After a very exciting two rounds of the NBA draft, and a few shocking trades, here are the players impacted the most from each team… for dynasty basketball purposes.
• Atlanta Hawks
• Winner: Kingston Flemings. This is a really good landing spot for Flemings long term, as the team looks to move on from CJ McCollum. Flemings brings strong shooting, solid defense, and playmaking upside to the Hawks long term, and was a great pick at 8th overall.
• Loser: Onyeka Okongwu. After a fantastic, breakout-like season for Okongwu, the Hawks just drafted two solid big men that will be competing for reps. Zuby Ejiofor is a very versatile big man with 2-way upside. Henri Veesaar also joins the team, who is a 7 foot center who could end up being the biggest steal in the entire draft class. More competition at the
• Boston Celtics
• Winner: Neemias Queta. For now, Queta has both dodged any real competition for minutes at the center spot. It also seems all but certain that Nikola Vucevic will not be returning to the team, making it very likely that Queta will be the starting center. Unless Jaylen Brown is moved traded for a star center, this has been a great few weeks for Queta.
• Loser: Jaylen Brown. It is unknown what the remainder of this offseason will bring for Brown, but for a brief moment it looked likely that he would land in Milwaukee. After failing to pull of the trade, Brown is yet again put in an awkward situation. On the Celtics, we can expect his numbers to regress slightly, and the same is true for many trade scenarios.
• Brooklyn Nets
• Winner: Mikel Brown Jr… This is a great landing spot for Mikel, who will have the opportunity to get plenty of reps on-ball over the next few seasons. Despite an overhauled roster, expect him to get starter-level minutes and develop greatly as a playmaker.
• Loser: Michael Porter Jr… Coming off a career year, MPJ is facing tons of new competition from high usage, ball dominant players who are likely to take plenty of oxygen from his offensive game.
• Charlotte Hornets
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• Winner: Coby White. He just signed a contract extension with the Hornets that pays about $25 million a year. This is a major signal of trust in Coby over the next few years as the team’s starting point guard. He should see a huge increase in scoring and playmaking opportunities.
• Loser: Ryan Kalkbrenner. He is facing increased competition after the Hornets picked the second best center prospect in this class - Hannes Steinbach. His services simply won’t be needed as much.
• Chicago Bulls
• Winner: Nic Claxton. After being traded from Brooklyn, Claxton finds himself in a spot where he can contribute instantly. Since the Bulls let go of Vucevic last season, they have been in desperate need of production from big men. Now they have a solid duo in Caleb Wilson and Nic Claxton.
• Loser: Noa Essengue. After missing essentially his entire rookie season, it just got even worse for Noa. He is now facing tons of new competition from players like Dailyn Swain and Caleb Wilson.
• Cleveland Cavaliers
• Winner: Jarrett Allen. So far, he has dodged any competition in the draft or from offseason trades. He had a mini breakout season after the acquisition of James Harden, which he looks to build on in 2026-27.
• Loser: Jaylon Tyson. Tyson will be fine long term, but the addition of Meleek Thomas brings some questions regarding his role as a shooter.
• Dallas Mavericks
• Winner: Kyrie Irving. After his injury, there were a lot of questions regarding Irving’s long term future. After dodging any true point guards, Kyrie seems to be ready for another high usage season. The addition of Morez Johnson Jr is also welcome as another potential lob threat and P&R partner.
• Loser: PJ Washington. The early investment in Morez Johnson is a huge warning sign for Washington, who has been solid in recent years. Morez reunites with his coach Dusty May, who knows how to put him in position to be instantly impactful.
• Denver Nuggets
• Winner: Jamal Murray. Despite the offseason rumors, and sign of Jamal being moved this offseason have been quiet. If Murray can remain on the Nuggets, his upside will continue to be All-NBA level.
• Loser: Aaron Gordon. Again, the Nuggets have been very quiet after previously noting that everyone except Jokic is on the block. Gordon is only a loser due to the drafting of Brazile and Hopkins, two talented and polished forwards with strong upside.
• Detroit Pistons
• Winner: Ebuka Okorie. This is a dream landing spot for Okorie, who is an excellent on-ball creator. This is exactly the type of role the Pistons were hoping they could fill this offseason, and get their guy in Okorie.
• Loser: Daniss Jenkins. The increased competition off the bench for Jenkins is rough. He looked great at certain periods of the season, and will continue to have a role… but their are new questions both short and long term.
• Golden State Warriors
• Winner: Yaxel Lendeborg. This was the ideal landing spot for Yaxel, who is a polished offensive talent who can make an instant impact. The Warriors were seeking a win-now piece, and got a day one starter in Yaxel.
• Loser: Jimmy Butler. Major questions both short term and long term. There are rumors about a potential trade, and the addition of Yaxel brings in another player with a similar role.
• Houston Rockets
• Winner: Alperen Sengun. No real news or competition is a good thing for Sengun, who has been a top 15 dynasty asset for a while now. Monitor the Kevin Durant situation this offseason closely.
• Loser: Reed Sheppard. With Fred VanVleet returning from injury and the introduction of Bruce Thornton, the Rockets guard room is getting fairly crowded.
• Indiana Pacers Winner: Pascal Siakem. Dodging any a top 4 pick in this draft was rough for the team, but benefits Siakem. The introduction of another high usage scorer would have eaten into his workload, which has been avoided for now.
• Loser: Andrew Nembhard. Not much news, and not much of an impact, but bringing in Braden Smith brings some competition in the guard room.
• Los Angeles Clippers
• Winner: Keaton Wagler. Excellent landing spot. Wagler can make an instant imapact on this team, and become the lead ball handler over the next few years.
• Loser: Bradley Beal. Its over.
• Los Angeles Lakers
• Winner: Austin Reaves. Congratulations to Austin for his massive contract extension that will keep him in LA for many years. He will continue to put up massive shooting volume, especially when Luka misses time. Loser: LeBron James. It seems like the Lakers have committed to the Luka and Reaves core, and are about to move on from the LeBron era. I expect him to get less opportunity on another team, if that is the route he takes.
• Memphis Grizzlies
• Winner: Richie Saunders. I really like this landing spot for Saunders, who is a sharpshooting guard coming off an injury. In the event that Ja Morant is gone, Saunders will be a great pickup in deeper dynasty leagues. Loser: Santi Aldama. With the addition of Cam Boozer, it is time for Santi to either be moved or take a back seat.
• Miami Heat
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• Winner: Davion Mitchell. The guard room has been completely hollowed out, and Mitchell will continue to be the primary guard in this offense. The addition of Giannis also bolsters the Heat’s defense, which can help improve Davion’s steal numbers.
• Loser: Bam Adebayo. Not a huge impact on him, but it would not be crazy to see a slight dip in his usage and scoring numbers.
• Milwaukee Bucks
• Winner: Kel’el Ware. Perfect landing spot for Ware, who can finally be used in the proper way. He is an absolute demon on the boards, and has plenty of offensive upside. I would be very surprised if he does not have a great season with the Bucks.
• Loser: Kasparas Jakucionas. He is likely to be completely buried in this guard room, especially with the addition of Brayden Burries, who is a fantastic and well rounded prospect. The competition is just too high, unless he is rerouted elsewhere.
• Minnesota Timberwolves
• Winner: Ayo Dosunmu. With Julius Randle gone and Dante injured, Ayo is likely to play a huge role in the Wolves new offense. The addition of LaMelo ball can also help with the team’s spacing, opening up more open shots and driving lanes.
• Loser: Terrence Shannon Jr… He looked like he had a real chance to have a breakout season, but the guard depth is getting very strong in Minnesota. Monitor his minutes early in the season.
• New Orleans Pelicans
• Winner: Dejounte Murray. He ducked any major competition through trades or drafting, and looks ready to go after making his return from injury. A solid win-now piece for any contending team.
• Loser: Trey Murphy III. Would love to hear about a potential trade to a team that needs him, but the front office has been quiet.
• New York Knicks
• Winner: Mikal Bridged. The front office continues to make baffling draft day decisions, as they passed on a stud wing in Cam Carr. Mikal will continue to provide huge value as a starter with little injury concerns.
• Loser: Mitchell Robinson. It seems extremely likely that Mitchell will be joining a new team shortly, as the Knicks ownership is doing everything possible to duck the second apron.
• Oklahoma City Thunder
• Winner: Aday Mara. This is a fascinating landing spot for Mara, who was projected by some to go as high as top 6. The Thunder get another talented player, and will use him well during his rookie contract.
• Loser: Isaiah Hartenstein. iHart is one of the more expendable contracts on this team, leaving questions for both his short and long term future. It seems as though Mara will slowly take over the role Hartenstein has currently.
• Orlando Magic
• Winner: Paolo Banchero. No new competition for touches leaves Banchero in a familiar positions. He will continue to provide huge value in leagues that don’t punish efficiency or real contract value. Loser: Jalen Suggs. I really liked the pick of Izaiyah Nelson, who is a very talented and hyper athletic player. Suggs has a tough contract, and is a player they will have to consider moving on from sooner or later.
• Philadelphia 76ers
• Winner: Joel Embiid. He is hard to price in the current dynasty and fantasy basketball market, but so far the offseason has been a win for Embiid. The Sixers have not looked for a new center, and did not draft one either.
• Loser: Quentin Grimes. The Sixers seem invested in LaBaron Philon, the rookie who has massive offensive upside. Grimes might end up on a different team this offseason, so monitor his situation.
• Phoenix Suns
• Winner: Collin Gillespie. He received a big contract extension, and looks like a long term building block for this Suns team. A show of trust from the front office is a great sign for his outlook.
• Loser: Grayson Allen. Despite being solid for a few years now, the increased compatition and injury concerns are catching up to him. Still a good win-now piece, but only at the right price.
• Portland Trail Blazers
• With no real moves so far, we have seen no major value shifts on the Blazers’ roster so far.
• Sacramento Kings
• Winner: Darius Acuff. All indications say that Acuff wanted to be in Sacramento, which might be the first time anyone has ever though that. Acuff can be a demon on offense long term, especially when the Kings move off their aging, ball dominant veterans.
• Loser: Malik Monk. The shooting talent on this roster continues to get deeper with the addition of Emanuel Sharp, who has solid upside as an off-ball movement shooter. Monk may have some of his role taken this season from the incoming rookies.
• San Antonio Spurs
• Winner: Tarris Reed Jr… I love this pick for the Spurs, who needed a replacement for Luke Kornet. Kornet got completely exposed in the playoffs, and became unplayable. Tarris has the strength, defensive instincts, and athleticism to become a great backup center.
• Loser: Jayden Quaintance. Despite being a solid prospect, getting picked here is not great. It is likely that he will miss the entire season, and will return to a strong roster where he will have to fight for every minute. Long term, he is also a huge injury risk.
• Toronto Raptors
• Winner: Brandon Ingram. He has no true competition coming in, and has avoided a trade so far. Not too bad for the scoring vet.
• Loser: Jakob Poeltl. No trade new is bad news for Poeltl.
• Utah Jazz
• Winner: Jaren Jackson Jr… It seems increasingly likely that Walker Kessler will be signed to a different team for next season. In that event, the Jazz have created more space for JJJ to operate as the key big man going forward.
• Loser: Ace Bailey. The addition of Darryn Peterson will continue to crowd out Ace, who is a hyper talented sophomore this season. Questions both short and long term.
• Washington Wizards
• Winner: Trae Young. Huge contract extension for Trae, who is will continue to be an offensive threat no matter where he goes.
• Loser: Bilal Coulibaly. There are new long term questions after the addition of AJ Dybantsa. He now seems like the 3rd of 4th best wing on this roster in the best case scenario. Without offensive development and minutes, his dynasty value will continue to decline.