The 2022 NBA Draft is here, but its mysteries have not been solved yet. The mock drafts are submitted, some consensuses have been formed and the fan overreactions already are starting.
Who ends up being the best of our expected top three, Paolo, Chet or Jabari? How will Jaden Ivey handles lead guard duties if asked? Will AJ Griffin can find his best form again. Can Keegan Murray score in the NBA like he did in college? What about defend?
We won’t find the answers to those questions tonight, but CBS Sports NBA Draft analysts Gary Parrish and Kyle Boone are here to grade the values that teams extract from their picks as the night goes on. Follow along here and watch our NBA Draft coverage for free all night on CBS Sports HQ here and in the video player on this page.
2022 NBA Draft First Round
Grades by Gary Parrish
1. Orlando Magic: PF Paolo Banchero, Duke
Even though I would have taken Chet Holmgren, I can’t say it’s wrong to take Banchero. I think he’s going to be the most impactful player right from the jump and the favorite to win Rookie of the Year. This is sensible, if surprising. He’s a big, strong and skilled forward who could be an incredible building block in Orlando. Grade: A
2. Oklahoma City Thunder: C Chet Holmgren, Gonzaga
The concerns about Holmgren’s slight frame are legitimate — but he’s such a unique prospect with incredible potential that he’s the right pick here. This 7-foot rim-protector who can also bounce it like a guard and reliably make 3-pointers. He has the highest ceiling in this draft and, for that reason, should go no lower than here. Grade: A+
3. Houston Rockets: PF Jabari Smith, Auburn
For much of the draft process, Smith was assumed to be the No. 1 overall pick. And in a class with three high-level big men prospects, Smith became an easy pick when he slipped to third overall. Smith still needs to develop in lots of ways but is already a great shooter and switchable defender who plays with undeniable energy and fits nicely with Jalen Green. Grade: A+
4. Sacramento Kings: PF Keegan Murray, Iowa
I like Murray, but it’s not what I would have done. I would have taken Jaden Ivey. But he made it crystal clear he didn’t want to be there. I don’t think that is enough to explain not taking him, but I do understand where the Kings were going with this move. Murray was a tremendous player this season — the second-best college basketball player in the country. Grade: B
5. Detroit Pistons: SG Jaden Ivey, Purdue
Ivey is an explosive athlete who plays big and is capable of attacking the rim in a variety of ways. Comparisons to Ja Morant don’t really add up for Ivey, but he’s an outstanding player nonetheless. There are questions about whether he’s actually going to be a point guard in the NBA, but now he’s paired with Cade Cunningham, a natural distributor. Grade: A+
6. Indiana Pacers: SG Bennedict Mathurin, Arizona
More than any other projected lottery pick, Mathurin is the one whose stock I raised the most after evaluating him compared to what I thought during the season. You dive in, and what is not to like? He’s a 6-6 athletic wing who can do a lot of things and has All-Star potential. Grade: A
7. Portland Trail Blazers: SG Shaedon Sharpe, Kentucky
This pick is interesting because it seems with the Jerami Grant trade that the Blazers are trying to get good now. And Sharpe is an interesting fit from that perspective. But few players in this class have higher ceilings than him. He’s an explosive scorer with ridiculous size for the wing and athleticism, and he could one day be a plus defender with those tools. He’s just likely not ready to do that right away after not playing last season at Kentucky. Grade: B+
8. New Orleans Pelicans (from Lakers): SG Dyson Daniels, G League
Daniels isn’t quite the prospect previous Ignite stars have been but is still a fascinating guard with size who can play with or without the ball. His jumper, at this point, is the biggest area of concern, but if the Pelicans can get that falling, he has a high ceiling. And this Pelicans team is very close to being a legitimate contender — though a lot of that falls on Zion Williamson. Daniels fits really nicely into that core as arguably the best perimeter defender in this draft. Grade: A+
9. San Antonio Spurs
10. Washington Wizards
11. New York Knicks
12. Oklahoma City Thunder (via Clippers)
13. Charlotte Hornets
14. Cleveland Cavaliers
15. Charlotte Hornets (via Pelicans)
16. Atlanta Hawks
17. Houston Rockets (via Nets)
18. Chicago Bulls
19. Minnesota Timberwolves
20. San Antonio Spurs (from Raptors)
21. Denver Nuggets
22. Memphis Grizzlies (from Jazz)
23. Philadelphia 76ers
24. Milwaukee Bucks
25. San Antonio Spurs (from Celtics)
26. Houston Rockets (from Mavericks)
27. Miami Heat
28. Golden State Warriors
29. Memphis Grizzlies
30. Denver Nuggets (from Suns via Thunder)
2022 NBA Draft Second Round
Grades by Kyle Boone
31. Indiana Pacers (from Rockets via Cavaliers)
32. Orlando Magic
33. Toronto Raptors (from Pistons via Spurs, Wizards and Bulls)
34. Oklahoma City Thunder
35. Los Angeles Lakers (from Pacers via Bucks and Magic)
36. Detroit Pistons (from Blazers)
37. Sacramento Kings
38. San Antonio Spurs (from Lakers via Bulls and Wizards)
39. Cleveland Cavaliers (from Spurs via Jazz)
40. Minnesota Timberwolves (from Wizards via Cavaliers)
41. New Orleans Pelicans
42. New York Knicks
43. Los Angeles Clippers
44. Atlanta Hawks
45. Charlotte Hornets
46. Portland Trail Blazers (from Nets via Pistons)
47. Memphis Grizzlies (from Cavaliers via Pelicans and Hawks)
48. Minnesota Timberwolves
49. Cleveland Cavaliers (from Bulls via Grizzlies, Pistons and Kings)
50. Minnesota Timberwolves (from Nuggets via 76ers)
51. Golden State Warriors (from Raptors via 76ers)
52. New Orleans Pelicans (from Jazz)
53. Boston Celtics
54. Washington Wizards (from Mavericks)
55. Golden State Warriors
56. Cleveland Cavaliers (from Heat via Pacers)
57. Portland Trail Blazers (from Grizzlies via Jazz)
58. Indiana Pacers (from Suns)
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