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Thumbs-up or thumbs-down on every team's picks

Our NBA writers assess every team's draft picks.


Atlanta Hawks

• No. 15 pick traded to Washington
• Marcus Eriksson, SG, Spain (50)
• Dimitrios Agravanis, PF, Greece (59)

The Hawks feel like they've created a culture and system that can bring out the best in any NBA player, and with Tim Hardaway, Jr., acquired from the Knicks as part of a three-way trade, they'll certainly have their hands full. They value length and proficiency on the wings. At 6-foot-6, Hardaway has plenty of the former, but he used it to little effect in New York, where he was a defensive train wreck. He finished 94th out of 100 qualified shooting guards in defensive plus-minus. About that shooting ... He dropped from 36.3 percent in his rookie season from beyond the arc to 34.2. He didn't exactly make up for it from mid-range, nor does he get the line at a good clip. The Hawks clearly see value -- he'll earn $1.3 million in 2015-16, less than the No. 15 pick would've earned -- and potential that will bolster their depth on the perimeter. With their pair of late second-round picks, the Hawks selected Eriksson, a big shooting guard out of Sweden with a smooth stroke who spent last season recovering from an ACL and meniscus tear, as well as Agravanis, a 20-year-old stretch big man from Greece. Thumbs Down -- Kevin Arnovitz


Boston Celtics

• Terry Rozier, PG, Louisville (16)
• R.J. Hunter, SG, Georgia State (28)
• Jordan Mickey, PF, LSU (33)
• Marcus Thornton, SG, William & Mary (45)

Maybe Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge set the expectations a bit too high in the days before the draft by publicly stressing a desire to move up. An out-of-control rumor mill didn't help matters, either. The Celtics tried hard to shuffle up, particularly with Justise Winslow still on the board at No. 9, but simply couldn't vault. There's a belief that they reached a bit at No. 16 to get Rozier and he'll have to prove the pundits wrong on the court. Hunter and Mickey could help fill Boston's most glaring needs, but the Celtics have work to do in free agency to add the surefire impact talent they didn't get on draft night. Thumbs Down -- Chris Forsberg


Brooklyn Nets

• Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, SF, Arizona (23); acquired from Portland
• Chris McCullough, PF, Syracuse (29)
• Juan Vaulet, SF, Argentina (39); acquired from Charlotte

After a flurry of moves, the Nets emerged from Thursday night's draft with Hollis-Jefferson, McCullough and overseas stash Vaulet. Hollis-Jefferson, who the Nets acquired in a deal for Mason Plumlee, brings defense on the wing, but needs to vastly improve his outside shooting. McCullough could pan out to be something special as long as he recovers from the ACL injury that is likely to sideline him for the entire season. He could've been a lottery pick had he been healthy. Vaulet is not expected to be with the Nets just yet. It remains to be seen whether these moves pan out -- and it may take a while to find out -- but the Nets needed some athleticism and length, and they got some on draft night, so we'll be kind. Thumbs Up -- Mike Mazzeo


Charlotte Hornets

• Frank Kaminsky PF, Wisconsin (9)

• Juan Vaulet, SF, Argentina (39); sent to Brooklyn

Michael Jordan's team continued its aggressive offseason makeover by adding the consensus National Player of the Year in Kaminsky. It was a risky move, considering the Hornets ranked at or near the bottom of the league last season in scoring and 3-point shooting. They passed on swingmen Winslow and Devin Booker, but the Hornets were bold. They've also added Spencer Hawes, Nicolas Batum and Jeremy Lamb in recent trades. Thumbs Up -- Michael Wallace


Chicago Bulls

• Bobby Portis, PF/C, Arkansas (22)

Power forward Portis doesn't fill the Bulls' biggest immediate need -- backup point guard -- but three of the Bulls' four big men -- Pau Gasol, Taj Gibson and Joakim Noah -- are 30 or older, so this pick makes sense. Plus, he's closer to a sure thing, so there's no Marquis Teague situation. Portis, 6-foot-10 1/2, can rebound -- he averaged 8.9 per game and was 10th in the country in offensive rebounding at 3.69 per game -- and can score, averaging 17.5 points per game. He can finish at the rim and he also hit 14-of-30 from 3-point range, which means he can fit in Fred Hoiberg's up-tempo system. He actually seems like he would've fit in Tom Thibodeau's system too. If the Bulls don't trade one of their big men, which seems unlikely, will he play this season? It depends on the health of the veterans. I'd bet he'll push his way into the fringes of the rotation eventually. Thumbs up -- Jon Greenberg


Cleveland Cavaliers

• Tyus Jones, G, Duke (24); traded to Wolves
• Cedi Osman, SF, Macedonia (31); acquired from Minnesota
• Rakeem Christmas, C, Syracuse (36); acquired from Houston
• Sir'Dominic Pointer, SF, St. John's (53)

After four straight years selecting in the top five of the lottery, the Cavaliers had to wait a bit before passing on the name of their No. 24 pick, Tyus Jones, to commissioner Adam Silver on Thursday. The Cavs received the draft rights of Osman, selected No. 31 by Minnesota, as part of the Jones trade. Osman is a 6-8 shooting guard out of Macedonia who is known for his shooting stroke, but only shot 32.8 percent from 3 last season, averaging 8.5 points in 20.8 minutes per game. He still has two years remaining on his deal in Turkey, which means he likely wouldn't be suiting up for the Cavs until the 2017-18 season as a 22-year old, according to GM David Griffin. The Wolves deal also netted the Cavs the draft rights to Syracuse big man Christmas, who was selected at No. 36. Christmas was a four-year college athlete, exploding in his senior season to average 17.5 points and 9.1 rebounds after underwhelming production through his first three years. The Cavs finished off their draft night by using their own No. 53 pick on Pointer, a 6-6 wingman out of St. John's. Like Christmas, Pointer blossomed in his senior season, being named the Big East Co-Defensive Player of the Year and upping his averages to 13.7 points, 7.7 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.9 steals and 2.4 blocks in his final season as he was also named his conference's most improved player. Thumbs Up -- Dave McMenamin


Dallas Mavericks

• Justin Anderson, SF, Virginia (21)
• Satnam Singh Bhamara, C, IMG Academy (52)

Anderson has an NBA body (6-foot-6, 230 pounds with a nearly 7-foot wingspan), excellent leaping ability and drastically improved his 3-point shooting as a junior. He has a chance to be a quality role player as a 3-and-D threat right away. That'd qualify as a huge success for Dallas, which has drafted one legitimate NBA player in the last decade. That was Jae Crowder, and the Mavs envision Anderson as a more athletic version of Crowder with a better jumper. Second-round pick Satnam Singh (7-foot-2, 290 pounds) is a project who will play for the Mavs' D-League affiliate. Thumbs Up -- Tim MacMahon


Denver Nuggets

• Emmanuel Mudiay, G, China (7)
• Nikola Radicevic, PG, Serbia (57)

The selection of Mudiay opens the door for the Nuggets to move incumbent starting point guard Ty Lawson. Alongside Jusuf Nurkic and Gary Harris, Mudiay gives the Nuggets another young building block, as a big, athletic, playmaking guard who can defend multiple positions. He's a work in progress, but that's OK for a Denver team that is hitting the reset button. Drafting Radicevic is a nice Euro stash pick late in the second round who they can keep tabs on from afar. Thumbs Up -- Amin Elhassan


Detroit Pistons

• Stanley Johnson, SF, Arizona (8)
• Darrun Hilliard, SG, Villanova (38)

This is all about whether or not you think Johnson will turn out to be a better pro than Winslow, who was still on the board when Detroit picked at No. 8. While everyone loves Johnson's intangibles, the knock on him is that he doesn't have that one standout skill that will shine at the NBA level. Winslow also gets glowing reviews for his makeup, is a better athlete than Johnson and at the very least should stand out on the defensive end right off the bat. Of course, the same might be true of Johnson, who also has a slightly better statistical projection. Detroit's pick of Hilliard at No. 38 was uninspired. He's not a great athlete and as a four-year player, would figure to have limited growth in his game. You'd like to see more of an upside pick there. Thumbs Down -- Bradford Doolittle


Golden State Warriors

• Kevon Looney, PF, UCLA (30)

Love this pick for the champs at the bottom of the first round. Looney led Division I freshmen in double doubles -- that's more than high profile guys like Karl-Anthony Towns and Jahlil Okafor. He also shot the ball well from beyond the arc, an area of need for Golden State's frontcourt. He won't play right away, but he's a nice project to develop off the bench. Thumbs Up -- Amin Elhassan


Houston Rockets

• Sam Dekker, SF, Wisconsin (18)
• Montrezl Harrell, PF, Louisville (32)

Rockets assistant coach Chris Finch said Dekker has a high basketball IQ and compares to Dallas Mavericks forward Chandler Parsons. Dekker has the ability to play multiple positions but mainly will be a small forward coming off the bench. He has the ability to finish at the basket and has improved his shooting ability from the outside during his three seasons at Wisconsin. Harrell was a solid selection for the Rockets because he adds depth to the power forward position. While Donatas Motiejunas and Terrence Jones are at the top of the depth chart, the Rockets have added a physical player who likes to run the floor and can rebound. Thumbs Up -- Calvin Watkins


Indiana Pacers

• Myles Turner, PF, Texas (11)
• Joseph Young, SG, Oregon (43)

Turner's future has a wide range of possibility, but as a 7-footer who can block shots, score from the block and shoot with range, he's got the raw skill set of the prototypical current NBA big man. He could well have gone a few spots higher, too, so he's a great value pick for Indiana at No. 11. There's a lot of flux with the Pacers' roster right now, so one concern is that Turner might be thrust into a bigger initial role than he's ready for. But if he's a success, he's the kind of player that allows you to slot a variety of different players around him. His analytics are strong as well. Second-rounder Young will be a bit old for a rookie and is undersized, but the guy can fill it up. He gives the Pacers two picks who might have gone a little higher. Thumbs Up -- Bradford Doolittle


Los Angeles Clippers

• Branden Dawson, SF, Michigan State (56); acquired from Pelicans

The Clippers were the only team without a pick in the NBA draft and did not officially make a pick in the draft. They did, however, acquire Dawson, the No. 56 pick from the New Orleans Pelicans for cash. Dawson, a 6-foot-6, 225-pound forward from Michigan State, ranks first in school history with 142 blocks. He also ranks sixth in steals (163) and seventh in rebounds (902). Dawson shined on defense in workouts with teams and was high on the Clippers' list of draft possibilities after working out for them. Thumbs Up -- Arash Markazi


Los Angeles Lakers

• D'Angelo Russell, G, Ohio State (2)
• Larry Nance, Jr., PF, Wyoming (27)
• Anthony Brown, SG, Stanford (34)

Russell felt like a huge surprise for a franchise that loves dominant centers, but it proved that the Lakers are with the times. They know small-ball is in right now, and they also know they can get a star big man in free agency (Kevin Love, LaMarcus Aldridge, etc.). Nance is a versatile, solid forward, but he felt like a reach, especially for a player pegged by most to be taken in the middle of the second round. Brown is a solid addition who can do a little bit of everything but especially shoot, and the Lakers need plenty of that. Thumbs Up -- Baxter Holmes


Memphis Grizzlies

• Jarell Martin, PF, LSU (25)

The Grizzlies wrapped up a busy day by nabbing LSU big man Martin with the 25th pick and trading big man Jon Leuer for No. 44 pick Andrew Harrison, and that was all after acquiring grit-n-grind maestro Matt Barnes earlier (for basically scraps). The Grizzlies finished second-to-last in 3-point makes last season, so it would make sense to add some range, perhaps R.J. Hunter, who was available at Martin's slot. Alas, they grabbed a player who primarily plays inside the arc. Memphis still hopes that last year's first-rounder Jordan Adams can contribute after he wasn't part of the rotation his rookie season. Thumbs Down -- Tom Haberstroh


Miami Heat

• Justise Winslow, SF, Duke (10) • Josh Richardson, SG, Tennessee (40)

Considering the looming free agency decisions with Dwyane Wade and Luol Deng, the Heat needed insurance and an infusion of youth on the perimeter. They met both needs when Winslow slipped to the 10th pick and Tennessee shooting guard Josh Richardson was snagged in the second round, giving Miami a pair of productive two-way talents. Thumbs Up -- Michael Wallace


Milwaukee Bucks

• Rashad Vaughn, SG, UNLV (17)
• No. 46 pick traded to Raptors

The Bucks addressed their need for an offensive creator by nabbing UNLV's Vaughn, a late riser on Chad Ford's draft board after impressing in pre-draft workouts. Vaughn's analytical projections were tepid after an up-and-down freshman season at UNLV. But his shooting turned heads leading up to the draft and he was the second-youngest player taken Thursday behind Devin Booker. If all goes well, Vaughn could assume O.J. Mayo's role in Milwaukee when the veteran's contract expires after the season. That said, if Vaughn washes out and Wisconsin product Sam Dekker goes over big in Houston, the Bucks will be sure to catch some heat. Milwaukee traded the No. 46 pick to Toronto as part of the deal that landed guard Greivis Vasquez, so Vaughn was the Bucks' lone selection. Thumbs Up -- Bradford Doolittle

Minnesota Timberwolves

• Karl-Anthony Towns, PF, Kentucky (1)
• No. 31 and 36 picks traded to Cavs for rights to Tyus Jones, PG, Duke (24)

There may have been a lot of intrigue surrounding this year's draft but there was little intrigue with the No. 1 pick. It was always going to be Towns, who was the most complete player availa

ble. The 6-foot-11 center from Kentucky was the consensus top pick in the draft and didn't even waste time working out for any other team. Minnesota was ranked near the bottom of the league in defense and blocks. Towns, the best defender and rim protector in the draft, should help shore that up after averaging 2.3 blocks per game, second best in the SEC. After Minnesota traded its two second-round picks to Cleveland, Jones will return home. He was the Minnesota State High School League Class 4A state champion, a three-time Minnesota Associated Press Boys basketball player of the year and a three-time Minnesota Boys Basketball Gatorade Player of the Year. He helped lead Duke to the national championship this season and was named the most outstanding player as a true freshman. He's arguably the best pure point guard in the draft and has won at every level. There's a reason Flip Saunders tried to trade up to get him after selecting Towns. Thumbs Up -- Arash Markazi


New York Knicks

• Kristaps Porzingis, PF, Latvia (4)
• Jerian Grant, PG, Notre Dame (19); acquired from Hawks

Phil Jackson and the New York Knicks had a chance to take a player who could help them immediately on Thursday night, but they passed. Instead, Jackson took Kristaps Porzingis, a 19-year-old European that he labeled as the biggest "risk-reward" in the draft. Porzingis is 7-foot-1 and has an excellent outside shot, which may fit well in the Knicks' triangle offense. But the 19-year-old's sleight build (230 pounds) leads some scouts to question his ability to defend on the interior. Other evaluators estimate that Porzingis will need significant time to get acclimated to the NBA. So he may not help the Knicks -- or 31-year-old Carmelo Anthony -- in the short term, which is what Jackson and the organization need on Thursday night. The Knicks did help themselves by trading Tim Hardaway Jr. to Atlanta for combo guard Jerian Grant. Grant does many things (attacks the rim, gets to the free-throw line, defends the perimeter) that the Knicks need. Still, the risk taken with the Porzingis pick colored the night for New York. Thumbs Down -- Ian Begley


Oklahoma City Thunder

• Cameron Payne, PG, Murray State (14)
• Dakari Johnson, C, Kentucky (48)

The Thunder weren't your ordinary lottery team. With a ready-made contender waiting to take the floor next season, they were in a unique position to be selective about the talent they wanted to add. But with Payne falling into their lap, the Thunder were eager to pounce on the smooth lefty point guard. Payne is extra backcourt insurance and a developmental pick to increase future depth behind Russell Westbrook. With the 48th pick, they landed Kentucky center Johnson, who figures to play next season with the Thunder's D-League affiliate. According to FiveThirtyEight, though, he was the sixth-best prospect in the draft. Which seems ... high. Thumbs Up -- Royce Young


Orlando Magic

• Mario Hezonja, SF, Croatia (5)
• Tyler Harvey, SG, Eastern Washington (51)

Finally, some shooting! For Orlando's sake, let's hope Hezonja is more like Brandon Jennings than Joe Alexander. New head coach Scott Skiles coached both former top-10 picks in Milwaukee and the Magic are desperate to get some return on their roster full of prospects. Considering the logjam at point guard, grabbing the Croatian wing, who shot 38 percent from deep last season, was an easy pick for general manager Rob Hennigan, who could have gone with point guard Emmanuel Mudiay. Their second-round pick, 2-guard Tyler Harvey, has parking-lot range and is worth a flier. Thumbs Up -- Tom Haberstroh


Philadelphia 76ers

• Jahlil Okafor, C, Duke (3) • Guillermo Hernangomez, C, Spain (35); traded to Knicks
• Richaun Holmes, PF, Bowling Green (37)
• Arturas Gudaitis, C, Lithuania (47)
• J.P. Tokoto , SF, North Carolina (58)
• Luka Mitrovic, SF, Serbia (60)

You can never have enough big men in Philadelphia. With Nerlens Noel and Joel Embiid already on board, the Sixers watched the Lakers pass on Okafor at No. 2 before they snatched the Duke big man. Unlike Noel and Embiid, Okafor will bring a more polished offensive game. D'Angelo Russell might've been the better fit for the Sixers but you can't argue with Philadelphia taking a player once considered by many earlier this season to be the first overall pick. And with Embiid still on the mend, Okafor should come in and get plenty of opportunities to showcase his game. "I don't know, it's not my job to figure out," Okafor said of how the Sixers will fit all the young big talent together. "I'll just go there and work as hard as I can." The Sixers will reportedly trade second-round pick Hernangomez to the Knicks. Who knows what they'll do with Holmes, Gudaitis, Tokoto and Mitrovic in the immediate future but this draft is all about landing Okafor, who is another young asset for Sam Hinkie. Thumbs Up -- Ohm Youngmisuk


Phoenix Suns

• Devin Booker, SG, Kentucky (13)
• Andrew Harrison, PG, Kentucky (44)

In the words of the late Cotton Fitzsimmons, the former Suns head coach and exec, "You can never have too many shooters." The Suns didn't have enough shooters last season: Despite being in the top 10 in 3-pointers made and attempted, they were bottom 10 in accuracy. The hope is Booker can help improve that area of need -- if Phoenix can clear out some of the roster glut at the wing position. I also liked the move of their second-round selection (Andrew Harrison) for Memphis reserve big Jon Leuer. He's not a world beater, but he also brings shooting as a stretch big man, a role they haven't been able to fill since losing Channing Frye in free agency last summer. Thumbs Up -- Amin Elhassan


Portland Trail Blazers

• Pat Connaughton, SF, Notre Dame; acquired from Nets
• Acquired Daniel Diez, F, Spain (54), from Utah

At this point in the draft, teams are looking for any kind of long-term potential, and Diez's ability to contribute in the Spanish ACB at age 21 -- he averaged 12.1 points and 6.8 rebounds per game for Gipuzkoa -- suggests he might be able to play in the NBA. According to ESPN's international analyst Fran Fraschilla, Diez wants to do as much. "He would swim across the Atlantic to play in the NBA," Fraschilla said. The Blazers acquired this pick from Utah for cash considerations. Thumbs Up -- Kevin Pelton


Sacramento Kings

• Willie Cauley-Stein, C, Kentucky (6)

It's easy to understand why the Kings would want Cauley-Stein, arguably the best interior defender in the draft. Sacramento hasn't ranked better than 20th in defensive rating since 2005-06, not coincidentally the last time the Kings made the postseason. To make a difference on D, however, Cauley-Stein will have to play next to star center DeMarcus Cousins. Since Cauley-Stein doesn't stretch the floor, George Karl will be challenged to keep opponents from aggressively double-teaming Cousins in the post. Thumbs Down -- Kevin Pelton


San Antonio Spurs

• Nikola Milutinov, C, Serbia (26)
• Cady Lalanne, PF, Massachusetts (55)

When you're near the bottom of the first round, it's more about uncovering whatever talent is there than addressing specific needs; especially when you're a team without major weaknesses. San Antonio is accustomed to picking late, and it knows how to develop talent. Remember, Manu Ginobili was a second-round pick, and the team drafted Tony Parker at No. 28 in 2001. Don't be surprised if Nikola Milutinov and Cady Lalanne don't ever step foot in San Antonio in 2015-16 for a regular-season game. The Spurs simply continue to stockpile for the future, and there's nothing wrong with that. Thumbs Up -- Michael C. Wright


Toronto Raptors

• Delon Wright, PG, Utah (20)
• Norman Powell, SG, UCLA (46); acquired from Bucks

Toronto GM Masai Ujiri took an established combo guard in Wright, who can potentially help spell Kyle Lowry. Earlier, Ujiri traded Greivis Vasquez to the Bucks, and Sixth Man of the Year Lou Williams is a free agent. Wright is big and can defend. He brings a skill set to the table that the Raptors sorely need. Thumbs Up -- Mike Mazzeo


Utah Jazz

• Trey Lyles, PF, Kentucky (12)
• Olivier Hanlan, G, Boston College (42)
• Daniel Diez, F, Spain; traded to Portland

With the best stretch big men (Kaminsky and Turner) off the board, the Jazz might have considered trading down. But Lyles makes a lot of sense as a complement to Utah's starting frontcourt of Derrick Favors and Rudy Gobert. Lyles' biggest shortcoming is a relatively low ceiling, which isn't as important to a Utah team that's already set ahead of him. He can play with both starters, and if he extends his range as a pro as the Jazz hope, he'll provide better spacing than the starting duo. Hanlan was a high scorer in college, averaging 19.5 points per game as a junior in 2014-15, but because of his size (he measured 6-foot-3.25 without shoes at the combine), he'll probably have to play point guard in the pros. Hanlan hasn't yet shown those playmaking chops, handing out no better than 4.2 assists per game at BC. On the plus side, the Jazz's playmaking wings should allow Hanlan to play off the ball. Alas, he doesn't project as a knockdown 3-point shooter, having made 36.1 percent career from the college line. Thumbs Up -- Kevin Pelton


Washington Wizards

• Kelly Oubre, SF, Kansas (15); acquired from Hawks
• Aaron White, PF, Iowa (49)

"Whichever team drafts me is gonna win the championship." That's what Oubre told ESPN's Shannon Spake after being informed he was getting traded to the Wizards. John Wall has to love hearing that. The Wizards entered draft night with a need to freshen up the creaky frontcourt core, but Oubre, 19, is a loooong-term project not ready to replace Paul Pierce if the vet leaves. With a late first-round pick, it's unrealistic to expect someone to step in right away and help the Wizards contend for the Eastern Conference crown (see: last three No. 19s were Andrew Nicholson, Sergey Karasev and Gary Harris). But Bobby Portis made more sense here, especially considering moving up to No. 15 from No. 19 required losing two future second-rounders. White will also add some youth to their frontcourt but will need a strong summer to stay on the roster. Thumbs Down -- Haberstroh