Winners, losers, biggest trades and bold predictions

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The Magic had the top pick in the NBA draft. The move came as a bit of a surprise, given that the consensus around the league was that the Magic were going to pick up the option on Smith's contract.

He was the one who heard his name called first. Smith was taken by the Houston Rockets with the third overall pick. The Kings and Pistons each took a player in the first five picks.

Which of the top three picks will have the best rookies is one of the biggest draft-night revelations. What about the big deals that happened on Thursday?

The Pistons and Astros made moves before the draft. Christian Wood was traded to the Dallas Mavericks in exchange for the 26th pick. The Pistons traded Jerami Grant to Portland for a 36th and future pick.

The Pistons and Astros made more trades through the night. In one of the biggest moves of the night, Detroit acquired the Charlotte Hornets' No. 13 pick, Jalen Duren, in a three way deal that also included the New York Knicks.

The Philadelphia 76ers got in on the trade action, sending Danny Green and the 23rd pick to Memphis.

Which pre-draft or draft night trade will have the biggest effect? Which of the top three picks is the best for immediate success? Which teams didn't perform well on draft night? After 58 players heard their names called, our experts answered the biggest questions and made bold predictions.

NBA trade grades are included in the NBA trade tracker.

1. Which of the top-three picks is best suited for immediate success as a rookie?

Smith has a combination of readiness and fit. Houston doesn't need as much of a go-to guy as Banchero will be asked to create for a limitedOrlando team. Smith's long 2s will be pushed off the dribble beyond the 3-point line by the Houston team.

Andrew Lopez said that Banchero was in the frontcourt with the other two guys. The surprise No.1 pick is a power forward who can use his offensive skills. Ben Simmons has 600 points, 300 rebound and 100 assists in a season over the past 30 Division I seasons, as well as Banchero. It should fit in with the young core of the city.

The three picks have a chance to be really good, but Banchero is the clear favorite for NBA rookies of the year. He was the most NBA ready player in the class and is going to an offense-starved team in Florida. If he stays healthy, he should have the ball in his hands all the time.

He's still my answer now that he's going to Florida as the first pick, even though he would have been my answer had he gone third. The Magic have a number of backcourt players who are more effective with the ball in their hands, but Banchero is good enough to be a focal point in the half court from the beginning. He can score at all three levels, he's an excellent passer for someone his size, and he's capable of shooting from the outside. He was the most college ready freshman in the country last fall.

It has nothing to do with where he was picked. He should be on the floor long enough to record strong numbers because he is best suited to defend his position. Smith could potentially be reliable as a defender if you trust him with a switch. Smith's thin frame will be a big advantage for NBA bigs next season.

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Gary and Kevin were both selected in the first round by the Seattle/Oklahoma City franchise. Is it possible that they can duplicate their success in 2022.

2. Which team impressed you most in this year's draft?

Oklahoma City identified the players it wanted and pursued them. The Oklahoman stayed true to what they wanted when they took Holmgren at the second spot. Instead of waiting for Ousmane Dieng to slide to them, they sent three future first-round picks to the New York Knicks for him. The Oklahoma City's coaches, PR staff and fans were not happy with the way the team drafted Arkansas' Jaylin Williams in the 34th spot.

The Pistons made it clear they would be building around a young core after moving Jerami Grant. It's a good idea to start with a guard combination of Cunningham, Bey and Ivey. The more reserved Cunningham doesn't bring as much flair to the table. They could be a lethal combination if they can find a way to complement each other. The team needed a pickup that was tough up front.

Since the Pistons only had to take on Kemba Walker and give up the future Milwaukee first-round pick from the Jerami Grant deal, it's a nice haul. Duren adds athletic and shot-blocking potential to the mix and could be a great addition to the team. The Pistons have a lot of money to spend in free agency.

It feels like this could be the answer almost every year, but it's hard not to like what the Spurs did with their first-round picks. In the past year, Jeremy Sochan's stock has increased in value. At 18 years old, the Poland native played his entire freshman year and showed off his ceiling. Despite his low shooting percentage, he is comfortable taking shots from the perimeter and can guard multiple positions. Two more young guards were added by the Spurs, Malaki Branham andBlakeWesley. After a great second half at Ohio State, Branham earned lottery buzz and his offensive ability should translate immediately. He was inconsistent as a freshman at Notre Dame, but he will have time to improve.

Pelton said that the Rockets tend to see things a lot like he does, and for a second year in a row they drafted one of the players I considered most under-valued. Houston was in a good position to take advantage of Smith's fall. The Rockets got a pair of future second-rounders in a trade down from the 29th pick. Houston did a good job.

3. Which team had the most underwhelming draft night?

For now, what the Knicks did was confusing. It took me an hour to figure out how they traded the No. 11 pick, four second-round picks and Walker, and got back three future first-round picks. The Knicks have the ability to shed a lot of salary in the future, which could allow them to pursue players in free agency. The Knicks and their fans were confused until we saw the full picture.

On Thursday, July 7th.

Rockets vs Magic, 10 p.m.

Blazers vs Pistons, 12 a.m.