NBA Draft: Regrading all 30 teams for the 2019 NBA Draft
Regrading all 30 teams for the 2019 NBA Draft: D Grades
Sacramento Kings: D+
Justin James (40); Kyle Guy (55); Vanja Marinkovic (60)
The Sacramento Kings had very little draft capital in the 2019 NBA Draft, having moved their first-round pick years ago (it shows up further down this page for the Boston Celtics; even picks the Kings give up have their bad luck). Armed with three picks in the final 20 slots of the second round, they came away with….nothing.
Mr. Irrelevant, Vanja Marinkovic, has not come to the NBA to this point. Kyle Guy has been on a two-way contract and Justin James at the back of the roster; they combined for just 545 minutes all season. Of the two Guy has the best chance to stick around as a third point guard if his 3-point shooting can come around.
Portland Trail Blazers: D+
Nassir Little (25)
Nassir Little was never supposed to be available for Portland at pick No. 25, but a terrible freshman season at North Carolina cratered the draft stock of the onetime top-5 prospect. Unfortunately reaching the NBA hasn’t helped things, as Little has only earned a role as the Blazers’ fifth forward. For a team in desperate need of a forward prospect to pop, that’s a brutal indictment indeed.
Boston Celtics: D
Romeo Langford (14); Grant Williams (22); Carsen Edwards (33); Tremont Waters (51); Tacko Fall (undrafted)
The Boston Celtics entered the draft with plenty of pieces with which to significantly improve the roster. Somehow each pick, while not a complete failure, has returned a value lower than its slot. Romeo Langford and Grant Williams are fringe first-round prospects now, while Carsen Edwards and Tremont Waters are both on the rim of the roster fighting for likely one spot. Tacko Fall was worth a flier on a two-way contract but hasn’t been able to earn playing time even when the Celtics’ centers were injured.
Detroit Pistons: D-
Sekou Doumbouya (15); Devidas Sirvydis (37); Jordan Bone (57)
The Detroit Pistons knew they were likely entering a rebuild in 2019 but didn’t want to admit it. They took a pair of projects with their two prime picks, and neither has turned out yet. Sekou Doumbouya has gone from raw to theoretically less raw but isn’t going to help Detroit win games anytime soon. Similarly, Devidas Sirvydis has been a terrible shooter in his small 20 game sample. Jordan Boone was largely ineffectual on a two-way contract with the Pistons, and last season on another with the Orlando Magic.