Retroactively Grading Traded 2014 NBA Draft Picks
In the 2014 NBA Draft this past Thursday, 10 of the 30 first-round selections (33%!) were picks that were owed from a prior trade. Some of them were from blockbuster trades - James Harden to Houston and Dwight Howard to the Lakers - while some of them swapped hands many times until the selection was finally made on Thursday evening.
Now that the owed picks have been fulfilled, let's look back at the 10 trades that led to these picks, and how the teams fared. We'll go in order of the draft, starting with the Charlotte Hornets and the ninth pick.
9th Pick
Hornets received: Ben Gordon and this pick
Pistons received: Corey Maggette
Pick: Noah Vonleh
Winner: Hornets
Maggette played a total of 18 games and 257 minutes for the Pistons. He added 0.1 win shares. I think we can safely say Vonleh should be able to top that production.
10th Pick
76ers received: Nerlens Noel and this pick
Pelicans received: Jrue Holiday and 2013 second (42nd - Pierre Jackson)
Pick: Eventually Dario Saric plus a 2017 first from the Magic
Winner: Easily the 76ers if Noel and Saric develop as projected
Despite Holiday being injured in his brief time with Pelicans, he was still an All-Star point guard, so I understand the Pellies' reasoning. However, the Sixers turning him into Nerlens Noel, Dario Saric, and another first-round pick is a big haul. I'll take the Sixers as the winner.
12th Pick
Magic received: Arron Afflalo, Al Harrington, Nikola Vucevic, Moe Harkless, Josh McRoberts, Christian Eyenga, this pick from the Nuggets (via the Knicks), 2015 second from the Lakers, 2017 first from the Lakers, and 2017 first from the 76ers
Nuggets received: Andre Iguodala
76ers received: Andrew Bynum and Jason Richardson
Lakers received: Dwight Howard, Chris Duhon, and Earl Clark
Pick: Eventually Elfrid Payton (2017 first to the 76ers in the Saric trade)
Winner: Magic
This was a blockbuster at the time and looked like the Lakers were getting off easy landing the best center in the game for little to nothing. However, the guys the Magic received ended up developing into solid players and are still getting picks from it. They are the retroactive winners since Dwight left the Lakers anyway. Also, the Sixers gave up a 2017 first for Andrew Bynum, who didn't work out, but they got the pick back in the Saric-Payton deal. Good for them.
16th Pick
Bulls received: Flip Murray, Acie Law, and this pick
Hornets received: Tyrus Thomas
Pick: Packaged with the Bulls 19th pick for Doug McDermott
Winner: Bulls
McDermott would have to bust pretty bad for this not to be a complete win for the Bulls. How the Hornets or Bobcats ever thought that Tyrus Thomas was worth trading a first-round pick for is still a mystery.
17th Pick
Celtics received: Gerald Wallace, MarShon Brooks, Kris Humphries, Keith Bogans, Kris Joseph, this pick, 2016 first, 2018 first, and the right to swap firsts in 2017
Nets received: Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Jason Terry
Pick: James Young
Winner: TBD because of future picks owed, but looking like the Celtics pretty easily
Pierce was a productive player for the Nets this year, but Garnett may be retired soon, and Pierce himself doesn't have many years left. The Nets mortgaged their future in exchange for a Finals run, but had bad luck with Brook Lopez going down. Now they don't even have a coach. It certainly looks like the Celtics will reap the benefits of this trade for many years to come.
18th Pick
Suns received: Emeka Okafor and this pick
Wizards received: Marcin Gortat, Shannon Brown, Malcolm Lee, and Kendall Marshall
Pick: Tyler Ennis
Winner: Both teams
Looking back at this trade, I think both teams would make it again. Gortat was a solid player for the Wizards, but the Suns didn't mind giving him for extra assets and found a solid replacement in Miles Plumlee this year. I'd take Gortat over Ennis right now, but we'll wait and see how he develops.
21st Pick
Thunder received: Kevin Martin, Jeremy Lamb, 2013 first (12th - Steven Adams), 2013 second (32nd - Alex Abrines), and this pick
Rockets received: James Harden, Cole Aldrich, Daequan Cook, and Lazar Hayward
Pick: Mitch McGary
Winner: Umm...
This trade was one of the most lopsided ones over the past decade, and keeps on looking worse for the Thunder. They gave up a top-15 player in the league for, well, nothing, really. Their pick last year, Steven Adams, looks like a solid role player in the future if we're trying to be positive. However, the McGary pick was a little questionable, as they already have a couple of bigs, like Nick Collison, who have the exact same skill set.
23rd Pick
Jazz received: Andris Biedrins, Richard Jefferson, Brandon Rush, this pick, 2016 second from the Warriors, 2017 first from the Warriors, 2017 second from the Warriors, and 2018 second from the Nuggets
Warriors received: Andre Iguodala and Kevin Murphy
Nuggets received: Randy Foye and a 2018 second from the Warriors
Pick: Rodney Hood
Winner: Warriors
Rodney Hood may turn out to be a good player, but he's no Iggy. The Warriors gave up a ton to get him, but he's the only piece in this trade that can affect a title. Thus, I'm deeming the Warriors the winner.
24th Pick
Hornets received: Dante Cunningham, Joel Przybilla, Sean Marks, 2011 first (Tobias Harris), and this pick
Trail Blazers received: Gerald Wallace
Pick: Eventually PJ Hairston plus the 55th pick
Winner: Hornets
Although the Hornets didn't keep Tobias Harris, who was traded on draft day in a package for Corey Maggette (who then became Noah Vonleh), this trade was still a win for Charlotte. Gerald Wallace has had a good career in the NBA, but is almost 32 and wasn't great for the Celtics last year. Give me the upside and shooting of PJ Hairston.
27th Pick
Suns received: Gerald Green, Miles Plumlee, and this pick
Pacers received: Luis Scola
Pick: Bogdan Bogdanovic
Winner: Suns
This is a clear win for the Suns, regardless of how Bogdanovic ever turns out. It seems that the Pacers misevaluated their talent, as Plumlee by himself was better than Scola this year. The fact that they got Green and a first round pick as well is a nice bonus.
