'Countdown' on for big trade call; 'absolute steal' after shock NBA ...

The 2023 NBA draft has now passed and while some teams have landed potentially franchise-altering talents, others are left with more questions than answers.

From the next superstar who could ask for a trade to the biggest steals, here are some of the key talking points from the draft.

CHARLOTTE WENT ‘ALL-IN’ ON MILLER...WILL IT PAY OFF?

The Charlotte Hornets have selected Brandon Miller as the No. 2 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft in a move that is sure to generate plenty of discussion in the coming days.

While the Hornets were reportedly choosing between Miller and Scoot Henderson, the 6-foot-9 small forward from the University of Alabama has officially landed in Charlotte.

Henderson went No. 3 to the Trail Blazers.

Michael Jordan had the final say on the No. 2 selection.

The Hornets announced earlier this week that the NBA great is selling his majority ownership stake in the team, but general manager Mitch Kupchak said he would defer to Jordan for the draft decision in his Wednesday press conference.

Both Miller, 20, and Henderson, 19, were in Charlotte on Monday for a private workout, and Miller reportedly impressed Jordan during his second session with the team and wasn’t afraid to talk back either when challenged by the Chicago Bulls legend.

“He told me I was just a shooter,” Miller told Sirius XM.

“I was just shooting threes. ... I know my talents and my abilities. Can’t really let Jordan get in your head. It might make him feel good and make you feel bad. I kind of talked some trash back to him. I witnessed him airball a free throw too. I always have that up against him.”

Miller’s offensive versatility and crafty ball-handling is projected to pair well with point guard LaMelo Ball who was Charlottes’ No. 3 pick in 2020, one reason why he edged Henderson for the No. 2 spot.

With a strong three-level scoring ability and good length, Miller is hard to defend –– he’s able to shoot over guards, efficient with popping off the dribble and can pour it in from beyond the arc.

In his freshman season at Alabama this year, Miller averaged 18.8 points, 8.2 rebounds and 2.1 assists.

The new Hornet also earned first-team All-American honours and was the SEC’s player and freshman of the year.

Brandon Miller celebrates after being drafted second overall. Sarah Stier/Getty Images/AFPSource: AFP

The biggest question though — and reason why this pick is going to spark so much debate — is whether Charlotte should have taken a swing at the more talented Henderson or at least traded down to take Miller.

That is, of course, not to say Miller isn’t talented. He was one of the best players in college basketball last season.

Speaking to reporters earlier in the week, Hornets general manager Mitch Kupchak said fit wouldn’t be a huge consideration in the team’s final decision.

“As far as fit, you’re always going to pick the best player,” Kupchak said.

“I would say that’s still the case today. Although we’re at a point in time where we’d consider fit, we’re not that team that’s been in the playoffs for three or four years, and you’re looking to tweak your roster and look for a fit. We’re not at that place right now.

“Our decision is going to remain to be looking for the player that we think is going to have the best overall career.”

Brandon Miller is off to Charlotte. Sarah Stier/Getty Images/AFPSource: AFP

Considering the reactions of some Hornets fans on Friday, it may take some convincing.

Although Charlotte fans still have plenty to look forward to with Henderson and Nick Smith Jr., who the Hornets took with the 27th overall pick.

Smith Jr. was one of the best players in his high school class before an injury-interrupted freshman season saw him fall down draft boards.

The Arkansas guard though has plenty of upside and was worth taking the risk on, particularly at this cost.

— with New York Post

A BIG WIN FOR THE MAVERICKS FRONT OFFICE

If there was a resounding winner on Friday it was the Dallas Mavericks, who were able to both address a team need through the draft while also shedding the Davis Bertans contract.

The Mavericks were widely tipped to move back from the No. 10 pick, which you would have thought didn’t give them much leverage and could have resulted in an underwhelming return.

Instead, Dallas was able to trade the 10th overall pick along with Bertans to the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for the No. 12 pick and a traded player exception.

Clearly the Thunder wanted to draft Cason Wallace and were worried the Kentucky point guard wouldn’t have been on the board if they stayed put.

For the Mavericks though it was the ideal scenario as they were able to move just a few spots back and take Duke big man Dereck Lively II, who will immediately improve their defence.

Lively II averaged 2.4 blocks in his one season at Duke and while he may still be a work in progress on the offensive end of the ball, Dallas doesn’t need more points anyway.

“Toward the end of the season, you saw him as a big time shot blocker, rim runner, rim protector and excellent in pick-and-roll,” college basketball guru Jay Bilas said on ESPN’s coverage.

“He shot 85 per cent as a pick-and-roll roller. I think a lot about Deandre Jordan when he came out of Texas A&M.

“I think Dereck Lively II’s offence can come. He’s got a nice touch. That will come in time. But the defence, the rebounding, running the floor, he’s got that already.”

Dallas traded back to take Dereck Lively II. Sarah Stier/Getty Images/AFPSource: AFP

Lively II was a great pick for Dallas but moving off Bertan’s contract was just as important a move as it opened a $17 million trade exception, which was later used to acquire Sacramento center Richaul Holmes.

Dallas also received the Kings’ 24th overall pick, which they used to draft Marquette junior forward Olivier Maxence-Prosper.

“What an unbelievable set of moves for Dallas to trade down from No. 10 to No. 12, dump Davis Bertans’ contract and get Dereck Lively II,” wrote The Athletic’s front office expert John Hollinger.

“Lively and Dallas is the most perfect fit on the draft board outside the top few picks, a high-flying, rim-running, shot-blocking center who doesn’t need the ball. What a perfect complement to Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving; and amazingly, they were able to dump Bertans’ salary and still walk away from the draft with Lively. Just A+ stuff.”

HOUSTON ROCKETS STRIKE GOLD

What a result for the Rockets.

Some mock drafts had Cam Whitmore ahead of Overtime Elite point guard Amen Thompson.

Instead, Thompson went fourth overall for the Rockets while the Villanova forward nosedived all the way down the draft and right into Houston’s lap with the No. 20 pick.

There were suggestions the Rockets could trade up from that pick, with The Athletic reporting there were discussions on moving up as high as tenth overall in place of Dallas.

“One interesting wrinkle to Houston’s interest is the prospect of moving up from the No. 20 pick,” Kelly Iko of The Athletic wrote.

“Conversations up to this point are mainly conceptual, but there have been discussions about potentially moving up from 20 to a range anywhere from the Miami Heat at No. 18 to the Dallas Mavericks at No. 10, sources say.”

The Rockets didn’t have to do a thing though to land an extremely talented player in Whitmore, who brings a lot of athletic upside to a Houston team that will give him the space and room to develop.

Cam Whitmore was eventually taken 20th overall. Sarah Stier/Getty Images/AFPSource: AFP

“Whitmore is an absolute steal at 20th overall,” Bilas said on ESPN.

“He’s a versatile defender and excellent cutter off-ball. He also attacks the rim like it has something against him, and has a solid shooting stroke.

“You don’t find athletes like this all the time, I thought he was a top-five talent coming into the draft.”

As for Thompson, there are the obvious concerns about his shooting but plenty of upside elsewhere given his dynamic playmaking and versatility on the defensive end.

Thompson averaged 16.3 points, 6.4 rebounds, 6.2 assists, and 2.4 steals last season in the Overtime Elite and was described by draft expert Jonathan Givony as having “a higher ceiling than any prospect in this class not named Wembanyama”.

Speaking after he was drafted, Thompson also touched on his leadership skills as something he can bring to a young Houston team still in need of veteran presence in the locker room.

Amen Thompson celebrates after being drafted fourth overall pick by the Houston Rockets. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images

“I think I’ve become more of a vocal leader, but first I lead by example and I think I can bring that to Houston,” Thompson said.

“I think Houston got a lot of players that have great potential, and I think they have a scary future.”

As for his fit alongside Jalen Green in the Houston backcourt, Thompson said he was looking forward to being on a team with multiple playmaking options.

“I see two very athletic guards who can push the tempo, push the pace, both ball handlers,” added Thompson.

“I like to be on a team with as many people who can make plays for us as possible, and I think that’s what we’ve got over there.”

BUT WHAT WAS BEHIND CAM WHITMORE’S FALL?

Most draft experts seemed to have Cam Whitmore mocked inside the top 10 picks for Friday’s draft.

Even ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported that while there was talk the Villanova forward could drop down the board, he was only expected to fall towards the “back-end of the lottery”.

Instead, Whitmore was still available when the Houston Rockets were on the clock at 20th overall. So, what happened?

Well, injury concerns were potentially to blame according to ESPN’s Jeremy Woo, although Whitmore dismissed those claims on Friday.

Cam Whitmore (R) had to wait to has his name called. Sarah Stier/Getty Images/AFPSource: AFP

“No, I promise you there’s not,” he said.

“I have no idea. I don’t know what happened. But I feel fine. It’s my body. If they think it’s something different, they have their own opinions. But at the end of the day, it’s my body.”

Meanwhile, Wojnarowski reported that Whitmore did not interview particularly well in the lead-up to the draft.

“Teams and front offices described a combination of some poor workouts, some not great interviews with teams over the last month as part of the reason Cam Whitmore has dropped,” Wojnarowski said on ESPN.

“I saw him in a workout for his agency, WME, in Santa Barbara in May where he really impressed teams. Literally all 30 teams were there but his individual workouts and interviews with teams have not been as strong.

“There was a sense he may drop tonight to the back-end of the lottery but now Cam Whitmore is dropping towards No. 20 as we approach the second half of the first round.”

Sliding down the draft board didn’t seem to bother Whitmore though, who told reporters after he was drafted that he is used to being overlooked and would use it as motivation.

“I’ve been overlooked a lot of times in my life, so it didn’t really faze me,” he said.

“I’m just really happy to be in the NBA. I’ve been dreaming about that all my life.

“.... It motivates me to like 150 percent to -- I don’t even know... it’s just something where I’ve got to rethink, go in the next day, new mind, free mind. Coming into that organisation with a chip on my shoulder, have a lot of motivation on my mind.

“At the end of the day, it doesn’t really faze me. I know I’m different than everybody else, but it’s just another chapter in my life, another step in the journey. Time to get to work.”

SCOOT HAS HIS MENTOR... BUT WILL DAME STILL BE THERE?

When the Hornets decided to take Miller with the second overall pick, it presented the Blazers with the perfect opportunity.

In drafting G League Ignite guard Scoot Henderson, Portland now has a future star in the making to build around should Damian Lillard ask out. If not, the Blazers will find a way to work around any potential fit issues.

They clearly didn’t receive any trade offers that justified giving up the chance to pass on a franchise-altering prospect.

Portland general manager Joe Cronin said following the draft that the team would continue to build around Lillard and that selecting Henderson was part of that plan.

“We’re a team that’s trying to win and trying to maximise Damian’s timeline,” he said.

The Blazers could still make moves in free agency to better position the team to compete now, although as it stands they do face an awkward dilemma after drafting Henderson.

Lillard had been open earlier in the year in telling media that he wasn’t interested in developing more young players and now Portland drafted a 19-year-old prospect at his position.

Will Damian Lillard stay or go? (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images

Henderson is certainly keen about the idea of learning from one of the best in the league.

“I’m hoping to get to play with Dame, for sure,” Henderson said in his post-draft media availability.

“Special talent, special guard. One of my favourites to watch, especially film-wise. Just to pick out how he moves off the court, as well. It would be cool to play with him.”

The chances of that happening though are up in the air at this stage, with J.J. Redick declaring the “countdown” is now on for a potential trade request from Lillard.

“They start and end with Damian Lillard and he’s indicated he doesn’t want to continue down the path that they’re on,” Redick said on ESPN.

“He wants veteran players that are going to help them win now and when they picked Scoot Henderson and held onto that pick, that signifies to me that we’re now on a countdown. At some point Damian Lillard may get moved because there is no real path to contention for this current roster.”

Speaking after the draft on ESPN, insider Wojnarowski said the decision will ultimately be up to Lillard as to whether he believes this team in its current form will be able to contend for a title.

Is Scoot Henderson now the future and Damian Lillard the past? (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images

“What it says to me is they did what is right for the franchise and that was to take a potential All-Star level and franchise level point guard at No. 3 instead of just settling for what the best available veteran might have been in a trade,” Wojnarowski said.

“When you are the Portland Trail Blazers, when you are a small market, you don’t get many cracks like this, you’re not going to get big free agents. You can’t miss.

“Damian Lillard has a decision to make, if he doesn’t like this timeline of these young players ... Portland wants to keep building around Damian Lillard and continue to make moves after the draft and in free agency with trades, re-signing Jerami Grant.

“If he decides he wants a trade, I think the organisation will accommodate him, try to get the kind of young assets they want and draft picks.

“But they don’t want to trade him and I know teams who called Portland about Damian Lillard were immediately shut down... it’s ultimately up to Damian Lillard next to decide whether he wants to see what this young group can be around him or go in another direction.”

Watch this space.

BIG OPPORTUNITIES FOR POOLE, PAUL IN BLOCKBUSTER TRADE

Meanwhile, in case you missed it, there was drama even before Friday’s draft got underway as Chris Paul was dealt to the Golden State Warriors in exchange for Jordan Poole.

Paul, who had been sent to the Washington Wizards as part of Phoenix’s trade for three-time All-Star Bradley Beal, was widely expected to be on the move again ahead of the draft.

Initial reports suggested Paul would end up in Los Angeles at the Clippers but in the end it was another contender who made a move for the veteran guard.

By trading for Paul and parting ways with Poole, the Warriors made it clear they are intent on winning now instead of following a two-timeline plan that also involved developing the future of the franchise.

Chris Paul is off to Golden State. (Photo by MATTHEW STOCKMAN / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / AFP)Source: AFP

Poole was entering the first year of a four-year, $140 million contract extension while in contrast, Paul is set to earn $30.8 million this season.

The 12-time All-Star also has a non-guaranteed deal for $30 million next season while Klay Thompson is entering the final season of his max contract.

The trade, therefore, could give Golden State more financial flexibility as it looks to move under the second tax apron and the punishments that come with that as part of the new CBA.

It also seems to signal that the Warriors will now move to re-sign Draymond Green, who recently opted out of his $27.6 million contract for next season.

There will be question marks over what the offence will look like given Golden State likes to push the pace in transition, something which doesn’t necessarily suit Paul’s game.

Then there is the matter of how long Paul can stay healthy and whether the Warriors will regret trading Poole, who they had relied on for high-level production when injuries hit.

Jordan Poole has been traded to Washington. Elsa/Getty Images/AFPSource: AFP

If Paul is healthy and Golden State makes the playoffs though, this is the kind of move that could deliver another championship to the Warriors.

Just as importantly, that would mean Paul finally getting his first ring.

As for Poole, while he had his moments at Golden State, being traded to Washington will give him a chance to really step into the spotlight with added responsibility on a rebuilding team.

“Jordan Poole may lead the league in scoring next season,” joked Redick on ESPN’s broadcast of the draft.

“He’s going to have a lot of freedom on that team.”

It would hardly be surprising to see Poole right up there in contention for Most Improved Player come the playoffs.