The NBA is a wild place.
Last week, this column focused on Bradley Beal and his skillset. I wrote about potential landing spots too, but it did not mention the Phoenix Suns in it once, rather mentioning the Heat, Bucks, Kings, and Knicks. Even when the Suns were named as a finalist for Beal, people had doubts if they could actually get him.
It seemed like the Celtics were going to get Kristaps Porzingis in a three-team trade along with the Clippers and Wizards. Then, it seemed like it wasn’t going to happen. Then, it happened with the Grizzlies instead of the Clippers. Oh, and Marcus Smart of all people is headed to Memphis. Just a wild, wild league.
With all of this player movement via trades and additions via the draft, Digits will be emulating ESPN’s Zach Lowe’s 10 things, where he writes about storylines and developments across the league and says whether he likes them or not. With that said, here’s our takes:
Like: The Detroit Pistons had a great draft.
- Amen Thompson and Marcus Sasser, welcome to Detroit. If you asked me the one thing that I believed that the Pistons had to upgrade next to the star future backcourt of Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivey, I would say point of attack defense. Boy, did the Pistons do that, as both Thompson and Sasser both can bring the defensive tenacity that the Pistons will need for the next decade with the core backcourt of Cunningham and Ivey. Additionally, it’s not like Thompson and Sasser don’t bring offensive games. Thompson is a slasher with hopeful shooting upside who is also a good playmaker. Sasser can attack off the catch and also is a good shooter. Having Thompson as potentially the third perimeter option for the next decade is simply insane.
Don’t Like: The Oklahoma City Thunder have a lot of guards.
- First things first, I love Cason Wallace as a prospect. He was certainly deserving of being a top 10 pick in the NBA draft, and I love his upside as one of the better two-way players in the league. With that said, that guard room in OKC is getting quite crowded: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Josh Giddey, Jalen Williams, Lu Dort, and now Wallace. It feels like someone -- perhaps Dort -- may be expendable at some point. I personally would have just loved to see Wallace in a situation where he could be the starter earlier in his career, but we will have to settle for him being the best defensive guard off the bench in the NBA, perhaps.
Like: Kristaps Porzingis to Boston is amazing.
- Giving up Marcus Smart sucks, but Porzingis is really good. There was a case for him to be an All-Star last season, as he was quietly one of the league’s most efficient players: 23.2 points per game on 62.7 TS%. He is versatile offensively, too. He can spot up, be a roller, popper, a low-post option, or a mid-post option. In addition, he was a monster rim protector last year for the Wizards, returning to his Knicks level on that end of the floor. Adding Porzingis gives the Boston offense more fire power, and it also adds even more interior defense. Losing Smart hurts for their perimeter defense, but let’s not forget that they still have Derrick White, who was better than Smart last year.
Don’t Like: The entire Chris Paul to Golden State thing isn’t appealing.
- There’s two parts to this that I don’t like. Firstly, the package that the Warriors gave up for a 38-year-old Chris Paul is wild. Jordan Poole’s contract wasn’t appealing, I understand, but to give up the 24-year-old Poole, plus a first and a second, for Paul is just a lot. Yes, the Warriors probably had to pick one between Poole and Draymond Green, who they are attempting to re-sign, but there had to have been a better deal than giving up all of this for Paul. The second part that I’m not sure I like is the fit. To start things off, Paul is going to be coming off the bench, and I don’t know how much he’s going to like that. Secondly, the Warriors are very movement heavy, while Paul isn’t very much of a movement player and prefers pick-and-rolls. Maybe I’m wrong about the fit, but I’m excited to see if the Warriors can figure this out.
Like: The Washington Wizards finally have a direction.
- The Wizards were in NBA hell -- mediocrity -- for way too long. I’m just happy that they have finally committed to a full rebuild by trading Beal and Porzingis. They know that they have to lose, and now they won’t be stuck with a pick in the latter half of the lottery. Now it’s about drafting well, finding pieces, and getting back to winning. Quite frankly, this is going to be a tough rebuild for them, as they didn’t get too many assets back for Beal and Porzingis. They honestly should have started this rebuild a year earlier in anticipation of the 2023 draft class and Victor Wembanyama, but now must suffice. Jordan Poole, Bilal Coulibaly, Daniel Gafford, Deni Avdija, Johnny Davis, and Corey Kispert should be a fun all 24-years-old or under group to watch, although they may not win many games.
Don’t Like: These Malcolm Brogdon health concerns sound quite bad.
- It was reported that the reason for the original Kristaps Porzingis trade (the three-team one with the Clippers instead of the Grizzlies) was because of the Clippers’ distaste for Malcolm Brogdon’s medical concerns. Brogdon is an awesome offensive player when healthy, and if he can stay healthy, he can be a legitimate piece to a contender. With that said, he’s only played over 60 games twice in the last six seasons (2018-19 and 2022-23). It may be difficult for Boston to get off of Brogdon because of this, so they are going to need to focus on keeping him healthy. Check out this stat:
https://twitter.com/CharlieSpungin/status/1670819462247772160?s=20
Like: The Houston Rockets were the #1 winner of the NBA Draft.
- Imagine if I told you 12 hours before the NBA Draft that the Houston Rockets would get both Amen Thompson and Cam Whitmore without making a singular trade. That’s what happened. Thompson is what some scouts say is the best athlete they have ever seen, and he also brings elite slashing and playmaking to the Rockets. Whitmore, who fell because of medical concerns and not great interviews (largely because he has been described as an introvert), was my #6 ranked prospect. When you look at him as a player and with the upside he has on both ends of the floor, you can’t pass on him at pick #20. The athletic combination of these two, plus a guy like Jalen Green, should make the Rockets such a fun watch. Expect some highlights out of Houston.
Don’t Like: Brandon Miller shouldn’t have been drafted over Scoot Henderson.
- This definitely isn’t something you haven’t read yet. I’m not the first person to write this. Firstly, don’t get me wrong: Brandon Miller is a really good prospect. He is really good for the modern NBA with his shot making and shot creation with his height. The kid is going to be really good. With that said, Scoot Henderson is just better. His athletic upside and ability to get downhill is just absurd, unlike most prospects ever. I expect both players to thrive in their situations, but it feels like Charlotte should have gone with Scoot Henderson.
Like: Marcus Smart’s fit in Memphis is quite outstanding.
- Some may see giving up Tyus Jones and two late first-round picks for Smart as too much. Maybe that’s true, but I think Smart is just so perfect in Memphis that it shouldn’t matter. They have found their Dillon Brooks replacement defensively, as they now have the past two Defensive Player of the Year winners on their roster (Jaren Jacckson Jr. in addition to Smart). Smart will bring more offense and playmaking than Brooks did, too. Furthermore, Smart’s leadership should be huge for the Grizzlies. Smart has been to the later rounds of the playoffs, and hopefully he can also keep Ja Morant in check. He needs to try to help keep Ja on the basketball court because let’s be honest: Ja is wasting his potential if he doesn’t get it together.
Don’t Like: A team needs to pick up Chase Audige.
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Right after the draft ends, news is coming out everywhere of where undrafted free agents are signing. One name that wasn’t announced and hasn’t found a spot the next morning is Northwestern’s Chase Audige. Audige was named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year last season for a reason; he is an amazing defender. He has what it takes to become an elite defender in the NBA at 6’4 and 200 pounds. He moves great laterally, navigates screens perfectly, and in addition, he has offensive upside. He can shown flashes of creation for himself and others, albeit not completely consistently. He was a huge part of why Northwestern made its second March Madness ever. The Atlanta Hawks were rumored to be a destination for Audige before the draft, so perhaps he ends up there. Time will tell, but he needs to be picked up.
Charlie Spungin , NBA Analyst