NBA Draft recap: An absolutely wild draft pick trade
I have full trust in Sam Presti as an NBA general manager, but I was shocked, to say the least, when they traded picks 34 and 36 to move up two spots for pick 32.
What?
I’m not faulting the pick. I believe Jeremiah Robinson-Earl will turn into a solid NBA player. However, the Thunder must have gotten word that he was coming off the board sooner, rather than later because they held the selection two picks after. Even if the Thunder had insider knowledge (which they probably did, considering the Magic traded the pick after), two high second-rounders are a hefty price to pay to move up two slots.
Honestly, I think it’s a win-win. The Magic ended up trading out of pick 33 after the Thunder’s selection, so maybe they were eyeing Robinson-Earl and got sniped. Not to get lost in the fold, the Knicks were able to grab intriguing European Rokas Jokubaitis and college standout Miles McBride with picks 34 and 36, respectively. All three picks were highly regarded by draft analysts and each team seemed to get the guys they wanted.
Fun fact: The last time a team traded two second-rounders to move up two slots in the second round was 2018 when the Nuggets traded pick 43 and a future second-round pick (which ironically became pick 36) in exchange for pick 41.
The Nuggets went on to select Jarred Vanderbilt, who is still in the NBA today. The Magic selected Justin Jackson out of Maryland who has not yet made it to the NBA. Sometimes it is worth it to pay a premium if you’re that confident in a player.