2014 NBA Draft: Grading each team's draft

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Jun 26, 2014; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Dante Exum (Australia) shakes hands with NBA commissioner Adam Silver after being selected as the number five overall pick to the Utah Jazz in the 2014 NBA Draft at the Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports /

Utah Jazz

The Utah Jazz had two first round picks, and by all accounts, they nailed down two of their top options. Dante Exum inexplicably fell to Utah with the 5th pick, and while there is some fear that he does not want to play in Salt Lake City, he was easily the best prospect available at the time. Exum likely profiles as a shooting guard for the Jazz, especially when considering last year’s selection of Michigan point guard Trey Burke, but the two profile as compliments to one another, and Exum’s upside is second to none.

Later, Rodney Hood fell in their laps with the 23rd overall selection, and many believe that he should have been a lottery pick out of Duke. At 6-foot-9, Hood is extremely talented with the ball in his hands, and if he had been a tick better defensively while in college, he may have gone in the lottery. Utah continues to stockpile assets, and they grabbed two of my top-15 players in this year’s draft while not being forced to leverage other assets for the future. Well done.

Grade: A+

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2014 NBA Draft: Grading each team’s draft

By Brad Rowland | Jun 27, 2014