NBA Draft Night Intrigue

As we prepare for the NBA draft tonight, there are actually some ping pong balls from the lottery still up in the air and this could be a record night for trades in our opinion. The first three picks in the draft appear to be set with Zion, Morant and Barrett going in the first three picks. But then the fun starts as New Orleans holds the 4th pick from the Lakers. Technically, the Lakers will be making the selection since the trade from last week for Anthony Davis cannot be ratified until next month. There are many super max free agents in play this summer and some teams will be looking to literally give away their first round pick in exchange for taking on a larger contract from them. Do not be surprised if teams like the Nets, Knicks, Heat, Warriors and Rockets actually give up something for nothing. This is a time when it pays to have a GM like Danny Ainge who seems to stock pile draft picks like a 10 year old stock piles baseball cards.

The salary cap has many different accounting implications, but when it comes to first round picks, there is a lock and loaded number that will be counted against the team. As a result, many teams will not want to have a five or seven million dollar cap number automatically locked in if they are trying to sign one of the prized free agents this off season. The Houston Rockets in particular could be very active tonight as they try and move Chris Paul. CP3 is owed $121 million over the next three years. No, that is not a misprint. $121 million for a 35 year old point guard who has proven time and again with the Pelicans, Clippers and Rockets that he is incapable of leading his team deep into the playoffs. Although they don’t have a pick in the draft, do not be surprised if CP3 is moved for a 2nd round pick and a six pack of Miller High Life in exchange for a team taking on his absurd contract. Miller High life is of course the ‘Champagne of beers” and what better way to celebrate taking on an albatross of a contract than with some high life? Do not count the Celtics out just yet on the Chris Paul front either. With the loss of Al Horford and Kyrie Irving, they can very easily flip one of their three picks tonight for CP3 and fit him comfortably into their cap space while not having yet another rookie to develop.

The Clippers also have multiple draft picks and there is almost no chance they will want to use them when they are dreaming of adding Kawhi Leonard and Jimmy Butler. These draft picks can be had for a moon pie and a player not named Brian Scalabrine to be named later. I firmly believe tonight will be all about the “trades” not the draft picks. No offense to Zion and his moment as the number one draft pick, but I cannot wait to see what happens when NoLa is back on the clock with the fourth pick. Do they move it or do they keep it? More importantly, does is make a difference for NoLa? They will get interesting and relevant for about 20 minutes before Zion decides he wants out too. He is an athletic and smart kid so I am pretty sure he has been following the dysfunction that has surrounded this team for years. Good luck keeping him past year 4. One last team that could be in play tonight would be the 76ers, who have three picks tonight. If they are losing Jimmy Butler and JJ Redick, they may be forced to either move up in the draft to get somebody who can hit a jump shot or trade those picks for a veteran who can. It should be interesting to watch and as I do every year, I wait anxiously for my Knicks to draft a guard who can’t shoot, a center who wants to play 30 feet from the basket or some other developmental squad player. My Orlando Magic are very similar as my adopted team. Year after year the Magic draft forwards who are not big enough to play power forward, can’t shoot good enough to play small forward and point guards who have never really played this position before. Here is hoping my teams trade out of their spots and get veterans who have proven they can play in this league!

-BSB