The NBA Draft featured 60 players being taken, but some teams hit on future players, while some swung and missed. Here are the draft grades for the Atlantic Division. The following teams are in order based on the standings from last season.
Boston Celtics: A
Even though the Celtics didn't make a trade, Boston still has potential trade chips if they wanted to. The Celtics used the No. 3 overall pick on Jayson Tatum out of Duke. Tatum is a dynamic scorer that averaged 16.8 Points Per Game. Tatum also supplied 7.3 rebounds and is a pretty good free throw shooter as he shot 84% from the line last season.
The Celtics used the No. 37 overall pick on Semi Ojeleye at of SMU. Ojeleye was a former Duke reserve, who transferred. Ojeleye went from 1.6 points per game reserve at Duke to 19.0 points per game man with the Mustangs. Scouts also rave Ojeleye as a great defender and was a projected first round pick before sliding. The Celtics also took Kadeem Allen out of Arizona with the No. 53 overall pick.
Overall, the Celtics took a player who should contribute this season, and a high reward, low-risk player with Ojeleye who could be the steal of the draft. Don't forget the trade that featured the No. 1 overall pick that netted them a first round pick. It was a great night to be a Celtic fan.
Toronto Raptors: B
The Raptors selected OG Anunoby with the No. 23 overall pick of the draft. Anunoby sustained a knee injury which lowered his draft stock but could develop into a future big man for Toronto. Anunoby is 6'8, 215 pounds, and was rated the Big Ten Conference's second best player. He was rated as high as the 14th best player in the draft before slipping to No.
23. If Anunoby is healthy, the Raptors took a solidified gamble.
New York Knicks: D
The Knicks selected two foreign players and a pretty good college shooter. Phil Jackson struck gold with his Kristaps Porzingis pick last year, so he must have thought he will double down this season. The Knicks selected Frank Ntilikina out of France with the No.
28 pick. The Knicks were high on Arizona forward, Laurie Markkanen, before he was picked at No. 7. It looks like the Knicks panicked and went with an unproven guard. The Knicks deserve a lower grade based on the fact that not many foreign players are superstars in this league, and the sharpshooters in college never pan out. At least Porzingis wasn't traded last night.
Philadelphia 76ers: A
The decision to trade up and draft Markelle Fultz was a brilliant idea. Fultz, Ben Simmons, and Joel Embiid might be the best up and coming core in the NBA. The 76ers also will have an international center that could be a decent role player, but what Philadelphia has planned is what former general manager, Sam Hinkie, had prepared.
Even Bryan Colangelo is running the show, this grade should be more directed at Hinkie.
Brooklyn Nets: C
The Nets selected Jarrett Allen out of Texas with the No. 23 overall pick. It was the first time in possibly millennial history that a team finished with the worst record in the NBA, and did not pick in the lottery. Allen is said to have a raw athletic ability, but it's no guarantee he will become anything. The Nets are still reeling from the effects of the Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Jason Terry trade, but for now, the Nets are bad and will be bad for awhile. They took a guy who is boom or bust. Can it really get worse in Brooklyn right now?
