Before a single pick was made Wednesday night and mock drafts were thrown by the wayside, there was a clear winner at the start of the first round of the NBA Draft.
Just a day after pulling off a blockbuster deal to send a package of picks to the Nets for guard/forward Mikal Bridges, the Knicks were at it again as the draft was beginning, setting up a five-year, $212.5 million contract extension for swingman OG Anunoby.
The rest of the Eastern Conference took notice — and so did Las Vegas, which boosted the Knicks’ championship odds for next season to just behind those of the defending champion Celtics.
The Knicks, however, weren’t alone in having a good week. Plenty of NBA teams and players came out of the two days of the draft with a confident strut.
And some should be hanging their heads.
WINNERS
LeBron James: The NBA’s all-time scoring leader and Klutch Sports Group did all they could to warn teams in the second round that James’ 19-year-old son, Bronny, was off-limits to them. Maybe that pressure worked, or maybe scouting departments didn’t see enough talent in the younger James to want to pick him.
Either way, LeBron’s storybook career is now in its final chapters. After the Lakers claimed Bronny with the 55th overall pick, LeBron will get the opportunity to play alongside his son before riding into the sunset.
The Lakers: They not only kept James happy but also gave new coach JJ Redick a new toy: sharpshooter Dalton Knecht, who was drafted at No. 17 out of Tennessee. At a relatively ancient 23, the SEC player of the year was too old in the eyes of most teams, but for the win-now Lakers, he’s a perfect fit.
France: A year after center Victor Wem-banyama was the hype of the draft, going to the Spurs at No. 1, France continued to send valuable imports to the United States. The Hawks took forward Zaccharie Risacher first overall. Center Alex Sarr, the No. 2 pick by the Wizards, is also from France, as is forward Tidjane Salaun, taken sixth by the Hornets.
The Bulls: Arturas Karnisovas, executive vice president of basketball operations, watched a private workout by Matas Buzelis in Los Angeles before the draft but likely never imagined landing the 19-year-old forward. Guess who fell into Karnisovas’ lap at No. 11?
Drafted less than a week after the Bulls acquired 21-year-old guard Josh Giddey from the Thunder for Alex Caruso, Buzelis is an ideal fit, given the shift to youth the Bulls are looking to pull off. They can be young and exciting next season while still being bad enough to keep their 2025 top-10 protected pick away from the Spurs.
The Timberwolves: Trading for Rob Dillingham on draft night was a bold move to make sure they have their next point guard in waiting as Mike Conley, 36, continues to slow down. Landing Illinois guard Terrence Shannon Jr. late in the first round added even more depth. Now, if the Timberwolves could just get rid of soft Karl-Anthony Towns and his ridiculous contract.
LOSERS
The Bucks: They’re built to win now and could have grabbed more established players. Instead, they closed their eyes and threw darts, drafting two project players in Australian guard AJ Johnson (23rd) and G League Ignite forward Tyler Smith (33rd). Smith has the potential to be the steal of the second round, but he just as easily could be a miss.
The Pistons: They needed outside shooting badly, so of course they took another athletic forward, Ron Holland, who struggles beyond the three-point line. It was another head-scratching moment from an organization that’s notorious for them.
Zach Edey: The former Purdue center may always be seen as a consolation prize after the Grizzlies attempted to trade up for center Donovan Clingan (seventh overall, Trail Blazers) but couldn’t get it done. That left them somewhat reaching for Edey at No. 9. Now they have to figure out how to get the slow-footed Edey up and down the floor with the blur that is point guard Ja Morant.
Deandre Ayton: The No. 1 pick of 2018 finally felt he had a home in Portland as a starter, but he’d better rethink that. In landing Clingan, the Trail Blazers might have a starting center who plays with real urgency, unlike the laid-back, inconsistent Ayton.
Kel’el Ware: Despite some high-ceiling moments, the 7-foot center from Indiana was considered to be one of the low-motor players in this draft class. Low motors tend not to do well in Miami, where he’ll play after the Heat took him at No. 15. Ware’s days of seeming to take possessions off are over, or else he’ll find himself playing in Europe.