NBA Draft Results 2015: Review of Every Team's Grades for Rounds 1-2

One player. It only takes one player to change an NBA franchise for the better part of a decade. And this year's draft, in particular, felt like it had several players who could alter organizations.

So where did the top players end up? Who graded out most favorably? What were the biggest moments of the night?

Let's break it down.

Selections

Grades

Team	Grade	Analysis
Minnesota Timberwolves	A+	Karl-Anthony Towns has a huge upside, and he's the athletic, dynamic rim-protector this team needed. Packaging the No. 31 and 36 picks in a trade with Cleveland to land Tyus Jones gives the T-Wolves great Ricky Rubio insurance and another playmaker in the backcourt.
Los Angeles Lakers	A	D'Angelo Russell gives the team a potential star in the backcourt to learn from and eventually replace Kobe Bryant. His selection also suggests the Lakers feel they can nab a franchise big through free agency. Larry Nance Jr. will offer versatility at forward.
Philadelphia 76ers	B+	Even with Nerlens Noel and Joel Embiid on the roster, Jahlil Okafor was the right pick and gives the team the offensive centerpiece it needs. The Sixers couldn't pass on him, but it's a bit surprising they didn't try to move back into the first round given all of the second-round and future picks they hold. That was a disappointment, especially in a draft with a lot of talent throughout the first round.
New York Knicks	B	The Knicks seemed to be of two minds in this draft. On one hand, Kristaps Porzingis might be the best player from this draft in five years, but he isn't going to help the team return to the playoffs next year. On the other hand, swinging a trade to land Jerian Grant gives the team a player who should make an impact right away. In both cases, the Knicks landed solid picks. But the vision seemed a bit contradictory here.
Orlando Magic	B+	Mario Hezonja is a high-risk, high-reward pick. He has the athleticism, scoring ability and swagger the team needed. He was worth the gamble.
Sacramento Kings	A-	Willie Cauley-Stein really was the perfect pick here. He's either the rim-protector who perfectly pairs with DeMarcus Cousins, or he gives the team a Cousins replacement if the Kings choose to trade him. Either way, this pick made a ton of sense.
Denver Nuggets	B+	When a top talent like Emmanuel Mudiay falls to you, well, you nab him. He's a bit raw and a risk, and his jump shot—or lack thereof—is a concern. But he also brings elite athleticism to the table.
Detroit Pistons	B-	Stanley Johnson fills a need, but Justise Winslow would have filled that same need and has more upside than Johnson. It was a bit curious that the Pistons went with Johnson over Winslow. Darrun Hilliard II was a reach at No. 38.
Charlotte Hornets	C	The Hornets really love drafting big men from the Big Ten, though that strategy hasn’t exactly paid dividends to this point. Kaminsky will be an instant contributor, but it's questionable whether he's the right fit, and better players were on the board.
Miami Heat	A+	To get a player of Winslow's ability at No. 10—when he feasibly could have been a top-five selection—is the steal of the draft. Winslow can instantly contribute given his defense and ability to run the floor, and he's likely the long-term replacement for Dwyane Wade. If he improves his jump shot, he'll be a star.
Indiana Pacers	C-	Myles Turner doesn't really fit a need unless the Pacers move Roy Hibbert, and he's the sort of player who will need time to develop. That's probably not ideal on a roster with a lot of veteran talent. Curious pick from Indiana. Joseph Young was a nice get in the second round.
Utah Jazz	C	Trey Lyles is a nice player, but does he make sense in Utah? That's the issue here.
Phoenix Suns	B	All of your Kentucky guards belong to us. OK, that's not exactly how the famous Internet meme goes, but it's basically the mantra in Phoenix after the team added Devin Booker to pair with Eric Bledsoe in the backcourt. Booker is a great shooter and should make an instant impact.
Oklahoma City Thunder	B	Cameron Payne gives them some insurance behind Russell Westbrook and more backcourt depth. Dakari Johnson in the second round adds frontcourt depth. Nothing flashy from the Thunder, but logical picks.
Atlanta Hawks	C-	So after a bunch of wheeling and dealing, the Hawks turned the No. 15 pick into Tim Hardaway Jr. and two future second-round picks. Ho hum. Tough to be too excited about those moves for Atlanta, though perhaps they liked that Hardaway could contribute right away.
Boston Celtics	C+	The Celtics had an interesting draft. With a lot of picks, they seemed candidates to move up but never could pull it off. Terry Rozier seemed like a reach, while R.J. Hunter and Jordan Mickey were solid values. With all of the bigs the Sixers have and all of the guards the Celtics possess, could the two teams make a deal?
Milwaukee Bucks	B	Milwaukee turned its second-rounder this year and a 2017 first-round pick into Greivis Vasquez, so that was a solid move that will help a quality young roster immediately. Rashad Vaughn gives the Bucks scoring on the perimeter, which was a need. It was a nice evening for the Bucks.
Houston Rockets	B+	The Rockets got really solid value in Sam Dekker and Montrezl Harrell, both players who can contribute immediately. No contender helped itself in the immediate future as much as Houston.
Washington Wizards	B+	Kelly Oubre Jr. is a project, but he's a project with explosive upside. It's exciting to imagine him alongside John Wall and Bradley Beal in a few years.
Toronto Raptors	B-	The Raptors added guard depth with Delon Wright, who will contribute immediately and improve the team defensively. Not a flashy pick, but a smart one.
Dallas Mavericks	B	Justin Anderson is a solid shooter from range, and he plays defense. In other words, he's just what Dallas needed.
Chicago Bulls	B+	The Bulls had bigger needs, but Bobby Portis was way too good of a value to pass on. The Bulls deserve credit for simply taking the best player on the board, and one who will contribute immediately.
Portland Trail Blazers	B-	Well, the Blazers have their LaMarcus Aldridge backup plan in Mason Plumlee after trading for him on Thursday night. Landing Pat Connaughton in the deal was a nice consolation, as he'll play defense and hit shots from range.
Cleveland Cavaliers	B	Cedi Osman and Rakeem Christmas were pretty good values. Of course, the only thing that really matters in Cleveland right now is Kevin Love's next move.
Memphis Grizzlies	C	Jarell Martin gives the team another big man, though it really could use more scorers. A curious pick, though if Marc Gasol departs, it will make more sense.
San Antonio Spurs	B	You don't need to know anything about Nikola Milutinov to know that giving this pick anything less than a "B" will make you look like an idiot in five years.
Brooklyn Nets	B+	Rondae Hollis-Jefferson came over in the Plumlee deal, and he's the sort of player who will do all of the little things to help a team win. If he improves offensively, look out. Chris McCullough was a solid pick at No. 29
Golden State Warriors	B+	Nabbing Kevon Looney at No. 30 was fantastic value. Could be a steal if his hip issues aren't serious.
New Orleans Pelicans	N/A	No picks.
Los Angeles Clippers	B-	You could do worse than a Michigan State guy like Branden Dawson with your lone pick in the second round.

All trade info via ESPN.

Top Moments

Los Angeles Lakers Go With D'Angelo Russell; Philadelphia 76ers Take Jahlil Okafor

And Knicks fans introduce their palms to their foreheads. 

While everyone expected Karl-Anthony Towns to go No. 1, the real mystery coming into Thursday night was what the Lakers would do at No. 2. They surprised some folks by going with Russell, the guard with a ton of upside, over Okafor, the polished big man. 

There are probably a few reasons why the Lakers went with Russell. For one, they may believe he has more upside. General manager Mitch Kupchak basically said as much, per the team's official Twitter account:

For another, they can address their void on the block in free agency, with a lot of talented big men available. 

But it's also curious that the team would pass on a franchise cornerstone at center. In the short term, it's questionable just how well Kobe Bryant and Russell will coexist. Both are players accustomed to dominating the ball and being a team's top scorer. While Russell will obviously defer to Bryant, it's fair to question if doing so will stymie Russell's development somewhat.

On the other hand, the chance to pick Bryant's brain—he's a basketball genius—and observe his work ethic can only help Russell. It was an interesting moment, to say the least.

And it set up the Sixers to select their third first-round center in the past three years. Sure, Joel Embiid hasn't seen the court yet and might not this year, either. Sure, Nerlens Noel may grow into the power forward position given his athleticism and should protect Okafor defensively this season.

Still, the Sixers had huge needs on the wing and at guard, and once again, the board didn't fall their way. They had to take Okafor—he was far and away the top talent available—but much like last year, when they seemingly preferred Andrew Wiggins and Jabari Parker to Embiid, things didn't go their way.

New York Knicks Select Kristaps Porzingis

In many ways, this was the smartest possible pick the Knicks could have made. Pretty much any player outside of Frank Kaminsky or Willie Cauley-Stein would have been risky here, and the former was a reach who wouldn't help the team offensively, while the latter is a defensive specialist who wouldn't offer much offense. 

Mario Hezonja? He has a ton of upside, but Porzingis has more. Emmanuel Mudiay? He's a bit of a project who would have been exciting but has to polish his game before he becomes an impact player. Justise Winslow? He would have made a difference on defense immediately, but like Mudiay, he needs some polish. 

Any way you slice it, the Knicks were likely to draft a bit of a project here. So why not select the project with the most upside and ability?

Porzingis may not become an elite player for another three to five years, but if he hits, well, he has the makings of the best European prospect since Dirk Nowitzki. The Knicks fans may have been clamoring for Jahlil Okafor, but Porzingis could end up being one heck of a consolation prize.

Justise Winslow Slides to No. 10 for the Miami Heat

For a team that will be expected to make a run in the Eastern Conference next season, nabbing Winslow was the best possible scenario. 

Assuming both Dwyane Wade and Goran Dragic return—and Chris Bosh continues to thrive with LeBron James in Cleveland and can stay healthy—Winslow will step in and immediately help this team. He won't be expected to be a primary scorer, taking some pressure off his shoulders, while his defense, ability to drive to the basket and athleticism on the break will make him a valuable asset in the near future. 

And in the more distant future, he looks like the perfect replacement for Wade.

You can make a strong argument that Winslow was the most important piece in Duke's run to a national championship. You can also make the argument he had top-five talent in this draft. Now, you can make a very compelling argument that he was the steal of this draft.