NBA Draft: Regrading all 30 teams for the 2020 NBA Draft
Regrading all 30 teams for the 2020 NBA Draft: B- Grades
Oklahoma City Thunder: B-
Aleksej Pokusevski, 17; Theo Maledon, 34; Vit Krejcj, 37
The Oklahoma City Thunder are playing the long game, which means they have the patience and playing time to develop raw prospects. They took that to heart, starting with Aleksej Pokusevski at pick 17. The lanky teenager could flunk out of the league or he could become an All-Star, it’s still very unclear. Similarly, Theo Maledon is raw as a point guard but shown real flashes of developing into a reliable option. Vit Krejci hasn’t yet come over.
Philadelphia 76ers: B-
Tyrese Maxey, 21; Isaiah Joe, 49; Paul Reed, 58
The Philadelphia 76ers took a swing at a point guard on draft night, and they came away with the intriguing Tyrese Maxey. Immanuel Quickley would have clearly been the better option, but there were worse players the 76ers could have chosen. Isaiah Joe at 49 is fine; he still has potential but it’s distant. Paul Reed is one of the true steals of the draft, an elite defender who was second in the G League in scoring and won the G League’s MVP award.
Maxey decent, Reed great value
Milwaukee Bucks: B-
Jordan Nwora, 45; Sam Merrill, 60
The Milwaukee Bucks did not have much draft capital left after making multiple moves to improve their roster, but what they did have they used to address an important need off the bench: shooting. Nwora shot 45.2 percent from deep and Merrill a cool 44.7. Neither may become something more than just a gunner, but that’s a valuable skill in today’s NBA. The Bucks needed inexpensive shooters who could play a few minutes, and they got that.
Brooklyn Nets: B-
Reggie Perry, 57
The Brooklyn Nets had very little draft capital, but they did not let that stop them from picking a talented player. Perry stepped in and played solid minutes at the 4 and sometimes 5 for the Nets, leveraging elite rebounding skills to maintain possessions and clean the glass. Not much spent, slightly more earned.