Day 1 of the 2025 NBA Draft went about as expected.

Franchise-maker Cooper Flagg went No. 1 to Dallas, Dylan Harper went second to San Antonio, and most of the projected first-rounders stayed in the first round.

Five trades were announced, with likely more to come, although they will not be finalized until the new NBA year begins July 6.

There were some notable developments and notable surprises along the way.

New Orleans Makes Big Bet on 2025-26

Joe Dumas knows winning, and he apparently feels it coming in New Orleans, too. Nine weeks after being hired to replace David Griffin as New Orleans’ president basketball operations, Dumars took a big swing with his second pick in the first round, which gave the Pelicans two picks in the top 13.

The Jazz got a small break when point guard Jeremiah Fears was available at No. 7 after Utah jumped up on Ace Bailey at No. 5., Dumars then made the biggest move in the lottery (top 14 picks) by trading up with Atlanta to move No. 13 and select center Derik Queen.

It was a roll-the-dice move for the Pelicans, not because the Hawks received the No. 26 pick in Wednesday’s first round but because they also got an unprotected first round pick in the 2026 draft.

Fears was considered the best point guard/offensive creator and in the class, and Queen was considered to be most offensively skilled center. Fears joins newcomer Jordan Poole in the backcourt, and Queen brings an offensive game that holdover Yves Missi has yet to display.

The Pelicans were 21-61 in an injury-marred 2025 season, and unless they make the playoffs they could rue the loss of a 2026 No. 1. If Zion Williamson and Dejounte Murray remain healthy and Trey Murphy III keeps it up, the playoffs are not unrealistic.

Ace Bailey Finds A Home Out West

Bailey was the most enigmatic player in the draft because of his refusal to engage in pre-draft workouts, which turned off some suitors including No. 3 Philadelphia, the natural landing spot for a player of his gifts.

Utah did not hold that against Bailey with the No 5 pick, opting for talent and potential star power. The Jazz never were considered a possible landing spot in the mocks. While his camp reportedly lobbied to keep him on the East Coast, he sounded OK with it.

Bailey is just what the Jazz need — an explosive scorer who can create his own shots, although sometimes at Rutgers he preferred a high degree of difficulty just because he could. He also is a physical, intense defender.

The Jazz plummeted to 17-65 last season and are still building. Bailey joins a very young group that includes former first-rounds Keyonte George and Walker Kessler and holdovers such as Lauri Markkanen and John Collins, who just exercised his $26.5 million option.

Surprising First Day Risers

Egor Demin, Brooklyn (8) — Demin, a 6-8 point guard/point forward, was considered the best passer in the draft. The Net do not have a pure distributor, and he fills a role. He led NCAA freshman in assists and his offensive game is developing.

Collin Murray-Boyles, Toronto (9)— Murray-Boyles, 6-7, saw his stock rise during pre-draft workouts, and his physical play and toughness were a draw for the Raptors, who are small outside of center Jakob Poeltl. He has a good feel for the game, but his offense will come from inside.

Cedric Coward, Memphis (11) — Coward, 6-5 began his college career at Division III Willamette in Salem Ore., and played only six games in his one season at Washington State before a season-ending shoulder injury last year. The more the scouts saw of him, the more they like his length, athleticism and shooting touch.

Yang Hansen, Portland (16) — The Blazers surprised the room with the selection of 7-1 Hansen at No. 16, He showed an offensive touch at the NBA Combine and has a lengthy reach. He is slowish, however, and the NBA game is played at pace. Plus the Blazers already have a 7-footer on the roster — 7-2 Donovan Clingan, their seventh choice in the first round a year ago.

Phoenix Needed One Big Man, Got Two

The Kevin Durant trade with Houston was not about Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks and a bunch of second-round draft picks. It was about the No. 10 pick in this draft, by which the move will ultimately be judged after they trade they had to make.

The Suns addressed their most pressing need when center Khaman Maluach, the top-rated center in the draft, dropped to No. 10 after Demin went to Brooklyn and Murray-Boyles went to Toronto. Both went higher than mocks projected.

The Maluach pick was barely dry before the Suns announced the acquisition of Mark Williams in a trade with Charlotte that cost them their other first round pick, No. 29, and a 2029 first-rounder. Williams, remember, was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers last season but was returned to the Hornets after failing a physical.

The Suns are following a trend — Oklahoma City and Minnesota were among the teams often played two bigs last season. At the same time, centers are the most likely to be played off the floor, and the Thunder seldom had both Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein in the game at the same time in their NBA Finals win over Indiana.

The Suns have plenty of offense in the backcourt with Devin Booker, Bradley Beal and Green, and the Maluach/Williams combination provides the rim protection and rebounding they will miss with the loss of Durant, their best defender at every spot on the floor.

Maluach is new to the game, first playing at 13, and his upside is part of his attraction.

Brooklyn Has 5 Picks, Uses Them All

The Nets made strides under coach Jordi Fernandez last season, but they had multiple holes to fill after a 26-win season and opted to fill them by mining the draft with their five picks.

Demin was their only pick in the top 19, however, and it remains to seen if they found enough players in a draft that was considered light at the bottom because of NIL money keeping some projected lower first-rounders in school.

Guards Nolan Traore (19), Drake Powell (22) and Ben Saraf (26) and power forward Danny Wolf (27) will look to fill the roster around Cameron Johnson, Nic Clayton and newcomer Terance Mann. Cam Thomas is a restricted free agent.

Let the building continue.