By , Aaron Torres
Published June 24, 2016
The 2016 NBA Draft has come to an end, but now the fun part begins: figuring out who helped their team going forward, and who will be in the same position next year.
With that, it's time to reveal our FOXSports.com 2016 NBA Draft grades.
Please note that some grades involve trades that aren't official yet. So players are on the teams they're expected to go to, not the ones they were drafted by.
Atlanta Hawks:
Round 1: Taurean Prince, F, Baylor (No. 12 overall) (*via Utah); DeAndre Bembry, SF, St. Joseph's (21)
Round 2: Isaia Cordinier, SG, France (44)
Grade: B
As we learned in their series with the Cavs, the Hawks are still a long way from being competitive with the top team in the East, and it could get worse if Al Horford leaves during free agency.
To Atlanta's credit, however, it used its two first-round picks on guys who can contribute right away. That is no small feat in a draft with as little depth as this one.
Cordinier is an athletic guard who could be a nice fit in the long-term.
Boston Celtics
Round 1: Jaylen Brown, SF, California (3); Guerschon Yabusele, PF, France (16); Ante Zizic, C, Croatia (23)
Round 2: Demetrius Jackson, PG, Notre Dame (45); Ben Bentil, PF, Providence (51); Abdel Nader, PF, Iowa State (58)
Grade: A+
My goodness did Boston have a great night.
The Celtics used the third pick on arguably the third-best player in this draft (Brown), who also happens to fill an immediate need for them (wing scoring). Yabusele should be able to develop into a physical presence down low, and Zizic might be the second-best "true" international prospect in this draft behind only Dragan Bender. He'll need time, but could develop into a big-time rotation player.
What put Boston over the top, however, was adding two first-round-caliber talents (Jackson and Bentil) in the second round. Jackson specifically might be the steal of the draft, as an ultra-quick guard who averaged 18 points at Notre Dame and tested off the charts at the Combine.
I'm not sure how Danny Ainge did it, but he got five guys who could one day be rotation players in Boston.
Brooklyn Nets
Round 1: Caris LeVert, SG, Michigan (20) (*via Indiana)
Round 2: Isaiah Whitehead, SG, Seton Hall (42) (*via Utah)
Grade: C-
When you're as bad as the Brooklyn Nets are, you simply need good players, and at the very least, that's exactly what LeVert and Whitehead are.
Still, these selections feel weird.
LaVert is a first-round talent who couldn't stay healthy throughout his college career, and probably could have been acquired in the second round. Meanwhile Whitehead is a local legend who is staying at home to play in Brooklyn, which isn't necessarily a good thing.
Charlotte Hornets
Round 1: N/A
Round 2: N/A
Grade: N/A
With Nic Batum and Courtney Lee both hitting free agency, the Hornets needed perimeter scoring, and decided that trading for Marco Bellineli was a better alternative than drafting an unproven college player.
Hard to argue with their logic here.
Chicago Bulls
Round 1: Denzel Valentine, SF, Michigan State (14)
Round 2: Paul Zipser, SF, Germany (48)
Grade: B+
With Derrick Rose now a Knick, how you feel about the Bulls' draft really depends on whether you believe Valentine can step into Rose's shoes as a primary playmaker or not.
I do, and think this is a flat-out steal for the Bulls.
Valentine isn't a traditional point guard, but is a playmaker in every sense of the word, a guy who can handle the ball, pass and rebound well for his size. There's a reason he was the National Player of the Year this season.
As long as Valentine can stay healthy (which isn't a given), he should have a long and productive career in the NBA.
Cleveland Cavaliers
Round 1: N/A
Round 2: Kay Felder, PG, Oakland (54) (*via Atlanta)
Grade: A+
Felder could be a nice replacement in the Cavs' rotation if Matthew Dellavedova leaves -- or is forced to leave -- during free agency.
At the same time, let's be honest: They get an A+ because they're the NBA champions, and for Cleveland, the best move will be to make as few moves as possible.
Take your shirt off, J.R. Smith, and enjoy this one!
Detroit Pistons
Round 1: Henry Ellenson, PF, Marquette (18)
Round 2: Michael Gbinije, SF, Syracuse (49)
Grade: B+
The Pistons had no real needs in this draft (their biggest priority is developing their young, exciting core), so more power to them for going out and getting two players who eventually could be contributors on their roster.
Ellenson specifically could be a big get, as a versatile big man (with nice offensive game) off the bench. Considering he was projected as a late lottery pick, Detroit could have done a lot worse at No. 18.
Indiana Pacers
Round 1: N/A
Round 2: Georges Niang, SF, Iowa State (50)
Grade: B
All the Pacers' big moves came pre-draft when they acquired Jeff Teague and Thaddeus Young, so it's hard to really evaluate them here.
In terms of their draft, well, Indiana wants to play faster under Nate McMillan, and the one thing Niang can do is get buckets.
Playing defense, on the other hand, is another story altogether.
Miami Heat
Round 1: N/A
Round 2: N/A
Grade: N/A
No picks = No grade.
Serious question, do you think Pat Riley even watched the draft Thursday night? Or just hung out on a yacht in Biscayne Bay drinking wine all night?
Milwaukee Bucks
Round 1: Thon Maker, PF, Australia (10)
Round 2: Malcolm Brogdon, SG, Virginia (36)
Grade: D+
There's no other way to put it: The selection of Maker wasn't just the most confusing of the night, but one of the most befuddling in recent memory.
Just to completely wrap our heads around it, here's what you need to know about the selection: Milwaukee used a top-10 pick on a player who's never played past high school (and didn't dominate while there), reportedly could be much older than the 19 he's listed as, and likely could have been acquired either later in the first round or in the second. I just don't get it.
Brogdon is a solid second-round addition, but it's still hard to focus on him when Maker went 26 spots ahead of him.
New York Knicks
Round 1: N/A
Round 2: N/A
Grade: N/A
Technically this gets an "N/A" but credit the Knicks for this: There are few guys with superstar potential in this league, and they used draft week to go out and get one.
Will Derrick Rose ever return to his MVP form? Who knows. But there's also no doubt that New York is better today than 72 hours ago.
Orlando Magic
Round 1: N/A
Round 2: Steven Zimmerman, C, UNLV (41)
Grade: B
It's hard to blame Orlando for trading its first-round pick, Domantas Sabonis, after drafting him at No. 11 since: 1) He netted them Serge Ibaka, and 2) They had no true needs, other than developing the guys they already have on their roster.
Additionally, it's hard not to like their second-round selection of Zimmerman, a guy with lottery talent who could become a solid rotation player.
Philadelphia 76ers
Round 1: Ben Simmons, PF, LSU (1); Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot, SF, France (24); Furkan Korkmaz, SG, Turkey (26)
Round 2: N/A
Grade: A+
I know we're supposed to be critical of all things 76ers, but in one man's humble opinion, they nailed this draft.
Not only did they get the best player available (Simmons), but also added an athletic running mate on the wing (Luwawu) and arguably the best shooter not named Jamal Murray or Buddy Hield in this draft (Korkmaz). Many mock drafts had him going in the mid-teens, so getting him 10 spots later was a steal.
Add these three to the core big guys Philly already has, and for the first time in a long time, the 76ers could be really interesting.
Toronto Raptors
Round 1: Jakob Poeltl, C, Utah (9); Pascal Siakam, PF, New Mexico State (27)
Round 2: N/A
Grade: A-
With the almost certain departure of Bismack Biyombo in free agency, the Raptors needed front court depth, and they got it with these two picks.
While Poeltl is a different player altogether from Biyombo, he should come in and be able to provide offense from Day 1.
Siakam meanwhile eventually could take on more of a Biyombo role as an "energy and hustle" guy, after averaging almost 12 boards a game in college last year.
Washington Wizards
Round 1: N/A
Round 2: N/A
Grade: N/A
Easy night for Scotty Brooks and Co. and quiet week overall.
Our hunch is Washington is more concerned with the guys it has on its roster than adding any new ones.
Dallas Mavericks
Round 1: N/A
Round 2: A.J. Hammons, C, Purdue (46)
Grade: C
Frankly, it's hard to know what the heck the plan is in Dallas, in both the present and the future. Because of that, it's also hard to fairly grade the Mavs' draft, but in doing so, well, it ain't pretty.
The Mavs' only selection was Hammons, a decent center prospect, but one whose size (7-0) and lack of athleticism don't play well in the modern NBA.
Frankly, I'd be stunned to see Hammons on the Mavs' roster within three years. He'll be lucky to make it to opening night.
Denver Nuggets
Round 1: Jamal Murray, PG, Kentucky (7); Juan Hernangomez, PF, Spain (15); Malik Beasley, SG, Florida State (19)
Round 2: Petr Cornelie, PF, France (53)
Grade: A-
This draft doesn't necessarily look sexy on paper, but just wait until next winter: The Nuggets will be one of the more fun, young teams in the NBA to watch.
In terms of the pieces, Murray and Beasley will make for good, young running mates with Emmanuel Mudiay. Frankly (as John Calipari said earlier this week), I wouldn't be surprised to see Murray lead all rookies in scoring.
Hernangomez is the prototypical modern NBA four, a guy who can attack the rim, and also step out and hit jumpers.
Golden State Warriors
Round 1: Damian Jones, C, Vanderbilt (30)
Round 2: Patrick McCaw, SG, UNLV (38) (*via Milwaukee)
Grade: A
Love, love, love this draft from Golden State.
With both Festus Ezeli and Marreese Speights hitting free agency, the Warriors need to replenish their front-court., When you add Jones with last year's first round pick Kevon Looney, Golden State has done that. Jones specifically could be a steal; a guy who is athletic enough to run with the "Splash Brothers" and physical enough to bang down low with the likes of San Antonio and Oklahoma City.
The fact that Golden State acquired a McCaw, a defensive-minded guard who thrives in the open court only added to the appeal of this draft.
Only Boston had a better night than the Warriors.
Houston Rockets
Round 1: N/A
Round 2: Chinanu Onuaku, C, Louisville (37); Zhou Qi, PF, China (43)
Grade: C+
In theory, a guy like Onuaku --- one of the best shot blockers in college basketball last year --- should be good for a team who played as little defense as Houston did last year. The problem is, I'm not sure Onuaku will be ready to play in the NBA next year, if at all.
Add in Qi --- a player who might not come over next year, or at all --- and this draft left a lot to be desired.
Even though Houston only had two second round picks, it seems like they could have been used more effectively.
(One note: Credit to Houston for going out and signing Gary Payton II following the draft. He's the exact, tough-minded, defense-first guard they need on this roster)
Los Angeles Clippers
Round 1: Brice Johnson, PF, North Carolina (25)
Round 2: David Michineau, PG, France (39) (*via New Orleans); Diamond Stone, C, Maryland (40) (*via New Orleans);
Grade: A-
While all the pre-draft talk focused on adding perimeter scoring (with the possibility that Jamal Crawford leaves in free agency) one of the bigger factors that wasn't discussed was adding front-court depth behind DeAndre Jordan and Blake Griffin.
Well, the Clippers did that in spades in this draft, and the pick of Johnson is especially impressive. He's a grinder who doesn't care how many points he scores, the exact kind of player the Clippers need.
As for Stone, he's a first round talent, with a second round attitude. But if the Clippers can keep him in line, he could be a solid rotation player for years to come.
GM Doc Rivers helped out Coach Doc Rivers big-time Thursday night.
Los Angeles Lakers
Round 1: Brandon Ingram, SF, Duke (2)
Round 2: Ivica Zubac, C, Croatia (32)
Grade: A-
This was a two-player draft and the Lakers got the second best player. And while Ingram is far from a finished product, he is one more young piece for coach Luke Walton to work with.
Meanwhile Zubac is a first round talent who fell to the second round.
It was a quiet night for the Lakers, but a productive one.
Memphis Grizzlies
Round 1: Wade Baldwin, PG, Vanderbilt (17)
Round 2: Deyonta Davis, PF, Michigan State (31) (*via Boston); Rade Zagorac, SF, Serbia (35) (*via Boston); Wang Zhelin, C, China (57)
Grade: A-
This draft doesn't look flashy on paper, but it does fill the Grizzlies two biggest needs. They needed a point guard in case Mike Conley leaves in free agency and needed some front-court depth with Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph both over 30.
They got that in Baldwin and Davis, with Davis being an especially smart play.
The former Michigan State Spartan won't be ready to contribute right away. But when he is, watch out. He has the size and physicality to eventually step in and be Randolph's replacement in the paint.
Minnesota Timberwolves
Round 1: Kris Dunn, PG, Providence (5)
Round 2: N/A
Grade: B+
Nobody loves Kris Dunn more than me, but did the Wolves really need another point guard? Or would they have been better served to bring in shooting either with Jamal Murray or Buddy Hield?
To me, the answer is the latter, but at the same time, it's tough to question Tom Thibodeau's track record.
It's also time to wonder if Ricky Rubio's clock in Minnesota is ticking.
New Orleans Pelicans
Round 1: Buddy Hield, SG, Oklahoma (6)
Round 2: Cheick Diallo, PF, Kansas (33) (*via Los Angeles Clippers)
Grade: A-
The Pelicans haven't done much right since drafting Anthony Davis, but they served their superstar well on draft night.
Hield is the type of player who should be able to step in and immediately get points in the NBA, while Diallo is a hustle and energy guy who can help Davis on the boards in the long-run.
The Pelicans aren't a true contender in the West yet (or anything close) but they took a step in the right direction Thursday night.
Oklahoma City Thunder
Round 1: Domantas Sabonis, PF, Gonzaga (11) (*via Orlando)
Round 2: Daniel Hamilton, SF, Connecticut (56) (*via Denver)
Grade: A++++
I love this draft for Oklahoma City. I'd ask it to marry me if I were allowed.
The reason it's so perfect, is that by acquiring Sabonis what Oklahoma City is essentially saying is this: We believe the best way to beat the Warriors is to beat them up. And acquiring Sabonis --- one of the best volume rebounders in the draft, and a kid quick enough to defend more athletic forwards --- they have another big, athletic body to plug in, in the front court alongside Enes Kanter and Steven Adams next year.
Add in the ultra-athletic SG Victor Oladipo (acquired from Orlando) on the wing and the Thunder enter next season as the favorites out West.
(As for Hamilton: Well, I wish him luck riding buses in the D-League next year)
Phoenix Suns
Round 1: Dragan Bender, PF, Croatia (4); Marquese Chriss, PF, Washington (8) (*via Sacramento)
Round 2: Tyler Ulis, PG, Kentucky (34)
Grade: A-
It feels kind of weird to have drafted both Bender and Chriss (since their games are so similar), but maybe the Suns' plan is to grab both, and hope one turns into a legitimate NBA star (the good news is, Phoenix has no designs of winning any time soon, so both should have plenty of time to develop).
However, the reason the Suns get an "A-"though is because of their pick-up of Tyler Ulis in the second round.
Sure it plays up the moniker of the "Kentucky Suns" even further (at last count, there are now five former John Calipari players on their roster). At the same time, Ulis will bring immediate toughness and leadership to a super young team.
Even if he's only a backup, Ulis immediately makes Phoenix better simply by being in their locker room. The fact that he's best friends with budding star Devin Booker doesn't hurt either.
Portland Trailblazers
Round 1: N/A
Round 2: Jake Layman, SF, Maryland (47) (*via Orlando)
Grade: D
The Blazers had just one pick, and used it on a guy who probably won't be in the NBA for very long.
Yes, Layman was a projected first round pick coming into the year. But after watching him against elite talent at the Nike Skills Academy last summer (and in the Big Ten this year), he might want to consider getting his passport updated.
Sacramento Kings
Round 1: Georgios Papagiannis, C, Greece (13) (*via Phoenix); Malachi Richardson, SG, Syracuse (22) (*via Charlotte); Skal Labissiere, C, Kentucky (28) (*via Phoenix)
Round 2: Isaiah Cousins, SG, Oklahoma (59)
Grade: C-
This was a directionless draft for a directionless organization.
Yes, Richardson and Labissiere could develop into serviceable NBA players (Richardson could one day be a star) but that is three or four years down the road. And with DeMarcus Cousins closing in on 26-years-old, Sacramento doesn't have three or four more years to waste waiting for everyone else around Boogie to develop.
If I were Cousins, I'd walk into the owner's office and demand a trade tomorrow.
San Antonio Spurs
Round 1: DeJounte Murray, PG, Washington (29)
Round 2: N/A
Grade: A
This was just another example of the Spurs, doing Spurs-y things.
Yes, they only had one pick, but used it on the most athletic point guard in the draft and one with quite possibly the highest upside as well.
Don't be surprised to see Murray scoring 20 points in a playoff game to beat your favorite team three or four years down the road.
Utah Jazz
Round 1: N/A
Round 2: Joel Bolomboy, PF, Weber State (52); Marcus Paige, PG, UNC (55) (*via Brooklyn); Tyrone Wallace, PG, California (60)
Grade: C-
As a team which just missed the playoffs last year, the Jazz don't have a lot of needs... but at the same time, I don't see any three of these guys making their opening night roster either.
Yes, they were all second rounders, but it feels like they could have been used a bit more resourcefully.
Aaron Torres covers college hoops for FOXSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @Aaron_Torres or Facebook. E-mail him at ATorres00@gmail.com.
https://www.foxnews.com/sports/2016-nba-draft-grades-pick-by-pick-analysis-of-all-60-selections