2013 NBA Draft Grades

Atlanta Hawks
Lucas Nogueira
I dont like this pick at all. Nogueira will likely never become a starer and they would be lucky if he became an adequate role player. He has no offensive game and his post up defense could use a lot of work.

Grade: C-

Dennis Schroeder 
Jeff Teague is a restricted free agent and could get offered a hefty contract due to his career year. Schroeder is probably better and has drawn a lot of comparisons to Rajon Rondo due to his wingspan and passing ability.

Grade: B

Ricky Ledo 
They are getting good value out of Ledo in the second round. He is very talented, but was suspended from his first season in college. He is a very talented wing who has the ability to contribute in his first season.

Grade: A

Mike Muscala
Muscala is versatile as a face up big, but I am not high on him because of the level of competition he played against. He needs to learn some post moves in order to become effective in the NBA.

Grade: C

Raul Neto
Neto will likely stay overseas since he is the Hawks fifth draft pick and their second point guard. He may come into the league in two or three years.

Grade: C-

Boston Celtics
Kelly Olynyk
Olynyk would have been available when the Celtics picked at 16, but I guess it is better to be safe than sorry if you really like a player. With Garnett and Pierce gone, he will likely be thrust into the starting role right away.

Grade: B-

Colton Iverson
I love Iverson since I go to Colorado State, but I dont see how he fits in with Boston. They have a lot of centers and other picks, I dont see the need for him. Unless they think he will jump a lot of players on their roster, this could be a wasted pick.

Grade: D+


Brooklyn Nets
Mason Plumlee
Plumlee could be in for a good amount of playing time next season because the roster is a bit murky behind Garnett and Lopez. He is a very athletic player with some back to the basket moves and good size, but he lacks a face up game and defense.

Grade: A-

Charlotte Bobcats
Cody Zeller
This is a terrible pick, considering McLemore and Noel were both still on the board. I think Zeller will have trouble in post on both offense and defense. I would not have minded if they traded down in order to obtain him, but picking him at four? Ludicrous.

Grade: D

Chicago Bulls
Tony Snell
Who else would the Bulls draft? Snell plays very good defense and should find a spot in the rotation on that alone. He is also has a very effective pull up jumper, something some of Chicago's wings lack. Snell will look like a steal here in a couple of years.

Grade: A-

Erik Murphy
Murphy is one of the best shooters in the draft, not only the best shooting big in the draft. He worked on his inside game and rebounding a lot last season and it showed. He is still weak in those areas, but as a stretch four, he wont be working inside a lot.

Grade: B

Cleveland Cavaliers

Anthony Bennett
Bennett was a terrible pick in my mind. How does he fit into this roster. Do they expect him to play small forward? Are they getting rid of Tristan Thompson? I loved Bennett heading into the draft, but I do not see a spot for him in Cleveland.

Grade: D

Sergey Karasev
Karasev is a very good pick at this position. I thought he could go earlier. Karasev gives them a very good shooter, who could likely start right away. This really mucks up the Bennett situation since I think Karasev will end up starting.

Grade: A

Carrick Felix
I think Glenn Rice JR or Jamaal Franklin would have been better options, but Felix is still a good player. He adds talent on the wing and could be a good sixth man, assuming Dion Waiters takes over the starting role.

Grade: B-


Dallas Mavericks
Shane Larkin
The Mavericks wanted to trade down more, in order to maximize cap space for a possible Chris Paul and Dwight Howard signing. They did get Larkin, who could likely start right away because the Mavs lack weapons at point guard. Larkin is an electrifying player who will be all over the court for many years to come.

Grade: B+


Denver Nuggets
Erick Green
Erick Green was the top scorer in college basketball last season and can do it in a variety of ways. He will be a nice weapon off of the bench, but not this season, unless Andre Miller is traded.

Grade: B+


Detroit Pistons
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
I dont understand this pick. Are they giving up on Brandon Knight already? I would have rather seen them draft a point guard, but Caldwell-Pope is not a bad option. He will be their only scoring option on the wing so he will get a lot of shots. He is a very good jump shooter, maybe the best in the draft, but he does have some trouble scoring inside.

Grade: B-

Tony Mitchell
This was a great pick for Detroit. Mitchell was a first round talent and he fell all the way to pick number 38. The Pistons needed solid power forward depth, but his potential to play small forward is what could make this pick really worth it.

Grade: A+

Peyton Siva
Another good second round pick. Siva is a great leader and defender, which could earn him a spot in the thin rotation. I believe, like Mitchell, he could see a lot of time next season.

Grade: B+


Golden State Warriors
Nemanja Nedovic
Nedovic was likely going to be drafted mid to late second round so I have no idea why the Warriors bought into the first round to take him. He likely wont be in the NBA any time soon, but he could be a good player when he finally joins the team.

Grade: C


Houston Rockets
Isaiah Canaan
Jeremy Lin might be moved, which means that Canaan could be in for a big role in his first season. He is more of a scoring guard, but has the ability to develop into a decent passer. When he is playing with Harden he wont need to dominate the ball and could find other ways to score.

Grade: B


Indiana Pacers
Solomon Hill
I have no idea what the Pacers were thinking when making this pick. Hill's ceiling is being a role player, not something you want at this point in the draft. He probably will not get a lot of playing time early in his career.

Grade: D-


LA Clippers
Reggie Bullock
I like this pick for the Clippers, they have a hole at small forward, but not anymore. Bullock is a good all around player, but often settles for jump shots. He has plenty of athleticism and size, in order to be successful in the NBA, he just needs to learn how to utilize it.

Grade: A-


Los Angeles Lakers
Ryan Kelly
Kelly will give the Lakers a stretch four, which they really do not have, but I think Kelly will have a tough time playing defense given his size. I think Erik Murphy would have been a better choice at this point in the draft.

Grade: B-


Memphis Grizzlies 
Jamaal Franklin
Franklin is a good two way player and could replace Tony Allen if he leaves in free agency. He is better on the offensive end, but obviously not as good on defense. If Allen does come back, Franklin will be a solid piece off of the bench.

Grade: A

Joffrey Lauvergnge 
This is a draft and stash pick, but I doubt he ever sees time in the league.

Grade: D+

Janis Timmas
Probably another guy who wont play.

Grade: D+


Miami Heat
James Ennis 
Ennis adds some athleticism off of the bench, something the Heat dont have, so he could find a spot on the team, but I doubt he plays a lot.

Grade: C


Milwaukee Bucks
Giannis Antetokounmpo
I thought the Bucks would go after a guard, but Giannis is a solid pick. He is a point forward who is very athletic and unlike a lot of foreigners, he will not be stashed overseas. I believe he will contribute right away because the Bucks are weak at small forward and I believe he will impress in summer league and training camp.

Grade: B

Nate Wolters 
Wolters could be thrust into the starting lineup if Brandon Jennings does not return. He has very good range and could play either guard spot. He is a very good value pick here and could make contributions right away.

Grade: A


Minnesota Timberwolves
Shabazz Muhammad
This was a good value pick for Minnesota, considering they could have taken him with their number nine pick. He will give them an actual wing scorer, something they have lacked for a very long time, but he needs to find other things to do rather than shoot.

Grade: B

Gorgui Dieng
I have no idea why Dieng was drafted behind some other centers, but he was one of the most well rounded in the league. He has developed an offensive game, but his defense will do wonders for the Timberwolves off of the bench.

Grade: A

Lorenzo Brown
The Timberwolves do not need another point guard that cant shoot. Brown is big and athletic, but he does not fill their biggest need and probably wont crack the lineup.

Grade: D

Bojan Dubljvic
Another player who probably wont play in the NBA

Grade: D


New Orleans Pelicans
Traded for Jrue Holiday
What a steal. They traded their draft pick and a draft pick next season, for an all star point guard. He likely wont be an all star in the west, but that does not diminish his significance. He can score, unlike a lot of players on the Pelicans, which is a huge plus. It remains to be seen what they do with Vasquez, but I am assuming he is traded.

Grade: A

Pierre Jackson 
This pick is interesting. I think Jackson could be good, but with Holiday and Vasquez ahead of him, he likely wont receive much playing time. I guess there is the possibility that Vasquez is traded, but it could be harder to find a deal than some thing.

Grade: C

New York Knicks
Tim Hardaway JR.
The Knicks could use a shooting guard, but in my opinion, they did not even get the best one available. I thought Allen Crabbe was better. Hardaway wont get much playing time if JR Smith returns and he could be destined for a career on the bench. However, if Smith leaves, Hardaway could see a lot minutes and a lot of scoring.

Grade: B-


Oklahoma City Thunder 
Steven Adams
I dont understand this pick either. Many say they dont need an immediate contributor, but they do, they need a center. Kendrick Perkins cannot be the starter, but neither can Adams. Adams has the "Potential" but I doubt he reaches it. He could be a solid bench player.

Grade: C

Andre Roberson
Roberson is very athletic and a very good rebounder, but he lacks an outside shot. He will likely be playing small forward in the NBA so he will need to develop an outside shot if he wants any sort of playing time. I do not think OKC should have traded into the first round for him when they could of had him in the second.

Grade: D+

Alex Abrines
Abrines is a skilled combo guard, but I don't know if he can find a spot on this roster. He could become a serviceable backup point guard, but I think his best bet is to be a sixth man, assuming Jeremy Lamb does not pan out.

Grade: B

Orlando Magic
Victor Oladipo
I like Oladipo here, especially if the Magic trade for Eric Bledsoe. Oldadipo is a good perimeter defender and slasher. He reminds me of Dwayne Wade. He probably wont be as good as Wade, but his game, especially on offense is similar. If he can find a jump shot, he will be a really dangerous player going forward

Grade: A

Romero Osby
Osby is undersized for a power forward and will have a hard time cracking the rotation because the Magic have a lot of guys at power forward.

Grade: C-


Philadelphia 76ers
Nerlens Noel
This might be one of the worst decisions in the draft. They traded away an all star point guard for an injured center with no offensive game and a first round pick, top five protected. Noel is going to be a really good defensive center, but trading an all star point guard for him is a very bad idea.

Grade: F-

Michael Carter-Williams
They would not have been necessary had they not traded Holiday. Carter-Williams is not as good Holiday and they could have used this pick to draft a center. He will be good, but he needs to improve his jump shot in order to take the next step.

Grade: C+

Arselen Kazemi
Kazemi is a bit undersized, but he always brings it when he is on the court and is a ferocious rebounder. He is sort of like a poor mans Kenneth Faried, which may allow him to stick in the league.

Grade: C-


Phoenix Suns
Alex Len
I am not too much of a fan of Noel, but he is better than Len and Zeller. Len will likely be a colossal bust. He has a rudimentary offensive game and is only decent on defense. He also regressed in his second year in Maryland, which is not a good sign.

Grade: F

Archie Goodwin
Goodwin was one of the top high school recruits in the nation just a year ago, but his stock fell after a terrible season in Kentucky. He will likely have to play the point early in his career because he lacks a consistent jump shot and handling the ball will maximize his abilities. This is a good value pick.

Grade: B

Alex Oriakhi
The Suns already have a lot of power forwards so I dont see how he fits on the team. He has good size, but failed to contribute on a consistent basis in college.

Grade: D


Portland Trailblazers
CJ McCollum
I was skeptical of this pick at first, but it has grown on me. He can come off the bench and light it up, which is something they dearly need. However, when he is playing shooting guard, he will likely get abused and teams will go after him a lot.

Grade: A-

Allen Crabbe
The Blazers traded up to take Crabbe with the first pick in the second round, with good reason. Crabbe has the talent to be a mid to late first round draft pick and nabbing him in the second is a bargain deal. He will add to the bench, which could now be one of the best outside shooting benches in the league.

Grade: A

Jeff Withey 
Withey will be a good defensive big man off of the bench. With Hickson likely leaving in free agency, someone needs to fill his void. Withey was one of the best shot blockers and overall defensive player in college basketball last season and will be a quality big man in the NBA.

Grade: A-

Grant Jarret
Jarret likely wont see an NBA floor for a year or two, but when he does, he could be a pleasant surprise. He is a stretch four, who could be a big weapon off of the bench for years to come.

Grade: B+

Marko Todorovic
This may be the first Blazer pick that I am not particularly fond of. This is their fifth pick so I am not surprised they took a foreigner, but Todorovic may never make it to the NBA.

Grade: C-


Sacramento Kings
Ben McLemore
The Kings got a big steal at this spot. McLemore is going to be a star, he is a dangerous sharp shooter and is very athletic. This probably means the end of the Tyreke Evans regime in Sacrament, which is also a good thing.

Grade: A

Ray McCallum
I dont understand the King's fascination with point guards, but they always seem to have too many. McCallum will only add to the crowd at this position. Tony Mitchell would have been a much better pick at this position.

Grade: D


San Antonio Spurs 
Livio Jean-Charles
The Spurs will likely stash him overseas for a couple of seasons before they bring him over to the big leagues. Jean-Charles is a talented combo forward, but is raw and lacks strength. This was a good pick because they will not need rookies for a couple of seasons.

Grade: B-

DeShaun Thomas 
Thomas can score from all over the court, but is not athletic and plays terrible defense. He could become a spot contributor on this team in the future or even a solid role player.

Grade: A


Utah Jazz
Trey Burke
Size hurt Burke going into the draft, but he was the best player in college basketball last season. He was easily the best point guard in the draft and the Jazz really needed one. He will give them a dynamic scoring weapon at the point, but he is also an underrated passer who rarely turn it over.

Grade: A

Rudy Gobert
I was surprised to see Gobert fall as far as he did, considering his size and wingspan. Utah got him for the 46th pick and some cash, which is a pretty good deal. He will be a project big man, who will find some minutes at some point in the season, especially if Jefferson leaves via free agency.

Grade: A-

Washington Wizards
Otto Porter
The Wizards lucked out. The Cavs passed on Porter and allowed the Wizards to take the best player who fits on their team. Porter gives them a very good trio with Beal and Wall. I believe the Wizards will make the playoffs next season.

Grade: A+

Glen Rice Jr. 
The Wizards continue to add depth on the wing. They really need help off of the bench and Rice will bring it from day one. He could be a solid role player from his first game.

Grade: A-