The 2025 NBA Draft is in the books, and it’s time to begin surveying the landscape to see who emerged from the two-night affair holding the best cards. For some franchises, like Denver and Houston, it was a sleepy ordeal. For others, like Brooklyn, it was a chance to establish a course for the future.
For many others, it was something in between, as the draft presented a chance to enhance what’s already in place amid the never-ending pursuit of playoff success. One particularly unique element to the 2025 draft is that two of the franchises with top-three picks are in win-now mode. Dallas, which selected Cooper Flagg No. 1 overall, has Kyrie Irving, Anthony Davis and Klay Thompson under contract.
Philadelphia, which took VJ Edgecombe at No. 3, is led by stars Joel Embiid and Paul George. Thus, their draft picks will be looked at to make winning contributions early, especially in the case of Flagg in Dallas.
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Inevitably, time will produce the true reflection of how each team performed in the draft, and the whole picture may not be clear until years down the road. But in the draft’s immediate aftermath, we’re making initial grading assessments of how each franchise performed.
Here are grades for every team in the draft, taking into account each player they landed in the 2025 NBA Draft.
Atlanta Hawks
Atlanta traded back 10 spots and still landed a high-upside frontcourt player in Asa Newell, who should have an opportunity to carve out an early role. Newell brings enough size and toughness to potentially log some time at the five, but his long-term home could be as a physical stretch four.
Regardless, he showed enough upside as a perimeter shooter during his lone season at Georgia to make this a solid value play for Atlanta. The deal with New Orleans to move back to No. 23 also landed the Hawks an unprotected 2026 first-round pick, which could end up paying massive dividends a year from now. Grade: A+ (Cobb)
Hawks NBA Draft selections
Boston Celtics
Boston took a swing on the long-term upside of an international wing with good positional size. Hugo Gonzalez has few discernible offensive skills to tout at this stage in his career, so don’t be surprised if he spends a chunk of time in the G League early on. But he’s just 19 and has a floor built on his motor and defensive versatility. If the shooting and playmaking come along, Gonzalez could pan out as a rotation-level addition for a franchise in need of low-cost labor. Grade: B (Cobb)
Celtics NBA Draft selections
Brooklyn Nets
What are the Nets cooking? For starters, Egor Demin at No. 8 isn’t a huge reach, but it seemed like Khaman Maluach – who was a popular player linked to Brooklyn at that spot — would’ve made more sense. Brooklyn drafted three guards with similar archetypes. None of them can shoot.
The Nolan Traoré pick is interesting. I like his upside and top-end speed, but he’s not a shooter either. Brooklyn’s best pick was drafting Danny Wolf — a player who I scouted in person earlier this year. Wolf reminds me a lot of Houston Rockets star Alperen Şengün. The bottom line is, if you’re going to take five (!!!) players in the first round, you should come away with at least a handful of starters. I don’t know if that’s the case here.
Brooklyn isn’t afraid to take swings, and you have to respect it, but this was pretty underwhelming. The Nets (and who knows if they could’ve done this) were better off consolidating some of their draft picks to move around in the first round. Grade: D+ (Salerno)
Nets NBA Draft selections
Charlotte Hornets
Charlotte ranked 28th in 3-point shooting percentage at 33.9% last season, and its top shooter by percentage — Seth Curry — is an unrestricted free agent. But have no fear, because there is plenty of perimeter marksmanship on the way.
Kon Knueppel and Liam McNeeley are two of the best shooters in the class, and both bring solid positional size and playmaking upside. McNeeley is a particularly strong value at No. 29 after an injury-hampered freshman season at UConn served to muddy the waters on a former five-star prospect with lottery level talent. Charlotte quietly did well in the second round, too, by snagging two older college players with the physical attributes to compete for NBA roles. Grade: A (Cobb)
Hornets NBA Draft selections
Chicago Bulls
Chicago took the first swing on a player with no collegiate tape by going for a toolsy and athletic European wing in Noa Essengue who has loads of defensive potential and a questionable offensive profile. Essengue has done most of his scoring damage in transition and at the rim while playing in Germany’s top pro division and will need to refine his offensive skillset.
This pick has shades of what Chicago did by taking Matas Buzelis at No. 11 last year, which is working out well. Essengue is a bit more raw offensively but brings more defensive upside. Grade: B+ (Cobb)
Bulls NBA Draft selections
| Pick | Player | School | Pos. | Height | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 | Noa Essengue | France | PF | 6-10 | – |
| 55 | Lachlan Olbrich | Australia | PF | 6-10 | – |
Cleveland Cavaliers
It was a quiet draft for Cleveland, which did not have a first-round pick. The Cavaliers entered Thursday’s second round with picks No. 49 and No. 58 and used them to take a combo guard from Duke in Tyrese Proctor and a flyer on Senegalese wing Saliou Niang. Proctor was once a celebrated prospect who is a good value at No. 49. Grade: B+ (Cobb)
Cavaliers NBA Draft selections
Dallas Mavericks
This is the easiest grade. I haven’t been shy about my thoughts on what Cooper Flagg is as a prospect. He’s a true two-way, game-wrecking forward capable of being the face of the franchise for the next decade. That is if Dallas general manager Nico Harrison doesn’t trade him for a veteran in 2030. It’s better to be lucky than good.
The Mavs situation looked bleak until the franchise’s trajectory quite literally changed overnight by winning the lottery. Flagg is the best college prospect since his teammate in Dallas, Anthony Davis. Grade: A+ (Salerno)
Mavericks NBA Draft selection
Denver Nuggets
The Nuggets did not have a pick due to trade obligations. Grade: N/A
Detroit Pistons
You can never have too much shooting, and Detroit added one of the best catch-and-shoot prospects in the class early in the second round. Chaz Lanier will turn 24 during his rookie season. But if he pans out, that means the Pistons will have a player with one of the league’s most-desired skillsets on a team-friendly deal as cornerstones Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivey enter their primes. Grade: A- (Cobb)
Pistons NBA Draft selection
Golden State Warriors
Golden State is unlikely to see much payoff from a quiet draft. But the Warriors will get to take a long look at two back-end selections, including ex-Florida guard Will Richard, who was a vital cog in the Gators’ national-title run. Grade: B (Cobb)
Warriors NBA Draft selections
Houston Rockets
The Rockets did not have a pick due to trade obligations. Grade: N/A
Indiana Pacers
The Pacers struck gold with an undersized, veteran college guard in 2022 when they picked Andrew Nembhard. Indiana is going down a similar path here by taking a second-round swing on Marquette’s Kam Jones. The crafty lefty is a natural-born scorer who also took on primary ball-handling duties for the Golden Eagles in 2024-25. Grade: B+ (Cobb)
Pacers NBA Draft selections
| Pick | Player | School | Pos. | Height | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 38 | Kam Jones | Marquette | PG | 6-3 | Sr |
| 54 | Taelon Peter | Liberty | SG | 6-4 | Sr |
Los Angeles Clippers
The Clippers scooped up the Big Ten’s leader in blocks per game (2.3) with the final pick of the first round. Yanic Konan Niederhauser turns 23 during his rookie season and demonstrated no floor-stretching capabilities in college. But as a long and explosive athlete, he’s a great lob threat and rim protector whose development arc is still on the upswing. Grade: A- (Cobb)
Clippers NBA Draft selections
Los Angeles Lakers
The Lakers worked the phones on Thursday and traded their way into the draft at No. 36, where they selected one of the five best athletes in the entire draft class in Arkansas wing Adou Thiero.
Considering that little was lost in the move to get here, Los Angeles gets some credit for taking a low-risk swing on a player who could provide low-cost depth. Thiero will have to improve as a 3-point shooter to find a long-term home in the league. But if he does? Watch out. The physical tools and defensive upside are tantalizing. Grade: A (Cobb)
Lakers NBA Draft selection
Memphis Grizzlies
Memphis traded up from No. 16 and parted with a 2028 first-round pick (via Orlando) and two future second-round picks in order to make sure it got Cedric Coward. It was an aggressive play, but there is plenty to like about Coward, who brings 3-and-D upside along with tremendous length and athleticism.
Coward’s maturity and age (he’ll be 22 as a rookie) are good traits for a Memphis team trying to capitalize on its competitive window with Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. The pick itself is worthy of an A, but parting with future a first-rounder to make it happen gets the Grizzlies dinged just a bit. Grade: B+ (Cobb)
Grizzlies NBA Draft selections
Miami Heat
Kasparas Jakučionis was regarded as a potential top-10 selection for much of his freshman season at Illinois and closed at No. 7 in the CBS Sports NBA Draft Prospect Rankings. The Lithuanian playmaker is a tremendous value for Miami at No. 20, and it would be no shock if he has a better career than Jeremiah Fears (No. 7) or Egor Demin (No. 8), both of whom are lead guards who were selected in the top 10. Grade: A (Cobb)
Heat NBA Draft selection
Milwaukee Bucks
The Bucks selected Bogoljub Marković in the middle of the second round. He is going to be stashed overseas and won’t play for the Bucks during the 2025-26 campaign. Marković was the No. 50 overall player on our big board. This is a long-term play, so it’s hard to put a ton of stock in this pick either way. Grade: C (Salerno)
Bucks NBA Draft selection
Minnesota Timberwolves
The Timberwolves took a swing by drafting French big man Joan Beringer in the middle of the first round. Beringer is an extremely raw prospect who needs time to develop, but there is a lot to like when watching his film. He is capable of being a solid rim-runner and help-side defender in the NBA. Zikarsky is a fun second-round pick, too. Grade: B+ (Salerno)
Timberwolves NBA Draft selections
New Orleans Pelicans
Before diving into the picks and how they fit, I have to say that the Pelicans made one of the most stunning draft night trades ever. Giving up an unprotected first-round pick to move up 10 spots is malpractice. Furthermore, that pick is for the 2026 draft, which is going to be loaded. I hate the process, but like the individual picks.
Anyway, Jeremiah Fears is a fun player, but he has boom-or-bust written all over him. He needs to develop as a shooter to reach his full potential. Derik Queen is a skilled offensive big man and was certainly worthy of a top 10 pick, but it wasn’t worth it when factoring in what the Pelicans had to give up. If both players hit, and the pick next year is in the 20s, it will be worth it. Grade: C+ (Salerno)
Pelicans NBA Draft selections
New York Knicks
Mohamed Diawara is a 6-8 French wing with a 7-4 wingspan. He was ranked No. 81 on our big board. It’s hard to see him playing any rotation minutes for the Knicks in the short or long term. It’s unclear whether or not he will be joining New York this upcoming season. Grade: C (Salerno)
Knicks NBA Draft selections
Oklahoma City Thunder
Oklahoma City picked up an incredibly long and defensively active big man who doesn’t turn 20 until December. Thomas Sorber will need to develop an offensive identity, but he should have plenty of time to do that within a well-established franchise that has its nucleus set for the next couple of seasons.
There should be no rush to get Sorber on the floor, but there’s plenty to like about his long-term potential as a high-level rim protector and overall defender. Grade: A (Cobb)
Thunder NBA Draft selections
Orlando Magic
Jase Richardson is a small combo guard who shot 41% from 3-point range while showing playmaking upside as a freshman. He’s a left-hand dominant player who needs to diversify his offensive repertoire. Opponents will be eager to attack Richardson defensively until he can prove his size and pedestrian length won’t be a hindrance on that end.
If he’s up to the challenge, Richardson’s maturity and pedigree (his father played in the NBA) could help him to a long NBA career. Orlando also moved up on Thursday night to No. 32 – only giving up some second-round picks to do it – and selected a French forward in Noah Penda who could be a gritty connector capable of playing a rotational role for a franchise on the rise. Grade: B+ (Cobb)
Magic NBA Draft selections
Philadelphia 76ers
The draft’s intrigue started with Philadelphia at No. 3. The 76ers passed the test by drafting a player I’ve been a fan of since he was in high school. VJ Edgecombe is my favorite prospect in this class, outside of Flagg. He has real star potential as a two-way player.
The athleticism is evident, and he will have an opportunity to play a key role on a team that needs to take a jump back to the playoffs in 2026. The 76ers could’ve gone with Ace Bailey, but after he canceled his predraft workout, it looked unlikely it would happen. Edgecombe was the best player on the board. Broome should add frontcourt depth to the 76ers. Grade: A (Salerno)
76ers NBA Draft selections
Phoenix Suns
Phoenix completely remade its frontcourt in a matter of minutes by trading for Mark Williams and drafting Khaman Maluach. Getting the towering Duke center at No. 10 was a steal for the Suns, who also moved off the No. 29 pick in the move for Williams.
Though Malauch’s offensive game is limited to finishing at the rim for now, it would be no surprise if he ends up as the top rim protector in the class. The Suns also capitalized on Rasheer Fleming’s availability at No. 31 by moving up five spots in the second round to snag an intriguing, lengthy forward with first-round upside. Grade: A (Cobb)
Suns NBA Draft selections
Portland Trail Blazers
I’ve been watching and following the draft for quite some time, but this pick is one of the biggest draft surprises. Yang Hansen was a projected mid-to-late second-round pick, and Portland picked him at 16!
Not only that, but Portland already has money and previous draft capital tied up to centers in Deandre Ayton and Donovan Clingan – last year’s No. 7 overall pick. I don’t want to overreact because maybe this guy is the next NBA star, but it feels like a massive reach. This will either age as one of the best picks in draft history or one of the worst. Grade: D+ (Salerno)
Trail Blazers NBA Draft selections
| Pick | Player | School | Pos. | Height | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 | Hansen Yang | China | C | 7-1 | – |
Sacramento Kings
One of the worst-kept secrets in league circles leading up to the draft was that the Sacramento Kings wanted to get in on the action at the end of the first round. Sacramento traded a protected first-round pick in 2027 via the Spurs to move to No. 24 to draft Nique Clifford – one of the best rebounders in the class.
Clifford is versatile and will fill an immediate need for more wing defenders in Sacramento. Clifford was No. 15 on my big board, so this is great value. Raynaud was also a projected first-rounder, and he landed at 42. Grade: A (Salerno)
Kings NBA Draft selections
San Antonio Spurs
The Spurs crushed this draft. San Antonio made the no-brainer decision to prioritize talent over fit by selecting Dylan Harper and then followed it up by taking Carter Bryant – a 3-and-D wing with tremendous potential. The priority should be stacking talent and then figuring out the fit later. This is another home run draft for San Antonio. Grade: A+ (Salerno)
Spurs NBA Draft selections
Toronto Raptors
Let me start by saying that Collin Murray-Boyles is one of my favorite players in this class. I love his motor and defensive tools. However, I don’t know how the fit works in Toronto. I thought the Raptors would be better off prioritizing the center position by drafting Maluach. Instead, Toronto went with Murray-Boyles. The biggest knock on his game is his size — or lack thereof for the position — and his shooting. I don’t know how well he fits with the mix of wings/forwards they already have. Grade: B (Salerno)
Raptors NBA Draft selections
Utah Jazz
The Jazz called the bluff from Ace Bailey’s camp and picked him at No. 5 anyway. I respect it. Utah needs talent, so swinging for the fences by drafting the most polarizing player in the class is well worth the risk.
As for Walter Clayton Jr., I couldn’t love the potential fit more. There is some concern about the log jam of young talent Utah has, but Clayton is a plug-and-play scorer at the next level. The Jazz walked away with an upside swing and the best guard in college basketball. Not bad. Grade: A (Salerno)
Jazz NBA Draft selections
Washington Wizards
The Wizards were one of the biggest losers of the draft lottery after dropping from the second-best odds all the way to pick No. 6. Still, Washington managed to come away with one of the best pure scorers (Tre Johnson) in college basketball.
The Wizards also traded back from 18 and drafted another upside swing in Will Riley – another player with pure scoring ability. I’m a fan of what Washington is building for the future. Grade: A- (Salerno)
