purdue shooting guard was widely viewed as the fourth-best player in this class, but the Sacramento Kings passed him over at No. 4 to select Keegan Murray. While Murray may end up being a good player, he doesn’t have the advantages of Ivey, who is an explosive athlete and has the opportunity to be an excellent scorer at various levels. In Cunningham and Ivey, the Pistons have their backcourt of the future.
Shortly thereafter, the Pistons traded with the New York Knicks. They sent a 2025 first-round pick via Milwaukee, which they acquired in the Jerami Grant deal earlier this week, to the Knicks for 13th pick Jalen Duren and Kemba Walker. The latter will eventually be bought. Duren is another terrific athlete, albeit up front, where he sometimes looked dominant for Memphis. While he’s still raw from a pure offensive skills standpoint, he’s huge, works hard and should contribute immediately defensively.
After years of alternating between aimlessly rebuilding and chasing the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference, the Pistons finally feel like they have a plan and a young core in place. They still have a long way to go, but with Cunningham at the helm, the future should be bright in Detroit.
Draft Tracker | Pick-by-pick grades | Full coverage of the NBA Draft
2022 NBA Draft Order
| round 1 | Selection | round 2 | Selection |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Magic |
paolo banchero |
31. Pacers | Andrew Nembhard PG | Gonzaga |
| 2. Thunder |
Chet Holmgren |
32. Magic | caleb houston SF | Michigan |
| 3. Rockets |
Jabari Smith |
33. raptors | Christian Kolok C | Arizona |
| 4. Kings |
Keegan Murray |
34. Thunder | Jaylin Williams VET | Arkansas |
| 5. Pistons |
Jaden Ivey |
35.Lakers* | christiemax SG | michigan street |
| 6. Pacemaker |
Benedict Mathurin |
36. Trail Blazers | gabriele procida SF | Italy |
| 7. Trail Blazers |
Shaedon Sharpe |
37. Kings* | resistant jaden SG | G League turn on |
| 8. pelicans |
Dyson Daniels |
38. Spurs* | Kennedy Chandler PG | Tennessee |
| 9. Spurs |
jeremy sohan |
39. Knights | Khalifa Diop C | Senegal |
| 10. Wizards |
johnny davis |
40. Timber Wolves* | bryce mcgowens SF | Nebraska |
| 11. Knicks* | Ousmane Dieng SF | France |
41. Pelicans | EJ Liddell VET | ohio street |
| 12. Thunder | jalen williams SG | Saint Clare |
42. Knicks | trevor keels SG | Duke |
| 13. Hornets* | Jalen Duren C | memphis |
43. Nail clippers | Moussa Diabate VET | Michigan |
| 14. Knights | ochai agbaji SG | Kansas |
44. Hawks* | ryan rollins SG | Toledo |
| 15. Hornets | brand williams C | Duke |
45. Hornets | Josh Minott VET | memphis |
| 16. Hawks | aj faucet SF | Duke |
46. Pistons* | Ismael Camagate C | France |
| 17. Rockets | season rates VET | LSU |
47. Grizzlies | Vince Williams Jr. SF | VCU |
| 18. bulls | Daniel Terry SF | Arizona |
48. Timber Wolves* | kendall brown SF | Baylor |
| 19. Timber Wolves* | jake laravia VET | forest stele |
49. Knights* | Isaiah Mobley VET | USC |
| 20. Spurs | Malaki Branham SF | ohio street |
50. Timber Wolves | matthew spagnolo PG | Italy |
| 21.Nuggets | Christian Braun SG | Kansas |
51. Warriors* | Tyrese Martin SG | University of Connecticut |
| 22. Grizzlies* | Walker Kessler C | Chestnut |
52. Pelicans | Karl Matkovic C | Serbian |
| 23. 76ers* | david roddy SG | Colo St. |
53. Celts | J. D. Davison PG | Alabama |
| 24. Dollars | Mar Jon Beauchamp SF | G League turn on |
54. Wizards | Yannick Nzosa C | congo |
| 25. Spurs | blake-wesley SG | notre dame |
55. Warriors | gui saints SF | Brazil |
| 26. Rockets* | Wendell Moore Jr. SF | Duke |
56. Gentlemen | lucas travers SF | Australia |
| 27. heat | Nicholas Jović SF | Serbian |
57. Trail Blazers | Jabari Walker SF | Colorado |
| 28. warriors | Patrick Baldwin Jr. VET | milwaukee |
58. Pacers | Hugo Bessson PG | France |
| 29. Grizzlies* | Ty Ty Washington Jr. PG | Kentucky |
||
| 30.Nuggets* | Peyton Watson SF | University of California at Los Angeles |
* – choose part of informed trading