2021 NBA Draft Results
The 2021 NBA draft is in the books, and we tracked all of this year’s picks in the space below, taking into account each trade agreed upon over the course of the draft.
Here are 2021’s NBA draft results:
First Round:
- Detroit Pistons: Cade Cunningham, G, Oklahoma State (story)
- Houston Rockets: Jalen Green, G, G League Ignite (story)
- Cleveland Cavaliers: Evan Mobley, F/C, USC (story)
- Toronto Raptors: Scottie Barnes, F, Florida State (story)
- Orlando Magic: Jalen Suggs, G, Gonzaga
- Oklahoma City Thunder: Josh Giddey, G, Australia
- Golden State Warriors (from Timberwolves): Jonathan Kuminga, F, G League Ignite
- Orlando Magic (from Bulls): Franz Wagner, F, Michigan
- Sacramento Kings: Davion Mitchell, G, Baylor
- Memphis Grizzlies (from Pelicans): Ziaire Williams, G, Stanford
- Charlotte Hornets: James Bouknight, G, UConn
- San Antonio Spurs: Joshua Primo, G, Alabama
- Indiana Pacers: Chris Duarte, G, Oregon
- Golden State Warriors: Moses Moody, G/F, Arkansas
- Washington Wizards: Corey Kispert, F, Gonzaga
- Houston Rockets (from Celtics via Thunder): Alperen Sengun, C, Turkey
- New Orleans Pelicans (from Grizzlies): Trey Murphy, G, Virginia
- Oklahoma City Thunder (from Heat): Tre Mann, G, Florida
- Charlotte Hornets (from Knicks): Kai Jones, F/C, Texas
- Atlanta Hawks: Jalen Johnson, F, Duke
- Los Angeles Clippers (from Mavericks via Knicks): Keon Johnson, G/F, Tennessee
- Indiana Pacers (from Lakers via Wizards): Isaiah Jackson, F, Kentucky
- Houston Rockets (from Trail Blazers): Usman Garuba, F, Spain
- Houston Rockets (from Bucks): Josh Christopher, G, Arizona State
- New York Knicks (from Clippers): Quentin Grimes, G, Houston
- Denver Nuggets: Bones Hyland, G, VCU
- Brooklyn Nets: Cameron Thomas, G, LSU
- Philadelphia 76ers: Jaden Springer, G, Tennessee
- Brooklyn Nets (from Suns): Day’Ron Sharpe, C, North Carolina
- Memphis Grizzlies (from Jazz): Santi Aldama, F/C, Loyola (MD)
Second Round:
- Washington Wizards (from Rockets via Bucks and Pacers): Isaiah Todd, F, G League Ignite
- Oklahoma City Thunder (from Pistons via Knicks): Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, F, Villanova
- Los Angeles Clippers (from Magic): Jason Preston, G, Ohio
- New York Knicks (from Thunder): Rokas Jokubaitis, G, Lithuania
- New Orleans Pelicans (from Cavaliers): Herb Jones, F, Alabama
- New York Knicks (from Timberwolves via Thunder): Miles McBride, G, West Virginia
- Charlotte Hornets (from Raptors via Pistons): JT Thor, F, Auburn
- Chicago Bulls (from Pelicans): Ayo Dosunmu, G, Illinois
- Sacramento Kings: Neemias Queta, C, Utah State
- Utah Jazz (from Bulls via Pelicans and Grizzlies): Jared Butler, G, Baylor
- San Antonio Spurs: Joe Wieskamp, F, Iowa
- Detroit Pistons (from Hornets): Isaiah Livers, F, Michigan
- Portland Trail Blazers (from Wizards via Pelicans): Greg Brown, F, Texas
- Brooklyn Nets (from Pacers): Kessler Edwards, F, Pepperdine
- Boston Celtics: Juhann Begarin, G, France
- Toronto Raptors (from Grizzlies): Dalano Banton, G, Nebraska
- Toronto Raptors (from Warriors): David Johnson, G, Louisville
- Atlanta Hawks (from Heat): Sharife Cooper, G, Auburn
- Brooklyn Nets (from Hawks): Marcus Zegarowski, G, Creighton
- Philadelphia 76ers (from Knicks): Filip Petrusev, F, Serbia
- Los Angeles Clippers (from Trail Blazers via Grizzlies and Pelicans): Brandon Boston, G, Kentucky
- Detroit Pistons (from Lakers): Luka Garza, C, Iowa
- Philadelphia 76ers (from Mavericks via Pelicans): Charles Bassey, C, Western Kentucky
- Milwaukee Bucks (via Pacers): Sandro Mamukelashvili, C, Seton Hall
- Oklahoma City Thunder (from Nuggets): Aaron Wiggins, G/F, Maryland
- Charlotte Hornets (from Clippers): Scottie Lewis, G, Florida
- Detroit Pistons (from Nets via Hornets): Balsa Koprivica, C, Florida State
- New York Knicks (from Sixers): Jericho Sims, F, Texas
- Brooklyn Nets (from Suns): RaiQuan Gray, F, Florida State
- Milwaukee Bucks (from Jazz via Pacers): Georgios Kalaitzakis, G, Greece
Cavs To Sign Chandler Vaudrin To Exhibit 10 Deal
Undrafted Winthrop guard Chandler Vaudrin is joining the Cavaliers for Summer League play and will sign an Exhibit 10 contract with the team, reports Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (Twitter link).
Vaudrin – who grew up in Uniontown, Ohio – filled up the stat sheet with 12.0 PPG, 7.3 RPG, and 6.9 APG in 25 games (31.6 MPG) as a senior at Winthrop in 2020/21. He spent his last two college seasons at Winthrop after playing for the Division II Walsh Cavaliers from 2016-18.
Vaudrin was the Big South Player of the Year in 2020/21.
While Vaudrin seems unlikely to make the Cavs’ regular season roster next season, it’s possible the team envisions him playing for its G League affiliate, the Cleveland Charge. His Exhibit 10 contract would make him eligible to earn a bonus of up to $50K if he spends at least 60 days with the Charge.
Bucks Trade No. 31 Pick Isaiah Todd To Pacers
JULY 30: The trade is now official, according to a press release from the Bucks.
Isaiah Todd was selected with the No. 31 pick, but he’s being rerouted to the Wizards along with Aaron Holiday in a separate trade. The Bucks, meanwhile, used the No. 54 pick on Sandro Mamukelashvili and the No. 60 selection on Georgios Kalaitzakis.
JULY 29: The Bucks have agreed to trade the No. 31 pick in tonight’s draft to the Pacers, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link), who reports that Milwaukee is received the Nos. 54 and 60 picks in return, along with two future second-round picks.
The Bucks had entered the night with only the No. 31 pick, having agreed to swap their first-round selection for Houston’s second-rounder in the P.J. Tucker trade at this year’s deadline. They’ll now have a pair of picks right near the end of the draft, which they could use to select a potential two-way player or low-cost roster player.
The Pacers, meanwhile, give up a couple future picks in order to move up to the top of the second round tonight. They now control the 13th and 31st overall selections.
According to Eric Nehm of The Athletic (Twitter link), the two future second-rounders Milwaukee receives will be as follows:
- Either Indiana’s 2024 second-round pick or the lesser of Cleveland’s and Utah’s 2024 second-round picks (whichever is most favorable).
- Either Indiana’s 2026 second-round pick or Miami’s 2026 second-round pick (whichever is most favorable).
Kings Agree To Sign Matt Coleman, DJ Steward To Camp Deals
The Kings have agreed to a training camp deal with undrafted guard Matt Coleman, according to Jeremy Woo of SI.com (Twitter link), and have done the same with undrafted guard DJ Steward, per Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).
Coleman spent all four of his college seasons with Texas, averaging a career-high 13.2 PPG on .485/.377/.813 shooting in 27 games (34.4 MPG) as a senior in 2020/21. He was named to the All-Big 12 Third Team in both 2020 and 2021.
Steward declared for the draft this spring after just one year at Duke, where he put up 13.0 PPG, 3.9 RPG, and 2.4 APG with a shooting line of .426/.341/.811 in 24 games (30.8 MPG). He earned a spot on the ACC All-Freshman team.
Although the reports from Woo and Charania don’t specify the terms of Coleman’s or Steward’s contract, a non-guaranteed deal with an Exhibit 10 clause seems likely for each player. An Exhibit 10 contract can be converted to a two-way deal or can ensure a player receives a bonus if he ends up joining his team’s G League affiliate.
Grizzlies Expected To Sign Yves Pons, Romeo Weems
The Grizzlies have lined up deals with a pair of notable undrafted free agents, according to reports. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link) says Tennessee’s Yves Pons is expected to sign with Memphis, while Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link) hears from sources that DePaul’s Romeo Weems will sign an Exhibit 10 contract with the team.
Pons – the 19th-best available undrafted rookie, according to ESPN’s list – is a 6’6″ forward who earned SEC Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2019/20. After becoming a full-time starter for Tennessee as a junior, Pons averaged 9.9 PPG and 5.3 RPG in 57 games (31.4 MPG).
It’s not clear what kind of contract Pons will sign with the Grizzlies, but an Exhibit 10 deal or a two-way pact are the most likely options.
Weems – the 26th undrafted prospect on ESPN’s list – is another defensive-minded small forward. He averaged 7.3 PPG and 5.0 RPG in 18 games (28.6 MPG) for DePaul as a sophomore in 2020/21, knocking down 36.6% of this three-point attempts.
His Exhibit 10 deal could be converted a two-way contract before the regular season starts or could make him a candidate to end up with the Memphis Hustle, the Grizzlies’ G League affiliate.
Lakers Sign Joel Ayayi, Austin Reaves To Two-Way Deals
AUGUST 3: The two-way signings of Ayayi and Reaves are now official, the Lakers announced today in a press release.
JULY 30: The Lakers have reached an agreement with undrafted free agent Joel Ayayi on a two-way contract, a source tell ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link). The club has also agreed to sign rookie shooting guard Austin Reaves to a two-way contract, reports Dave McMenamin of ESPN (Twitter link).
Reaves and Ayayi rank second and third, respectively, on ESPN’s list of undrafted prospects.
Ayayi, a 6’5″ wing, averaged 12.0 PPG and 6.9 RPG on .575/.389/.781 shooting in 32 games (31.3 MPG) for the Zags as a junior in 2020/21. Reaves, who began his college career at Wichita State, transferred to Oklahoma for his last two seasons and had his best year in 2020/21, putting up 18.3 PPG, 5.5 RPG, and 4.6 APG, though his three-point percentage was a modest 30.5%.
Ayayi and Reaves appear likely to take the roster spots previously held by two-way players Kostas Antetokounmpo and Devontae Cacok. Both players are free agents this offseason, and Antetokounmpo has already lined up a deal with a team in France.
Clippers Acquire No. 21 From Knicks, Select Keon Johnson
11:59pm: The trade is now official, according to a Knicks press release.
9:23pm: After trading the No. 19 pick to Charlotte, the Knicks have agreed to trade away their No. 21 selection as well, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). It’s going to the Clippers, who have used it to select Tennessee wing Keon Johnson, per Charania.
According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (via Twitter), New York will receive the No. 25 pick and a future second-rounder from Los Angeles in the deal. That second-round pick will be Detroit’s 2024 selection, Woj adds (via Twitter).
Johnson had been viewed as a potential lottery pick, but some teams had concerns about his medical records, according to Jeremy Woo of SI.com, who notes (via Twitter) that the swingman still has significant upside.
Meanwhile, although Knicks fans may be disappointed that the team traded away one of its first-rounders and moved down four spots with the other, the moves allowed the team to add two extra future draft picks and will create even more cap room for free agency — New York will only have to account for the cap hold for the No. 25 pick now, rather than Nos. 19 and 21.
Wizards Agree To Trade Russell Westbrook To Lakers
7:18pm: The Wizards and Lakers have agreed to terms on a Westbrook trade, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic (via Twitter).
In addition to Westbrook, the Lakers will receive a 2024 second-round pick and a 2028 second-rounder in exchange for Kuzma, Harrell, Caldwell-Pope, and the No. 22 pick.
Reports have suggested that the trade isn’t viewed as a precursor a deal involving Beal, who still reportedly wants to remain with the Wizards.
4:49pm: Confirming that the Lakers and Wizards are moving toward a Westbrook deal, Broderick Turner of The Los Angeles Times tweets that there are still ongoing discussions between the two teams about the draft assets involved — the Wizards could end up sending the Lakers a second-round pick, says Turner.
Meanwhile, Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report tweets that a deal may not be officially completed until the new league year begins next week. It could grow into a larger multi-team trade during free agency, Fischer suggests.
4:30pm: The Lakers and Wizards are nearing a deal to trade Westbrook for Kuzma, Caldwell-Pope, Harrell, and L.A.’s No. 22 overall pick, sources tell ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (via Twitter). However, Woj cautions that no agreement is in place yet (Twitter link).
4:20pm: The Lakers and Wizards are engaged in discussions about a possible trade that would send Southern California native and former UCLA star Russell Westbrook back home, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).
As Charania explains, Westbrook would like to be moved elsewhere and the Lakers are his preferred landing spot. The two teams are talking about a deal that would involve Kyle Kuzma, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and Montrezl Harrell, according to Charania (Twitter link), who says the Lakers’ No. 22 pick could also be in play.
The Lakers have also discussed those players and their first-round pick with the Kings in conversations about a possible Buddy Hield trade. It’s hard to see how L.A. would be able to acquire both Westbrook and Hield, so if both Sacramento and Washington are on board with working toward a deal, the Lakers will have to choose which player to pursue.
It sounds for now like Westbrook is the Lakers’ primary focus, according to Charania (Twitter link), who classifies the club’s talks with the Wizards as “serious.”
The Lakers were linked to Westbrook last week, as the team is in the market for a play-making point guard to complement LeBron James and Anthony Davis. If they’re able to complete a deal for Westbrook, it would reduce the Lakers’ need to re-sign Dennis Schröder, though it wouldn’t necessarily create any additional cap obstacles to doing so.
As for the Wizards, if they move forward with trading Westbrook, the big question will be how it affects Bradley Beal, who was rumored to be mulling his future this past week. For what it’s worth, Caldwell-Pope is very close friends with Beal, notes Fred Katz of The Athletic (Twitter link). ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski suggests (via Twitter) that the Wizards’ goal would be to keep Beal, using the trade to create some future cap flexibility to continue adding talent around him.
Trade Rumors: Reddish, Pacers, Knicks, McDaniels, Kemba, Bulls
The Hawks and Pacers have had exploratory talks about a deal that would send Cam Reddish and the No. 20 pick to Indiana in exchange for the No. 13 selection, writes Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.
Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer had previously reported that the Hawks and Pacers had discussed the No. 13 pick, and reported separately that Atlanta had offered Reddish and the No. 20 pick to teams in the late lottery, so it was safe to assume Reddish was on the table in those talks with Indiana. Scotto confirms as much, though it remains to be seen if the two sides will work out an agreement.
Here are a few more trade rumors from around the league as the start of the 2021 NBA draft nears:
- Scotto and Marc Berman of The New York Post each confirmed that the Knicks have talked to the Magic about a possible Terrence Ross trade, as was reported earlier. Berman hears that the Knicks are offering draft assets and that Orlando has made Ross available for the better part of a year.
- According to Scotto, the Knicks have asked the Magic about the No. 8 pick, but didn’t gain any real traction. They’ve also talked to the Spurs about No. 12, per Scotto, who says the sense around the league is that New York is eyeing Chris Duarte.
- Multiple lottery teams have expressed interest in trading for Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels, according to Scotto. However, Minnesota remains reluctant to move McDaniels, whom the team views as part of its core going forward.
- The Thunder are exploring possible trades for Kemba Walker, tweets Chris Mannix of SI.com. This had been expected, as Oklahoma City has made a habit in the last couple years of taking on unwanted contracts and then trying to flip them for positive value.
- The Bulls are eyeing draft prospects Miles McBride and Nah’Shon Hyland and may be looking to trade into the back half of the first round, tweets Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. Chicago currently only has the No. 38 pick in the 2021 draft.
Potential Westbrook Deal Not Viewed As Precursor To Beal Trade
The Wizards are reportedly engaged in serious talks to send Russell Westbrook to the Lakers, but that doesn’t mean Washington is looking to trade its other star guard too. According to Chris Mannix of SI.com (Twitter link), a Westbrook deal isn’t viewed as a precursor to a Bradley Beal trade.
The idea behind a Westbrook trade for Washington would be to add some solid role-playing veterans around Beal and to unlock future cap flexibility to continue adding pieces around the NBA’s second-leading scorer, as both David Aldridge of The Athletic and Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN have noted (Twitter links). Getting off of Westbrook’s $47MM+ salary for 2022/23 would put the Wizards in position to open up a significant chunk of cap room next summer.
While we don’t know for sure that Beal will be moved by that pitch, Marcus Thompson of The Athletic tweets that – based on what he’s hearing – the All-NBA guard will opt to remain in Washington.
Beal remains under contract with the Wizards for one more season before facing a player option decision in 2022, so even if he decides to stick with the franchise for the time being, that doesn’t necessarily mean he’ll have a long-term future in D.C.
For now though, it appears the most likely outcome is that Beal will be patient as Washington reshapes the roster around him and will assess how the new group looks in 2021/22. We will, of course, provide updates if and when that changes.