2022 NBA Redraft: Paolo Banchero remains the No. 1 pick in a first-round re-do
The 2022 NBA rookie class had some strong moments on the court as some players proved why they were so highly touted entering the league last season.
The group, overall, proved to be perhaps deeper than expected as several players had crucial roles for their respective teams. Meanwhile, there were others who struggled to log significant playing time or make a big impact for a variety of reasons.
As a result, some teams are still very happy with their picks from a year ago and wouldn’t change anything. Conversely, there are other teams that would likely welcome a do-over and go in a different direction with their selections from last year.
With that in mind, we took a look at the players and redrafted the class based on what we know after one season. Other factors, such as potential on the court and long-term outlook, were also considered in this early look back at the class.
Orlando Magic: Paolo Banchero
Original Team Pick: Paolo Banchero
Original Player Draft Position: 1st
The Rookie of the Year was the top first-year player throughout the entire season. He came out of the gate on fire, joining LeBron James and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the only No. 1 picks since the 1969-70 season to record at least 25 points, five rebounds and five assists in a debut.
Banchero continued that momentum each time he stopped on the court and rarely looked like a rookie. He emerged as the leading scorer on the Magic, posting 20 points per game, and solidified himself as a franchise cornerstone moving forward.
Oklahoma City Thunder: Chet Holmgren
Original Team Pick: Chet Holmgren
Original Player Draft Position: 2nd
Despite sitting out the season due to a foot injury, Holmgren would likely still be the second player off of the board in a redraft. He has perhaps as much potential as any player in the class and should be in store for a strong rookie campaign.
He is already back out on the court and recently turned in a strong summer league run, averaging 16.5 points, 9.8 rebounds, 3.5 blocks, two assists and one steal in four games. With Holmgren back, the Thunder look poised to take another step forward next season.
Houston Rockets: Jalen Williams
Original Team Pick: Jabari Smith Jr.
Original Player Draft Position: 12th
Williams, who finished as the Rookie of the Year runner-up, takes a massive leap up from his original draft position after a sensational year. He started off a bit slow but eventually settled in and emerged as a key player for the Thunder.
When it was all said and done, Williams recorded averages of 14.1 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.4 steals on 35.6% shooting from 3-point range. He finished fourth in scoring, fourth in field goals and first in steals among all rookies.
The emergence of Williams further strengthened the Thunder’s young core, which already features Shai Gilegous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren, Josh Giddey, Lu Dort, Tre Mann and others. Williams has the potential to be one of the top players in this class.
Sacramento Kings: Keegan Murray
Original Team Pick: Keegan Murray
Original Player Draft Position: 4th
Murray was named to the All-Rookie first team after averaging 12.2 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.2 assists on 41.1% shooting from 3-point range in 80 games. He set the rookie record for 3s in a season (206) and was a major piece for the Kings as they broke their playoff drought.
Simply put: Murray had a very productive year. He still has plenty of room to grow and can be even better next year and beyond. Based on his first year and potential to improve, we have Murray here over the likes of Jaden Ivey, Jabari Smith Jr. and others.
Detroit Pistons: Jabari Smith Jr.
Original Team Pick: Jaden Ivey
Original Player Draft Position: 3rd
Smith entered last year projected to be the top pick following a tremendous year at Auburn. The story of him slipping to the Rockets at No. 3 is well-documented but it would be hard to imagine him falling much further than here in a redraft.
He had a solid year, in which he was named to the All-Rookie second team, but still struggled in some areas, namely shooting, which is one of his strengths. It is hard to imagine those woes lingering much longer given his overall ability and work ethic.
Smith certainly came out on fire in summer league and, rightfully, looked to be one of the top players on the court. He still has plenty of potential to unlock and it will be curious to see how Ime Udoka can tap into that next season.
Indiana Pacers: Bennedict Mathurin
Original Team Pick: Bennedict Mathurin
Original Player Draft Position: 6
The path to get here was a bit different than what happened but the Pacers still end up with Mathurin in our redraft. He was named to the All-Rookie first team after averaging 16.7 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.5 assists on 43.4% shooting from the field.
Mathurin finished second in scoring and established himself as a player who can get buckets when needed. He had multiple 30-point games and flourished at getting to the free-throw line with 5.8 attempts per game; he was one of 11 rookies to average five attempts per game since 2010.
We have Mathurin a bit higher than most in this exercise but believe the former Arizona standout has the potential to be one of the best players from this class when it is all said and done. He is certainly off to a good start after one year.
Portland Trail Blazers: Shaedon Sharpe
Original Team Pick: Shaedon Sharpe
Original Player Draft Position: 7th
The Trail Blazers retain Sharpe in this re-do of the 2022 NBA draft.
He is viewed as a franchise cornerstone moving forward and has even been off-limits in potential trade conversations in the past. For a player that was a relative unknown after not playing in college, Sharpe has captivated audiences when on the court.
Sharpe missed out on placing on an All-Rookie team but that isn’t an indictment on his season. He started off a bit slow but eventually found himself and began to adjust to his role, especially as a starter toward the end of the year.
He started the last 10 games of the season and averaged 23.7 points, 6.1 rebounds and 4.1 assists after the change. Suffice it to say that Sharpe settled in and really started to flash his overall potential. There is a scenario in which Sharpe could be listed even higher in a future redraft.
New Orleans Pelicans: Jaden Ivey
Original Team Pick: Dyson Daniels
Original Player Draft Position: 5th
Ivey sliding from fifth down to eighth in this redraft isn’t a knock on his ability but rather the emergence of a couple of players ahead of him. He still emerged as one of the top guards in the class and earned a place on the All-Rookie second team, as a result.
He took on a much larger role than likely anticipated once Cade Cunningham went down with his injury. He wasn’t nearly as efficient as he would have liked to have been but still showed promise as a guard who can create for himself and others after leading all rookies in assists.
With some additional development, Ivey will have plenty of chances to correct his efficiency and outside shot. The arrival of Monty Williams could also pay off in a huge way for him next season.
San Antonio Spurs: Jeremy Sochan
Original Team Pick: Jeremy Sochan
Original Player Draft Position: 9th
Sochan lands with the Spurs in a redraft after establishing himself as a versatile player last season. He earned All-Rookie second-team honors after averaging 11 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 2.5 assists on 45.3% shooting from the field in 56 games.
The former Baylor standout has the potential to develop into one of the top two-way players in the league. Just read this statement from Gregg Popovich in January:
He’s wild. He’s doing whatever he wants. I just love watching him. It’s kinda like watching Manu (Ginobili) when we first got him — I have no idea what he’s gonna do. He guards 5s. He brings it up and plays point when Tre (Jones) is out of the game.
The quote from Popovich perfectly sums up the type of player Sochan is and what he provides on a nightly basis. If he adds a consistent jump shot, Sochan could become one of the most dangerous players in the league on both sides of the ball.
Washington Wizards: Walker Kessler
Original Team Pick: Johnny Davis
Original Player Draft Position: 22nd
Walker produced a tremendous year with the Jazz and ultimately finished third in the Rookie of the Year voting; he even received two first-place votes in the final tally.
The 22nd pick averaged 9.2 points, 8.4 rebounds and 2.3 blocks on 72% shooting from the field in 74 games. He led all rookies in total rebounds (620) and blocks (173) and finished fourth among all players in the league in that category.
He emerged as a great rim-protector, something that is rather rare for a first-year player. He continued to make adjustments throughout the year to stay on the court, such as defending without fouling and staying down on block attempts, which ultimately allowed him to log more minutes.
Kessler turned quite a bit of heads last season and played a key role in helping the Jazz exceed expectations. He will now put his talent on display with Team USA in the upcoming FIBA Basketball World Cup.
Oklahoma City Thunder: Tari Eason
Original Team Pick: Ousmane Dieng
Original Player Draft Position: 17
Eason had an incredible year and did so in a bit of a limited role.
He played in every game, averaging 9.3 points, six rebounds, 1.2 steals and 1.1 assists in 21.5 minutes. Despite logging just over 20 minutes per game, Eason was named to the All-Rookie second team, earning 43 second-team votes and two first-team votes.
Rockets fans likely agree that Eason was underutilized last season and could have made even more of an impact on the court. It will be worth monitoring how his role will change under Ime Udoka, but the franchise looks to have a cornerstone in Eason.
Oklahoma City Thunder: Andrew Nembhard
Original Team Pick: Jalen Williams
Original Player Draft Position: 31st
Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle would likely be happy to see this ranking for Nembhard. The two-time champion had an infamous quote last season in which he deemed Nembhard a top-15 pick in a redraft.
I’ve been saying that down the line when HoopsHype does their redraft of the 2022 draft, he’d be a top-15 pick. I’m elevating that to the top 10. He really is a special player. Our basketball people — Kevin Pritchard, Chad Buchanon, Kelly (Krauskopf) and Ted (Wu) — just hit it out of the park with him. This guy has got amazing poise. He is strong. He is old-school but new-school. He is special.
The 31st pick turned in a tremendous campaign with the Pacers, averaging 9.5 points, 4.5 assists and 2.7 rebounds in 75 appearances. He missed out on the All-Rookie second team by two votes and was even voted the biggest steal of the draft by a panel of writers and columnists.
Teams often need a bit of luck to find draft picks that can fit into their system and perform well when called upon and the Pacers have absolutely found that of late. It is among the reasons why the future looks bright in Indy.
Detroit Pistons: Jalen Duren
Original Team Pick: Jalen Duren
Original Player Draft Position: 13th
Duren lands with the Pistons again in this redraft. There is a case to be made that Duren outperformed this slot so we wouldn’t be surprised if he goes higher after another year or two.
He was named to the All-Rookie second team after averaging 9.1 points, 8.9 rebounds and 1.1 assists on 64.8% shooting from the field. He led the rookie class in rebounding and was second in double-doubles (19). He was fifth in the NBA in offensive rebounding (3.4).
Duren was a physical specimen on the court already in his first year and often had his way down in the paint. He earned some comparisons to a younger Dwight Howard because of his size and ability and the 19-year-old backed it up on the court.
Cleveland Cavaliers: AJ Griffin
Original Team Pick: Ochai Agbaji
Original Player Draft Position: 16th
Griffin participated in the NBA Rising Stars game after averaging 8.9 points, 2.1 rebounds and one assist on 39% shooting from 3-point range. He had some good stretches with the Hawks and proved himself as a shooter and defender. He even hit two game-winning shots.
His role changed a bit once Quin Snyder was named head coach on Feb. 26 as the team prioritized minutes for its veteran players. He has tremendous value on the team and it stands to reason that Snyder will be able to find a role for him next season.
Charlotte Hornets: Mark Williams
Original Team Pick: Mark Williams
Original Player Draft Position: 15th
Knowing what we know now, the Hornets would likely keep Williams in a redraft. It took much of the season to see what Williams could do but the former Duke standout really emerged once he entered the rotation late in the year.
Williams spent much of the first half of the year in the G League and dominated. He eventually joined the Hornets in late December and was inserted into the starting lineup by the end of February. In 17 games as a starter, Williams averaged 11.6 points and 9.8 rebounds.
He can provide the Hornets with a level of rim protection they didn’t previously have. He can also rebound with the best of them and work efficiently in the paint. Williams, in Year 2, should be fun to watch.
Atlanta Hawks: Jaden Hardy
Original Team Pick: AJ Griffin
Original Player Draft Position: 37th
Hardy was projected to be a first-round pick last year and was even among the players invited to attend the draft in the green room. Of course, he ultimately fell to the Mavericks at 37 and emerged as a steal. While he was mostly out of the rotation, Hardy flashed his scoring potential in spurts and showed that he should have been a first-rounder. He should be in store for a larger role next season after a year under his belt.
Houston Rockets: Dyson Daniels
Original Team Pick: Tari Eason
Original Player Draft Position: 8th
Daniels may have dropped down nine spots but the former G League Ignite guard still showed why the Pelicans took him with the eighth pick. He was known as a defender entering the draft and dazzled on that end of the floor in his limited role. He still has plenty of room to grow, especially on offense, but the team liked what it got from him and believes he has a bright future ahead.
Chicago Bulls: Christian Braun
Original Team Pick: Dalen Terry
Original Player Draft Position: 21
Braun jumps up a few spots after a tremendous year with the Nuggets. He played a key role for the team off the bench en route to its first championship. He served as the perfect complimentary piece on a team with so many veterans and starred in his role on a nightly basis. The argument can be made that the Nuggets don’t win the title without the contributions of Braun. It is rare that can be said about a first-year player.
Memphis Grizzlies: MarJon Beauchamp
Original Team Pick: Jake LaRavia
Original Player Draft Position: 24th
Beauchamp was another player who found himself in a bit of a minutes crunch as the rookie on a championship-caliber team. He earned some spot starts throughout the season with the Bucks and performed well in those minutes, including a 19-point, eight-rebound effort on Nov. 9. He has had the luxury of learning from Giannis Antetokounmpo this season and is using his advice to better himself on and off the court. Beauchamp recently exploded for 83 points in the Crawsover Pro-Am and looks to be ready for Year 2.
San Antonio Spurs: Malaki Branham
Original Team Pick: Malaki Branham
Original Player Draft Position: 20th
Branham had a slow start to the year but eventually found playing time and emerged as a key player late for head coach Gregg Popovich. He even led all rookies in scoring during the month of February with 16.8 points per game. Branham certainly showed his scoring capabilities as the season went on and will be looking to continue that momentum next year.
Denver Nuggets: Ochai Agbaji
Original Team Pick: Christian Braun
Original Player Draft Position: 14th
Agbaji falls a bit in our first-round re-do but the 14th pick has the potential to emerge as a contributor with the Jazz. He spent much of the year in the G League but eventually put together a nice stretch after the All-Star break, averaging 13.5 points, 2.7 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 22 games, including 20 starts. The team was happy with his progress throughout the year and is eager to see what he can do as a sophomore.
Minnesota Timberwolves: Jaylin Williams
Original Team Pick: Walker Kessler
Original Player Draft Position: 34th
Williams took a massive jump up after a strong year with the Thunder. He was brought on a bit slowly, and spent time in the G League, but emerged as a good contributor off the bench. He can affect games in a variety of ways and is just a spark plug of energy when called upon. Williams was most commonly projected to be a mid-second-rounder last year but absolutely performed as a first-round pick and should have been taken much higher than 34.
Memphis Grizzlies: Ousmane Dieng
Original Team Pick: David Roddy
Original Player Draft Position: 11th
Dieng spent much of the year in the G League before getting a bigger opportunity with the Thunder after March. The team often likes to have some of its rookies play a few stints in the G League before letting them loose in the NBA and Dieng certainly benefitted from his time with the Blue. There is a lot to like about his game and, with some more development, it likely won’t be too much longer before he is a regular contributor with the Thunder.
Milwaukee Bucks: Blake Wesley
Original Team Pick: MarJon Beauchamo
Original Player Draft Position: 25th
Wesley was among three first-round picks last season with the Spurs. He missed some time due to injury but eventually emerged as a contributor in late January. He proved a dynamic scorer between his shooting and ability to get downhill and finish at the rim. The 20-year-old still needs some more development but has shown flashes of what he can bring nightly.
San Antonio Spurs: Johnny Davis
Original Team Pick: Blake Wesley
Original Player Draft Position: 10th
Davis had a tough rookie year. He spent the year in the G League and even struggled some with the Go-Go. Prior to March, he only had 13 appearances with the Wizards but then they finally let him play extended minutes. Davis averaged 9.8 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.7 assists over the last 15 games of the season. He scored in double figures in each of the last six games, including two 20-point efforts. That stint likely helped him build his confidence going into the offseason as the 10th pick will look to have a better outing in Year 2.
Minnesota Timberwolves: Patrick Baldwin Jr.
Original Team Pick: Wendell Moore Jr.
Original Player Draft Position: 28th
Baldwin finished with 28 appearances last season with the Warriors. He couldn’t crack the rotation on a playoff team, and spent a good part of the year in the G League, but that could change now after being moved to Washington, where he could see a bigger role.
Miami Heat: Nikola Jovic
Original Team Pick: Nikola Jovic
Original Player Draft Position: 27th
Based on the options still on the board, the Heat would likely take Jokic again in a do-over. He had some good moments and proved a player who can contribute in a variety of ways. With things influx in Miami, we’ll see what his future holds.
Golden State Warriors: Max Christie
Original Team Pick: Patrick Baldwin Jr.
Original Player Draft Position: 35th
Christie has shown some promise in his limited time on the court as a shooter and defender. He is fresh off a strong run in summer league and looks to be progressing in his development. We’ll see if that leads to a larger role for him next year on the Lakers.
Houston Rockets: David Roddy
Original Team Pick: TyTy Washington Jr.
Original Player Draft Position: 23rd
Roddy had some nice moments with the Grizzlies and showed off his passing and scoring ability throughout the year. Memphis loves his versatility and believes he can continue to make an impact.
Denver Nuggets: Peyton Watson
Original Team Pick: Peyton Watson
Original Player Draft Position: 30th
The Nuggets would likely keep Watson as their choice at this stage of the draft. Though he played sparingly, logging only 186 minutes, the team likes what he can bring to the court. With some key departures from their championship squad, Watson seems poised to have a larger role next year.
