NBA Draft Grades 2015: Final Results and Team-by-Team Letter Chart
The single best selection in the 2015 NBA draft was the Miami Heat's pick of Justise Winslow at No. 10. The Heat not only got a player who could have gone as high as No. 4 to the New York Knicks, but they also solidified one heck of a six-man rotation for next season—provided they retain two key free agents.
Dwyane Wade and Goran Dragic will apparently test free-agent waters this summer. Should both of them return, the Heat will have Dragic and Wade in the backcourt, Luol Deng and the returning Chris Bosh at the forwards and the suddenly elite Hassan Whiteside in the middle.
Winslow is set up to be a super-sub who can provide depth behind Wade or Deng. At 6'7" with a body chiseled and ready for the NBA grind, Winslow's game is reminiscent of the Chicago Bulls' Jimmy Butler. He's a much better shooter than Butler was as a rookie, but the defense-first approach and athleticism are comparable.
Winslow talked about his selection in the video below from the NBA:
The Heat also did an excellent job tabbing Josh Richardson in the second round. He's yet another wing who can provide depth. Richardson is a scorer who can do damage from the inside and outside. He can also be a terror on defense. Along with averaging 16 points per game and shooting 36 percent from beyond the arc, he collected 2.1 steals per contest.
With those two selections, the Heat earned an A grade for their draft haul. Here's a look at every selection from Thursday's draft and a letter grade for every team except the Los Angeles Clippers, who didn't have a pick in the draft and didn't make any trades.
| Minnesota Timberwolves | A- | Karl-Anthony Towns at No. 1 |
| Los Angeles Lakers | A+ | D'Angelo Russell at No. 2 |
| Philadelphia 76ers | D- | Jahlil Okafor at No. 3 |
| New York Knicks | D | Trading for No. 19 Pick, Jerian Grant |
| Orlando Magic | A+ | Mario Hezonja at No. 5 |
| Sacramento Kings | C- | Willie Cauley-Stein at No. 6 |
| Denver Nuggets | A- | Emmanuel Mudiay at No. 7 |
| Detroit Pistons | B- | Darrun Hilliard at No. 38 |
| Charlotte Hornets | B- | Frank Kaminsky at No. 9 |
| Miami Heat | A+ | Justise Winslow at No. 10 |
| Indiana Pacers | C- | Myles Turner at No. 11 |
| Utah Jazz | C+ | Trey Lyles at No. 12 |
| Phoenix Suns | B+ | Devin Booker at No. 13 |
| Oklahoma City Thunder | A- | Cameron Payne at No. 14 |
| Atlanta Hawks | D- | Marcus Eriksson at No. 50 |
| Boston Celtics | B | Jordan Mickey at No. 33 |
| Houston Rockets | B+ | Sam Dekker at No. 18 |
| Washington Wizards | B- | Trading for No. 15 Kelly Oubre |
| Toronto Raptors | B | Delon Wright at No. 20 |
| Dallas Mavericks | C+ | Justin Anderson at No. 21 |
| Chicago Bulls | A+ | Bobby Portis at No. 22 |
| Portland Trail Blazers | B+ | Rondae Hollis-Jefferson at No. 23 |
| Cleveland Cavaliers | C- | Trading for Rakeem Christmas at No. 36 |
| Memphis Grizzlies | C+ | Jarell Martin at No. 25 |
| San Antonio Spurs | B- | Nikola Milutinov at No. 26 |
| Brooklyn Nets | B+ | Pat Connaughton at No. 41 |
| Golden State Warriors | B+ | Kevon Looney at No. 30 |
| New Orleans Pelicans | B- | Branden Dawson at No. 56 |
| Los Angeles Clippers | N/A | No Picks or Trades |
| Team | Grade | Best Pick/Move |
Worst Pick of the Draft
The Philadelphia 76ers' selection of Jahlil Okafor was odd because the team has now spent its last three early lottery selections on centers.
It was also questionable for the New York Knicks to take Kristaps Porzingis at No. 4. He may become a star, but he's two years away from making a significant impact. With a 31-year-old star like Carmelo Anthony, the Knicks need to be in win-now mode. With Emmanuel Mudiay, Winslow and Mario Hezonja still on the board, picking the raw Latvian doesn't scream that the team has a sense of urgency.
Still, both of those picks were more understandable than the Boston Celtics taking Terry Rozier at No. 16. Rozier is a shooting guard in a point guard's body. Those guys can find a role in the NBA for sure, but don't the Celtics already have a guy like that in Isaiah Thomas?
Per ESPN.com's Marc Stein, the C's were reportedly willing to move Marcus Smart—last year's lottery selection—to move up in this year's draft:
That would have cleared some space in the backcourt. Smart could still be moved, but that nonetheless leaves Boston with two gadget guys at the same position.
Prediction for Rookie of the Year
Winslow was a great pick, as was Hezonja at No. 5 to the Orlando Magic and Karl-Anthony Towns at No. 1 to the Minnesota Timberwolves. But the Los Angeles Lakers got the kid with the most superstar potential in D'Angelo Russell.
He's my pick to win Rookie of the Year.
There might be some questions as to where Russell fits with incumbent point guard Jordan Clarkson and even future Hall of Famer Kobe Bryant, but one thing is for sure: Russell's offensive prowess will mandate he spends a good amount of time on the floor.
He made 41 percent of his threes last season in college, averaged 19 points and dished five assists per game. He's supremely confident, and he has the presence to not only coexist with Bryant, but to earn his respect as well. Barring injury, Russell should be collecting some hardware at season's end, and the Lakers might be returning to the playoffs.
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