The 2024 NBA Draft did not feature a ton of high end prospects, but did offer teams some college experienced players who could step in and add to their rotation.

The 2024 draft saw two Frenchmen go one-two and four total drafted in round one. We also got to witness LeBron James at age 39, get to welcome his 19-year-old son to the Los Angeles Lakers. Like every year, several teams knocked the draft out of the park while others tripped at the finish line. Here is Draft Nation’s winners and losers from the 2024 NBA Draft.

Winners

Washington Wizards

I know what you are thinking- Washington?? Yeah, when you decide to strip down to the bare bones and rebuild, you must bring in young talent with upside. The Wizards did so in round one, getting Alex Sarr (Draft Nation’s No. 1 prospect) at No. 2, point guard Bub Carrington at No. 14 and grabbing shooting guard Kyshawn George at No. 24. 

Alex Sarr is a freak athlete who will be a rim protector from day one for the Wizards. He will play center, but be an active body all over the court. They get their future point guard in Bub Carrington, who has a high ceiling and will get to work through his growing pains as the Wizards rebuild. Washington added a ton of athleticism with Sarr, Carrington and George, and also the addition of Malcolm Brogden (who came over pre-draft from Portland for Devi Avdija) will help give them a veteran presence and a player who excels at defense. This team will be in the lottery next year, but the youth and athleticism they built this year gives them a fighting chance to get to the playoffs in 2026.

Los Angeles Lakers

The Los Angeles Lakers drafted small forward Dalton Knecht out of Tennessee at No. 17 when nobody expected the 23-year-old Knecht to fall out of the top 10. He fell due to his age, and the Lakers got a homerun pick in round one. Unlike Knecht, Bronny James was supposed to be there at pick 55, and the Lakers were expected to take him, which they did.

Dalton Knecht was the best scorer in the SEC and a five-year player out of Tennessee. He can play either wing and will add instant contribution to the Lakers. Knecht gives them a pure shooter who can benefit from being on the court with LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Bronny James gives NBA fans a chance to see the first father-son duo together in the NBA. Bronny will not be a player who will instantly improve the team but will add defense and a plug-and-play perimeter shooter.

San Antonio Spurs

The Spurs drafted guard Stephon Castle out of UConn who most experts considered the best guard in the draft. In the second round they brought in guard Juan Nunez and forward Harrison Ingram who both have different attributes to help the Spurs.

Castle is a perfect compliment to star center Victor Wembanyama. Castle’s defense is relentless, and will instantly make the Spurs a team nobody wants to play. Juan Nunez is a playmaking guard who can add some valuable minutes to a rotation. Harrison Ingram is a Greg Popovich kind of player who does a little bit of everything.

Miami Heat

The Miami Heat added a rim protector in Kel’el Ware to play alongside Bam Adebyo. They also added a long range shooter in Pelle Larsson who will add to the Heat’s rotation.

The Heat are a team looking to move up in the East and did a good job of adding two players who can help them right away. With Jimmy Butler, Tyler Herro and Terry Rozier in the backcourt and now Adebayo, Nikola Jovic and Ware in the frontcourt, the Heat have themselves a team that can beat you in many different ways. 

Minnesota Timberwolves

The Timberwolves traded up to No. 8 and drafted the draft’s best point guard in Rob Dillingham. At the end of the first round they got one of college’s best players in Terrance Shannon Jr.

Rob Dillingham is the perfect replacement for Mike Conley, who is on the back-nine of his career. Dillingham and Anthony Edwards should be a match made in heaven with their speed and creativity. Shannon is a 6-foot-6 guard who will be a matchup nightmare and should see rotational minutes early on.

Losers

Brooklyn Nets

The Nets had no draft picks and traded their second leading scorer from last season in Mikal Bridges. The Nets did acquire five future first round picks from the Knicks, but in an Eastern Conference that keeps getting tougher, the Nets are falling further behind.

Memphis Grizzlies

Memphis took a huge risk on 7-foot-4, 300 pound center Zach Edey at No. 9. Although Draft Nation believed Edey was a first round talent, inside the top 10 is a huge risk. His mobility and foot speed may not translate to the NBA. The Grizzlies fared a little better in the second round, drafting Jaylen Wells and Cam Spencer, who offer some perimeter shooting and potentially some minutes next year in the rotation.

Detroit Pistons

A team like Detroit that picks in the top five needs to find someone who should have little to no question marks. Detroit took Ron Holland while players such as Donovan Clingan and Rob Dillingham were still on the board. Detroit’s biggest weakness is its perimeter shooting, and Holland shot 24 percent behind the arc last year. The selection of Bobi Klintman at No. 37 is a strong pick. Klintman is 6-foot-10 and has the ability to stretch the floor and defend several positions.