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Part two of your offseason tracker and boy is it a doozy. If you missed part one, read that blog first to catch up to speed. There are a lot of things to unpack here. This draft was filled with twists and turns. The first three picks were pretty much set in stone, it was just the matter of which team was taking who or if any trades were to be made.
The general consensus though was that the top three were Edwards – Wiseman – Ball. The Bulls took Patrick Williams out of FSU which began the chaos on where the hell everyone was going to end up. That allowed Obi Toppin to fall to the Knicks at eight, the Wizards snagging Deni Avdija at nine, and Tyrese Haliburton going to twelve to the Kings. Then, the trades confused everyone, and it didn’t help that OKC had a ton of them and somehow the Pistons managed to trade to get three in the top 18. It was also difficult to follow along when Woj and Shams were five steps ahead of the live draft coverage, and they were announcing picks way too prematurely. I knew Obi Toppin was a Knicks before they announced Issac Okoro to the Cavs. Here is what went down in the two-round draft.
Photo: NBA.com Illustrations
Draft Recap
ROUND ONE
1. Anthony Edwards (SG - Georgia): Minnesota Timberwolves
2. James Wiseman (C- Memphis): Golden State Warriors
3. LaMelo Ball (PG – Illawarra Hawks): Charlotte Hornets
4. Patrick Williams (SF- Florida State): Chicago Bulls
5. Issac Okoro (SF – Auburn): Cleveland Cavaliers
6. Oneyka Okongwu (C - USC): Atlanta Hawks
7. Killian Hayes (PG - Ratiopharm Ulm): Detroit Pistons
8. Obi Toppin (PF – Dayton): New York Knicks
9. Deni Avdija (SF – Israel): Washington Wizards
10. Jalen Smith (PF – Maryland): Phoenix Suns
11. Devin Vassell (SG – Florida State): San Antonio Spurs
12. Tyrese Haliburton (PG – Iowa State): Sacramento Kings
13. Kira Lewis Jr. (PG – Alabama): New Orleans Pelicans
14. Aaron Nesmith (SF – Vanderbilt): Boston Celtics
15. Cole Anthony (PG – UNC): Orlando Magic
16. Isaiah Stewart (C – Washington): Detroit Pistons (via Rockets/Trailblazers)
** Rockets trade Robert Covington to Trailblazers for No. 16 pick and Trevor Ariza.
The No 16. Pick and Ariza head to Pistons for future first-round pick**
17. Aleksej Pokusevski (PF – Serbia): Oklahoma City Thunder (via Timberwolves)
**Timberwolves trade No. 17 pick to OKC for Ricky Rubio, No. 25, and No. 28 pick**
18. Josh Green (SG – Arizona): Dallas Mavericks
19. Saddeq Bay (PF - Villanova): Detroit Pistons (via Clippers/Nets)
**Clippers trade Landry Shamet and No.55 to the Nets for pick No.19 and No.57
Clippers trade No. 19 pick and Rodney McGruder to Pistons for Luke Kennard**
20. Precious Achiuwa (PF – Memphis): Miami Heat
21. Tyrese Maxey (SG – Kentucky) Philadelphia 76ers (via OKC)
22. Zeke Nnaji (PF – Arizona) Denver Nuggets
23. Leandro Bolmaro (SG – Argentina) Minnesota Timberwolves (via Knicks)
**Knicks trade Bolmaro to the Timberwolves for No.25 and No.33**
** Timberwolves received No. 25 from OKC in Rubio Trade**
24. RJ Hampton (PG – New Zealand Breakers) Denver Nuggets (via Bucks/Pelicans)
**Bucks trade No.24 (Jrue Holiday package) to Pelicans
New Orleans trades Hampton to Denver for future pick**
25. Immanuel Quickley (PG – Kentucky) Knicks (via OKC/Timberwolves)
**Knicks trade Bolmaro to the Timberwolves for No.25 and No.33**
** Timberwolves received No. 25 from OKC in Rubio Trade**
26. Payton Pritchard (PG – Oregon) Boston Celtics
27. Udoka Azubuike (C – Kansas) Utah Jazz
28. Jaden McDaniels (PF - Washington) Minnesota Timberwolves (via Thunder/Lakers)
** Lakers traded Danny Green and No. 28 pick for Dennis Schroder
Timberwolves trade No. 17 pick to OKC for Ricky Rubio, No. 25, and No. 28 pick**
29. Malachi Flynn (PG –San Diego State) Toronto Raptors
30. Desmond Bane (PG –TCU) Memphis Grizzlies (via Celtics)
**Celtics trade the No. 30 pick to the Grizzlies for two future second-rounders’**
Photo: Zane Scarfato Edits / Hornets Reddit
ROUND TWO
31. Tyrell Terry (PG – Stanford) Dallas Mavericks
32. Vernon Carey Jr. (C – Duke) Charlotte Hornets
33. Daniel Oturu (C – Minnesota) Los Angeles Clippers (via Knicks/Timberwolves)
**Knicks trade Bolmaro to the Timberwolves for No.25 and No.33
Knicks trade Oturu to Clipper for 2023 2nd round pick**
34. Theo Maledon (PG – France) Oklahoma City Thunder (via 76ers)
** Sixers trade Al Horford, a 2025 first-round pick and No.34 and the rights to Vasilijie Micic to the Thunder for Danny Green and Terrance Ferguson**
35. Xavier Tillman Sr. (C – Michigan State) Memphis Grizzlies (via Kings)
** Kings trade No.35 pick and 2022 2nd round pick to Grizzlies for No.40**
36. Tyler Bey (PF – Colorado) Dallas Mavericks (via 76ers)
*76ers trade No.36 and Josh Richardson to Mavericks for Seth Curry **
37. Vit Krejci (PG – Spain) Oklahoma City Thunder (via Wizards)
*Wizards trade No.37 and Admiral Schofield to Thunder for No.53 and 2024 2nd rounder**
38. Saban Lee (PG – Vanderbilt) Detroit Pistons (via Jazz)
** Pistons trade Tony Bradley and No. 38 to Jazz for future considerations**
39. Elijah Hughes (SG – Syracuse) Utah Jazz (via Pelicans)
**Pelicans trade future second-round pick and cash considerations to Jazz for No.39**
40. Robert Woodard II (SF – Mississippi State) Sacramento Kings (via Grizzlies)
**** Kings trade No.35 pick and 2022 2nd round pick to Grizzlies for No.40**
41. Tre Jones (PG – Duke) San Antonio Spurs
42. Nick Richards (C – Kentucky) Charlotte Hornets (via Pelicans)
**Pelicans trade No 42. To Hornets for 2024 second-round pick**
43. Jahmi’us Ramsey (SG – Texas Tech) Sacramento Kings
44. Marko Simonovic (SF – Louisville) Chicago Bulls
45. Jordan Nwora (C – Montenegro) Milwaukee Bucks
46. CJ Elleby (SF – Washington State) Portland Trail Blazers
47. Yam Madar (PG – Israel) Boston Celtics
48. Nico Mannion (PG– Arizona) Golden State Warriors
49. Isaiah Joe (SG – Arkansas) Philadelphia 76ers
50. Skylar Mays (SG - LSU) Atlanta Hawks
51. Justinian Jessup (SG – Illawarra Hawks) Golden State Warriors
52. Kenyon Martin Jr. (SF – IMG Academy) Houston Rockets (via Kings)
**Kings trade No. 52 to Rockets for future considerations**
53. Cassius Winston (PG – Michigan State) Washington Wizards (via Thunder)
*Wizards trade No.37 and Admiral Schofield to Thunder for No.53 and 2024 2nd rounder**
54. Cassius Stanley (SG - Duke) Indiana Pacers
55. Jay Scrubb (SG – JUCO) Los Angeles Clippers (via Nets)
**Clippers trade Landry Shamet and No.55 to the Nets for pick No.19 and No.57
Clippers trade No. 19 pick and Rodney McGruder to Pistons for Luke Kennard**
56. Grant Riller (C – College of Charleston) Charlotte Hornets
57. Reggie Perry (PF – Mississippi State) Brooklyn Nets (via Clippers)
**Clippers trade Landry Shamet and No.55 to the Nets for pick No.19 and No.57
Clippers trade No. 19 pick and Rodney McGruder to Pistons for Luke Kennard**
58. Paul Reed (PF - DePaul) Philadelphia 76ers
59. Jalen Harris (SG - Nevada) Toronto Raptors
60. Sam Merrill (PG – Utah State) Milwaukee Bucks (via Pelicans)
**Pick in Jrue Holiday package via Pelicans**
Notable Undrafted Free Agent Signings
With only 60 slots available, only a handful of eligible players have the honor of being drafted. However, there were a few notable names that were snubbed of being selected, and head to the status of "undrafted free agent". The Big East player of the year, and Seton Hall point guard, Myles Powell, was notably undrafted. He was awarded the best shooting guard in the nation (Jerry West Award) last season and averaged 21 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game in his final season at Seton Hall, becoming only the fifth player in school history to pass the 2,000-point milestone. Reports say that the New York Knicks are signing him.
Another Big East star, Markus Howard, was not selected either. He was one of the best volume three-point shooters in college basketball history, with explosive play and lateral quickness. He has a limitless range and lots of confidence beyond the arc. He is expected to sign a deal with the Denver Nuggets
Devon Dotson of Kansas, Killian Tillie from Gonzaga, and Mason Jones of Arkansas were all undrafted as well. They will head to the Bulls, Grizzlies, and Rockets respectively.
Photo: Dylan Buell / Getty Images
Post Draft Trades
Right before the draft, unfortunate news broke that Warriors Klay Thompson, suffered a torn Achilles while playing pickup. Brutal news for the star, who was set to return from an ACL recovery. It didn't stop the Warriors from drafting Wiseman, but they needed to fill that frontcourt void. They struck a trade with (you guessed it) the Thunder and landed recently acquired Kelly Oubre Jr. for (again, you guessed it) a 2021 first-round pick.
During the draft, the 76er's new president of basketball operations, Daryl Morey, got busy getting rid of unwanted contracts. The Sixers traded Al Horford and a first-round and second-round pick to the Thunder for Danny Green. Dallas acquired Philadelphia's Josh Richardson and No. 36 pick for Seth Curry, as well.
The Bucks-Kings Bogdonavic trade is now being investigated as "possible tampering" and is null-and-void. A new deal will need to be made or he hits the free-agent market.
Other Trades
· Utah Jazz trade Ed Davis to the Knicks for two future second-round picks
· Celtics trade Vincent Porier and Cash to the Thunder for a future second-rounder
· Pistons send Khyri Thomas and Tony Snell to Atlanta for Dewayne Dedmon.
Opt-Out and Cuts
One of the biggest names this year declined his $34-million-dollar player option and opted to hit the free-agent market. That was none other than Gordon Hayward of the Boston Celtics. They worked to move the deadline to Thursday, in hopes to either restructure or trade, but it looks that his time in Boston is over.
As expected, the Knicks shed off a ton of contracts in order to create flexibility. The Knicks declined the team option on Bobby Portis ($15.7M) and waived Taj Gibson ($10.29M) and Elfrid Payton ($8M). They created around $40 million in cap space for this free agency.
Do I smell a Hayward to the Knicks?
All the fun, and the final part of the trilogy, takes place tomorrow. Free Agency. If you thought this was crazy, get ready!