NBA Draft 2022: Which first round draft picks recieved the best grades?

Grade: A-

I have been in on Moore for a few months now and am glad an NBA team also agreed he’s a first-round caliber player. He’s not a huge upside swing, but Moore is a real dribble-pass-shoot wing that improved a ton as a junior. He was at times the best player on a team that included the No. 1 pick. Moore does a little bit of everything, but a lot of things at an NBA-caliber level. I like stacking up on wings and the Timberwolves weren’t super-deep there, to begin with.

He won’t be a lockdown defender but should add value on that end while spacing the floor and attacking tilted defenses on the other. He should help the Timberwolves instantly as they try to return to the playoffs again and win a series or two this year.

27. Miami Heat: Nikola Jovic – Forward – Mega Mozzart

Grade: B-

I thought the Heat would go with a more ready-now player, either on the wing or upfront. Jovic is an interesting upside play here. He’s got real size paired with ball skills and some shooting (though it’s more theoretical than actual right now). He needs to bulk up and even then he will likely be a negative defender to start his career. I thought Jovic was someone who needed to land in the right spot to develop, and Miami is one of the best places to do so, making me encouraged on his long-term projection.

His skillset is unique and different from what they have so there’s potential for him to be an early-impact player, especially towards the end of the year. I still would have preferred Christian Koloko for size, and Kendall Brown would have been my “upside swing”, but Jovic’s skillset is different than both and could benefit the Heat the best so I understand it. This is around where he was on my board (No. 31), so hard to dock it too much.

28. Golden State Warriors: Patrick Baldwin Jr. – Forward – UW-Milwaukee

Grade: A+

I feel like I’ve been pushing the Baldwin bandwagon the last few weeks, and once Golden State was on the clock I immediately loved the fit. He’s a bad athlete, who had a bad year statistically and has some injury concerns, but Baldwin is just under 6’11 and I still buy him as one of the best shooters in the class. He’s got elite mechanics and has flashed the ability to hit tough shots. His role in Golden State will be drastically different than what he faced last year, going from the No. 1 guy on every scouting report, to playing off of Steph Curry, Jordan Poole, and Klay Thompson who draw so much gravity.

The Warriors also won’t ask too much of him from day one, as they try to make time for the young players they drafted in the last few drafts. Baldwin can go to the G-League, regain some game reps, and really grow as a player, but by the playoffs, I think his size and shooting could make him an impact player. The Warriors nailed fit and talent here as the defending champs did what champs do in the draft.

29. Houston Rockets: TyTy Washington – Guard – Kentucky

Grade: B

Loading up on wings earlier, the Rockets add the best back-court piece left on the board in Washington. I’ve never been overly excited about him as a prospect. He isn’t an elite shooter, doesn’t have great size or athleticism, and didn’t have the biggest freshman year, but he was an efficient scorer who can do a little bit from all three levels and showed some playmaking with the ball in his hands. Washington is a true combo-guard but playing alongside Jalen Green can allow him to play on or off the ball. He should get reps and minutes early in Houston as they’ll be one of the youngest teams in the league again.

They could have five first-round picks from the last two drafts play on the court at once pretty frequently. The low-hanging fruit is Kentucky guards under John Calipari will have typically outplayed their ranking, could Washington be next in that regard? Fit makes sense here, it’s around Washington’s range, I’ll just never be too excited about him.

30. Denver Nuggets (via Oklahoma City Thunder): Peyton Watson – Wing – UCLA

Grade: C

Despite a terrible freshman season, Watson was generating late first-round buzz, so I’m not surprised he went there, I just disagree with it. Watson struggled to find time on a veteran NUggets team, averaged 3.3 points per game on 32/22 shooting splits, and just looked lost on offense. I do buy him as a defender. He’s got elite length and instincts and could be impactful on that end quicker than we think. But the offense just feels multiple years away from being there…and “there” might be playable but still bad. I’m not sure he does anything on offense by the time his second contract roles around.

Clear upside swing here and Denver can let him really grow in the G-League. Maybe there’s quicker development than I think considering he didn’t play a ton of basketball the past two years and was once a five-star prospect…I am just skeptical.