With the NBA Finals in the rearview mirror and Wednesday's first round officially in the books, it's time to assess how the draft shook up the dynasty landscape.
We highlighted some underrated dynasty draft prospects last week and can now evaluate which players saw their fantasy stock soar or plummet. Here are the biggest Dynasty Winners and Losers from the NBA Draft first round based on landing spots and evolving depth charts. (Statistics as of June 26, 2025)
Winner: Egor Demin
(PG, Brooklyn Nets)
2024-25 stats: 10.6 PPG, 3.9 RPG
5.5 APG, 1.2 SPG, 0.4 BPG
41.2 FG%, 27.3 3P%, 69.5 FT%
Egor Demin out of BYU was the first true surprise pick of the draft when the Nets selected him at eight. Projected as a late lottery selection, Demin led the entire class with 5.5 assists per game as a freshman.
His elite vision and 6’9 size clearly enticed Brooklyn’s front office, but critics have highlighted his high dribble and overall handling ability. Additionally, while an aggressive shooter with 154 attempts last season, Demin converted them at just a 27.3% clip.
Including Demin, the Nets spent three of their historic five first-round picks on pass-first guards with poor shooting numbers, taking Nolan Traore at 19 and Ben Saraf at 26. However, given the higher draft capital used on the Russian guard, he is likely to get the most playtime out of the gate.
Brooklyn sorely lacked a creative playmaker last season, and with D’Angelo Russell likely to depart in free agency, Demin should have every opportunity to fill that void. Expect high assist numbers to continue as the unique PG adapts to the NBA.
Loser: Yves Messi
(C, New Orleans Pelicans)
2024-25 stats: 9.1 PPG, 8.2 RPG
1.4 APG, 0.5 SPG, 1.3 BPG
54.7 FG%, 0.0 3P%, 62.3 FT%
A couple of weeks back, we ranked Yves Missi as a player to sell in dynasty formats due to his minimal offensive versatility and surprisingly low defensive rebounding rate for a specialist, adding that New Orleans was likely to add frontcourt reinforcements this offseason. A reinforcement came in a big way on draft night, as the Pelicans traded up to 13 to select Derik Queen, a center from Maryland.
To move up from 23 to 13, the Pelicans sacrificed an unprotected 2026 first-round pick, demonstrating clear confidence in what Queen brings to the table. The big man had a productive freshman season, averaging 16.5 PPG and 9.0 RPG in a competitive conference, showcasing crafty interior scoring and unique playmaking from a center.
His defense and lack of shooting range concerned some scouts, but his skillset and the investment New Orleans made should earn him at least a platoon at the five spot on opening day.
Winner: LaMelo Ball
(PG, Charlotte Hornets
2024-25 stats: 25.2 PPG, 4.9 RPG
7.4 APG, 1.1 SPG, 0.3 BPG
40.5 FG%, 33.9 3P%, 84.3 FT%
LaMelo Ball’s fifth NBA season was unfortunately again impacted by injuries, with ankle and wrist procedures taking him out in late March. That said, he is expected to make a full recovery well before opening day and should be thrilled with Charlotte’s draft performance.
The Hornets took Kon Knueppel, a shooting guard from Duke, at four and traded for the 29th pick, Liam McNeeley, a UConn wing. Both players should have an instant positive impact on Ball’s numbers.
While he posted a career-high in PPG, Ball’s efficiency and playmaking stats suffered a bit in 2024-25. He shot just 40.5% from the field and notched 7.4 assists per game after averaging 8.3 over the prior two seasons.
Knueppel and McNeeley are both perimeter shooting specialists who excel in off-ball roles. Knueppel was particularly lethal, converting 84 threes as a freshman on 40.6%. Neither player will threaten Ball’s ball-dominant approach, and will instead add the spacing and shotmaking needed to get his efficiency and playmaking back on track.
Loser: Donovan Clingan
(C, Portland Trail Blazers)
2024-25 stats: 6.5 PPG, 7.9 RPG
1.1 APG, 0.5 SPG, 1.6 BPG
53.9 FG%, 28.6 3P%, 59.6 FT%
Donovan Clingan had a strong first NBA season, earning an All-Rookie Second Team nod while finishing second in the league with 5.9 offensive rebounds per 36 minutes. He even showed off some shooting range, going 6-15 from deep during a late-season stretch.
With Deandre Ayton and Robert Williams III unlikely to be part of Portland’s long-term future, Clingan, the seventh overall pick in 2024, had a clear road map to an established big-man role for the Trail Blazers. Then came perhaps the most shocking move of the first round. Portland traded down to 16 to select Hansen Yang, a skilled center who put up big numbers in China.
We highlighted Yang’s passing and potential as an offensive nucleus last week, but the 7’2 center was almost universally considered a second-round talent. Yang’s offensive toolkit could theoretically complement Clingan’s defense-first approach, but much like the Queen pick, the Yang selection and the capital used to make it sends a clear message that the organization was unsatisfied with its current frontcourt options.
Winner: Kasparas Jakucionis
(PG, Miami Heat)
2024-25 stats: 15.0 PPG, 5.7 RPG
4.7 APG, 0.9 SPG, 0.3 BPG
44.0 FG%, 31.8 3P%, 84.5 FT%
Kasparas Jakucionis was considered a mid-to-late lottery pick for much of the pre-draft process, with some mocks placing him as high as fifth, but after a late-season decline in performance, the Lithuanian’s stock took a nosedive. He fell to 20th in Wednesday’s first round but may have found an ideal landing spot with the Miami Heat.
Terry Rozier began 2024-25 as the Heat’s starting point guard, but after shooting his worst efficiency since 2018-19, he was supplanted by the newly acquired Davion Mitchell. A restricted free agent this offseason, the defensive-minded Mitchell had his best stretch in the NBA as Miami’s starter. Star player Tyler Herro also filled in extensively at point guard last season and posted a career-high 5.5 assists per game.
As a combo guard with great vision in the pick-and-roll, Jakucionis could immediately slot in as Miami’s most creative passer. With Mitchell shouldering the tough defensive matchups and Herro returning to a more scoring-oriented role, Jakucionis is presented with a perfect balance of opportunity and support.
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Miami was in dire need of a backcourt playmaker and is renowned for its player development. While Jakucionis may come off the bench initially, this is certainly a long-term situation where he can find success.
Loser: Isaiah Collier
(PG, Utah Jazz)
2024-25 stats: 8.7 PPG, 3.3 RPG
6.3 APG, 0.9 SPG, 0.2 BPG
42.2 FG%, 24.9 3P%, 68.2 FT%
Just a few weeks ago, we ranked Isaiah Collier as a dynasty sleeper, but Utah’s draft approach makes him the final loser among our Dynasty Winners and Losers from the NBA Draft first round. The Jazz traded up to select March Madness star Walter Clayton Jr. out of Florida with the 19th pick.
With 312 collegiate three-pointers at 38.6%, Clayton excels where Collier struggles most. Collier took over the starting point guard role from Keyonte George mid-season with strong playmaking instincts, dishing out 8.7 assists per 36 minutes, but shot less than 25% from distance on the season.
A shoot-first point guard, Clayton’s playmaking has drawn some criticism, but he has a great chance to immediately supplant Collier given the value placed on long-range shooting. Clayton’s defense has also been a concern, but both Collier and George have been below average in that area to this point. As a result, Collier is likely to return to a reserve role in the meantime.