NBA Draft Trade Rumors: Latest Buzz on D'Angelo Russell, Lottery Deals and More
NBA draft day is upon us, and if the week leading up to the big show has been any indication, we're in for an evening full of maneuvers.
While the Charlotte Hornets jump-started the league's trade season by shipping Lance Stephenson to the Los Angeles Clippers and acquiring Nicolas Batum from the Portland Trail Blazers, plenty of fireworks are sure to follow this evening.
With lottery picks in high demand and destinations for some of the draft's most high-profile names still up in the air, this year's selection process promises to be one of the most thrilling this decade.
Philadelphia Going with Russell or Trading Out?
So long as general manager Sam Hinkie is calling the shots for the Philadelphia 76ers, they'll continue to be the hardest team to read entering the NBA draft.
This year is no different.
Take Wednesday, for instance. Within hours, conflicting reports emerged regarding Philadelphia's intentions with the third pick.
According to DraftExpress' Jonathan Givony, the Sixers are viewed as the likely landing spot for Ohio State point guard D'Angelo Russell:
But these are the Sixers, and clarity is always elusive.
According to CBSSports.com's Ken Berger, Philadelphia hasn't ruled out dealing the pick if it can coax another franchise into parting with a coveted asset:
"While the Sixers have targeted D'Angelo Russell and are willing to trade up to avoid losing him to the Lakers, league sources say GM Sam Hinkie also has not closed the door on teams looking to trade up to No. 3. The price of doing such business? An unprotected future first-round pick, said a person who has been in contract with the Philadelphia front office.
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Hinkie would be foolish to ignore such an offer if it's presented to him, but the Sixers can't keep delaying their rebuild by trading for future picks time and again. At some point, tangible progress needs to be made, and drafting Russell—assuming he's available—would signal an encouraging shift in the team's operating procedure.
Boston Wants an Elite Prospect
This much we know: The Boston Celtics are going to explore every possible avenue to acquire one of the draft's elite talents.
Berger confirmed as much Wednesday, writing, "The Celtics are proving to be the most aggressive team trying to trade into the top 10, league sources say." Berger adds Boston "is willing to discuss anyone on the roster in a bid to acquire a premium pick," which serves as a barometer for the team's interest in moving up.
It's not going to be easy, though.
According to the Boston Herald's Mark Murphy, the Celtics' gateway to entry may be blocked for the time being:
With picks 16 and 28 in Round 1, Boston should have options. That said, the Celtics may find those two picks cap their ability to move up at a certain point.
"If they package just their two first-round selections, they are highly unlikely to move into the top half of the lottery," MassLive.com's Jay King wrote. "The Boston Globe's Adam Himmelsbach thinks that scenario would get Boston to 'the 9-12 range, but no higher."'
Sweetening the pot with a cost-controlled player on a rookie deal or a future draft pick could allow the Celtics to move up even higher than that projected range, but it would be quite a ransom to pay for one prospect.
Milwaukee Plotting to Trade Up?
Entering Thursday night's festivities, the Milwaukee Bucks are slated to pick three spots outside the lottery at No. 17 overall. And while they can likely pick up a solid developmental piece in that range, the Bucks may have larger aspirations.
"The Bucks are definitely exploring ways to move up," the Journal Times' Gery Woelfel wrote. "John Henson could be dangled as trade bait, as well as a 2016 first-round pick obtained from the Los Angeles Clippers."
According to RealGM.com, that first-round pick from the Clippers actually can't be credited until 2017, when it's protected through the top 14 picks. That same protection holds in 2018 and 2019. If Milwaukee hasn't obtained the selection by 2020, then it will turn into second-round selections in 2020 and 2021.
Since the Clippers have qualified for the playoffs each of the last four seasons, that pick should be paid out sooner rather than later, which is good news if the Bucks are trying to sell lottery teams on a trade up.
Henson has long been marginalized in Milwaukee's frontcourt, starting just 11 games over 67 appearances last season under head coach Jason Kidd. But with a 6'11'' frame, gargantuan 7'5'' wingspan and an affordable rookie-scale deal, he could be a nice low-key addition for teams willing to trade down.
Last season, Henson became the eighth player in league history to average fewer than 20 minutes and still block at least two shots per game, according to Basketball-Reference.com.
Although the Bucks don't have much depth at center, Henson's reliance on close-range looks—64.2 percent of them came inside of three feet last season, per Basketball-Reference.com—limits his overall impact.
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