NBA Trade Rumors: Teams Who Must Deal Their Draft Picks
The 2012 NBA draft is just over a week away, which means that teams are thinking about wheeling and dealing to improve their teams with players other than rookies.
Some teams have the luxury of having multiple picks in the first round, opening up the opportunity to trade one or both, while others are trying to move up or down in the order with their single pick.
According to HoopsWorld's Alex Kennedy, the following teams are attempting to trade at least one of their picks: Charlotte Bobcats, Portland Trail Blazers, New Orleans Hornets, Milwaukee Bucks, Philadelphia 76ers, Houston Rockets, Boston Celtics, Oklahoma City Thunder, Golden State Warriors and Brooklyn Nets.
So, which of the listed teams not only should deal away a pick, but must make a trade in order to maximize their rebuilding progress this offseason?
Charlotte Bobcats
The Charlotte Bobcats are in a tricky situation because they can't take the obvious best player in the draft class and must decide between Thomas Robinson, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Bradley Beal and Andre Drummond at No. 2.
Unfortunately, none of those players perfectly fit in with the Bobcats' plans. Robinson and Drummond play the same positions as Byron Mullens and Bismack Biymobo. Beal would further crowd a backcourt with Kemba Walker and D.J. Augustin. MKG just doesn't bring the offensive firepower that the Bobcats need.
Charlotte recognizes that this franchise needs more than just one stud rookie and is acting accordingly.
Milwaukee Bucks
Unlike the Charlotte Bobcats, the Milwaukee Bucks are looking to move up into the top 10 so that they can be assured of getting one of their favorite prospects, even if we don't know their names right now.
Some sources, according to Kennedy, have even linked the Bucks and the Bobcats.
Milwaukee desperately needs to shore up the frontcourt now that Monta Ellis and Brandon Jennings are forming one of the league's best one-two punches at the guard positions. While the top frontcourt talents like Thomas Robinson (upside?) and Andre Drummond (everything?) still have questions associated with them, they're better options than the ones the Bucks are looking at right now.
I have John Henson going to the Bucks at No. 12 right now and that's pushing it as the North Carolina big man may not be around that late in the lottery. Trading up is the right idea for Milwaukee.
Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets have two picks in this draft's first round: No. 14 and No. 16.
However, this is a team that remains on the brink of playoff contention in the Western Conference and should as long as they can smooth things over with Kyle Lowry. They don't need to add one or two rookies and wait for them to develop.
Instead, they should either take one high-upside prospect and deal the other pick or package both picks for some established players that can help them make the push into the postseason.
Boston Celtics
This is the most obvious trading situation of all.
The Boston Celtics have the No. 21 and No. 22 picks in the 2012 NBA draft and should be in position to draft a high-upside young player or two. However, the C's notoriously avoid playing rookies and the players they pick often flounder away at the beginning of their careers.
It would make much more sense for the Celtics to deal away either one or both of the picks and add an established veteran or two who can help convince Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen to return and pursue one more championship in Celtic green.
