Nenjabin’s NSL Draft Grades

 

Another year is done and the draft has passed. We had to wait so very long for this draft and the process got lost in the ether somewhat because of the world around, but we were all still clamoring for picks and players on the day and doing our best for our teams future!

Here is my take on the draft, based on my opinions of players, team needs, who was left and the perceived “rises” and “falls” compared to the NBA.

 

The A+ tier.

Indiana:

Pick 15: Saddiq Bey (trade for Duncan Robinson)
Pick 33: Zeke Nnaji

This is how it’s done. Of course, it helps them that the guy chosen by Minnesota, Bey, is one of the guys I see as a bit of a ready-made guy with a low ceiling, and he was drafted too high, so the get of Duncan Robinson for him feels even better from this standpoint.

Nnaji was a 1^st rounder in the NBA and wile this was more around his projected draft spot, he has a good landing spot and a great skillset to develop into a long term asset. 33 is probably a bargain now.

 

Minnesota:

Pick 3: LaMelo Ball
Pick 15: Shaddiq Bey (acquired for Duncan Robinson)
Pick 27: Isaiah Stewart

While I don’t particularly like the Bey/Robinson deal, you see why it makes sense on the whole and so it doesn’t detract enough from the super high grades on the other picks to drop it to A. LaMelo at 3 is not only drafting possibly the best talent in the draft, but the biggest glaring hole in the roster sans Curry is instantly filled with a 6’7 body which is even better in 2k.

Stewart was a mid teens pick in the NBA but fell 11 spots here so becomes a bargain. He’s a beast down low and will bully guys even as a rookie, loving contact, and with Mitchell Robinson impending UFA next year, he’s a great insurance guy who will make a name in the NBA.

 

Oklahoma City:

Pick 1: Anthony Edwards
Pick 4: Onyeka Okongwu
Pick 9: Isaac Okoro
Pick 38: Payton Pritchard

Talk about walking all over a draft. At 1, you get the consensus #1…duh…who needs no introduction. But you do this knowing you can select your next franchise C at #4 in Okongwu. And he’s the perfect fit with an offensive type PF of LMA or Randle, being the defensive stall wort. Next you grab the slight falling Isaac Okoro who perfectly replaces the outgoing Gordon Hayward (tough resign, or now maybe S&T) with a great defensive presence again.

Lastly, in the 2^nd round, you grab the PG that fell 12 spots from the NBA draft, the last 1^st rounder, who looks like a lock to be a reserve PG for a very long time. A certainty guy at 38? Nice.

 

 

A Grade Material

Atlanta:

Pick 32: Udoka Azubuike
Pick 55: Cassius Stanley

The rebuild is on, and the Hawks didn’t have picks in this draft to heavily speak of due to the lateness of the rebuild choice, but they did well with what they had. They grabbed a big man who was taken late in the 1^st round in the NBA at 32, a slight fall, and big Udoka looks like a legitimate bench big for the NBA despite his throwback status (44% on FTs and no 3s attempted in college). Stanley is an athletic guard who can jump out of the gym. How does that translate? Not sure. He seems to be a Gerald Green way down in pick 55. That could be a win.

 

Brooklyn:

Pick 25: Theo Maledon

Can’t knock this pick. Theo was projected in the teens most of the stretch and fell mostly due to his desire to come over right away rather than be stashed. For that reason, you take a possible teens talent at 25 and watch him develop. They don’t need him to be immediate, and he’s got a lockdown defensive style which tends to stick.

 

Charlotte:

Pick 2: James Wiseman

Word on the street is they wanted Edwards, and roster make up backs that up, but failing that you of course take the most polarizing but likely golden talent in the draft. Even if Wiseman just turns out to be a super athletic 7’1 guy, 2k loves those, so he’s going to be a winner in our league. Does he turn into a star big? Time will tell. Will it be with the Hornets? Time will tell on that to.

 

Denver:

Pick 34: Immanuel Quickley
Pick 57: Jayden Scrubb

Quickley landed in the Knicks PG spot…amongst all the others, but he’s a super quick PG with great instincts and will get a chance to shine you’d think. He’s also a faller to here compared to the NBA, so you’re picking up some value. Scubb is raw at all the things you need to be good at to play wing in the NBA…but at 57, someone who should get a 2way at least is a solid get.

 

Milwaukee:

Pick 5: Killian Hayes
Pick 14: Aaron Nesmith
Pick 19: Precious Achiuwa
Pick 31: Robert Woodard
Pick 48: Yam Madar
Pick 51: Isaiah Joe

A mixed bag for the draft loving Bucks but you can’t really fault any of the selections which is good enough for the A. Hayes is the future in Detroit in the NBA so makes sense at 5 next to Shai. Nesmith is the best shooter in the draft with good tools to be more, and was right around that 14 mark too. Precious was right around the mark too and looks like a nice hustle big man to pay both spots with room to grow. Woodard is ready right now to play a sweeter shooting Roberson type role, but he’s pretty much going to be set as that off ball defender guy. But he will stick. Madar we’ll judge in a couple of years more likely, but he’s a solid stash PG and then there’s Joe who needs to start doing anything else other than shooting…or at least re-find the vigor as a shooter he once showed, to then find a spot.

 

New Orleans:

Pick 8: Patrick Williams
Pick 41: Paul Reed

The Pels needed size, despite since trading for Brook Lopez, so they got in the slider (but NBA reach), Patrick Williams at 8. Hes a nice combo guy who has drawn ire because of his limited court time at college, but that probably only adds to some intrigue. How does he pan out? The Pels have a nice young roster so he has some time to grow. Reed was a big jump compared to the NBA, but even at 41 with 1^st round talent, he’s a potential steal.

 

Orlando:

Pick 18: Josh Green
Pick 23: RJ Hampton
Pick 28: Vernon Carey Jr

Really like the draft of the Magic. Josh Green looks like a ready made guy who could turn out to be a Josh Richardson, but with a much bigger, chunkier body. Think of the damage! Hampton, I don’t know what the trade being completed was, but at these this incarnation was Pick 23 for a 2024 1^st. By 2024, we’ll know where Hampton is headed and he looks like a solid kid. He needs a lot of development though. Kid looked like he hated being drafted…”I put up with New Zealand for this shit?”

Vernon Carey has some really nice inside outside game and 2way potential, but fell a bit due to unknown fit and some questions about his ability to fit into the modern game. He’s worth a risk at 28 though.

 

Washington:

Pick 21: Desmond Bane
Pick 29: Xavier Tillman
Pick 39: Malachi Flynn
Pick 47: Killian Tille

The Wiz are looking to compete and they drafted as such. All these guys are ready now, even down to Tillie having signed a 2way deal already. Bane is a baller with a Joe Harris outlook. He’s not as versatile a shooter yet, but he’s a shooter none the less. Tillman was an epic defender at college, but size and conditioning issues caused him to fall, but he’s ready right now. Flynn looks like a FVV type, and he’s now in FVV land. They all have NBA roles.

 

 

B+ Baby

Boston:

Pick 6: Deni Avdija
Pick 7: Obi Toppin
Pick 16: Cole Anthony
Pick 26: Tyrell Terry
Pick 46: Nico Mannion
Pick 56: Devon Dotson

I just couldn’t give an A to the Celtics here despite the clear talent. The gap between 4-15 in pretty small so they could probably all go everywhere, but while Deni looks good, Okoro probably made more sense here in this team make up. I’m pulling hairs here though. Toppin looks like a solid as PF, at least going one way, but they traded out John Collins who looks a lot like Toppin’s absolute highest ceiling possible, which isn’t the way you want to start a career. Cole Anthony is a good pick, great talent. Tyrell Terry got a lot of youtube hype but he’s a spark off the bench at best you’d think with his red flags. He’s a sweet shooter though and could be a bit of a Curry/LouWill lite. Mannion I don’t think has a place in the league past a rookie deal if he even gets one, while Devon Dotson has already inked a 2way deal which is great news and great scouting by the Celts.

 

Detroit:

Pick 24: Leandro Bolmaro
Pick 58: Kenyon Martin Jr

Bolmaro at 24 is a solid upside swing pick, but far from a sure thing. He’s got great size at 6’7 for a PG possible player, or play making wing, and with some body development he could come over at some point and make some noise. That time is likely not now though.

At 58, it’s hit and hope time, and Kenyon Martin Jr is a true raw potential prospect with elite athleticism and a growing offensive game, but he’s definitely going to need some seasoning time.

 

Golden State:

Pick 10: Jalen Smith
Pick 35: Tyler Bey
Pick 40: Nick Richards

Smith was the surprise jumper in the NBA draft but that didn’t deter the Warriors from selecting him here. He’s a really high floor big man, but how far above that is his ceiling? It may not matter for Golden State with a budding star next to him in Ayton.

Bey is elite defensively, but has no real NBA position which is going to be a problem. I love defensive types, but I don’t like this pick because I personally need a guy to fit somewhere and I don’t think Bey does. Richards is a great upside swing pick with his defensive game already locked in, good size, and tendency to be a low usage high athleticism big man.

 

Houston:

Pick 12: Tyrese Maxey
Pick 42: Mason Jones

Vit always walks the beat of his own drum and he “reached” a long way to get to Maxey here. That’s not to say Maxey won’t be a star, and Vit is no slouch in the scouting department, but maybe could have turned this pick into some extra pick value by moving down a little? Maxey looks like a legit 2 way energetic fire cracker though.

Mason Jones went undrafted and again Vit could probably moved down from here to achieve the same result, but straight up he’s found a guy who signed a 2way deal after going undrafted and so that’s a win for sure.

 

Memphis:

Pick 45: Tre Jones

Can’t really go wrong down at 45 and Tre Jones is probably about as solid as they come as a PG prospect down here with his defensive abilities. He’ll likely never start an NBA game, but he could be a difference maker in time off the bench on the defensive end.

 

Miami:

Pick 53: Jordan Nwora

Way down here you’re hoping for a guy who can translate in some form and Nwora is an elite shooter so he’s got that skill. Of course he needs some development in other areas, but many a player has made a living with just this skill at his size and length. It’s a pretty solid pass mark.

 

New York:

Pick 60: Tyshon Alexander

The Mr. Irrelevant spot in this league isn’t so irrelevant when you can still select from 80 guys and hope to score a legit 2way guy or something and that’s what the Knicks did here. Alexander has already signed on somewhere after going undrafted in the NBA and that’s more than you can hope for down at 60.

 

Phoenix:

Pick 11: Tyrese Haliburton
Pick 22: Jaden McDaniels
Pick 49: Elijah Hughes
Pick 59: Paul Eboua

Tyrse Haliburton’s potential has people clamoring, but for me there’s a reason he slipped to 12 in the NBA and I’m not sure where he overcomes some of those knocks. So he’s definitely a high upside pick at 11 and you can’t knock it, but there’s definitely risk. McDaniels I think at 22 is too high. He has some tantelising upside for sure, but he’s got a black hole mentality, he’s erratic and his frame is one that draws questions too. His fluidity is intriguing though.

Hughes looks legit likely to stick in a reserve role in the NBA so is good value at 49. He’s going to be a player. Eboua looks like a nice upside guy that was aimed at being a stash, but he’s shown enough to the NBA Miami Heat to have earned an exhibit 10 contract, which would ruin some stash dreams if it pays off.

 

Toronto:

Pick 30: Daniel Oturu

I think Oturu is going to be a really nice long term pick for the Raptors. He’s got a great motor and skillset to stay in the league a long time. Star upside? No. Bust downside? No. Nice middle range pick, pass mark with slightly higher potential.

 

Utah:

Pick 13: Devin Vassell

The league mandated selection was Vassell and really for that reason you can’t give it more than the pass. But Vassell is value at 13 given where he landed in the NBA and with a legit long term NBA skillset. Refine that game and this could be a big steal down the road.

 

 

We’ll B ok

LA Lakers:

Pick 20: Kira Lewis
Pick 50: Saben Lee
Pick 54: CJ Elleby

All 3 of these picks are “value” if you take the NBA draft as the gospel, but there’s probably a reason each guy slipped in this league. Not to say we’re smarter than the NBA, but I think all 3 have legit concerns. Lewis looks like he might never hold his own on any end of the court physically, but he’s super quick and can score, so he’s got a shot. Lee like Kira, is super quick and can get anywhere he wants on the court, but his frame and his inconsistent shooting are concerns. Will that ever click into a spot in the NBA? Elleby was 86 ranked on ESPN prior to the NBA draft, but got drafted 46 as a 20 year old with upside and not much else in the way of scouting. He’d probably be the best case for Mr. Irrelevant in our league based on that.

 

Philadelphia:

Pick 17: Aleksej Pokusevski
Pick 36: Vit Krejci
Pick 37: Marko Simonovic
Pick 43: Justinian Jessup
Pick 44: Jahmi’us Ramsey

The 76ers are the definition of a boom or bust draft here. They went for Poku at 17, which looks like an upside pick based on his skillset and size, but his frame is ridiculous right now and if that never gets sorted then he will never get sorted. There were much safer options on the board.

The 2^nd round was not much different. How about drafting 3 stash players in a row? Vit has some nice upside in terms of looking like a quicker and more athletic Satoransky (his fellow countryman) but he did an ACL last year and maybe he never comes to the league? Simonovic averaged 16/10 in the same team Jokic played for in Euroleague, and is only 20, a 7’0 big man who moves fluidly, has a high IQ and can shoot, but his frame might also come into question if he ever comes over. Jessup is already interviewing himself for a Duncan Robinson type role and break out as his aim, after playing in Australia this coming season. He seems to have a high IQ, is a lights out shooter and can handle himself on D, but is not certainty. Funnily enough, Ramsey whom wasn’t on their board is possibly the most likely to ever play a game and succeed. A 19 year old streaky shooter with speed and athleticism, and some suggest top 20 upside that shouldn’t have slid. Will he work out?

 

Sacramento:

Pick 52: Grant Riller

Riller was an electric scorer in college but those types often struggle to find a home in the league due to the mentality they had. Jimmer anyone? Riller is also a bit older and is going to really struggle on the defensive end which makes him a multiple candidate to not really stick. That said, if he can keep his scoring efficiency from college, he might be spot minutes.

 

Hope you enjoyed the read and look forward to some flames haha