The NBA Draft has barely started and the trade machine is already humming.
When the draft rolls around, there are always teams ready to wheel and deal draft picks away, whether to get a pick or two in the future or improve their individual teams right now. The 2024 NBA Draft is no different.
The Knicks and Nets have already shaken things up a bit ahead of the draft with the Mikal Bridges trade. That deal is just the tip of the iceberg. Buckle up, folks. We’re in for a wild ride.
As the deals continue to come in through the first round of the draft, we’ll track each one of them here.
Deni Avdija trade
The Wizards get: The No. 14 overall pick, a 2029 first-round pick and two second-round picks, per Adrian Wojnarowski.
The Trail Blazers get: Deni Avdija.
The Wizards are still at the very beginning of a complete rebuild after tearing this team down to the studs. After signing a team-friendly extension before last season, it seemed like Avdija might’ve been part of that future. But it’s hard to pass up on future draft capital when your cupboard has been bare for the last few years.
The Blazers are getting a do-it-all forward who played at a high level on both ends last season. He shot a career-high 37.6 percent from deep and 50 percent from the floor overall. He’ll be a nice go-between for the Blazers’ high-powered guard attack.
GRADES:
Wizards B-
Trail Blazers B
Rob Dillingham trade
The Spurs get: An unprotected 2031 first-round pick and a protected 2030 first-round pick swap
The Timberwolves get: The draft rights for No. 8 overall pick Rob Dillingham
This is an interesting move for the Timberwolves. Obviously, Mike Conley Jr. is currently slotted in as the team’s starting point guard right now. But he’s also 36 years old and in the twilight of his career. Dillingham can serve as a bridge their for that point guard position in the long term. In the short term, he’s a spark plug off the bench with some defensive questions that’ll need to be answered.
This is simply a move to acquire some future draft capital for the Spurs. Anytime you can get an unprotected first-round pick it becomes a valuable asset, even if it’s seven years down the road. This is something the Spurs will likely end up trading down the line for another player that raises its immediate ceiling.
GRADES:
Timberwolves B-
Spurs B
DaRon Holmes trade
The Nuggets get: The draft rights to DaRon Holmes
The Suns get: The No. 28 overall pick, the No. 56 overall pick and two future second-rounders, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
DaRon Holmes is a versatile big man who serves as an elite rim protector (2.1 blocks per game at Dayton) and a floor spacer (38 percent from deep on 2.5 attempts per game). Though he’s a center, he should also be able to play next to a versatile big man like Nikola Jokic.
The Suns traded back a few spots in this draft to replenish their coffers after making so many high-profile trades over the last few years. The Suns will add a second-round pick this year and two more in the future, which might seem small but could be very meaningful because of the NBA’s new stringent collective bargaining agreement.
GRADES:
Nuggets: A
Suns: A-
Kyshawn George trade
The Wizards get: The draft rights to Kyshawn George
The Knicks get: The No. 26 overall pick and the No. 51 overall pick, per The Athletic’s Shams Charania.
The Wizards must’ve really loved Kyshawn George because Washington spent a second-round pick to move up two slots to get him. George is a playmaking forward who profiles as someone who should be a good shooter on the NBA level. He’s a solid player who could be a solid pro.
The Knicks picked up an extra second-round pick just by moving down a couple of spots in the draft. Seconds don’t usually pan out, but in today’s NBA where plenty of teams are cash-strapped, that pick could be someone who cracks a rotation someday.
GRADES:
Wizards, C+
Knicks, B-
Dillon Jones trade
The Thunder get: The draft rights for Dillon Jones
The Knicks get: Five future second-round picks spanning between 2025 and 2027, per The Athletic’s Shams Charania.
The Thunder took a big swing here for Dillon Jones, but I’m not really sure what for. The Thunder seem to love his talent and it’s understandable why — he’s a 6-foot-5 guard with a 6-foot-11 wingspan and developed into quite the scorer at Weber State. But he’s a project for an OKC team with an already stacked backcourt.
The Knicks pick up five second-round picks, which they may move even further down the road.
GRADES:
Thunder, C-
Knicks, B
