The 2020 NBA Draft came and went on Wednesday evening, with some of the more polarizing teams receiving grades for the unfolding events.

While the draft had plenty of buildup as one of the most uncertain classes prepared to hear their names called on Wednesday, weeks of trade chatter and the possibility of multiple teams trading up, nevertheless, led to a rather straightforward process.

There were still some surprises, to be sure, but the absence of major risers up the board reinforced how coveted lottery picks are in the NBA.

The most significant news actually occurred just before the start of the NBA Draft, with Klay Thompson suffering a serious leg injury.

In any case, all 30 teams are hoping their draftees can either be future stars or major contributors to next year's squads, if not both.

Here are some of the winners and losers of the 2020 NBA Draft.

LaMelo Ball, Hornets

WINNER: Charlotte Hornets, A

It is hard to ignore the Hornets after LaMelo Ball fell to them at the No. 3 spot.

For all his detractors and defensive deficiencies, Ball was still regarded by many as the most talented player in the draft, and with good reason.

The youngest Ball brother is a 6'7″ point guard with exceptional court vision and craftiness. LaMelo makes plays at and around the rim, and he excels in transition. The Chino Hills native can rebound at a high level and—if he puts on some more muscle—shows upside in terms of his ability to finish at the rim.

There are certainly questions on the defensive end, and the jumper currently leaves much to be desired. Ball shot just 25 percent from beyond the arc in 12 games with the Illawarra Hawks, though he was hardly afraid to shoot it (6.7 attempts per game). He will have time to hone the jumper, much as older brother Lonzo has done with the New Orleans Pelicans.

As for the defensive questions, they will only go so far. At the end of the day, Ball still has the height and reach advantage over most opposing guards. If he gets a better instinctual feel and learns how to play off the ball, he might even turn into an excellent defender.

Charlotte has a crowded backcourt. The Hornets only just signed Terry Rozier last year, and Devonte' Graham was a Most Improved Player candidate. But Ball gives Michael Jordan and Co. a legitimate playmaker and potential franchise centerpiece.

Not to mention, the Hornets also bolstered their frontcourt depth by taking former Duke big man Vernon Carey Jr. in the second round. Carey was mostly a paint-bound center at Duke, but he also showed the ability to step out and hit jumpers from time to time.  He should be a nice complementary piece next to PJ Washington, especially with Cody Zeller bound for free agency after this year.

LOSER: New York Knicks, D+

The Knicks had been one of the teams rumored to have interest in trading up in an effort to select Ball. Not only did New York fail to land Ball, but Leon Rose and Co. made some questionable drafting decisions.

Obi Toppin is a premium offensive player. He was one of the best athletes in the draft and excels running the floor and making plays as a rim-running big. Toppin can also shoot the 3-ball.

However, the Knicks are one of the worst defensive teams in NBA, and they drafted arguably one of the worst defensive players in the class.

Evaluators have been skeptical of Toppin's lateral quickness, and he could use those tools given he is a bit of an undersized four-man. It is possible new head coach Tom Thibodeau will help Toppin improve on that end, but his progression will certainly be something to watch.

The Knicks followed by nabbing Immanuel Quickley with the No. 25 pick, which was a vast improvement given Quickley's scoring ability as a combo guard who can shoot from the perimeter. Then again, Quickley does not offer much in the way of being a shot-creator, and he will need to improve his quickness to keep up with opposing guards.

At the end of the day, the Toppin pick will be the one that could haunt New York, especially considering Deni Avdija, Devin Vassell—in whom the Knicks were thought to have interest—and Haliburton were all still on the board.

Plus, it has to feel disappointing not to have traded up after Ball fell to the Hornets.

WINNER: Sacramento Kings, A

Iowa State guard Tyrese Haliburton was a top-six pick in some mock NBA Drafts. Some scouts had him towards the top of the board, with ESPN college basketball analyst Jay Bilas ranking him as the one of the best players available.

Yet, for one reason or another, Haliburton managed to fall all the way to the Kings at the No. 12 spot. This is a blessing for Sacramento on a number of levels.

For starters, Haliburton fits well next to De'Aaron Fox. He finds space well and is a strong off-ball cutter, rather than someone who needs the ball. The Oshkosh native makes plays on the other end, disrupting matters with his length and hawking the passing lanes.

Haliburton is also an excellent spot-up shooter. He shot close to 42 percent from beyond the arc on 5.6 attempts per game for the Cyclones last  year.

That latter point is particularly important in the event the Kings decide to trade Buddy Hield. Although Haliburton is not a multiple-level shot-creator like Hield and cannot shoot off the dribble like the former Oklahoma star, he is most certainly still a perimeter threat who can also slash, rebound and make plays for his teammates.

Sacramento also hit a pair of homers in the second round. Former Mississippi State wing Robert Woodard is a physical presence who should fill a “3-and-D” role, and Jahmi'us Ramsey was another sniper who can fill a combo guard role or spot up on the perimeter.

New general manager Monte McNair had a big night.

LOSER: New Orleans Pelicans, C-

The Pelicans looked to be in the perfect spot to draft a floor-spacer to complement Zion Williamson at the No. 13 spot.

Bey and Vanderbilt guard Aaron Nesmith were both on the board, with Nesmith in particular looking appealing because of his sniping ability. Instead, the Pels went with Alabama point guard Kira Lewis Jr.

This is not meant as a knock on Lewis, who actually has as high of an upside as just about any guard in the draft. Lewis scored at a more efficient clip last year, and he is a shifty guard who can make plays in the lane and draw extra attention from defenses.

It is possible New Orleans hopes he can come to replicate what Jrue Holiday provided. This might also be an indication the Pels plan to play Lonzo Ball off the ball more.

Still, it is hard to ignore the Pelicans past on the best shooter in the NBA Draft in Nesmith, when shooting remains a pretty clear need for that roster.

David Griffin acquired even more future capital through a series of second-round trades, but it also made Lewis the Pels' lone selection of the draft. Time will tell whether he was the best fit for New Orleans.

Killian Hayes, Pistons, NBA Draft

WINNER: Detroit Pistons, A-

Troy Weaver is another newly-appointed general manager who had a big night.

Weaver began the proceedings by taking French point guard Killian Hayes with the No. 7 pick. Although Haliburton would have been in excellent fit in Detroit and is more pro-ready, the Pistons are not really aiming to be super competitive next year, making Hayes an interesting pick given his upside.

Hayes has legitimate scoring ability. The 19-year-old has one of the better handles in the draft. It is not flashy, but rather deceptive in how he can explode off hesitations and pivots. Hayes can score in the lane, and he also shot 39 percent from beyond the arc last year.

It is always impressive when a youngster shows out in the EuroLeague. Granted, Hayes was on a woeful Ulm team. But he still put up numbers, and that bodes well for his progression in the NBA.

Weaver got even busier later in the first round. There are sure to be questions as to why the Pistons opted for Isaiah Stewart over Precious Achiuwa at the No. 16 spot after Detroit acquired the pick in a trade. But Stewart showed a nice post game at Washington and also figures to serve as a rim protector.

Things got even more interesting thereafter. The Pistons flipped Luke Kennard to the Los Angeles Clippers in a three-team trade, acquiring the No. 19 pick in the NBA Draft. Weaver used that pick to select Villanova wing Saddiq Bey, the perfect 3-and-D replacement for Kennard.

Bey shot a whopping 45.1 percent from deep on 5.6 attempts per game. He can score at multiple levels and has tremendous defensive versatility. Plus, Kennard was going to be a free agent, so the Pistons did a good job of trading in for future value and then making a smart replacement pick.

LOSER: Boston Celtics, C-

Realistically, Danny Ainge addressed an area of particular importance, which is never a bad thing for a contender.

The Celtics nabbed a vital floor-spacer in Nesmith, whose shooting will instantly improved a team that struggled from the perimeter during the Eastern Conference Finals.

But the Payton Pritchard selection was a bit puzzling. Sure, the Celtics needed a backup point guard. However, was he really a better option than Stanford point guard Tyrell Terry, a guy who seemed to surge up NBA draft boards?

Regardless, Boston's spot in this section does not really have anything to do with their draft picks. Or at least, not in that way.

The Celtics entered the night with three first-rounders. Considering they just made the ECF and also face some uncertainty with respect to Gordon Hayward, this seemed like an opportunity for Ainge to trade out either to possibly leap up the board and grab Wiseman or secure another established star.

It was not for lack of trying. Boston reportedly had discussions for the No. 2 pick involving Marcus Smart, but the talks folded when the Warriors countered. The Celtics also made the Pelicans an offer for Holiday, but David Griffin opted for future value.

Still, failing to move the picks for something more significant feels like a loss for an established contender like the Celtics.

WINNER(S): Brooklyn Nets/Los Angeles Clippers, B

The Nets and Clippers earn spots here for bolstering their rosters with win-now moves in the aforementioned three-team deal.

Brooklyn gets a bona fide floor-spacer in Landry Shamet (from L.A.), and the Clippers nabbed Kennard, who averaged 15.8 points while shooting nearly 40 percent from deep and also showing upside as a combo guard capable of making plays for his teammates.

Los Angeles also quietly nabbed Minnesota center Daniel Oturu early in the second round. Oturu averaged 20-11 for the Golden Gophers while posing as one of the top rim protectors in the Big Ten. He also expanded his game to the perimeter and showed upside as a pick-and-pop guy. The Clippers desperately needed more frontcourt assets, so this was a tremendous get.

Brooklyn and L.A. are competing for a championship next season. Both squads made moves and plugged holes to reflect that notion.

Klay Thompson, Warriors

LOSER: Golden State Warriors, A- for the draft, F for the loss of Klay Thompson

The Warriors had an excellent draft.

Wiseman gives the Dubs a frontcourt talent they have not had in years, even during the dynasty years. Nico Mannion is lauded for his high basketball IQ and should be perfect in his role as a backup point guard.

Of course, the news of Thompson's injury put a massive damper on the evening. Fears of a significant setback were confirmed Thursday when ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported Klay suffered a torn Achilles in his right leg.

Golden State hoped to dive headfirst back into contention with a healthy Thompson and Stephen Curry returning to the fold. But the mission gets much harder without Klay, the team's best defender and one of the better pure scorers in the league.

Thompson's injury could motivate the Dubs to add someone like Avery Bradley in free agency, and will almost certainly increase the pressure on Wiseman to develop ahead of schedule. Regardless, it is a rather somber occasion for Thompson.

WINNER(S): Philadelphia 76ers/Oklahoma City Thunder, B+

Daryl Morey is at it again.

Morey had to give up quite a bit to rid the Sixers of Al Horford's contract, but it was worth it to get the veteran off the books. Philly also managed to fill a 3-and-D need by acquiring Danny Green in that deal with the Thunder.

The Sixers made the best of NBA Draft night, as well. Tyrese Maxey struggled to shoot at Kentucky, but he can act as a secondary ball-handler and playmaker, and he also works well coming off screens and creating separation.

Philadelphia also acquired even more perimeter shooting by trading Josh Richardson to the Dallas Mavericks in exchange for sharpshooter Seth Curry.

The Thunder's place on the list is fairly obvious. Sam Presti continued to manipulate assets into stockpiling future draft capital, and Aleksej Pokusevski should be an interesting international talent on which to keep an eye.

WINNER: Washington Wizards, A-

Avdija was not expected to last past the No. 5 pick. He fell all the way to Washington at No. 9, giving the Wizards another open-floor playmaker who has defensive versatility and should continue to hone his perimeter jumper.

Washington got another steal late in the second round by trading for former Michigan State point guard Cassius Winston.

Winston is hardly the most athletic guard, and he lacks the typical size demanded of many of today's point guards. But he is a proven collegiate winner who makes plays in pick-and-roll and fills it up from beyond the arc.

Does that sound like anyone familiar? Maybe a Fred VanVleet? Anyway, the Wizards managed to grab a pair of strong players as they hope to jump back into contention with a healthy John Wall.