The day is here. NBA Draft Night! As a Bulls fan I’ve been waiting for this day since April 11th, one day after the regular season ended. It’s not necessarily the deepest drafts, but it’s a draft that could turn the NBA upside down. It started yesterday when the Jazz acquired Mike Conley from the Grizzlies. This summer the NBA is hitting the reset button and tonight is the beginning of the reset. Let’s look at the potential moves we can possibly see tonight.
OKC looking to shed salary.
The report came out last night the Oklahoma City Thunder are looking to shed salary and they might even have to include to 23rd pick with one of the players looking they’re looking to trade with a bad contract. Those players that are rumored are Steven Adams, Andre Roberson, and Dennis Schroder. Adams is owed $52 million over the next two years, Roberson is owed $10 million for one season, and Dennis Schroder is owed $30 million over the next two seasons. You can see why they’ll have to attach the 21st pick with one of these players if they’re traded.
- Teams that could jump on this deal? Let’s start with Adams. Adams is the perfect fit in Boston. Boston needs a big man after finding out that Horford doesn’t have plans to comeback. Adams is a force in the paint, and one of the best rebounders in basketball. It’s a need for Boston, and Adams helps Boston in the matchup game against a player like Joel Embiid.
- Roberson adds defense, and that’s about it. The Bulls were interested in Roberson a couple years ago, and those talks could heat up again tonight, but I see a team like the Atlanta Hawks, the Dallas Mavericks, or the Sacramento Kings, who are looking to take that next step, but need that defensive help that Roberson brings to teams.
- An interesting trade that came up on twitter involving Dennis Schroder and the Bulls. It was creative, and it made sense. Schorder would go to the Bulls with the 21st pick for Kris Dunn and Denzel Valentine. The Thunder shed salary and add two pieces to the bench, and the Bulls add a backup point guard, (still wouldn’t stop me from drafting Garland). At 21, a couple of prospects that intrigue me for the Bulls are Kevin Porter Jr out of USC, and Cameron Johnson out of North Carolina.
The Timberwolves move on from their future.
The word on the street is that the Timberwolves have been calling teams about Andrew Wiggins. There’s no word on if teams actually picked up the phone. I think Wiggins’ days with the Timberwolves are coming to an end.
- Teams that could be in the mix? It’s hard to predict because Wiggins, along with Chris Paul, is one of the most difficult contracts to move. The Heat have expressed interest, but I’m not sure how they can with their mess of a payroll, Detroit, and even Houston if they want to exchange bad contracts between Chris Paul and Andrew Wiggins. It’s tough to find the perfect partner for Wiggins, but the writing is on the wall.
Boston will not stand still.
It’s safe to say this offseason has been pretty shitty for Boston. They went from being the favorites in the Eastern Conference, back to being a team in a rebuild. As a Bulls fan who wants Darius Garland the Celtics are a team that scare me. Boston has picks 14, 20, and 22. Something tells me they’re not staying there.
- Two trades make sense for Boston. Acquiring Steven Adams, and using those draft picks to move up to 4 and draft Darius Garland. This is a possibility and it’s scaring the fuck out of me.
Demar DeRozan is on the move again.
There’s a part of me that feels bad for DeRozan. He was the face of the Toronto Raptors, they trade him for Kawhi, and the very next season they win the NBA Finals. Now the Spurs are looking for an upgrade. Lets be honest, it has to suck to be DeRozan right now.
- DeRozan can’t be a number one on a team, and he might not be a good enough number two. DeRozan needs to be on a team like the Pacers, the Magic, or the Pistons. A team that’s in the playoff hunt and needs that push that DeRozan will give them to be a safe playoff bet.
Teams looking to move up in the top 5.
There are a couple of things for sure. Zion is going number 1, and some team will trade into the top 5. Whether that’s the Pelicans at 4 moving back, or the Cavs at 5 moving back and acquiring draft capital.
- Bulls, Hawks, Timberwolves, and the Celtics, are all rumored to be trading up. After the top three picks all hell is going to break loose.
Zion at 1, Ja Morant at 2, and RJ Barrett at 3. That’s pretty much set in stone. After three, when the Pelicans are on the clock for the second time tonight, NBA Twitter might actually break. I’m scared, but I’m here for all of it. Woj Bombs incoming.
Twitter: @realJohnStocco
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