WINNER: Tyrese Haliburton
While the Pacers gamble failed to pay off, Haliburton stock is up. As a ball dominant guard, avoiding one of the consensus top 3 players in this draft is very likely to help his scoring and playmaking numbers this upcoming season. With a full offseason of recovery and championship aspirations, expect Haliburton’s return to form, or close to it. Still a top 15 dynasty asset, and comfortably so.
LOSER: Tre Johnson
The lottery was generous to the Wizards, but not so kind to one of the more interesting rookies from last year’s class. By all accounts, he had a decent rookie year. However, with the impending addition of AJ Dybantsa or Darryn Peterson, Tre Johnson’s chances of playing starter-level minutes are down greatly. With a projected starting lineup of Young-George-Dybantsa-Sarr-Davis, it is unknown what his true role will be over the next few years. Still an exciting player, but stock is down.
WINNER: Darius Garland
With the Clippers taking over the rights to the Pacers first round pick, it is increasingly likely that the Clippers will move on from Kawhi Leonard and commit to building around their newest players in Garland and a rookie. This is not guaranteed, but the rebuild could help Garland’s usage a lot. Monitor this situation…
LOSER: Ace Bailey
After a solid end to his rookie season, Bailey is in a similar situation to Tre Johnson. With Dybantsa or Peterson joining the team, he is unlikely to get starter level minutes for a team that is ready to compete. He is still an offensive weapon, and will have a long career in the league, but this is not the best situation for fantasy production any more.
WINNER: Caleb Wilson
Wilson is the projected 4th overall pick, which would land him with the Chicago Bulls. The Bulls desperately need help in the front court, where Wilson can slot in as an instantly productive power forward. He is a freak athlete with elite defense and scoring upside. This is just about the best situation he could ask for when it comes to production, so Wilson stock is up.
LOSER: Giannis Antetokounmpo
It appears to be over. After missing out on jumping up in the draft, the Bucks seem more likely than ever to trade Giannis to a true contender. This is not truly terrible for Giannis’ production, but on a win now team, expect to see his offensive usage dip compared to his recent seasons. As the injuries continue to pile up, now is the time for the Bucks to move on, which can not be considered positive for the Greek Freak.
Other Winners:
• Egor Demin + Michael Porter Jr.
• OKC bench players
• Josh Giddey
Other Losers:
• Walker Kessler
• Mikel Brown Jr.
• Kingston Flemings