One of the golden rules of the NBA draft is to think long and hard before making a fit-based selection. Team supplies can be filled with freehand veterans. In the draft, it’s wiser for teams to look for the best player available, regardless of position or circumstances, given how young players typically take a long time to develop and how quickly NBA rosters can change.
Of course, drafting the “best available player” is a strategy that only works when there’s a big gap between available talent. I had Purdue guard Jaden Ivey at #3 and Auburn forward Jabari Smith Jr. at #4 on my big board, but the Rockets would never call up another minor guard in Ivey if they already have one on the list with Jalen Green , last year’s number 2 overall. Smith was a much better fit and was close enough in terms of overall talent that Houston still got an A for draft night picks from us.
Our draft grades and draft night winners and losers were largely determined by which teams we felt landed the best players available. But we didn’t want to give up the fit entirely. Here are our eight favorite fits from Draft Night.
Keegan Murray to the Kings
Murray to the Kings was probably our least popular first-round pick. Sacramento has not made the NBA playoffs since 2006. They need star power more than anything, but still opted to pass Jaden Ivey – clearly the best player on the board – in favor of Murray in 4th place, it certainly feels that way latest in the long line of King design bugswell we have to admit that murray is a good fit for the squad today.
The Kings went all-in in the De’Aaron Fox-Domantas Sabonis pairing last year when they traded Tyrese Haliburton for the former Pacers big man at the close of trade. We didn’t like the deal for Sacramento at the time, but at least it set a direction for the franchise with clear franchise pillars. Murray is the kind of pick that can complement the kings’ top two players. He can be an excellent transition scorer with Fox. With his impressive shooting ability, he can spread the ground around Saboni’s high post touches. Put Murray alongside Harrison Barnes and the Kings suddenly have two big forwards who can shoot it around Fox and Sabonis.
We see the vision, Sacramento. It just requires Fox to endure a massive year of recovery after a disappointing campaign last season. We would have taken Ivey and flipped Fox in one trade. The Kings opted to continue doubling their current roster. At this point the kings really should be due for a good draft pick, so let’s hope Murray is just that.
Christian Braun on the nuggets
The Nuggets will look very different next season than the team we just saw in the playoffs. The expected return of Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. from injury gives the Nuggets a championship cap around two-time MVP Nikola Jokic. Denver simply needs to fill out the list of complementary talents, and the selection of Kansas wing Christian Braun seems a great fit on paper.
Braun won a national championship in Kansas in April and checks almost every box Denver needs from a fifth option. He’s a good size for a wing at 6’6, shot 38 percent from three in his three-year collegiate career, and has the athleticism to attack close-outs and make switching plays. Perhaps more than anything else, Braun is an extremely fiery competitor who will bring a raw emotional edge to a Denver team led by a very balanced Kiel superstar in Jokic. This was a nice combination of both fit and best players available, making it one of our favorite picks of the draft.
Dyson Daniels to the Pelicans
The pelicans feel like they are about to do something big. New Orleans gave league-best Phoenix Suns a tough first-round run last year despite Zion Williamson missing all season with a foot injury. With Williamson set to return, the Pelicans have dreams of making a deep run in the postseason. Picking Dyson Daniels 8th overall can help them with that.
Daniels is a tall 6’8 guard who will make his money on defense. His size, speed and tenacity in attack should be a huge advantage for a New Orleans team that will have a couple of poor defenders in Williamson and CJ McCollum playing vital minutes. Daniels should also make an impression on the Pelicans with his quick ball movements and overall positive passing ability. The swing factor for Daniels has always been his three-point shot, and the Pelicans happen to have the league’s top shooting coach in Fred Vinson.
When Daniels becomes an able three-point shooter, it’s easy to see that he’ll have similar value later on to someone like Marcus Smart. That would be an important addition to an already excellent young core in New Orleans.
Jaden Hardy to the Mavericks
Hardy was considered one of the top five recruits to graduate from high school and was expected to be drafted first overall when he signed with the G League Ignite instead of going to college. Unfortunately, Hardy got off to a slow start in the G-League, posting disappointing goal efficiency figures as he went cold early from three and struggled to attack the poorly spaced basket around him. The 6’4 guard eventually figured it out and got better and better throughout the season, but he somehow still slipped into the second round.
While going into round two would have been an unthinkable result for Hardy earlier in the season, it feels like he ultimately ended up in the best possible spot with the Dallas Mavericks. Hardy is the kind of combo guard built to outplay a bigger initiator, and the Mavs have arguably the best player in the world for that in Luka Doncic. Hardy can clear the ground, attack closeouts and not worry about making passables on every possession since Doncic does the heavy lifting as a playmaker. Hardy would likely have been a top-10 pick had he opted to sit out the season like Shaedon Sharpe, but he will be able to make up lost money on his second contract if he shines alongside Doncic. His microwave scoring ability feels like a perfect Dallas fit.
Mark Williams to the Hornets
Mark Williams for the Hornets was the easiest draft choice to project. The Hornets had a clear need down the middle, and most thought Williams would still be on the board if Charlotte clocked No. 13 or No. 15.
We favored Jalen Duren over Williams for his added versatility at both ends, but Charlotte relinquished his rights to the Pistons when they got on the clock in 13th place. Williams was still waiting there at No. 15, where they picked him up to run alongside LaMelo Ball and Co.
If trading the rights to No. 13 helps the Hornets retain Miles Bridge’s restricted free agent, we can see the vision of trading the Duren pick. Williams feels like a hand-in-glove that fits Charlotte when you factor in his length (7’7 wingspan), engine, shot blocking skills and catching radius on lobs off the ball. We would still have preferred majors, but Williams should also be a good fit.
Patrick Baldwin Jr. to the warriors
Like Hardy, Baldwin was another top-five recruit whose draft shares plummeted after a terrible freshman season in Milwaukee. The Golden State Warriors finally ended Baldwin’s slide by picking him up with the No. 28, and it really does feel like there couldn’t be a better landing spot for him to develop.
Baldwin’s freshman year was ruined by an ankle injury that has now lasted for two years. Golden State doesn’t have to contribute him right away and will give him time to fully recover before speaking. Baldwin’s height (6’10.5) and shooting ability will be outstanding for a Warriors system built on distance and ball movement. Golden State offers Baldwin a rare opportunity to take a medical redshirt when he needs one, before showing the talent that made him a top contender from the moment he got into high school.
Read our feature on Baldwin’s rise and fall as a top draft pick from earlier this month.
Jabari Smith Jr., Tari Eason and TyTy Washington to the Rockets
The Rockets never expected Jabari Smith Jr. to still be on the board when they finished 3rd overall. While Houston may have some regrets for missing out on Paolo Banchero, Smith himself is an excellent prospect and fits in beautifully with what the Rockets are building. Houston matched the Smith even better with his other two first-round picks by landing Tari Eason and TyTy Washington later in the draft.
Smith gives the Rocket incredible three-point shots and impressive defense as a 6’10 forward. He’ll make room for Jalen Green’s drives to the basket and help the backline cover up Green’s shaky defense. Meanwhile, Eason is a huge slasher and buzzsaw defender who fits into lineups cleanly with Green and Smith’s distanced shooting skills. Washington is a mid-range, oversized assassin for a point guard who should be able to outplay all three.
Smith’s landing instead of Banchero also suits Alperen Şengün better, a non-shooting five-pointer who still has plenty of offensive talent. The Rockets suddenly have a great collection of young talent that all seem to be a good fit.
Jaden Ivey and Jalen Duren to the Pistons
We’re saving the best for last. No one had a better draft night than the Pistons, who picked Purdue guard Jaden Ivey in the 5th pick and made a trade to land Memphis center Jalen Duren in the 13th pick. We both had prospects ranked as the top 5 players on our Big Board, and each fits seamlessly alongside Cade Cunningham, last year’s No. 1 overall.
Cunningham is a great creator who can shoot and defend, but he’s not the best at running and jumping. That’s where Ivey comes in. Ivey offers breathtaking speed and an absurd combination of jumping and agility. He can provide an extra boost of rim pressure around Cunningham’s more aware play. Meanwhile, Duren will be a great lob threat for Cunningham to face alley-oops. Duren is also a versatile defender, providing the Pistons with some serious rim protection while Ivey revs up on the defensive end.
The Pistons have perhaps the best young core in the NBA right now. They are the biggest winners of draft night.
