Draft night in the NBA is a time when trades could potentially happen, with a lot of draft nights featuring some player movement between a variety of teams. There has been a lot of trade chatter ahead of this year’s deadline, and it is quite possible that we see multiple trades during the draft.
In this article, Praizsports present 5 potential trades that could happen during 2022 NBA Draft night. A lot of teams will likely attempt to improve their rosters ahead of next season, and here are some trade scenarios that would help those teams do so.
Charlotte Hornets receive: Myles Turner;
Indiana Pacers receive: James Bouknight, No. 15 draft pick;
The Charlotte Hornets have been linked to Myles Turner in a recent report, and there is no doubt that he would be a good fit for the franchise. A defensive center like Turner would give them a rim protector and rebounder, something that they were missing this year.
In this trade scenario, the Hornets would receive Myles Turner in exchange for a prospect in James Bouknight, and the No. 15 pick in the NBA draft. This trade would give the Pacers the assets they would need for their rebuild, and expiring contracts would mean they would clear some cap space for 2023 free agency as well. James Bouknight could potentially be a backcourt partner for Tyrese Haliburton in the future, and on the Pacers, he would get the playing time he needs to develop. The No. 15 pick would mean they could also draft another prospect in the 2022 NBA Draft.
Myles Turner would obviously be a defensive anchor for the Hornets, but his offense would also make him a perfect next to star point guard LaMelo Ball. Generally, LaMelo creates a lot of assists for teammates at the rim and at the 3PT line, and Myles Turner’s offensive game means he would get a lot of good looks on that end of the floor. The Hornets would also keep the No. 13 pick in the NBA draft in this scenario, which will allow them to draft a promising player who can grow next to their current core.
Overall, this move seems beneficial for both teams. The Hornets would be one step closer to being a consistent playoff team, while the Pacers would gain some great assets for their rebuild.
New Orleans Pelicans receive: D’Angelo Russell;
Minnesota Timberwolves receive: Larry Nance Jr., Kira Lewis Jr.
The New Orleans Pelicans made a playoff run this year after starting 1-12, and there’s no doubt that they could be one of the breakout squads of next season. This trade would give them a great offensive guard in D’Angelo Russell: one of their notable weaknesses this season was the lack of consistent guard play next to CJ McCollum, even though Jose Alvarado filled in admirably on that end towards the end of the season.
D’Angelo Russell would give the New Orleans Pelicans another elite offensive player on the roster. He is capable of ballhandling and spacing the floor, and could fit a variety of roles on the roster. He could potentially start at the shooting guard position, but D’Angelo Russell could also fit well as a high-minutes sixth man off the bench for the team. It would be up to coach Willie Green to decide whether D’Angelo Russell or Herb Jones start in this scenario, and that would likely depend on whether he wants to have a defensive or offensive focus for his starting lineup.
The Pelicans would give up a package that sends out a veteran in Larry Nance Jr., while also giving the Minnesota Timberwolves a young prospect in Kira Lewis Jr. This is a fair return for D’Angelo Russell’s expiring contract. Larry Nance Jr. would be another veteran presence to help the young team.
Overall, this deal would feature the Minnesota Timberwolves getting a return for a player that was underwhelming in the playoffs and is on an expiring contract. For the New Orleans Pelicans, this is a chance to get another piece that could help them have a great regular season and perhaps finish as a top-4 seed.
Los Angeles Lakers Receive: John Wall
Houston Rockets Receive: Russell Westbrook
The Russell Westbrook experiment clearly did not work out for the Los Angeles Lakers this season. He isn’t a bad player, but Westbrook definitely wasn’t a good fit with the Los Angeles Lakers. This trade would let the Los Angeles Lakers move him to the Houston Rockets while getting a decent enough point guard in return.
John Wall is a player that would fit well on the Los Angeles Lakers as a third option next to Anthony Davis and LeBron James. He is a good enough perimeter defender, and he can also be a playmaker for others. Moving to the Lakers would let him compete for a championship, and since he was sitting out for the Houston Rockets, would make sense that they would agree to move him.
Portland Trail Blazers Receive: Jerami Grant
Detroit Pistons Receive: Eric Bledsoe, No. 7 draft pick
The Portland Trail Blazers are a team that has been linked with Jerami Grant for quite some time, and it is easy to see why they would want to acquire him. He is the type of lengthy two-way forward that they have been missing during their last few seasons, and he would likely be a great No. 2 option behind Damian Lillard. It was previously reported that the Trail Blazers could potentially move their No. 7 pick in a win-now move.
Our trade package has the Trail Blazers moving an expiring contract in Eric Bledsoe and the No. 7 pick to acquire Jerami Grant. Obviously, the main appeal for the Detroit Pistons would be the No. 7 pick. If they were to execute this trade, the Detroit Pistons would have the No. 5 and No. 7 pick in this year’s NBA draft, which means they could acquire two promising prospects that could potentially become franchise cornerstones next to Cade Cunningham in the future.
The Trail Blazers have shown a commitment to building around Damian Lillard, and acquiring Jerami Grant would help them on both ends of the floor. Two-way forwards are players that are crucial when it comes to pursuing a championship. If they were to make this trade, they would have Josh Hart and Jerami Grant at their forward positions next year, which would make them good defensively.
This seems as if it is a win-win trade for both teams. The Pistons would get another asset for their NBA rebuild, while the Trail Blazers would get a good No. 2 option for Damian Lillard.