{"id":80003,"date":"2025-08-13T16:12:09","date_gmt":"2025-08-13T16:12:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/80003\/"},"modified":"2025-08-13T16:12:09","modified_gmt":"2025-08-13T16:12:09","slug":"the-danny-ainge-system-which-nba-shot-callers-excel-on-draft-day","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/80003\/","title":{"rendered":"The Danny Ainge System: Which NBA shot-callers excel on draft day?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Welcome back to The Danny Ainge System<\/a>, where on Tuesday we evaluated every NBA executive’s trade history<\/a>, compiling a rating (or OPS<\/a>) of their performance in that market. Kevin Pritchard, president of basketball operations for the reigning Eastern Conference champion Indiana Pacers, was our leader in that regard.<\/p>\n

Today we are evaluating every NBA executive’s draft history, using baseball’s Sabermetrics<\/a> to categorize each selection as a home run, triple, double, single, walk or strikeout. The higher the OPS, the better the GM. If you are not following, it’s OK. It will make more sense as we go. Come along for the ride.<\/p>\n

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(On Thursday we will evaluate every NBA executive’s free-agent performance. And on Friday we will compile our findings and provide a complete picture of who is best leading his franchise into the future.)<\/p>\n

As we had with the trade ratings, there was an outlying score in the draft history portion of the System \u2014 a number of them, actually. None of the executives had made more than a handful of draft selections. Their scores would have included (by far) the best and worst of the bunch, so I felt as if it were unfair to include them in these rankings. We will still categorize their draft histories here for the overall rankings …<\/p>\n

Brad Stevens, Boston Celtics (2021-)<\/p>\n

Draft picks: .333 OBP \u2022 .000 SLG \u2022 .333 OPS<\/p>\n

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BB: Baylor Scheierman (30th, 2024)<\/p>\n

K: Juhann Begarin (45th, 2021) \u2022 Jordan Walsh (38th, 2022)<\/p>\n

Nico Harrison, Dallas Mavericks (2021-)<\/p>\n

Draft picks: .667 OBP \u2022 1.000 SLG \u2022 1.667 OPS<\/p>\n

2B: Dereck Lively II (12th, 2023)<\/p>\n

1B: Jaden Hardy (37th, 2022)<\/p>\n

K: Olivier-Maxence Prosper (24th, 2023)<\/p>\n

Joe Cronin, Portland Trail Blazers (2021-)<\/p>\n

Draft picks (OBP: 1.000 \u2022 SLG: 1.000 \u2022 OPS: 2.000)<\/p>\n

1B: Shaedon Sharpe (7th, 2022) \u2022 Scoot Henderson (3rd, 2023) \u2022 Donovan Clingan (7th, 2024)<\/p>\n

BB: Kris Murray (23rd, 2023) \u2022 Rayan Rupert (43rd, 2023)<\/p>\n

Mike Dunleavy, Golden State Warriors (2023-)<\/p>\n

Draft picks: 1.000 OBP \u2022 1.000 SLG \u2022 2.000 OPS<\/p>\n

1B: Brandin Podziemski (19th, 2023)<\/p>\n

BB: Trayce Jackson-Davis (57th, 2023) \u2022 Quinten Post (52nd, 2024)<\/p>\n

Michael Winger, Washington Wizards (2023-)<\/p>\n

Draft picks: 1.000 OBP \u2022 1.000 SLG \u2022 2.000 OPS<\/p>\n

1B: Bilal Coulibaly (7th, 2023) \u2022 Alex Sarr (2nd, 2024) \u2022 Bub Carrington (14th, 2024)<\/p>\n

BB: Tristan Vuk\u010devi\u0107 (42nd, 2023) \u2022 Kyshawn George (24th, 2024)<\/p>\n

Have a feel for what you’re looking at now? Every draft pick is categorized as a hit, a walk or a strikeout. How much power each exec hit for depends on how impactful the player became. But as a general rule …<\/p>\n

HR: A face of the franchise<\/p>\n

3B: A star-level talent<\/p>\n

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2B: A rotation regular<\/p>\n

1B: A moderate success<\/p>\n

BB: A marginal move<\/p>\n

K: A relative bust<\/p>\n

For this exercise we removed picks 46-60, unless, of course, one of them reach base, in which case the executive gets credit for a walk or a hit. Otherwise, those picks have become too much of a crapshoot. We didn’t want to penalize an executive for an almost impossible ask, but we did need to create a cutoff somewhere, so we included the first half of the second round, even if a bunch of those are whiffs, too.<\/p>\n

Even late first-round picks are more difficult than those in the lottery. It’s just the nature of the game. San Antonio Spurs general manager Brian Wright lucked into the Victor Wembanyama pick, just as Juan Soto checked his swing into a home run<\/a>, and then lucked into the No. 2 pick again in June. It is too early to tell whether Dylan Harper will carry the same power, so we removed this year’s picks from the System.<\/p>\n

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A quick reminder: Newcomers Jeff Peterson (Charlotte Hornets), Trajan Langdon (Detroit Pistons), Ben Tenzer (Denver Nuggets), Onsi Saleh (Atlanta Hawks), Scott Perry (Sacramento Kings), Brian Gregory (Phoenix Suns) and Bobby Webster (Toronto Raptors) do not have sample sizes big enough to evaluate.<\/p>\n

Let’s get to the rankings. Ladies and gentlemen, The Danny Ainge System: Draft History.<\/p>\n

18. Jon Horst, Milwaukee Bucks (2017-)<\/p>\n

Draft picks: .286 OBP \u2022 .167 SLG \u2022 .453 OPS<\/p>\n

1B: Donte DiVincenzo (17th, 2018)<\/p>\n

BB: Tyler Smith (33rd, 2024)<\/p>\n

K: D.J. Wilson (17th, 2017) \u2022 Jordan Nwora (45th, 2020) \u2022 MarJon Beauchamp (24th, 2022) \u2022 Andre Jackson Jr. (36th, 2023) \u2022 AJ Johnson (23rd, 2024)<\/p>\n

That’s just a tough draft history. No way around it. Especially considering the Bucks parted ways with Donte DiVincenzo, Horst’s only successful draft pick, in exchange for an aging Serge Ibaka, before the Villanova product even reached his second contract. Milwaukee could sure use a player like that right now \u2014 or anyone from the last eight years out of the draft who could assist Giannis Antetokounmpo.<\/p>\n

\"Los<\/p>\n

Rob Pelinka isn’t known for his draft acumen. (Carlin Stiehl \/ Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)<\/p>\n

(Carlin Stiehl via Getty Images)17. Rob Pelinka, Los Angeles Lakers (2019-)<\/p>\n

Draft picks: .833 OBP \u2022 .000 SLG \u2022 .833 OPS<\/p>\n

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BB: Talen Horton-Tucker (46th, 2019) \u2022 Max Christie (35th, 2022) \u2022 Maxwell Lewis (40th, 2023) \u2022 Dalton Knecht (17th, 2024) \u2022 Bronny James (55th, 2024)<\/p>\n

K: Jalen Hood-Schifino (17th, 2023)<\/p>\n

Maybe it’s a good thing if the Lakers trade away all of their draft picks. Here’s rooting for Bronny James.<\/p>\n

16. Kevin Pritchard, Indiana Pacers (2017-)<\/p>\n

Draft picks: .476 OBP \u2022 .471 SLG \u2022 .947 OPS<\/p>\n

2B: Nicolas Batum (25th, 2008) \u2022 Andrew Nembhard (31st, 2022)<\/p>\n

1B: Rudy Fernandez (24th, 2007) \u2022 Dante Cunningham (33rd, 2009) \u2022 Bennedict Mathurin (6th, 2022) \u2022 Ben Sheppard (26th, 2023)<\/p>\n

BB: Josh McRoberts (37th, 2007) \u2022 Patty Mills (55th, 2009) \u2022 Aaron Holiday (23rd, 2018) \u2022 Johnny Furphy (35th, 2024)<\/p>\n

K: Greg Oden (1st, 2007) \u2022 Petteri Koponen (30th, 2007) \u2022 Victor Claver (22nd, 2009) \u2022 Jeff Ayres (31st, 2009) \u2022 Luke Babbitt (16th, 2010) \u2022 Elliot Williams (22nd, 2010) \u2022 Armon Johnson (34th, 2010) \u2022 T.J. Leaf (18th, 2017) \u2022 Goga Bitadze (18th, 2019) \u2022 Chris Duarte (13th, 2021) \u2022 Isaiah Jackson (22nd, 2021)<\/p>\n

(Pritchard served as general manager of the Portland Trail Blazers from 2007-2010.)<\/p>\n

Man, that Greg Oden pick looms large. A bunch of general managers would have made the same selection, but some \u2014 including Ainge \u2014 claim they would have drafted Kevin Durant ahead of Oden.<\/p>\n

At any rate, Pritchard has finally connected on some recent draft picks. No doubt Andrew Nembhard could turn his double into a triple, especially in the absence of an injured Tyrese Haliburton. Same goes for Benn Mathurin and Ben Sheppard, both of whom could turn singles into doubles. Mathurin might even be there already, given his occasionally outstanding impact in the playoffs. Johnny Furphy might be able to leg out a single, too. Good things are happening for the Pacers, despite the Haliburton news.<\/p>\n

15. Lawrence Frank, Los Angeles Clippers (2017-)<\/p>\n

Draft picks: .333 OBP \u2022 .625 SLG \u2022 .958 OPS<\/p>\n

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HR: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (11th, 2018)<\/p>\n

1B: Terance Mann (18th, 2019)<\/p>\n

BB: Moussa Diabat\u00e9 (43rd, 2022)<\/p>\n

K: Jerome Robinson (13th, 2018) \u2022 Mfiondu Kabengele (27th, 2019) \u2022 Daniel Oturu (33rd, 2020) \u2022 Keon Johnson (21st, 2021) \u2022 Jason Preston (33rd, 2021) \u2022 Kobe Brown (30th, 2023)<\/p>\n

Give credit to Lawrence Frank for identifying Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in the 2018 draft, though he traded the Canadian before he became a superstar in Oklahoma City. We still granted Frank a homer. Other than that, though \u2014 and SGA might have been more of a double for L.A. than a home run \u2014 Frank’s draft history is a rough scene. Then again, he has only twice drafted in the lottery and once took a future MVP.<\/p>\n

Maybe the draft is more of a coin flip than we even thought.<\/p>\n

14. Joe Dumars, Detroit (2000-2014) \u2022 New Orleans Pelicans (2025-)<\/p>\n

Draft picks: .500 OBP \u2022 .565 SLG \u2022 1.065 OPS<\/p>\n

2B: Tayshaun Prince (23rd, 2002) \u2022 Andre Drummond (9th, 2012)<\/p>\n

1B: Mehmet Okur (38th, 2001) \u2022 Carlos Delfino (25th, 2003) \u2022 Amir Johnson (56th, 2005) \u2022 Rodney Stuckey (15th, 2007) \u2022 Arron Afflalo (27th, 2007) \u2022 Jonas Jerebko (39th, 2009) \u2022 Greg Monroe (7th, 2010) \u2022 Khris Middleton (39th, 2012) \u2022 Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (8th, 2013)<\/p>\n

BB: Brian Cardinal (44th, 2000)<\/p>\n

K: Mateen Cleaves (14th, 2000) \u2022 Rodney White (9th, 2001) \u2022 Darko Mili\u010di\u0107 (2nd, 2003) \u2022 Jason Maxiell (26th, 2005) \u2022 Walter Sharpe (32nd, 2008) \u2022 Austin Daye (15th, 2009) \u2022 DaJuan Summers (35th, 2009) \u2022 Terrico White (36th, 2010) \u2022 Brandon Knight (8th, 2011) \u2022 Kyle Singler (33rd, 2011) \u2022 Kim English (44th, 2012) \u2022 Tony Mitchell (37th, 2013)<\/p>\n

(Dumars served as general manager of the Detroit Pistons from 2000-2014.)<\/p>\n

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Dumars drafted Tayshaun Prince to a championship core and selected Andre Drummond, a two-time All-Star who never meaningfully impacted winning in Detroit. Outside of that, he failed to hit for any power for long stretches of his career, including the 2003 selection of Darko Mili\u010di\u0107, a historic strikeout at No. 2 overall. What Detroit might have been with Carmelo Anthony instead is an all-time barroom debate.<\/p>\n

This does not include Dumars’ 2025 selections of Jeremiah Fears and Derik Queen. Queen, in particular, became the subject of much surprise around the league \u2014 not because he was taken in the lottery but because New Orleans gave up its unprotected 2026 first-round pick to get him. It may have been the single-most confounding trade of the offseason, but it goes unrecorded in our ledger, as the picks this summer are too fresh to evaluate. The Pelicans have invested this entire season into Queen. No pressure.<\/p>\n

13. Art\u016bras Karni\u0161ovas, Chicago Bulls (2020-)<\/p>\n

Draft picks: .500 OBP \u2022 .600 SLG \u2022 1.100 OPS<\/p>\n

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2B: Matas Buzelis (11th, 2024)<\/p>\n

1B: Ayo Dosunmu (38th, 2021)<\/p>\n

K: Patrick Williams (4th, 2020) \u2022 Marko Simonovic (44th, 2020) \u2022 Dalen Terry (18th, 2022)<\/p>\n

BB: Julian Philips (35th, 2023)<\/p>\n

That Patrick Williams pick is not going to help his cause. Matas Buzelis might, and Noa Essengue, this year’s lottery pick, is coming, too. This score could get a lot better or a lot worse for Karni\u0161ovas soon.<\/p>\n

12. Pat Riley, Miami Heat (1995-)<\/p>\n

Draft picks: .438 OBP \u2022 .774 SLG \u2022 1.212 OPS<\/p>\n

HR: Dwyane Wade (5th, 2003) \u2022 Bam Adebayo (14th, 2017)<\/p>\n

3B: Caron Butler (10th, 2002) \u2022 Tyler Herro (13th, 2019)<\/p>\n

2B: Josh Richardson (40th, 2015)<\/p>\n

1B: Eddie House (37th, 2000) \u2022 Rasual Butler (53rd, 2002) \u2022 Dorell Wright (19th, 2004) \u2022 Mario Chalmers (34th, 2008) \u2022 Nikola Jovic (27th, 2022) \u2022 Jaime Jaquez Jr. (18th, 2023) \u2022 Kel’el Ware (15th, 2024) \u2022 Pelle Larson (44th, 2024)<\/p>\n

BB: Precious Achiuwa (20th, 2020)<\/p>\n

K: Martin M\u00fc\u00fcrsepp (25th, 1996) \u2022 Charles Smith (26th, 1997) \u2022 Mark Smith (31st, 1997) \u2022 Tim James (25th, 1999) \u2022 Jerome Beasley (33rd, 2003) \u2022 Albert Miralles (39th, 2004) \u2022 Wayne Simien (29th, 2005) \u2022 Daequan Cook (21st, 2007) \u2022 Michael Beasley (2nd, 2008) \u2022 Patrick Beverley (42nd, 2009) \u2022 Dexter Pittman (32nd, 2010) \u2022 Jarvis Varnado (41st, 2010), Da’Sean Butler (42nd, 2010) \u2022 Norris Cole (28th, 2011) \u2022 Justin Hamilton (45th, 2012) \u2022 Shabazz Napier (24th, 2014) \u2022 Justise Winslow (10th, 2015) \u2022 KZ Okpala (32nd, 2019)<\/p>\n

Riley drafted Dwyane Wade, a franchise icon, which warrants a long career. He extended it with his work on the trade market and in free agency. He also drafted Bam Adebayo, the backbone of two more trips to the NBA Finals. He has hit a couple triples, a double and a bunch of singles. He has a rich draft history.<\/p>\n

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But you would expect a little more success from someone who is 30 years into this gig. There were a lot of whiffs late in the first round and early in the second round. There were some big swings and misses, too, when it came to Michael Beasley and Justise Winslow. If only Riley had taken Ainge up on his offer<\/a> of a handful of first-round draft picks for Winslow, the two archrivals<\/a> might be flipped in these rankings.<\/p>\n

11. Leon Rose, New York Knicks (2020-)<\/p>\n

Draft picks: .667 OBP \u2022 .667 SLG \u2022 1.333 OPS<\/p>\n

2B: Immanuel Quickley (25th, 2020)<\/p>\n

1B: Quentin Grimes (25th, 2021) \u2022 Miles McBride (36th, 2021)<\/p>\n

BB: Pac\u00f4me Dadiet (25th, 2024) \u2022 Tyler Kolek (34th, 2024) \u2022 Ariel Hukporti (58th, 2024)<\/p>\n

K: Obi Toppin (8th, 2020) \u2022 Rokas Jokubaitis (34th, 2021) \u2022 Trevor Keels (42nd, 2022)<\/p>\n

If only Rose had held onto Obi Toppin, he might have ended up with another single. As it is, he had to watch as Toppin contributed as a member of the Pacers to his team’s defeat in the conference finals.<\/p>\n

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Note, too, that Toppin was the only player taken higher than 25th by Rose, and Rose gave up too early on his best opportunity at success in the draft. It is good to know, though, that it is possible to be successful without much success in the draft, as the Knicks are in decent shape despite their difficult draft history.<\/p>\n

10. Jeff Weltman, Orlando Magic (2017-)<\/p>\n

Draft picks: .500 OBP \u2022 .929 SLG \u2022 1.429 OPS<\/p>\n

HR: Paolo Banchero (1st, 2022)<\/p>\n

3B: Franz Wagner (8th, 2021)<\/p>\n

2B: Jalen Suggs (5th, 2021)<\/p>\n

1B: Jonathan Isaac (6th, 2017) \u2022 Cole Anthony (15th, 2020) \u2022 Anthony Black (6th, 2023) \u2022 Tristan da Silva (18th, 2024)<\/p>\n

K: Mo Bamba (6th, 2018) \u2022 Wes Iwundu (33rd, 2018) \u2022 Melvin Frazier (35th, 2018) \u2022 Justin Jackson (43rd, 2018) \u2022 Chuma Okeke (16th, 2019) \u2022 Caleb Houstan (32nd, 2022) \u2022 Jett Howard (11th, 2023)<\/p>\n

The Magic have perennially picked one selection too late in the draft, often just missing elite prospects. But in back-to-back years Weltman dug himself out of a slump, taking Jalen Suggs, Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero in successive drafts, forming the foundation of what should be a 50-win team this year.<\/p>\n

\"FILE<\/p>\n

Koby Altman has been doing good things for the Cavs. (AP Photo\/Sue Ogrocki, File)<\/p>\n

(ASSOCIATED PRESS)9. Koby Altman, Cleveland Cavaliers (2017-)<\/p>\n

Draft picks: .444 OBP \u2022 1.000 SLG \u2022 1.444 OPS<\/p>\n

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HR: Evan Mobley (3rd, 2021)<\/p>\n

3B: Darius Garland (5th, 2019)<\/p>\n

1B: Collin Sexton (8th, 2018)<\/p>\n

BB: Jaylon Tyson (20th, 2024)<\/p>\n

K: Dylan Windler (26th, 2019) \u2022 Kevin Porter Jr. (30th, 2019) \u2022 Isaac Okoro (5th, 2020) \u2022 Ochai Agbaji (14th, 2022) \u2022 Khalifa Diop (39th, 2022)<\/p>\n

Altman did not miss on his top-five picks, and the Cavaliers are benefiting from that power, as Evan Mobley and Darius Garland formed a partnership that was worthy of investing into Donovan Mitchell (and vice versa). Together they formed a 64-win team that unfortunately lost in the second round of the playoffs, but the East is shallow, and the Cavs are expected to be the cream of the crop again next season. There is hope in Cleveland again, as the Cavaliers will go as far as Mobley and Garland take them.<\/p>\n

8. Sean Marks, Brooklyn Nets (2016-)<\/p>\n

Draft picks: .636 OBP \u2022 .875 SLG \u2022 1.511 OPS<\/p>\n

3B: Jarrett Allen (22nd, 2017)<\/p>\n

2B: Nic Claxton (31st, 2019)<\/p>\n

1B: Caris LeVert (20th, 2016) \u2022 Cam Thomas (27th, 2021)<\/p>\n

BB: Isaiah Whitehead (42nd, 2016) \u2022 Rodion Kurucs (40th, 2018) \u2022 Kessler Edwards (44th, 2021)<\/p>\n

K: D\u017eanan Musa (29th, 2018) \u2022 Day’Ron Sharpe (29th, 2021) \u2022 Noah Clowney (21st, 2023) \u2022 Dariq Whitehead (22nd, 2023)<\/p>\n

Marks has done a decent job in the draft despite never having a pick higher than No. 20. That changed this year, when the Nets picked eighth (Egor Demin) before also selecting 19th (Nolan Traore), 22nd (Drake Powell), 26th (Ben Saraf) and 27th (Danny Wolf). That is a lot of at-bats for one summer.<\/p>\n

7. Sam Presti, Oklahoma City Thunder (2007-)<\/p>\n

Draft picks: .514 OBP \u2022 1.065 SLG \u2022 1.579 OPS<\/p>\n

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HR: Kevin Durant (2nd, 2007) \u2022 Russell Westbrook (4th, 2008) \u2022 James Harden (3rd, 2009) \u2022 Jalen Williams (12th, 2022)<\/p>\n

3B: Serge Ibaka (24th, 2008) \u2022 Chet Holmgren (2nd, 2022)<\/p>\n

2B: Reggie Jackson (24th, 2011) \u2022 Steven Adams (12th, 2013) \u2022 Cason Wallace (10th, 2023)<\/p>\n

1B: Andre Roberson (26th, 2013) \u2022 Cameron Payne (14th, 2015) \u2022 Josh Giddey (6th, 2021) \u2022 Aaron Wiggins (55th, 2021) \u2022 Jaylin Williams (34th, 2022)<\/p>\n

BB: Hamidou Diallo (45th, 2018) \u2022 Ousmane Dieng (11th, 2022) \u2022 Nikola Topic (12th, 2024) \u2022 Ajay Mitchell (38th, 2024)<\/p>\n

K: D.J. White (29th, 2008) \u2022 Kyle Weaver (38th, 2008) \u2022 B.J. Mullens (24th, 2009) \u2022 Cole Aldrich (11th, 2010) \u2022 Tibor Plei\u00df (31st, 2010) \u2022 Perry Jones (28th, 2012) \u2022 \u00c1lex Abrines (32nd, 2013) \u2022 Grant Jerrett (40th, 2013) \u2022 Mitch McGary (21st, 2014) \u2022 Josh Huestis (29th, 2014) \u2022 Terrance Ferguson (21st, 2017) \u2022 Darius Bazley (23rd, 2019) \u2022 Aleksej Pokusevski (17th, 2020) \u2022 Vit Krejci (37th, 2020) \u2022 Tre Mann (18th, 2021) \u2022 Jeremiah Robinson-Earl (32nd, 2021) \u2022 Dillon Jones (26th, 2024)<\/p>\n

It is a thing of beauty looking at this stat sheet.<\/p>\n

Four home runs, including Jalen Williams, who, as the second-best player on a championship team, deserves that status. That run of Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden will never be matched. But it just goes to show you: When you are in this business a long enough time, there are bound to be a lot of swings and misses, especially when you are so often selecting late in the first round.<\/p>\n

6. Daryl Morey, Philadelphia 76ers (2020-)<\/p>\n

Draft picks: .682 OBP \u2022 .952 SLG \u2022 1.634 OPS<\/p>\n

3B: Tyrese Maxey (21st, 2020)<\/p>\n

2B: Chandler Parsons (38th, 2011) \u2022 Clint Capela (25th, 2014) \u2022 Montrezl Harrell (32nd, 2015) \u2022 Jared McCain (16th, 2024)<\/p>\n

1B: Aaron Brooks (26th, 2007) \u2022 Chase Budinger (44th, 2009) \u2022 Patrick Patterson (14th, 2010) \u2022 Marcus Morris (14th, 2011) \u2022 Donatas Motiejunas (20th, 2011) \u2022 Terrence Jones (18th, 2012) \u2022 Jeremy Lamb (12th, 2012) \u2022 Isaiah Hartenstein (43rd, 2017) \u2022 Paul Reed (58th, 2020)<\/p>\n

BB: Adem Bona (41st, 2024)<\/p>\n

K: Jermaine Taylor (32nd, 2009) \u2022 Sergio Llull (34th, 2009) \u2022 Royce White (16th, 2012) \u2022 Isaiah Canaan (34th, 2013) \u2022 Sam Dekker (18th, 2015) \u2022 Chinanu Onuaku (37th, 2016) \u2022 Jaden Springer (28th, 2021)<\/p>\n

(Morey served as general manager of the Houston Rockets from 2007-2020.)<\/p>\n

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Morey does not get enough credit for his success in the draft, where, among others, he identified Tyrese Maxey, arguably the team’s best player now (unfortunately). There’s just not a lot of whiffs over a career as long as his. Even on the misses you can see the talent he was chasing. Smart guy, that Daryl Morey.<\/p>\n

5. Tim Connelly, Minnesota Timberwolves (2022-)<\/p>\n

Draft picks: .652 OBP \u2022 1.056 SLG \u2022 1.708 OPS<\/p>\n

HR: Nikola Joki\u0107 (41st, 2014) \u2022 Jamal Murray (7th, 2016)<\/p>\n

2B: Gary Harris (19th, 2014) \u2022 Jusuf Nurki\u0107 (16th, 2014) \u2022 Michael Porter Jr. (14th, 2018)<\/p>\n

1B: Malik Beasley (19th, 2016) \u2022 Monte Morris (51st, 2017) \u2022 Jarred Vanderbilt (41st, 2018) \u2022 Rob Dillingham (8th, 2024) \u2022 Terrence Shannon Jr. (27th, 2024)<\/p>\n

BB: Juan Hernang\u00f3mez (15th, 2016) \u2022 Vlatko \u010can\u010dar (49th, 2017) \u2022 Bol Bol (44th, 2019) \u2022 Zeke Nnaji (22nd, 2020) \u2022 Jaylen Clark (53rd, 2023)<\/p>\n

K: Erick Green (46th, 2013) \u2022 Emmanuel Mudiay (7th, 2015) \u2022 Tyler Lydon (24th, 2017) \u2022 R.J. Hampton (24th, 2020) \u2022 Bones Hyland (26th, 2021) \u2022 Wendell Moore Jr. (26th, 2022) \u2022 Josh Minott (45th, 2022) \u2022 Leonard Miller (33rd, 2023)<\/p>\n

(Connelly served as general manager of the Denver Nuggets from 2013-2022.)<\/p>\n

That Joki\u0107 pick was so much of a grand slam, I think it’s still going.<\/p>\n

Connelly identified a ton of talent in the draft for the Nuggets, including Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr., or most of the core of Denver’s 2023 championship team. Minnesota is hoping he can do the same for the Timberwolves, who could use some affordable talent on their books. Both Rob Dillingham and Terrence Shannon showed promise last season, and rookie Joan Beringer joins them this summer. The sooner any of them develops, the more we can accept the Wolves as legitimate title contenders.<\/p>\n

4. Danny Ainge, Utah Jazz (2021-)<\/p>\n

Draft picks: .674 OBP \u2022 .1.147 SLG \u2022 1.821 OPS<\/p>\n

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HR: Rajon Rondo (21st, 2006) \u2022 Jaylen Brown (3rd, 2016) \u2022 Jayson Tatum (3rd, 2017)<\/p>\n

3B: Al Jefferson (15th, 2004) \u2022 Marcus Smart (6th, 2014)<\/p>\n

2B: Kendrick Perkins (27th, 2003) \u2022 Tony Allen (25th, 2004) \u2022 Avery Bradley (19th, 2010) \u2022 Terry Rozier (16th, 2015) \u2022 Robert Williams III (27th, 2018) \u2022 Walker Kessler (22nd, 2022)<\/p>\n

1B: Delonte West (24th, 2004) \u2022 Ryan Gomes (50th, 2005) \u2022 Leon Powe (49th, 2006) \u2022 Glen Davis (35th, 2007) \u2022 Jared Sullinger (21st, 2012) \u2022 Kelly Olynyk (13th, 2013) \u2022 Semi Ojeleye (37th, 2017) \u2022 Grant Williams (22nd, 2019) \u2022 Payton Pritchard (26th, 2020)<\/p>\n

BB: Gerald Green (18th, 2005) \u2022 Guerschon Yabusele (16th, 2016) \u2022 Aaron Nesmith (14th, 2020) \u2022 Taylor Hendricks (9th, 2023) \u2022 Keyonte George (16th, 2023) \u2022 Brice Sensabaugh (28th, 2023) \u2022 Cody Williams (10th, 2024) \u2022 Isaiah Collier (29th, 2024) \u2022 Kyle Filipowski (32nd, 2024)<\/p>\n

K: Marcus Banks (13th, 2003) \u2022 Justin Reed (40th, 2004) \u2022 Gabe Pruitt (32nd, 2007) \u2022 J.R. Giddens (30th, 2008) \u2022 JaJuan Johnson (27th, 2011) \u2022 Fab Melo (22nd, 2012) \u2022 James Young (17th, 2014) \u2022 R.J. Hunter (28th, 2015) \u2022 Jordan Mickey (33rd, 2015) \u2022 Marcus Thornton (45th, 2015) \u2022 Ante Zizic (23rd, 2016) \u2022 Demetrius Jackson (45th, 2016) \u2022 Romeo Langford (14th, 2019) \u2022 Carsen Edwards (33rd, 2019)<\/p>\n

(Ainge served as general manager of the Boston Celtics from 2003-2021.)<\/p>\n

Another thing of beauty. Man, look at all that action. No wonder we called this The Danny Ainge System. He drafted players to two different championship teams in Boston and consistently raked for 20 seasons.<\/p>\n

There are a lot of recent draft picks hanging in the balance here as walks \u2014 from 2023 (Taylor Hendricks, Keyonte George and Brice Sensabaugh) to 2024 (Cody Williams, Isaiah Collier and Kyle Filipowski) \u2014 and that does not include this year’s selections, Ace Bailey and Walter Clayton Jr. Two years from now, Ainge could have a very different score here \u2014 or an even better one, as he attempts to build a legacy in Utah.<\/p>\n

3. Zach Kleiman, Memphis Grizzlies (2019-)<\/p>\n

Draft picks: .692 OBP \u2022 1.154 SLG \u2022 1.846 OPS<\/p>\n

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HR: Ja Morant (2nd, 2019)<\/p>\n

3B: Desmond Bane (30th, 2020)<\/p>\n

2B: Santi Aldama (30th, 2021)<\/p>\n

1B: Brandon Clarke (21st, 2019) \u2022 Xavier Tillman (35th, 2020) \u2022 Vince Williams Jr. (47th, 2022) \u2022 GG Jackson (45th, 2023) \u2022 Zach Edey (9th, 2024) \u2022 Jaylen Wells (39th, 2024)<\/p>\n

K: Ziaire Williams (10th, 2021) \u2022 Jake LaRavia (19th, 2022) \u2022 David Roddy (23rd, 2022) \u2022 Kennedy Chandler (38th, 2022)<\/p>\n

Ja Morant has come with ups and downs, but when he is healthy and engaged, he is the face of a 50-win team and an absolute superstar. He is a home run, even if anyone would have taken him with the No. 2 overall pick in 2019. You can only make the picks that are in front of you, and Morant was a good one.<\/p>\n

Kleiman has proven to be one of the league’s best talent evaluators. Which is why it should have given Grizzlies fans great confidence when he proactively traded up for Cedric Coward at this year’s No. 11 pick. If The Danny Ainge System has taught us anything, it’s that there’s a high likelihood Coward will be good.<\/p>\n

2. Brian Wright, San Antonio Spurs (2019-)<\/p>\n

Draft picks: .636 OBP \u2022 .1.250 SLG \u2022 1.886 OPS<\/p>\n

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HR: Victor Wembanyama (1st, 2023)<\/p>\n

3B: Stephon Castle (4th, 2024)<\/p>\n

2B: Devin Vassell (11th, 2020)<\/p>\n

1B: Jeremy Sochan (9th, 2022)<\/p>\n

BB: Tre Jones (41st, 2020) \u2022 Sidy Cissoko (44th, 2023) \u2022 Juan N\u00fa\u00f1ez (36th, 2024)<\/p>\n

K: Joshua Primo (12th, 2021) \u2022 Joe Wieskamp (41st, 2021) \u2022 Malaki Branham (20th, 2022) \u2022 Blake Wesley (25th, 2022)<\/p>\n

It helps, of course, to luck into a generational superstar, and Victor Wembanyama is that. A No. 1 pick can make a general manager’s career, as it can a coach. Just ask Gregg Popovich, who drafted Tim Duncan to the Spurs and reaped the rewards for a couple of decades. Wright’s legacy will be written by Wembanyama.<\/p>\n

Popovich had to identify Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili in the draft, too, in order to build a dynasty. The Spurs will hope Wright found similar complementary stars from a rebuild, whether Stephon Castle builds on his Rookie of the Year campaign or one of this year’s lottery picks, Dylan Harper or Carter Bryant, develops into a star. Wright has set San Antonio up for success. Bet on the Spurs in the coming years.<\/p>\n

1. Rafael Stone, Houston Rockets (2020-)<\/p>\n

Draft picks: .700 OBP \u2022 1.222 SLG \u2022 1.922 OPS<\/p>\n

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3B: Alperen \u015eeng\u00fcn (16th, 2021) \u2022 Amen Thompson (4th, 2023)<\/p>\n

2B: Jalen Green (2nd, 2021)<\/p>\n

1B: KJ Martin (52nd, 2020) \u2022 Jabari Smith Jr. (3rd, 2022) \u2022 Tari Eason (17th, 2022)<\/p>\n

BB: Reed Sheppard (3rd, 2024)<\/p>\n

K: Usman Garuba (23rd, 2021) \u2022 Josh Christopher (24th, 2021) \u2022 Cam Whitmore (20th, 2023)<\/p>\n

There is a reason the Rockets were ready for Kevin Durant. Stone has drafted so well the Rockets have developed from what was a 17-win team when he took over to a 52-win No. 2 seed this past season \u2014 all on the backs of a handful of high-end draft picks, including All-Star center Alperen \u015eeng\u00fcn and Amen Thompson, who at age 22 may be as likely to develop into a home run as anyone in the league right now.<\/p>\n

The Rockets were so good last season they decided they were one piece away from more serious title contention. They believed Jalen Green, their No. 2 overall pick in 2021, was not that one piece, so they flipped him for Durant, who could be the guy. It was a bet against Green’s potential as a home run.<\/p>\n

Stone’s draft record has benefited from four consecutive selections in the top five of the first round, though one of those picks, Reed Sheppard, remains a mystery. If Sheppard hits, there is a real chance that when we update this list a year or two from now, Stone’s score could be even higher. As it is, he is the best around, and the Rockets are among the league’s championship favorites as a direct result.<\/p>\n