2025 NBA Draft Grades: Winners and Losers for All 30 Teams

Atlanta Hawks: A

Round 1: Asa Newell (No. 23)

The specific player selected by the Hawks was almost secondary after they acquired an unprotected 2026 first-round pick (the better of Milwaukee and New Orleans) from the Pelicans to drop 10 spots in the first round. I might have made that trade even without receiving the No. 23 pick. It`s even better that Atlanta drafted Asa Newell, a prospect ranked 13th in my statistical projections.

Whether Newell integrates into the rotation quickly enough to complement newly acquired Kristaps Porzingis remains to be seen, but I find their potential pairing exciting, as Porzingis` strengths align well with the weaknesses that position Newell as a forward/center tweener.

Boston Celtics: C+

Round 1: Hugo Gonzalez (No. 28)
Round 2: Amari Williams(No. 46), Max Shulga (No. 57)

Hugo Gonzalez might have been a better choice for Boston as a draft-and-stash prospect for later development. However, Brad Stevens indicated the Celtics plan to bring him to the NBA next season.

Gonzalez was compared to Denver Nuggets wing Christian Braun during the broadcast. A notable difference is that Braun, despite not being primarily a shooter, made 38% of his three-pointers in college, while Gonzalez shot only 27% at Real Madrid.

Amari Williams presents an interesting profile with several strengths like rebounding, rim protection, and facilitating from the elbow. Yet, his career shooting percentage on two-pointers was just 54%, which is quite low for a center who doesn`t stretch the floor. Max Shulga, Boston`s final pick, ranked highest in my model due to his 39% career three-point shooting.

Brooklyn Nets: C+

Round 1: Egor Demin (No. 8), Nolan Traore (No. 19), Drake Powell (No. 22), Ben Saraf (No. 26), Danny Wolf (No. 27)

The Brooklyn Nets made a record number of first-round selections this year, a volume that holds significant importance from a strategic standpoint, which is why I previously praised the trades they made to acquire these picks.

Brooklyn is committing to developing a remarkable quantity of teenage players, many of whom possess similar skill sets. Demin and Traore, for instance, share traits as effective playmakers with good size, but both require improvement in their shooting and scoring efficiency. While they can coexist defensively, creating adequate floor spacing with this group could pose challenges.

Drafting such a large contingent of raw prospects should aid the Nets` efforts to secure another lottery pick in 2026, which is their final year controlling their first-round pick before it goes to the Houston Rockets in 2027.

Charlotte Hornets: B

Round 1: Kon Knueppel (No. 4), Liam McNeeley (No. 29)
Round 2: Sion James (No. 33), Ryan Kalkbrenner (No. 34)

Ignoring the jokes about the Hornets` tendency to draft players from the Research Triangle area, Kon Knueppel was the second-ranked prospect in my projections and directly addresses Charlotte`s need at shooting guard.

Although Tre Johnson also fit this description, Knueppel was a significantly more efficient scorer at Duke and rated higher in my metrics compared to Johnson in a more prominent on-ball role in the Nike EYBL circuit.

Selecting Liam McNeeley, who fits a similar profile, was likely a `best available` pick after he unexpectedly fell past his projected range in the early 20s. I`m less enthusiastic about the Hornets taking Sion James, another player with Duke ties, relatively high in the second round. James was primarily a role player over five college seasons and never had a usage rate exceeding 17.1%.

With Charlotte trading starting center Mark Williams, there might be an immediate opportunity for Ryan Kalkbrenner to contribute, provided his pick-and-roll defense is ready for the NBA level.

Chicago Bulls: A-

Round 1: Noa Essengue (No. 12)
Round 2: Lachlan Olbrich (No. 55)

I am curious to see how Noa Essengue will fit alongside Matas Buzelis, who was a lottery pick in 2024 and is another young combo forward. If both can shoot effectively enough to play together at forward positions, or if Buzelis adds sufficient strength to occasionally play center, they could provide Chicago with combined advantages in length and athleticism.

Credit goes to the Bulls for selecting the best available player and continuing their strategy of drafting young talent, despite their apparent reluctance to undergo a full rebuild and secure higher lottery picks.

Cleveland Cavaliers: B

Round 2: Tyrese Proctor (No. 49), Saliou Niang (No. 58)

The Cavaliers` first pick didn`t come until deep into the second night of the draft, where they landed an intriguing prospect in Tyrese Proctor. Proctor showed continued development beyond his initial “one-and-done” hype. Last season, he shot 40.5% from three-point range and demonstrated potential as an on-ball defender, although his steal rate could improve. Saliou Niang, taken as a stash pick, faces longer odds due to his shooting struggles: a career 26% from three and 71% from the free-throw line.

Dallas Mavericks: B

Round 1: Cooper Flagg (No. 1)

One has to wonder how much debate the Mavericks` front office engaged in regarding this pick. From the moment Dallas` draft lottery combination unexpectedly landed them the first overall selection, it was clear that Cooper Flagg would be the pick, and rightly so.

From a process perspective, the Mavericks don`t earn credit for winning the lottery itself, but they do deserve credit for successfully executing the obvious top pick without missteps.

Denver Nuggets: Incomplete

Expect to see the Denver Nuggets graded as `incomplete` frequently. They did not possess control of any future second-round picks until acquiring a 2032 second-rounder at the conclusion of the draft and still owe two protected first-round picks starting in 2027.

Detroit Pistons: B

Round 2: Chaz Lanier (No. 37)

Similar to fellow former Tennessee standout Dalton Knecht, Chaz Lanier developed late in his college career, increasing his scoring from 4.7 points per game at North Florida in 2022-23 to an average of 18 points in the SEC last season. He is an excellent shooter (40% career from three-point range) with good size, offering the Pistons potential depth or insurance, particularly if they are unable to re-sign free agents Malik Beasley and Tim Hardaway Jr.

Golden State Warriors: B

Round 2: Alex Toohey (No. 52), Will Richard (No. 56)

Alex Toohey`s shooting is still a work in progress, as he shot 31% in the Australian NBL last season, but his defensive engagement was notable, reflected in his steal and block rates. I have long favored Will Richard, who was ranked within the top 30 in my projections due to his high two-point field goal percentage.

Houston Rockets: Incomplete

The Houston Rockets utilized both of their picks in this year`s draft to facilitate the acquisition of Kevin Durant, a trade that cannot be officially completed until July 6th. Consequently, despite their generally strong history in the draft, they should be considered winners due to the outcome of this trade.

Indiana Pacers: A

Round 2: Kam Jones (No. 38), Taelon Peter (No. 54)

For the second consecutive year, the Pacers have made one of my favorite second-round selections. Unlike Johnny Furphy, a 2024 second-rounder who played minimally as a 20-year-old rookie, Kam Jones, at 23, has a greater potential to contribute immediately. Indiana could benefit from guard depth, especially with Tyrese Haliburton sidelined after his Achilles injury sustained during Game 7 of the NBA Finals.

Taelon Peter, who spent the majority of his college career at Division II Arkansas Tech, represents a fascinating high-upside swing. He`s a guard who averaged only 1.0 assist as a fifth-year senior at Liberty, but one might wonder why he would pass when he shoots 76% on two-pointers and 45% on three-pointers? While I`m unsure if that efficiency will translate, at the No. 54 pick, there`s no significant downside for Indiana.

LA Clippers: C-

Round 1: Yanic Konan Niederhauser (No. 30)
Round 2: Kobe Sanders (No. 50)

As a second-round pick, I could potentially see the value in selecting Yanic Konan Niederhauser, a late-developing player and exceptional shot blocker who grew into a scoring threat after transferring to Penn State.

However, drafting him in the first round is harder to justify, considering Niederhauser is a below-average defensive rebounder and had more than double the number of assists compared to turnovers. His overall profile bears some resemblance to Daniel Oturu, whom the Clippers drafted 33rd in 2020.

Kobe Sanders also developed late, not averaging double-figure scoring until his fourth college year. My projections place more emphasis on production from earlier college seasons, as this has historically been a stronger indicator of future NBA success.

Los Angeles Lakers: B+

Round 2: Adou Thiero (No. 36)

The Lakers deserve credit for using cash to move up from No. 55 to No. 36 after executing two previous trades. Adou Thiero`s steal and block rates suggest promising defensive potential, provided he can consistently make outside shots to remain on the court. Thiero was a career 28% three-point shooter in college.

Memphis Grizzlies: C-

Round 1: Cedric Coward (No. 11)
Round 2: Javon Small (No. 48), Jahmai Mashack (No. 59)

It seems fitting that the Grizzlies` draft involved a trade up, marking their fourth first-round trade-up since 2019. Their move up two spots for Brandon Clarke proved successful, but sacrificing more value for Jake LaRavia and Ziaire Williams did not yield the same positive outcome.

In this instance, Memphis sent one of the unprotected Orlando first-round picks acquired in the Desmond Bane trade to move up five spots, which represents questionable value at best. This is not necessarily an indictment of Cedric Coward, who was ranked 13th in the stats-only version of my projections. However, I would have preferred waiting until either Coward or Carter Bryant (No. 14) was off the board before initiating a trade up.

I favored the value of the Grizzlies` selection of Javon Small, who is, fittingly for Memphis, somewhat undersized but scored efficiently given his 28% usage rate as a senior at West Virginia. Jahmai Mashack, whose scoring topped out at 6.0 points per game as a senior at Tennessee, would have aligned well with the “Grit n` Grind” Grizzlies era due to his active defense.

Miami Heat: A-

Round 1: Kasparas Jakucionis (No. 20)

Kasparas Jakucionis is not a perfect prospect. His steal and block rates are concerningly low, and he struggled with turnovers during his single season at Illinois.

Nevertheless, his fall in the draft feels like an overcorrection for a player who was widely ranked in the top 10 for much of the year. Miami capitalized on this, making one of the draft`s better value selections.

Milwaukee Bucks: B

Round 2: Bogoljub Markovic (No. 47)

No prospect the Bucks could have selected at pick 47 was going to fundamentally alter Giannis Antetokounmpo`s long-term future in Milwaukee. Bogoljub Markovic demonstrated scoring efficiency in his first full season in the Adriatic League, shooting 61% on two-pointers and 37% on three-pointers, although his low steal and block rates raise questions regarding his defensive potential.

Minnesota Timberwolves: B-

Round 1: Joan Beringer (No. 17)
Round 2: Rocco Zikarsky (No. 45)

The Timberwolves have a clear vision for how Joan Beringer, a low-usage center who was a premier rim protector in Slovenia, can fit into their system. It is unrealistic to expect Beringer to become a Rudy Gobert duplicate; Gobert is a premier finisher with a wingspan measured 4 inches longer at the NBA draft combine.

However, as Gobert ages, Minnesota will require a successor, and Beringer possesses the potential to fill that role. In the second round, the Timberwolves further committed to this position by selecting the 7-foot-3 Rocco Zikarsky. The two players have remarkably similar statistical projections, making it interesting to observe how Minnesota manages their simultaneous development.

New Orleans Pelicans: F

Round 1: Jeremiah Fears (No. 7), Derik Queen (No. 13)
Round 2: Micah Peavy (No. 40)

It is conceivable that a trade similar to the one the Pelicans made to draft Derik Queen at No. 13 could prove successful. The Phoenix Suns, for instance, gave up an unprotected future first-rounder in 2018 to move up six spots and never regretted selecting Mikal Bridges.

Nonetheless, New Orleans is placing a substantial bet on its evaluation that Queen is less valuable than Jeremiah Fears but still worth trading up for. The potential downside is also higher because the Pelicans` own 2026 pick is potentially included in the deal. At least Bridges was a prospect who ranked sixth overall in my projections; Queen was outside the top 30.

I appreciated New Orleans` decision to bypass taking Fears at No. 7, where he was widely considered the best prospect available. However, with hindsight, the Pelicans would likely be better off having drafted Queen with their original pick rather than acquiring both prospects via the trade.

Micah Peavy experienced a breakout season as a fifth-year senior at Georgetown, averaging 17.2 points and 2.3 steals. His jump to 40% three-point shooting provides him an opportunity to fit into a “3-and-D” role, though he did not show similar improvement at the free-throw line (66%).

New York Knicks: C+

Round 2: Mohamed Diawara (No. 51)

Mohamed Diawara has not yet developed into an impactful player in his native France, having averaged only 5.8 points for Cholet last season. Keeping Diawara overseas as a stash player might be a more sensible approach than having him occupy a roster spot.

Oklahoma City Thunder: B

Round 1: Thomas Sorber (No. 15)
Round 2: Brooks Barnhizer (No. 44)

Similar to the Beringer selection, the strategy here is straightforward. Thomas Sorber posted excellent defensive statistics at Georgetown and was a competent passer for a freshman center, recording more assists than turnovers.

One could envision him following a trajectory similar to Isaiah Hartenstein, who is likely to become redundant as Oklahoma City`s core players become more expensive. Lacking sufficient roster spots for multiple first-rounders, the Thunder deferred their No. 24 pick to the future in a trade with Sacramento. This deal offers limited upside (Oklahoma City cannot pick higher than 17th) but better aligns with the timeline of a championship-contending team.

Brooks Barnhizer is expected to be on a two-way contract, according to Givony. He was an inefficient college scorer (0.500 true shooting percentage) who nonetheless accumulated steals and blocks at Northwestern.

Orlando Magic: B+

Round 1: Jase Richardson (No. 25)
Round 2: Noah Penda (No. 32)

There`s a pleasing parallel in Jase Richardson joining one of the four NBA teams his father, Jason Richardson, played for, and I also view this pick as good value. Richardson was projected in the lottery before his height was measured at just over 6 feet without shoes at the NBA draft combine. Such significant drops based on measurements are often confusing, especially since Richardson was productive at Michigan State.

Orlando doesn`t need Richardson to contribute immediately, allowing him time to develop into a rotation player, which will be crucial as the Magic begin to feel the impact of having given up four first-rounders to acquire Desmond Bane.

Orlando then paid a considerable price — No. 46 and No. 57 picks, plus two future second-rounders — to trade up and select Noah Penda. Penda`s shooting is still developing; he made less than 70% of his free throws last season.

Philadelphia 76ers: B+

Round 1: VJ Edgecombe (No. 3)
Round 2: Johni Broome (No. 35)

Although Kon Knueppel was slightly higher in my projections, I likely would have chosen VJ Edgecombe here as well. I appreciate his defensive foundation, evidenced by a very high steal rate at Baylor, and his athleticism which could allow him to become a shot creator.

Knueppel might have offered a more seamless fit alongside Joel Embiid, but given Embiid`s health history, I`m uncertain if Philadelphia should be prioritizing a timeline primarily centered around him anymore.

Johni Broome, a consensus first-team All-America selection last season, could provide immediate assistance to the Sixers. He offers more versatile skills at the center position than the backups (Andre Drummond and Adem Bona) who struggled to adequately replace Embiid last season.

Phoenix Suns: B

Round 1: Khaman Maluach (No. 10)
Round 2: Rasheer Fleming (No. 31), Koby Brea (No. 41)

A center from Duke fell to the Phoenix Suns, a team in need of frontcourt help, who also curiously traded to acquire former Duke center Mark Williams in a separate deal. This context makes one question whether Phoenix might have secured the favorable trades that teams immediately behind them made. However, with Khaman Maluach being the highest-ranked prospect remaining on the board, standing pat made more sense for the Suns.

Phoenix used future picks to move up to the first selection of the second round and to pick No. 41. Teams were reportedly competing to draft Saint Joseph`s forward Rasheer Fleming, who ranked 12th in my stats-only projections. Fleming provides the Suns with another strong shot blocker, this time with potentially better shooting range. Although Koby Brea adds to a roster already heavy on shooting guards, Phoenix could significantly benefit from his shooting, as he has the highest skill projection as a shooter in my database, especially if Grayson Allen were to be traded.

Portland Trail Blazers: C-

Round 1: Yang Hansen (No. 16)

Yang Hansen possesses the potential to become an All-Star or even lead the Blazers into championship contention. What is certain, however, is that other teams did not value Hansen as highly as Portland did, indicating that the team is banking heavily on its ability to identify talent better than the rest of the league.

To the Blazers` credit, they did gain an additional first-round pick by trading down. But they would have been in a far better position had they been able to execute a trade similar to the one the Atlanta Hawks made, assuming such a deal was available to them.

Sacramento Kings: C

Round 1: Nique Clifford (No. 24)
Round 2: Maxime Raynaud (No. 42)

After trading the No. 13 pick to Atlanta as part of the Kevin Huerter deal, the Kings utilized extra first-round picks obtained from the De`Aaron Fox trade to re-enter the first round. Sacramento mitigated the potential risk of this move by placing top-16 protection on the pick, which is only effective for a single year. My statistical model was less optimistic about Nique Clifford than scouts were, primarily because he didn`t emerge as a serious NBA prospect until his fifth college year at age 23. Time will reveal how much of this was due to genuine skill improvement by Clifford versus simply leveraging an experience advantage that won`t translate.

Scouts also rated Maxime Raynaud more favorably than my model did, largely due to his subpar block rate for a center. However, my model underestimated Quinten Post last year, and Raynaud brings a similar skill set, having made 67 three-pointers as a senior.

San Antonio Spurs: A

Round 1: Dylan Harper (No. 2), Carter Bryant (No. 14)

Dylan Harper was consistently ranked as the consensus No. 2 pick, so aside from considering potential blockbuster trades, San Antonio`s primary work there was settled early. The Spurs earn more commendation for their other lottery selection, where they patiently waited for Carter Bryant to fall to them. I am highly optimistic about Bryant`s potential as a “3-and-D” player, making him an ideal fit on a team already abundant in shot creation through Harper, De`Aaron Fox, and Victor Wembanyama.

Toronto Raptors: B

Round 1: Collin Murray-Boyles (No. 9)
Round 2: Alijah Martin (No. 39)

I believe that Collin Murray-Boyles` unconventional playing style can successfully translate to the NBA, although Toronto might not be the most ideal landing spot for him. For him to thrive as a power forward, Murray-Boyles requires adequate shooting surrounding him. The Raptors currently have Jakob Poeltl, a center who isn`t a shooter, and only moderate perimeter shooting.

If Jonathan Mogbo, a 2024 second-round pick, develops a three-point shot after shooting 24% as a rookie, these two undersized big men could form an interesting frontcourt pairing known for impactful defensive plays.

Alijah Martin is undersized for a shooting guard at 6-foot-2 but was productive in college. He was ranked 26th in my stats-only projections.

Utah Jazz: B+

Round 1: Ace Bailey (No. 5), Walter Clayton Jr. (No. 18)
Round 2: John Tonje (No. 53)

I previously likened Ace Bailey to the Boston Celtics duo of Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum in the context of joining a contending team where he would need to refine his shot selection. That comparison now appears particularly relevant, as the same executives who drafted Brown and Tatum (Austin and Danny Ainge) selected Bailey to join a Utah team still far from contention. The value proposition for Bailey, who was fifth in my statistical model, makes sense here, and I am not concerned about any initial reports of him not wanting to land in Utah.

However, the Jazz will need to carefully manage his development to mold Bailey into a perimeter star, similar to how the Celtics developed Brown and Tatum. The addition of Walter Clayton Jr., an NCAA champion and potent outside shooter, could support this process. Utah`s backcourt is currently crowded, but veterans Jordan Clarkson and Collin Sexton may not remain long-term fixtures, potentially creating opportunities for Clayton.

At 24, John Tonje was the oldest player drafted. He averaged nearly seven free-throw attempts per game at Wisconsin as a sixth-year senior, a statistic that should be viewed with some skepticism. However, Tonje`s 91% free-throw shooting and 38% three-point shooting should translate more reliably to the NBA level.

Washington Wizards: B-

Round 1: Tre Johnson (No. 6), Will Riley (No. 21)
Round 2: Jamir Watkins (No. 43)

Similar to the Nets, the Washington Wizards are heavily leaning into acquiring young talent, adding two more teenagers to the four they drafted or acquired from the 2024 first round (including AJ Johnson, acquired at the trade deadline). I was initially skeptical of Tre Johnson as a top-five prospect due to his poor defensive metrics and low two-point percentage. However, outside that range, his potential as a shooter justifies the pick. Will Riley was selected slightly higher than his ranking in my model, and he will also need to improve his defensive playmaking.

Jamir Watkins, who will turn 24 in July, brings more experience. There is no doubt about Watkins` defensive potential, but he must significantly improve his career 32.5% three-point shooting.