NBA Draft 2012: Grading the Top 5 Draft Trades

A quiet trade market, with only seven made in Thursday's 2012 NBA draft, shows that the new CBA and a deep draft have changed the NBA greatly in the past year and that this offseason has a lot more interesting trades coming. 

Though the trades were quiet for the most part, they will be moves that could have a huge impact on games in May and June, like Miami trading up for Norris Cole in the draft last year.

There are five specific trades that will greatly impact next season. 

No. 1: Chase Budinger Goes to Minnesota

Minnesota Receives: 

SG/SF Chase Budinger 

Rights to Israeli F Lior Eliyahu

Houston Receives: 

No. 18 pick (Picked SF/PF Terrence Jones, Kentucky)

Rick Adelman loves having Chase Budinger and has relationships with Kevin Love and Derrick Williams, according to 1500 ESPN in Minnesota. 

With Wesley Johnson not succeeding at the 2 or the 3 and Budinger's ability to shoot perimeter jump shots, the lineup could be set without having more than one point guard in the starting lineup for once.

If Budinger starts at the 2 and Derrick Williams, who is losing some weight according to the Associated Press (via SI.com), starts at small forward, the Timberwolves suddenly have a legitimate starting lineup and can possibly make some moves to get a coveted player like Pau Gasol.

With nobody better at the No. 18 pick, Budinger was worth a top-20 pick for a Minnesota team that needs chemistry and continuity for Rick Adelman to succeed.  

Houston gets a talented player in Terrence Jones, who has some Lamar Odom in him, but trade away a player who could have been a starter at small forward, a position now completely in flux.

If they can make a move with all their frontcourt players to get a true 3, losing Budinger won't be a big deal. Plus, Budinger was the No. 44 pick three years ago, so getting a top-20 pick for him is pretty impressive. 

Timberwolves Grade: B+

Rockets: B+

No. 2: Rashard Lewis' Ugly Contract Makes Its Last Stop

New Orleans Hornets Receive:

SF Rashard Lewis

No. 46 pick (Picked SF Darius Miller, Kentucky)

Washington Wizards Receive: 

PF/C Emeka Okafor

SF Trevor Ariza

The Wizards became a playoff contender when they drafted Bradley Beal with the No. 3 pick, as the starting lineup is set for this season. 

John Wall and Beal will be in the backcourt, and a frontcourt of Trevor Ariza, Emeka Okafor and Hilario Nene will be very competitive and will be the biggest part of a now high-character locker room.

The contracts of Okafor and Ariza are over $20 million per year combined for the next two seasons, but their additions will make Wall strongly consider signing a contract extension next summer. 

Rashard Lewis' $23 million expiring contract can be bought out for about $14 million and will make it that much easier for New Orleans to bring back Eric Gordon.

A big three of Gordon, Austin Rivers and Anthony Davis, potentially more than $25 million in cap room for the big free-agent class of 2013 and another lottery pick or two in the future could make the Hornets the next young team to rise in the Western Conference. 

Darius Miller played with Davis on the national championship team and is a non-guaranteed contract player who provides great leadership and intangibles. Plus, he stretches the floor. 

Grade for Hornets: A-

Grade for Wizards: B+

No. 3: Samuel Dalembert Goes to Milwaukee

Milwaukee Bucks Receive:

C Samuel Dalembert

No. 14 pick (Picked PF John Henson, North Carolina)

Houston Rockets Receive:

PF Jon Brockman

SF Jon Leuer

PG Shaun Livingston

No. 12 pick (Picked SG Jeremy Lamb, Connecticut)

Dalembert gives Milwaukee as true a center as they could have wished for since the trade of Andrew Bogut and allows them to pick the player they probably would have taken anyway. 

With defensive-minded coach Scott Skiles and Ersan Ilyasova a possible departure through free agency, Henson was both the best player available and the shot blocker that will allow the speed of Brandon Jennings and Monta Ellis to have an alley-oop partner in transition. With Beno Udrih as the team's backup point guard, Shaun Livingston was worth trading away, and Brockman and Leuer don't fit with this team. 

Houston maybe became the deepest frontcourt in the NBA this week but don't have a clear starter at small forward or center. That being said, no team has collected assets better than the Rockets, and there should be at least a couple of trades the Rockets will make. Shaun Livingston possibly being released could give the Rockets more than $3 million in cap space. 

Jeremy Lamb is a very good scorer and could be the eventual replacement for Kevin Martin—with one year left on his contract. But it may not have been part of Houston's original plan to make a big deal, so the jury is still out on it. 

Grade for Bucks: B+

Grade for Rockets B-

No. 4: Tyler Zeller Becomes the Center in Cleveland

Cleveland Cavaliers Receive:

No. 17 pick (Picked C Tyler Zeller)

G/F Kelenna Azubuike

Dallas Mavericks Receive:

No. 24 pick (Picked SG Jared Cunningham, Oregon State)

No. 33 pick (Picked C Bernard James, Florida State)

No. 34 pick (SF Jae Crowder)

Cleveland gets a true seven-footer with skill and experience, and he can be the perfect complement to Tristan Thompson and Anderson Varejao, who can now both play their natural power forward positions. 

Kelenna Azubuike, if he is healthy, could start at shooting guard, so Dion Waiters could come off the bench like James Harden or start at small forward.

Cleveland has potentially filled four spots on its starting lineup in the last two years. Now, the Cavs can use a lot of cap room to get a small forward to round out the lineup and maybe compete for a playoff berth as soon as this season. 

Dallas could have used Zeller as another seven-footer to pair with Dirk Nowitzki but needs smaller, less expensive pieces to replace aging veterans. 

Cunningham is an athletic combo guard who can replace what Delonte West did this season at worst and be a future point guard at best.

Jae Crowder has a lot of Dennis Rodman in him. Bernard James has military experience and a high upside to grow and play as an undersized center with Nowitzki being the rebounder and could replace what the Mavericks once had with Brandon Bass.

Grade for Cavaliers: B+

Grade for Mavericks: B 

No. 5: Arnett Moultrie Joins Moe Harkless in Philadelphia

Philadelphia 76ers Receive:

No. 27 pick (Picked PF Arnett Moultrie, Mississippi State)

Miami Heat Receive:

No. 45 pick (Picked C Justin Hamilton, LSU)

Future 1st round pick

If there was one player who was drafted in the 20s that could start as a rookie, it would be Moultrie. 

He can play power forward or center, run in the open floor and is a 6' 11'' player who can handle the ball and hit mid-range shots. He is the versatile type of big man that Doug Collins loves and could replace Elton Brand to pair at power forward with Thaddeus Young.

Miami could have used Moultrie, but with the status of veterans Mike Miller and James Jones yet to be determined, the Heat need to save as much money as possible in order to add as many veterans as possible in free agency.

Plus, with a non-guaranteed contract, Justin Hamilton is worth taking a chance, as he will be the only legit seven-footer on Miami's roster and can learn behind Ronny Turiaf and Joel Anthony for a year before maybe developing into a possible starter. 

Getting a future first-round pick also helps because they may lose a first-round pick in the next two years since LeBron James left in a sign-and-trade that gave Cleveland two future first-round picks.

Additionally, if Philadelphia's pick is a possible top-20 or lottery pick, Miami will potentially get a better future value to use a guaranteed rookie contract on than they would have if they had drafted Moultrie.

Grade for 76ers: A

Grade for Heat: B