NBA Draft grades 2024: All 30 teams ranked from best (Lakers) to worst (Bucks) | Sporting News

The 2024 NBA Draft is over and it’s time to assess the outcome.

This year’s draft class didn’t have much hype around it because of its lack of star power. There aren’t expected to be many franchise-altering talents, but there are certainly prospects who can contribute to winning.

Fans may have to be as patient as they’ve ever been with the players picked by their favorite franchises. There are only a handful of instant contributors, with several prospects needing time to develop. That makes it tricky to grade this draft class in a snapshot, but that’s what we’re here for.

The Sporting News ranks every team from best to worst for their performance during the 2024 NBA Draft below.

SN’S NBA DRAFT HQ: Picks tracker | Winners and losers | Grades and analysis

NBA Draft grades 2024: Ranking the best & worst teams

1. Los Angeles Lakers

Picks: Dalton Knecht (No. 17), Bronny James (No. 55)

The Lakers won the 2024 NBA Draft when Knecht fell to them at No. 17.

The Tennessee senior was the No. 4-ranked player on my Big Board. He provides Los Angeles with a 3-point shooting threat it did not have, capable of hitting tough shots off the dribble and off of screens. New head coach JJ Redick will have a field day drawing up sets to create open looks for Knecht.

Selecting James in the second round was icing on the cake. Whether his doubters want to admit it or not, Bronny has plenty of potential to one day become an NBA rotation player as a high-level defender and solid perimeter shooter.

He and LeBron will also be the first-ever father-son duo in NBA history, which is pretty freaking cool.

MORE: NBA players react to Lakers historic selection of Bronny James

2. San Antonio Spurs

Picks: Stephon Castle (No. 4), Juan Nunez (No. 36), Harrison Ingram (No. 48)

The Spurs and UConn star Castle were a match made in heaven. San Antonio desperately needed a point guard and Castle wants to be a floor general in the NBA. He is the exact type of versatile defender, growing playmaker and low-maintenance scorer who will fit perfectly next to Victor Wembanyama.

Ingram was one of my favorite second-round prospects as an athletic wing who makes winning plays on both ends of the floor. Nunez is more guard insurance as a 20-year-old pick-and-roll maestro.

3. Minnesota Timberwolves

Picks: Rob Dillingham (No. 8), Terrence Shannon Jr. (No. 27)

The Timberwolves didn’t have many holes to fill after reaching the Western Conference Finals but they got better on draft night. Minnesota traded for the No. 8 overall pick and selected Dillingham, the best isolation scorer in this class. In the late first round, it added another explosive offensive talent in Shannon to form an exciting young backcourt duo off the bench.

4. Washington Wizards

Picks: Alexandre Sarr (No. 2), Carlton Carrington (No. 14), Kyshawn George (No. 24)

The Wizards are in a full rebuild and took a step in the right direction in the 2024 NBA Draft. It helps that Sarr — the best prospect in this class — fell to them at No. 2.

Sarr can fix Washington’s ongoing defensive issues as an elite rim-protecting center. It also added two intriguing teenage scoring threats in shifty shot-creator Carrington and big shooting wing George.

It was a successful first round for the future of the Wizards.

5.  Portland Trail Blazers

Picks: Donovan Clingan (No. 7)

The Trail Blazers got off to a strong start before the draft, moving the No. 14 overall pick to Washington for a former top-five pick in Deni Avdija. Not only did Avdija show significant improvement last season, but he’s still only 23 years old. That’s younger than some prospects in this draft.

Clingan falling to No. 7 was a gift for Portland, landing a massive defensive anchor. It now has a surplus of talented bigs with the flexibility to move either Deandre Ayton or Robert Williams III.

6. Utah Jazz

Picks: Cody Williams (No. 10), Isaiah Collier (No. 29), Kyle Filipowski (No. 31)

The Jazz continue to stockpile young, talented players as they rebuild for the future. Williams has immense two-way potential, Collier was one of the biggest steals of the draft and it’s still shocking that Filipowski fell into the second round.

Williams and Collier are both 19. Filipowski is still only 20. Utah has to feel great about how this draft shook out.

MORE: Why Kyle Filipowski fell in the 2024 NBA Draft

7. Houston Rockets

Picks: Reed Sheppard (No. 3)

Houston’s lone selection was Sheppard, one of the most reliable two-way players in this draft. He can play on or off the ball, seamlessly fitting alongside either of Fred VanVleet or Jalen Green. He’s a 3-point sniper who shot 52.1 percent from beyond the arc as a freshman and he’s a pesky on-ball defender. 

Sheppard will learn a lot from VanVleet as an undersized guard.

8. Chicago Bulls

Picks: Matas Buzelis (No. 11)

Buzelis was once in the running for the No. 1 overall pick in this class, so Bulls fans have to be excited about that. His ceiling is as high as any of his peers. He’s a long, athletic wing who has promising shooting mechanics and the tools to be a versatile defender. 

As a Chicago native, it feels meant to be that Buzelis landed with the Bulls at No. 11.

9. Philadelphia 76ers

Picks: Jared McCain (No. 16), Adem Bona (No. 41)

The 76ers addressed two needs with their two picks: McCain provides backcourt depth as a playmaking combo guard who can shoot the 3 and disrupt opposing ball-handlers on defense while Bona gives Philadelphia a much-needed physical interior presence behind Joel Embiid.

The Sixers went 2-for-2 in this draft.

10. Sacramento Kings

Picks: Devin Carter (No. 13)

The Kings are looking to get over the hump as a playoff team. They landed one of the most NBA-ready players in this class in Carter, a physical ball-handler, scorer and defender. The Providence junior is a fierce competitor who made major improvements as a scorer and playmaker this past season. He will be an awesome backup point guard to De’Aaron Fox.

MORE: No matter how they dress it up, 2024 NBA Draft looks like it will be a bust

11. Miami Heat

Picks: Kel’el Ware (No. 15), Pelle Larsson (No. 44)

The Heat locked up All-Star center Bam Adebayo to a three-year, $166 million contract ahead of the draft. They immediately went and added a terrorizing rim protector in Ware as his backup.

Ware will add a different look to Miami’s frontcourt as an athletic 7-footer who can block shots, throw down lobs and shoot from the perimeter. 

I also loved their second-round pick Larsson, who is a 3-and-D wing capable of being the Heat’s next diamond in the rough.

12. Detroit Pistons

Picks: Ron Holland (No. 5), Bobi Klintman (No. 37)

The Pistons had the first big surprise of the draft when they took Holland with the No. 5 pick. The Ignite forward was reportedly a candidate to slide on draft night.

As a big fan of Holland’s potential, I appreciated their gutsy selection. He is a versatile and energetic forward who takes pride in his defense. He’s a raw offensive product but still averaged 20.6 points per game in the G League.

Holland will bring an intense defensive presence to Detroit’s core of Cade Cunningham, Jaden Ivey, Ausar Thompson and Jalen Duren.

13. Oklahoma City Thunder

Picks: Nikola Topic (No. 12), Dillon Jones (No. 26), Ajay Mitchell (No. 38)

The Thunder have a seemingly unlimited treasure chest of future picks and their current roster is contending for a championship much faster than expected. That means they can afford to take some massive swings in the draft, and they did just that.

Topic is the best point guard in this class but he fell to No. 12 because of a partially torn ACL. Oklahoma City may have him sit out an entire season to rehab, but that turned out to be a great decision for Rookie of the Year runner-up Chet Holmgren.

The only reason the Thunder did not receive an “A” grade is because they traded into the back end of the first round and reached for Jones.

14. New York Knicks

Picks: Pacome Dadiet (No. 25), Tyler Kolek (No. 34), Kevin McCullar (No. 56)

New York bolstered its roster by adding forward Mikal Bridges and extending two-way star O.G. Anunoby ahead of the draft. There was no pressure by the time the Knicks were on the clock, and they still had an impressive draft.

I loved the roll of the dice with Dadiet — an athletic 6-8 forward with intriguing shot-creation skills — in the first round. Adding veteran playmakers Kolek and McCullar in the second round gives them a surplus of depth. 

14. Phoenix Suns

Picks: Ryan Dunn (No. 28), Oso Ighodaro (No. 40)

The Suns’ roster is handcuffed by their star trio of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal, leaving them with limited cap space and assets. That makes building through the draft vitally important, and I thought they did a great job finding instant contributors.

Dunn is the best perimeter defender in this class with shades of Pelicans forward Herb Jones. Ighodaro is a coordinated big man who can defend, handle the ball and pass. He reminds me of Warriors 2023 second-round pick Trayce Jackson-Davis, who gave Golden State impact minutes as a rookie.

15. Orlando Magic

Picks: Tristan da Silva (No. 18)

The Magic only had one pick in this draft and they needed to address a massive void for 3-point shooting. They found that in da Silva, a forward who shot 39.5 percent from 3 on nearly 300 attempts this past season.

da Silva fits Orlando’s type as a fluid 6-9 wing who can handle the ball and defend multiple positions, but he provides a 3-point presence that is scarce on the Magic’s current roster.

MORE: Tracking notable undrafted free agent signings after 2024 NBA Draft

16. Toronto Raptors

Picks: Ja’Kobe Walter (No. 19), Jonathan Mogbo (No. 31), Jamal Shead (No. 45), Ulrich Chomche (No. 57)

The Raptors needed more shooting and they got that in Walter, an athletic 19-year-old wing with a ton of upside as a shot-creator and 3-point marksman. Toronto took a physical approach in the second round, landing a beastly playmaking forward in Mogbo, a tough on-ball defender in Shead and a development project big man in Chomche.

18. Denver Nuggets

Picks: DaRon Holmes II (No. 22)

The Nuggets reportedly had their sights set on Holmes through most of the pre-draft process. They traded up to get their guy, an athletic and mobile backup center who is a lockdown and versatile defender. Denver finally found a prospect to spell Nikola Jokic’s minutes.

19. New Orleans Pelicans

Picks: Yves Missi (No. 21), Antonio Reeves (No. 47)

Veteran center Jonas Valanciunas is an unrestricted free agent, so New Orleans addressed a need with a young, energetic big man in Missi. You can never have too much perimeter shooting around a player like Zion Williamson, so taking a sniper like Reeves, who shot 44.7 percent from 3 last season at Kentucky, was a nice scoop in the second round.

20. Memphis Grizzlies

Picks: Zach Edey (No. 9), Jaylen Wells (No. 39), Cam Spencer (No. 53)

I originally gave the Edey pick one of the lowest first-round grades (C-). There were reports the Grizzlies really wanted Clingan, so they settled for the Purdue big at No. 9.

I have come around to the idea that Edey can fit in Memphis. He could slot next to Jaren Jackson Jr. for a massive frontcourt, and Edey made significant strides to improve weaknesses like his conditioning and mobility.

The Grizzlies had a decent second round, adding a shooter in Wells and a do-it-all winner in Spencer.

MORE: Why the Grizzlies drafted Zach Edey higher than expected

21. Boston Celtics

Picks: Baylor Scheierman (No. 30), Anton Watson (No. 56)

The Celtics nailed their first-round pick. Scheierman perfectly fits head coach Joe Mazzulla’s system as a versatile scorer who can shoot the 3, create his own shot, pass the ball and rebound at a high level. He serves as a potential option to fill Sam Hauser’s minutes if Boston can’t retain him in free agency after the 2024-25 season.

I’m surprised the Celtics didn’t try to go younger with its second-round pick, though. Watson is a long and versatile defender but there aren’t any rotation spots immediately available and he’s a 23-year-old fifth-year senior.

MORE: How the Celtics’ championship exemplifies sacrifice and Boston pride

22. Atlanta Hawks

Picks: Zaccharie Risacher (No. 1), Nikola Djurisic (No. 43)

It’s uncommon that you see the team with the No. 1 overall pick this low but I can’t help but think the Hawks missed on this selection.

With the entire draft pool at its disposal, Atlanta selected a streaky shooter whose success will be reliant on his ability to knock down perimeter shots. He still needs to improve as a shot-creator to become a primary scoring option and even if he has the tools to be a good defender, he’s not there yet.

23. Charlotte Hornets

Picks: Tijdane Salaun (No. 6), KJ Simpson (No. 42)

The Hornets reached for Salaun at No. 6, even considering his potential as an athletic 6-9 floor-spacing forward. His potential is undeniable and the fit could be strong if he pans out, but I’d be surprised if they couldn’t have traded back and still landed their guy.

Simpson was an awesome second-round pick. He’s a competitive playmaker who can fight for backup guard minutes.

24. Dallas Mavericks

Picks: Melvin Ajinca (No. 51)

The Mavericks took a long-term prospect with their lone second-round pick, and I see the vision. Dallas realized it’s best to surround Luka Doncic with athletic wings who can shoot, and Ajinca is a 19-year-old, 6-7 lefty with 3-and-D potential.

25. Cleveland Cavaliers

Picks: Jaylon Tyson (No. 20)

The Cavaliers had one first-round pick. Even though I like Tyson as a prospect, I don’t love his fit in Cleveland.

The 6-6 point forward is a versatile playmaker who can fill a variety of roles, but with ball-handlers in Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell and Caris LeVert, an athletic wing defender would have made more sense. There were better options still on the board.

26. LA Clippers

Picks: Cam Christie (No. 46)

The Clippers only had one pick and went with a development project in Christie, the brother of Lakers wing Max Christie. There is no denying that the 18-year-old has potential as a shooter, but there were better players on the board who could have potentially helped LA’s pursuit of a title sooner.

27. Indiana Pacers

Picks: Johnny Furphy (No. 35), Tristen Newton (No. 49), Enrique Freeman (No. 50)

The Pacers had three second-round picks and selected forwards with each of them. Furphy was good value at No. 35 as a 6-8 shooter, but he’s far from ready to contribute. I liked the Newton pick as a toolsy playmaker and defender, but taking Freeman after him was questionable because neither player can really shoot.

28. Golden State Warriors

Picks: Quinten Post (No. 52)

The Warriors bought their way into the late second round and selected Post, a 7-footer from Boston College. Post is a solid rim protector who can shoot, but I don’t believe he fits in with Golden State’s style of play.

29. Milwaukee Bucks

Picks: AJ Johnson (No. 23), Tyler Smith (No. 33)

The Bucks made one of the most confounding picks in the draft when it selected Johnson — a 6-4, 167-pound wing — with the No. 23 overall pick. Johnson has tremendous potential as a 19-year-old scorer, but for an aging team with a closing championship window, it made zero sense.

Milwaukee made up for it a little bit with a solid second-round pick in Smith, a 6-11 floor-stretching forward.

30. Brooklyn Nets

Picks: Brooklyn did not have a pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.