This is the online version of our daily newsletter, The Morning Win. Subscribe to get irreverent and incisive sports stories, delivered to your mailbox every morning. Charles Curtis is filling in for Andy Nesbitt.
It used to be that NBA teams learned a lot from the Brooklyn Nets.
They remembered that in 2013, the franchise swapped a bunch of unprotected picks with the Boston Celtics for Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Jason Terry.
Because the Nets ended up being terrible, those picks ended up being the pieces for a future NBA title contender.
So the idea of gambling with a pick that could be 20th overall … or first overall someday seemed like a bad idea.
But this summer? Nope.
Dealing Dejounte Murray netted the Spurs two unprotected picks. Rudy Gobert got the Jazz three firsts that have zero restrictions. And just on Thursday, the Jazz got three unprotected firsts for Donovan Mitchell. The distant future is VERY bright in Utah.
For all three of the teams who gave up those picks — the Hawks, Timberwolves and Cavs — it makes sense to mortgage some of the future for present value. All three could be intriguing contenders heading into this season.
But here’s the thing: Stuff in the NBA changes VERY quickly. Devastating injuries or disgruntled superstars who suddenly want out from these teams could change the value of those picks in a hurry.
And the other fun thing is we’re talking about the distant future here. Who knows how good these teams will be in 2027? If I’m the Jazz or the Spurs and I know I’m tanking, this is a deal I make 100 times out of 100.
Because someone’s going to end up like the Nets, watching another franchise make a (some?) top-three picks in the draft down the road that they dealt. And — if the teams who traded those picks didn’t win a title due to these trades — we will laugh.
Quick hits: Ouch, Rafael Nadal! … Sam Haggerty is Spider-Man? … There’s already a questionable targeting call in college football … and more.
— Rafael Nadal bloodied his face with his own racquet.
— Check out Sam Haggerty going all Spider-Man and climbing the netting to try to make a catch.
— There was already a questionable targeting call in college football.
