The first night of the 2024 NBA Draft is over. The second round will happen on Thursday, but the big moves are in the books and are fair game to be judged.
There were some teams that made out well on draft night. Others made some head-scratching moves.
Here are the big winners and losers from an action-packed Wednesday night.
MORE: Live results and analysis for every pick
NBA Draft 2024 winners
Zaccharie Risacher, Hawks
Well, somebody had to go No. 1 in this class. It was Risacher who got the honors.
This was the first draft in a while where the top of the draft was so heavily in doubt. Risacher, Alexandre Sarr, Donovan Clingan and Reed Sheppard were all in the mix.
The Hawks went with the safe pick in Rischer. He doesn’t have much shot creation yet, but he projects to be a good 3-and-D wing with great positional size. Everyone needs that Nicolas Batum type of player. He may not have the upside of some of these other prospects and probably won’t end up as the best guy in this draft, but he will be a good starter for the Hawks for many years.
MORE: Why there was no consensus on who should be the top pick in the 2024 draft
Wizards
Sarr was considered by many to have the highest upside in this class. The Wizards got him with the No. 2 pick, drafting a big who can anchor their defense.
Sarr has great mobility on the perimeter and good shot blocking, but his offensive skill level is somewhat of a question mark. His jumper has been up and down, and he hasn’t been a plus creator.
This was a good swing on upside, though.
Timberwolves
The Wolves shocked everyone by trading for Rob Dillingham with the No. 8 pick in the draft, giving up their 2031 first-round pick and a 2030 swap.
Dillingham is a very young player at age 19, and he will have to contribute immediately to a great team. But his ability to score makes a lot of sense for a Minnesota team that was leaning way too heavily on Anthony Edwards to do everything.
Dillingham’s got great speed and shooting. The Wolves needed someone behind Mike Conley. The Kentucky guard should fit that role well.
Zach Edey
Nobody saw their draft stock fluctuate as much as Edey this season. He was considered a fringe second-round prospect at the start of the year but saw his name as high as No. 9 in various mock drafts. (Our draft expert Kyle Irving had Edey at No. 21 in his mock draft.)
Edey eventually did land at that No. 9 spot, going to the Grizzlies. His future in the league is going to be one of the most interesting questions going forward. He was a dominant college player, but how will his post-ups and lack of footspeed translate going forward?
Fit is going to be crucial to his success. This looks like a nice landing spot for him. He can be utilized in a backup role, pounding second units with his size and elite offensive rebounding while having some great defenders around him. And his pick-and-roll attack with Ja Morant should be a lot of fun.
MORE: Ranking the top 60 prospects in the 2024 draft
Lakers
The Lakers came into the draft needing some scoring and shooting. They got a steal in taking Dalton Knecht at No. 17.
Knecht was a lottery-grade talent and a walking bucket at the college level. He’s a great dunker and shot 39.7 from 3. He was also deadly from the midrange and a good movement shooter who should work well with head coach JJ Redick.
The Lakers needed an NBA-ready player, and Knecht was the best one in this draft. They probably didn’t expect that he would still be there. It was a great win for them.
Trail Blazers
The Blazers kicked off the action an hour before the draft by acquiring Deni Avdija from the Wizards in exchange for Malcolm Brogdon, the No. 14 pick in the 2024 draft and their own 2029 pick.
It was a bit of an odd trade given that the Blazers don’t project to be a playoff team next year, but Avdija is about to start a great four-year, $55 million deal and is only 23 years old. He had a breakout season for the Wizards while no one was watching, turning into a good wing defender and 37.4 percent 3-point shooter.
This trade also takes the Blazers out of the tax, saving them a ton of money. Two first-round picks was a high price to pay, but Avdija is a nice wing who might be able to return more than that down the line.
MORE: Mikal Bridges trade grades
Ron Holland
There were some whispers before the night started that Holland was in danger of slipping. Instead, he rose to No. 5, getting picked by a new Pistons regime.
Holland didn’t shoot it well in the G League, but he has high potential. He’s a bucket-getter who has nice court vision and plays tough defense. His shooting is going to be his swing skill.
It was a bold move from Trajan Langdon and a sign that the Pistons are aiming big.
NBA Draft 2024 losers
Nikola Topic
Topic very well could end up being the best player in this draft. He suffered a partially torn ACL at the very worst time, hampering his stock.
Prior to that injury, Topic was the guy in this class with some of the most juice to get to the basket. He was a draft darling from the amateur scouting community, ranking near the top of many boards. (Our Kyle Irving had Topic as his No. 2 prospect). His jumper hasn’t been great, but he will have a chance to work with legendary shooting coach Chip Engelland.
The Thunder have been shrewd drafters, and they may have gotten a steal by taking Topic 11th. It was a bad fall for Topic but a great landing spot in an organization with a reputation for superb player development.
MORE: Final 2024 NBA Mock Draft from TSN expert Kyle Irving
Matas Buzelis
Buzelis was mocked No. 5 by our Kyle Irving. He fell all the way down to No. 11, getting taken by his hometown Bulls.
The fit for the Bulls is strange. They already have a dearth of shooting in their lineup, and Buzelis hit only 26 percent of his 3s and 70 percent from the free throw line last season for the Ignite. Nobody played particularly well on that team, though.
Buzelis did show some surprisingly good rim protection, and he had the potential to be thought of as a candidate to go No. 1 before the season started. This is an upside swing on a local kid. He will have a lot of opportunity to prove everyone wrong.
Jake Fischer
Being an NBA news breaker is hard. Fischer has carved out a reputation as the People’s Insider for his willingness to give the fans the rumors that they desperately seek. But it was a tough night for the Yahoo reporter.
First, he incorrectly reported a trade between the Grizzlies and Hornets that would have had Memphis moving up to No. 6. He followed that mistake up by reporting that the Heat were taking Jared McCain with the 15th pick. In actuality, they took Kel’el Ware.
Fischer responded in frustration, tweeting: “It’s f—ing Ware. I’m so sorry y’all.” It was a funny and human moment.