2011 NBA Draft Results: What Was the Best Draft-Day Trade?

The NBA Draft is one of the biggest days for trades. Some teams go so head-over-heels for these rookie prospects, that they'll trade away a good part of their team for him.

This year's draft day yielded some big trades, but only a few really stuck out. There were a handful of three-team trades, including one that reshaped a rotation,.

However, the biggest draft-day move was Portland going out and grabbing Raymond Felton from the Denver Nuggets.

Bobcats Trade Rookie Jeremy Tyler to Golden State for Cash Considerations

Bobcats grade: B
Warriors Grade: B+

• Warriors receive Jeremy Tyler (second-round draft pick)
• Bobcats receive "cash considerations."

The Warriors pick up some more talented youth by adding on Jeremy Tyler. Tyler played in the Japanese league after high school rather than going to college. He's now fighting to get on to the Warriors' rotation at the center position; a position they need depth in and fast.

Cleveland Trades Justin Harper to Orlando for Two Future Second-Round Picks

Magic grade: B
Cavaliers grade: B

• Magic receive Justin Harper (32nd overall pick)
• Cavaliers receive two future second-round picks

Justin Harper will fill the void that Rashard Lewis left when he was traded to the Washington Wizards. He's an efficient shooter with range out to the NBA three and has great size at 6'10" for an NBA forward. Harper shot 44.8 percent from three last season and averaged 17.9 points,6.9 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks per game in his senior year at Richmond.

Whenever Hedo Turkoglu isn't playing well, which has proven to be quite often, Harper can come off the bench and jack some threes up in a hurry.

Cleveland doesn't seem too stacked with talent, so letting a sharpshooter like him go is a bit confusing. But they did gain two future second-round picks. Who knows who they might end up with years down the line. 

Boston Trades Rookie Marshon Brooks to the Nets for Rookie Jajuan Johnson

Nets grade: A+
Celtics grade: B-

• Nets receive Marshon Brooks
• Celtics receive JaJuan Johnson and a 2014 second-round pick

This was a beautiful move by New Jersey. With the uncertainty of Deron Williams' future in a Nets jersey, stacking as much talent as possible around him is top priority.

Marshon Brooks, with a relentless amount of dedication to the gym, has the potential to possibly become the next Kobe Bryant, and putting him next to an ultimate facilitator in Williams is a great move by the Nets front office.

They did lose out on an athletic power forward in JaJuan Johnson, but Brooks definitely has the smooth offensive game of an elite guard. In three years, he'll be a nightmare for any defender guarding him.  

New York Knicks Buy Josh Harrellson's Contract from New Orleans Hornets

Knicks Grade: B
Hornets Grade: B

• Hornets receive "Financial considerations"
• Knicks receive C Josh Harrellson (45th overall pick)

The New York Knicks addressed a position need by purchasing the rights to Josh Harrellson from the New Orleans Hornets. They spent between $700,000 and $750,000 on the pick, but they needed a backup/starting center desperately. He's not the most defensively oriented big man, but he's 6'10" and grabs boards at a pretty decent rate.

Harrellson doesn't have the potential to become anything great, at least not yet. For now, he's just a big body to grab rebounds and alter some shots for the Knicks. $750,000 seems like a stiff price to pay, seeing as though New York is covering the contracts of Carmelo Anthony, Amar'e Stoudemire and Chauncey Billups. 

3-Team Trade Between Houston, Minnesota and Chicago Lands Flynn in Houston

Houston Trade Grade: A+
T'Wolves Trade Grade:B+
Bulls Trade Grade: B

• T'Wolves receive Brad Miller (from Houston), the rights to Nikola Mirotic (23rd overall pick), a 2013 first-round pick, and rights to Norris Cole (28th overall pick via Chicago).
• Rockets receive Johnny Flynn, Donatas Motiejunas (20th overall pick), and Chandler Parsons (38th overall pick).
• Bulls receive rights to Nikola Mirotic (from Minnesota)

The biggest eye catcher here is the T'Wolves moving their point guard to Houston. The Rockets have Kyle Lowry and Goran Dragic, but Johnny Flynn will bring some speed and athleticism to the backcourt.

I would think that Houston has plans to move either Lowry or Dragic, but they might try to follow Minnesota's unsuccessful footsteps and run a multiple point guard rotation.

Houston also grabs Donatas Motiejunas, one of the better international prospects in the Draft, and Chandler Parsons, a point forward out of Florida. With these new pieces in Houston, they might be able to make a playoff run in the Western Conference next season.

Minnesota came out with the aging Brad Miller and Norris Cole, via the Chicago Bulls. They got promising international prospect in Nikola Mirotic, but because he won't be in the NBA for a few years, they shipped him off to Chicago. 

Minnesota T'Wolves Trade Norris Cole to Miami Heat for Bojan Bogdanovic

Miami grade: B
Minnesota grade: B+

• Miami receives Norris Cole (28th overall pick)
• T'Wolves receive Bojan Bogdanovic (31st overall pick), a future second-round pick, and cash considerations

The last thing the T'Wolves need is yet ANOTHER point guard. They've got Ricky Rubio coming over from Spain this year, so moving Norris Cole was a pretty good idea. They get Bojan Bogdanovic, whose got potential to become the next Manu Ginobili and a future second-round pick along with the oh-so famous cash considerations (who really knows what that means, anyway?).

Miami receives a point guard to back up Mario Chalmers, which begs the question: What are their plans with Mike Bibby? 

Pacers Move Kawhi Leonard to San Antonio for George Hill

Spurs Grade: A+
Pacers Grade: A

• Pacers receive George Hill and Erazem Lorbek (San Antonio's 2005 second round pick).
• Spurs receive Kawhi Leonard (15th overall pick) and Davis Bertans (42nd overall pick).

In my opinion, this was somewhat of a steal for the San Antonio Spurs. Sure they lost George Hill, a combo guard who coach Pop is so high on, but they gained youth in adding Kawhi Leonard and yet another international talent in Davis Bertans.

Leonard is a young Gerald Wallace, possessing the athletic ability to finish at the hole, and the quickness and length to play excellent defense. Bertans is a lengthy forward with the ability to catch and shoot from anywhere on the court.

The Pacers receive George Hill, who's a great player to have come off the bench. He's an efficient scorer and a pretty good passer too. The Spurs 2005 draft pick, Erazem Lorbek, will help the Pacers spread the floor with his shooting ability, but he must acclimate himself to the NBA game first.

Lorbek's an international talent, and he's just now coming over to the U.S. to play.

All in all, the Spurs came out with the better deal, snagging both Leonard and Bertans, but they must replace Hill with a backup point guard behind Tony Parker via the free agency. 

3-Team Trade Between Charlotte, Minnesota and Sacramento Changes Everything

Charlotte Trade Grade: A
Milwaukee Trade Grade: A
Sacramento Trade Grade: A

• Bobcats receive seventh overall pick Bismack Biyombo (from Charlotte) and Corey Maggette (from Milwaukee).
• Bucks receive19th overall pick Tobias Harris (from Charlotte), Stephen Jackson (from Charlotte), Shaun Livingston (from Charlotte) and Beno Udrih (from Sacramento)
• Kings receive 10th overall pick Jimmer Fredette and guard John Salmons (from Milwaukee).

The Bucks are really planning a move back to the Playoffs with these acquisitions. Picking up Tobias Harris, a combo forward, Captain Jack (Stephen Jackson" and two backup point guards in Shaun Livingston and Beno Udrih, Milwaukee is going to pair Brandon Jennings and Andrew Bogut with enough talent to finally make a push for the postseason.

The Bobcats, too, are surrounding their new franchise player in Kemba Walker with talent that compliments him. A nice big man in Bismack Biyombo to dump the ball off to, and a veteran slasher in Corey Maggette, Charlotte is only a few more pieces away from returning to the Playoffs.

Sacramento is looking like the most deadly out of the three. Putting the deep three-point threat in Jimmer Fredette alongside Tyreke Evans and Marcus Thornton, the Kings backcourt is stacked with talent. They're literally only one player away from a +.500 record... Not too sure if that'll get them in the Playoffs in the West, but it's definitely a great place to start.

Portland Lands Raymond Felton While Losing Extra Baggage in 3-Team Trade

Portland's Trade Grade: A+

• Blazers receive Raymond Felton (from Denver) and rights to No. 57 overall pick, Targuy Ngombo (from Dallas)
• Nuggets receive Andre Miller (from Portland), rights to Jordan Hamilton (26th overall pick from Dallas), and a future second round pick (2013 or 2014) from Portland
• Mavericks receive Rudy Fernandez (from Portland) and rights to the 2007 draftee Petteri Koponen.

Grabbing a disgruntled Raymond Felton was a huge snag for the Portland Trail Blazers on Draft day.

After being traded from the Knick to the Nuggets, Felton found himself coming off the bench behind Ty Lawson. By being traded to Portland, he's ensured a starter's role and is a perfect fit for the Blazer offense.

Felton brings something that Andre Miller never has: Three-Point Shooting. He shot 45.9 percent from downtown as a member of the Denver Nuggets. He also bring an underrated quickness and strength to the point guard position. 

Along with acquiring Felton, Portland relieved themselves of certain unnecessary pieces by moving Andre Miller and Rudy Fernandez.

Miller was great in Portland, don't get me wrong, but the sand in his hourglass was quickly running out. Fernandez, on the other hand, caused nothing but drama for Portland. He's complained about wanting to be traded, rescinded his trade request, and said he was happy with the Trail Blazers, but he just wasn't efficient enough from his position.

He couldn't find the range from three, his area of expertise, and he shot a mere 32 percent from downtown in the season. It was time to part ways.