2017 NBA Draft-Day Trades

Social media has been a-twitter the last few days with big trades and big trade rumors, including pre-draft blockbusters that sent the top overall pick to Philadelphia, D’Angelo Russell to Brooklyn and Dwight Howard to Charlotte. On draft night, however, even more deals went down. Here’s a look at each of those swaps with some quick analysis:

Minnesota Timberwolves: Jimmy Butler, the 16th overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft. (Justin Patton).

Chicago Bulls: Zach LaVine, Kris Dunn, and the 7th overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft (Lauri Markkanen).

Analysis: It should be fairly obvious why the Timberwolves would make this trade. Butler is reunited with his former head coach Tom Thibodeau on a team that now is one of the most frightening defensive units in the NBA, while Chicago obviously felt it was time to start the rebuilding process by adding a couple of young players in LaVine and Dunn while also moving up in the draft. It’s a putrid haul for Chicago, frankly, as LaVine is coming off ACL surgery, Dunn was not very good as a rookie, and the 7th overall pick landed outside of the draft’s truly consequential tier of players. Minnesota got a whole lot better through this trade. It’s playoffs or bust for them in 2018.

Portland Trail Blazers: The 10th pick in the 2017 NBA Draft (Zach Collins).

Sacramento Kings: The 15th and 20th picks in the 2017 NBA Draft (Justin Jackson & Harry Giles).

Analysis: The Blazers didn’t need three first-rounders, so they consolidated a couple of them to move up and take one of the more interesting young bigs in the draft in Zach Collins. He’s a stretch big who can defend like a traditional center, but he’s inexperienced. The Kings, meanwhile, added an extra first-rounder to better fill out their thin roster. Justin Jackson is an older rookie who should help shift the culture in Sacramento.

Utah Jazz: The 13th pick in the 2017 NBA Draft (Donovan Mitchell).

Denver Nuggets: Trey Lyles and the 24th pick in the 2017 NBA Draft (Tyler Lydon).

Analysis: The Jazz were deep enough in their frontcourt to sacrifice Lyles as the key chip to moving up and taking one of the draft’s buzziest players in Donovan Mitchell. Utah ended up with the best player in the deal, but it cost them a player who, despite some injuries, has shown a fair amount of promise early in his career. Both teams come out of this deal winners.

Memphis Grizzlies: The 35th pick in the 2017 NBA Draft (Ivan Rabb).

Orlando Magic: A future second-round pick (2018).

Analysis: A year ago, Rabb was projected as a lottery pick, so to get essentially the same player a year later in the second round is a good bargain and a fine selection for the Memphis Grizzlies. Cleveland reportedly was very close to trading for the 34th selection and taking Rabb one spot sooner, but Memphis is the team who ultimately ended up with him.

Philadelphia 76ers: The 25th pick in the 2017 NBA Draft (Anžejs Pasečņiks).

Orlando Magic: Future 1st round pick (2020) and 2nd round pick (2020).

Analysis: Pasečņiks is a draft-and-stash for Philadelphia, who continues to keep banking future assets as The Process lives on. Orlando, meanwhile, delays their own first-round pick (which could end up being higher than 25) and grabs an extra second rounder in the process.

Utah Jazz: The 28th pick in the 2017 NBA Draft (Tony Bradley)

L.A. Lakers: The 30th pick (Josh Hart) in the 2017 NBA Draft and the 42nd pick in the 2017 NBA Draft (Thomas Bryant).

Analysis: The Jazz apparently really liked Bradley, a talented but raw prospect out of North Carolina, so they tossed in a second-round pick to convince L.A. to move down a couple slots. Both teams ended up with the guys they wanted in a low-risk move for both organizations.

New Orleans Hornets: The 31st pick in the 2017 NBA Draft (Frank Jackson).

Charlotte Hornets: The 40th pick in the 2017 NBA Draft (Dwayne Bacon) and cash considerations.

Analysis: The Hornets moved up ten picks in the Dwight Howard deal, only to trade back nine spots later while pocketing some cash.

Golden State Warriors: The 38th pick in the NBA Draft (Jordan Bell)

Chicago Bulls: Cash considerations

Analysis: The Chicago Bulls apparently felt they had enough young players on their roster and sold this pick to the Golden State Warriors. Bell had been referred to by some as the closest thing to Draymond Green as exists in this draft, so of course he ends up as Draymond Green’s teammate. Chicago blew a tremendous second-round value in what was brutal night for them.

L.A. Clippers: The 39th pick in the 2017 NBA Draft (Jawun Evans).

Philadelphia 76ers: Cash considerations.

Analysis: Just in case Chris Paul does leave in free agency this summer, the Clippers bought a first-round talent in the first third of the second round. Evans is undersized but incredibly quick. He’s no Chris Paul, but adding some depth at Paul’s position probably isn’t a bad idea.

L.A. Clippers: The 48th pick in the 2017 NBA Draft (Sindarius Thornwell).

Milwaukee Bucks: Cash considerations.

Analysis: Thornwell was one of college basketball’s best players last year, and while four years of college tends to work against draft prospects, it clearly worked in his favor. Thornwell is built to play in the NBA right now, and all the Clippers had to do was buy him. He’ll be buried on a deep Clippers team, but his talent was worth adding to the mix on a (relatively inexpensive) lark.

Memphis Grizzlies: The 45th pick in the 2017 NBA Draft (Dillon Brooks)

Houston Rockets: A future second-round pick.

Analysis: For the second time, Memphis bought a second-round pick, adding Brooks to Ivan Rabb. As far as second-round gambles go, those are two pretty good ones, and it didn’t cost them to much to make the acquisitions.

Indiana Pacers: The 52nd pick in the 2017 NBA Draft (Edmond Sumner).

New Orleans Pelicans: Cash considerations.

Analysis: It was the last trade of the night, and a pretty quiet one. Sumner heads to Indy, joining UCLA big men T.J. Leaf and Ike Anigbogu.