NBA Draft 2021: Grades for all 30 draft picks from the first round
Heading into Thursday night’s NBA Draft, there seemed to be a consensus amongst experts about how the first round may unfold. That couldn’t have been more wrong as there was a flurry of surprising decisions and picks being moved. Even the consensus top four was shaken up when Toronto took Scottie Barnes over Jalen Suggs. Oklahoma City took Josh Giddey at six, setting off a fascinating domino effect.
Here are my grades from the first round, written live as the picks were being made.
1. Detroit Pistons: Cade Cunningham, Point Guard, Oklahoma State
Grade: A+
While the Pistons did their due diligence with the pick, they eventually settled on Cunningham, the clear No. 1 prospect on my board. Cunningham is the modern jumbo creator that’s so key to team building. He should excel as a passer with NBA spacing, and his pull-up jumper took large strides last season.
He fits well with Detroit’s current group. He should be able to ease Killian Hayes’ duties and help his development after an injury-riddled first season. Jerami Grant will also be asked to carry less of a burden. Cunningham is a floor raiser from day one and will make the Pistons more competitive. They aren’t quite a playoff team yet, but a core of Cunningham, Hayes, Grant, paired with young role players Saddiq Bey and Isaiah Stewart is a very nice core. Cunningham is a mental warrior who will willingly take on the challenge of turning the Pistons back into a competitive franchise.
2. Houston Rockets: Jalen Green, Shooting Guard, G-League Ignite
Grade: B-
The Rockets have been linked to Green since the lottery ended. Evan Mobley would have been my pick here, but there is some positional overlap with him and Christian Wood (that wouldn’t have mattered to me). Green is an electric score-first guard who had quite impressive numbers in the G-League. He creates space so easily, floats around the rim, and is developing as a passer.
There’s definitely some overlap between Green and Kevin Porter Jr., but having two young players who can get you a bucket is a good problem to have. They still need some connector piece or lead guard to make it all fit. Green does have superstar potential and could easily be a 20 point per game scorer one day. He’s a good foundational piece for a rebuild, it just feels like they missed an opportunity with Mobley.
3. Cleveland Cavaliers: Evan Mobley, Center, USC
Grade: A+
The Cavs were in a great spot at No. 3, in what I view as a draft with three potential stars. Mobley fits their rebuild better than Green. He has a lot of the qualities you would want in a modern big. He’s an elite rim protector who glides across the floor with ease. He can self-create, or finish lobs on offense and his jumper should come around. He makes his teammates better with his passing.
The Cavaliers have a young lead ball-handler in Darius Garland, and a scoring guard in Collin Sexton, who’ll they have to make a decision on when it comes to contract negotiation. They do have Jarrett Allen under contract for one more season, but I believe he and Mobley could share the floor together and Mobley simply has too much upside to pass upon. The Cavaliers now have a terrific young core: a lead ball-handler in Garland, a two-way wing in Isaac Okoro, and a potential star upfront in Mobley.