NBA draft: Never boring with Presti
One thing we have learned with Sam Presti as the Thunder general manager. Drafts never are boring. Even when they’re boring.
The Thunder, slated to pick 21st, 26th, 32nd and 51st in the NBA Draft, traded the 32nd pick to the Miami Heat for the No. 18 pick plus shooting guard Daequan Cook. You read that right.
The NBA salary structure can lead to many strange situations, such as teams moving down in the draft not to get a player, but to get rid of one. Nothing against Cook, but Miami considered his empty salary slot much more valuable than Cook himself.
Not that Cook is making break-the-bank money, but Miami is pinching pennies to be able to offer LeBron James and the other free agents deluxe just as much loot as possible to join Dwyane Wade in south Florida — and Wade must be re-signed, too.
I could be wrong, but I don’t think this trade was just moving up in the draft for Presti. Oh, it’s that. He now has three first-round picks, including No. 18, which is getting into decent territory. Most people expect Presti to package those three first-round picks to move up even higher in the draft.
Could happen. But I wouldn’t put it past Presti to package those picks for a future pick. Teams on the verge of a draft are pretty stingy with letting loose of a high pick. But future high picks? Teams let those slide all the time. Wouldn’t surprise me if Presti traded with some rumdum team for a future first-round pick that very likely will be in the lottery and could be high.
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