NBA Draft 2018: Winners and losers

BROOKLYN, NY - JUNE 21: Luka Doncic speaks to the media after being selected third overall at the 2018 NBA Draft on June 21, 2018 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Kostas Lymperopoulos/NBAE via Getty Images) /

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NEW YORK, USA – JUNE 21: Kevin Knox walks to the stage after being drafted ninth overall by the New York Knicks during the 2018 NBA Draft in Barclays Center in New York, United States on June 21, 2018.(Photo by Mohammed Elshamy/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images) /

Loser No. 5: Teams that believe highly in pre-draft workouts

Pre-Draft workouts are a staple of the draft scouting season. The Draft Combine starts the season off, and then for the next month leading up to the draft, teams bring players in for workouts to get one-on-one time with the prospects. Usually these involve between two and five guys coming in for a day, doing interviews, working on a few drills, and *maybe* doing some 2-on-2 or 3-on-3. They’re good for identifying good shooters, hard workers, and good personality fits with a team. They are not a substitute for game tape, and they’re the reason that the 2018 NBA Draft had so many head-scratching picks.

Sacramento took Marvin Bagley at two in part because he worked out with them. Same with Collin Sexton at eight to the Cavaliers. The New York Knicks took Kevin Knox over Miles Bridges because Knox owned Bridges in a workout one-on-one. Donte DiVincenzo and Grayson Allen went top 20 seemingly exclusively because they jumped high at the combine.

Next: Every NBA team's worst iteration ever

Workouts are valuable, but they’re just one piece of the puzzle. After all, these are where we got such stories as Yi Janlian’s chair, and the Lakers passing on Kristaps Porzingis because he couldn’t consistently post up Mark Madsen for an hour and a half straight. They don’t show a prospect’s true abilities, and that’s why the players listed above all might disappoint. This draft is a good referendum on these workout, and whether teams should take a lot of stock from them. Early returns seem to be no.

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