2024 NBA Draft Round 1 Initial Reaction

The first round of the 2024 NBA Draft has officially concluded! Let me know your thoughts on tonight's selections and comment predictions for the second round tomorrow!!

Reaction to Each Pick

1. ATL - Zaccharie Risacher: Not a fan of this pick. Could be a good NBA player but one of the most underwhelming #1 picks of the last decade.

2. WAS - Alex Sarr: They got the most consensus top prospect in the draft. Potentially a building block for the rebuild.

3. HOU - Reed Sheppard: I'm a little lower on Sheppard than some but think this is a good fit for the Rockets.

4. SAS - Stephon Castle: Great pick. Love the upside of Castle and think he can be a great foundational piece alongside Wemby

5. DET - Ron Holland: The Pistons got the best player in the draft (in my opinion) but the fit is slightly questionable. Always > Fit when picking top 5 tho.

6. CHA - Tidjane Salaun: Lol

7. POR - Donovan Clingan: They got Clingan without trading. That is a win for them. So far a good night for them getting Avdija and Clingan

8. MIN (via SAS) - Rob Dillingham: Adding much needed bench scoring! Love this for the Wolves.

9. MEM - Zach Edey: Edey setting screens for Ja will be elite.

10. UTA - Cody Williams: Do not love this pick at all. Lower on Williams than most and don't think he has as much upside as some.

11. CHI - Matas Buzelis: I like this fit. They lack wing depth and young wings/fowards, especially if DeRozan leaves and hopefully Buzelis can be a good player for them. Rare smart move by Chicago.

12. OKC - Nikola Topic: I think Topic could potentially end up being a top 5 player from this class. Don't know how much play time he gets but Daigneault has shown that he likes to experiment with deep rotations. In the end the rich get richer.

13. SAC - Devin Carter: I really like this pick as Carter is someone I expect to impact winning immediately. I do think this means the beginning of the end of Davion Mitchell's tenure in Sacramento.

14. WAS (via POR) - Bub Carrington: Don't hate the pick, but do not think it is worth letting Avdija go.

15. MIA - Kel'el Ware: I actually really like this pick. Should offer some interior help off the bench on both ends. Think Miami can develop him to be a really good player.

16. PHI - Jared McCain: I like this pick a lot. McCain is an elite floor spacer to put around Embiid and despite the size and athleticism concerns I think he has the 'it' factor that will lead to a long and successful career.

17. LAL - Dalton Knecht: Such a good pick. Not sure how he fell so far, but he fits a need for the Lakers and they picked BPA. An elite scorer who's game will translate day 1.

18. ORL - Tristan Da Silva: High floor low ceiling player. Think this is a decent pick as the Magic need to add shooting and Da Silva is another versatile wing who shot 39% from three this last year.

19. TOR - Ja'Kobe Walter: He is someone who can create offense and get hot out of nowhere. Do not think he will ever be an elite primary scorer but think he is a good rotational piece that the Raptors will build on as they enter their first full season of the rebuild.

20. CLE - Jaylon Tyson: This could end up being a good pick for the Cavs. They need more scoring and creation outside of Spida and Garland and Tyson could potentially add that.

21. NO - Yves Missi: I think Missi has one of the highest ceilings of the entire draft, but do think he is a raw prospect and may be a few years away from being a true reliable contender on a winning team. I think they will need to add another center via free agency, but Missi should add value to the Pelicans. 

22. DEN (via PHX) - DaRon Holmes II: I think this is a good pick. I think this is someone who can add a different element at the F/C position and can see him also playing next to Jokic. Good defender and shooting upside.

23. MIL - AJ Johnson: I am a huge fan of Johnson, but this is absolutely a huge reach by Milwaukee. I do think learning from Dame will hopefully help accelerate his progression, but I do think this is a slightly odd pick for a team who is looking to contend immediately. Think they could have waited to make this selection with their 2nd round pick.

24. WAS (via NYK) - Kyshawn George: Another solid pick by the Wizards. I think George's offensive potential is something the Wizards desperately needed but think there may have been better players still available.

25. NYK - Pacome Dadiet: Another wing for the Knicks. One of the younger players in this draft, this appears to be an upside pick. There were better options for New York in my opinion.

26. OKC (via NYK via WAS) - Dillon Jones: Love Jones as a player but with the amount of talent that the Thunder have I just do not see him finding consistent minutes.

27. MIN - Terrence Shannon Jr: Another elite scoring wing. I think this is another great pick for the Wolves.

28. PHX - Ryan Dunn: I actually like this fit. The Suns do not need to add scoring with their big 3, instead they add one of the best overall defensive prospects we have seen in the last 5 years. He might be their primary defender from day 1.

29. UTA - Isaiah Collier: Absolute steal. Cannot believe Collier fell this far and the Jazz have to be ecstatic. A fantastic young talent at the guard spot for the Jazz. At one point a year ago he was a projected top 3 pick and the Jazz selected him with the next to last pick of the first round. Collier and George will be a very fun young backcourt to watch.

30. BOS - Baylor Scheierman: The Celtics don't need to add anything to their roster, but adding another scorer never hurts.

 Favorite Picks

Ron Holland to Detroit Pistons: While he may not offer the elite shooting the Pistons need, Holland is the #1 player on my draft board and I am glad the Pistons didn't let him slide.

Rob Dillingham to Minnesota Timberwolves: The Wolves needed another creator, especially off the bench. Dillingham should add some juice to the second unit and should learn a lot from Mike Conley.

Kel'el Ware to Miami Heat: I think this is a really fun pick. I think he can have a good impact on this team this year and can develop to be a really important player in South Beach.

Dalton Knecht to Los Angeles Lakers: Steal of the draft. Other teams foolishly were wary of his age, but the Lakers picked someone mocked top 5 by some at 17.

Terrence Shannon Jr to Minnesota Timberwolves: The Wolves added more scoring punch off the bench in this draft! Really like what they are doing in this draft.

Isaiah Collier to Utah Jazz: I have no idea why NBA teams overthought Collier so much. My #5 overall prospect. Elite value for the Jazz and I think he will be the point guard of their future.

Least Favorite Picks

Tidjane Salaun to Charlotte Hornets: Very much a reach. Do not love this pick at all.

Cody Williams to Utah Jazz: Don't love Williams. Do not think this is a pick that will really do anything for the Jazz organization.

Bub Carrington to Washington Wizards: I am only putting this here because of what they gave up. I like Carrington, but giving away Avdija, a young player coming off a breakout season on one of the best contracts in the league, is a puzzling move.

AJ Johnson to Milwaukee Bucks: A huge reach by Milwaukee, he is not ready to play yet. 

Dillon Jones to Oklahoma City Thunder: This selection, especially considering the Thunder traded up for it, just makes no sense to me. Does not fill a need and there is no path to minutes.

Trade Reactions

SAS #9 (Rob Dillingham) to MIN for 2031 1st and 2030 pick swap: Did not expect Minnesota moving up! This seems like not a lot to give up. Big win for the Wolves. I dislike this a lot for the Spurs. They need young talent, scoring, and guard play, all of which Dillingham would have provided. Am disappointed for San Antonio, I would have loved to see Dillingham with Wemby.

POR #14 (Bub Carrington) and Malcolm Brogdon to WAS for Deni Avdija: Fantastic trade for the Blazers, quite puzzling for the Wizards.

PHX #22 (DaRon Holmes II) to DEN for pick #28 (Ryan Dunn), #56  and two future seconds: I like Holmes to Denver. Dunn will provide an important role for the Suns and they add some much needed draft capital.

NYK #24 (Kyshawn George) to WAS for pick #26 and pick #51: Another good pick for the Wizards and Knicks traded the pick again.

NYK #26 (Dillon Jones) to OKC for 5 2nd round picks: Knicks did not need to make a selection and Jones likely won't get heavy minutes for Thunder. Feels as pointless as a first round trade could feel.

Biggest Winners

Minnesota Timberwolves

Washington Wizards

Utah Jazz

Ryan Dunn

Biggest Losers

Milwaukee Bucks

San Antonio Spurs

Dillon Jones