Thoughts on the 2022 NBA Draft
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I know it has been almost a week since the draft, but with the country taking a tremendous step backward, and seeing two very good movies, today is the day I am going to talk about my NBA draft thoughts. It may seem out of date, but I have had a very good amount of time to sit and think about the draft. I'm not just going off the cuff. This isn't a rapid reaction. This isn't a grade the day following. And I have thought about this draft a good amount. I use the draft to forget about the horribleness that is our country right now.
With all that being said, the Pistons came out as big time winners from draft night. They got the guy they wanted at five in Jaden Ivey. He fits like a glove with this squad. He can be inserted at the two, next to Cade Cunnigham, from day one. He is a good slashing guard, will fix his shot and can play defense. He is also happy to be there. He was crying tears of joy. It was the best fit of the night. They also traded for the rights to Jalen Duren. He is an extremely athletic center. He will eventually stretch the court. He is a rebound machine. He can block shots. I love his addition to this young core. They got a stash project in Gabriele Procida. They can bring him along super slow and he is the prototype 6-7 wing forward combo the NBA covets right now. They also just traded for Alec Burks and Nerlens Noel. Those guys may not stay, but if they do, that is two extra vets to help out this young team. The Pistons are going to be a fun team to watch next season, and then they should, if they can coexist, become a playoff threat in the next two to three years. They nailed draft night.
I also love what the Houston Rockets did. They got Jabari Smith Jr at three. He was the consensus number one guy on everyone else's mock drafts, but he "fell" into the Rockets lap at three. They can play him right away at the five. He can shoot, defend, rebound and create shots. He and Jalen Green make for a great young duo. They also have Kevin Porter Jr and Alpernun Sengun. This is a young team loaded with potential and talent. They also got TyTy Washington in the late first to be a backup point guard, which is perfect for him to learn. They also got Tari Eason from LSU in the late teens. He is big and switchy and has a bit more experience coming in. Houston is building a team with so much talent, it just has to find a way to come together and coalesce. They have a few years ahead of them before they are true competitors, but they are going to be fun as hell to watch.
Another draft I liked was the Spurs. They got some good pieces. They got Malaki Branham and Blake Wesley in the late first round. These guys were considered lottery talent and they fell into the Spurs lap. They will get the best out of those two guys. They also had a lottery pick and took Jeremy Sochan at nine. I love this pick. He is such a Spurs guy. He is going to be one of the better players in this draft, and going to San Antonio is like a dream destination for NBA players. The Spurs made sure their "rebuild" won't take as long as other teams.
Finally, for a team I liked, the Magic got the best overall guy at number one. Paolo Banchero is a 20 ppg guy from day one. He is so gifted offensively. And adding him to a roster with Franz Wagner and Jalen Suggs is wonderful. They went out and took the best guy on the board. They also got potential in round two with Caleb Houstan. The kid can shoot, he just needs to grow up a bit. He is also barely 19. He is a young dude.
There were only a few teams that puzzled me. First off, the Knicks did some wild stuff during the draft. They traded picks for future picks. They cleared cap space. I get that they want a big name free agent, but Jalen Brunson, as much as I like him as a player, is not the "big name" guy they want to reel in. They have also traded away good vets to clear more space. Maybe that will work next season, but for this year, I don't know. I like when the Knicks are good because it is good for the NBA. But draft night was a real head scratcher.
And then we have the Kings. I mean, this just seems like this is what they do. They had two picks. They took Keegan Murray at four. He is an okay enough shooter, but I think he is what he will be. He is also a bigger guard now on a team filled with guards. This pick does absolutely nothing to move the needle for me. The Kings are just kind of stuck in the mud. They also had a decent pick in round two with Jaden Hardy, but then they traded him to Dallas. I don't even know what they got in return. It was baffling. Hardy could have helped the Kings but now he will help the Mavs. The Kings are going to Kings things on draft night I guess. I will say,
I am excited to watch these kids play next season. I watched a good amount of them play in college or in the G League and I am stoked to see how they adjust to the pros. The NBA has the best draft night coverage and this year was no different. Now we just need to get to the season.
Ty
Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet.