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    10 NBA superstars that were traded on draft night, ranked

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    There’s no doubt that the NBA Draft is a great avenue for NBA teams to upgrade their roster with the bevy amount of young talent. But while drafting promising players is a great way for making key roster additions, that isn’t the only way for teams to change up their roster.

    In fact, teams can also use their drafted rookies as trading chips. However, by doing this, teams are also risking the chance of giving away future superstars that could’ve altered the course of a franchise for the better. Here’s the 10 NBA superstars that were traded on draft night, ranked.

    10. Trae Young

    In one of the most balanced trades in NBA history, the Mavericks drafted Trae Young with the fifth-overall pick and then subsequently traded him in return for Luka Doncic.

    Despite initial doubts, Young turned out to be a respectable franchise player for the Hawks. He became a three-time All-Star and an All-NBA Team player. Furthermore, he has also led the Hawks to competitive playoff campaigns.

    9. Chris Webber

    It’s quite rare to use the top-overall pick as a trading chip. However, that’s what the Orlando Magic did to Chris Webber in order to acquire All-Star guard Penny Hardaway. The move didn’t bother Webber, as he went on to become an NBA Rookie of the Year. Years later, he garnered five All-Star Game appearances.

    8. Donovan Mitchell

    After drafting him with the 13th-overall pick, the Denver Nuggets immediately sent him to Western Conference rival the Utah Jazz. Although the Nuggets would’ve added a formidable guard to their rotation along with Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray, the Nuggets turned out fine by winning an NBA championship in 2023.

    On the other hand, Mitchell starred for Utah for several seasons, leading them into deep playoff runs and some of the best Jazz records in franchise history.

    7. Luka Doncic

    As stated previously about the balanced trade back in the 2018 NBA Draft, the Hawks and the Mavs swapped lottery picks, which turned out okay for both teams.

    As for Luka Doncic and the Mavericks, the team has been to a string of competitive playoff appearances, including all the way to the 2024 NBA Finals where they lost to the Boston Celtics in five games. Moreover, Doncic has been penciled in to be the face of the Mavericks franchise. It won’t be surprising if Luka becomes the face of the NBA in the near future.

    6. Ray Allen

    After the Minnesota Timberwolves drafted Ray Allen with the fifth-overall pick at the 1996 NBA Draft, they immediately shipped him to the Milwaukee Bucks. Years later, the Seattle SuperSonics traded Allen at the 2007 NBA Draft in a deal that landed him in Boston. After that, Allen went on to win his first NBA championship with the Celtics.

    5. Cliff Hagan

    In a championship-laden deal, the Hawks traded away Bill Russell after drafting him in return for Cliff Hagan. Although Hagan didn’t win as many NBA championships as Russell, the former did manage to lead the Hawks to an NBA title in 1958. Hagan was also a five-time All-Star.

    4. Kawhi Leonard

    Back in the 2011 NBA Draft, the Spurs found a way to steal Kawhi Leonard away from the Indiana Pacers in return for George Hill. Leonard went on to lead the Spurs to the 2014 NBA championship.

    Had the Pacers refused the trade, who knows how far the team could go with Paul George as the star at that time. Fast-forward to 2019, the Los Angeles Clippers managed to get both All-Stars together, although they rarely played together due to injuries, so they had little playoff success.

    3. Dirk Nowitzki

    At the 1998 NBA Draft, the Bucks were keen on looking for an established big man. As a result, after drafting Dirk Nowitzki in the first round with the ninth-overall pick, the Bucks sent him to Dallas in return for Robert Traylor.

    Nowitzki became the face of the Mavericks for several seasons, highlighted by their 2011 NBA championship conquest at the expense of the Miami Heat’s Big Three. Nowitzki is also the franchise leader in terms of points, rebounds, and blocks.

    2. Kobe Bryant

    Today, the late Kobe Bryant is considered to be in the GOAT conversation. He took the Lakers to five NBA championships, earned two Finals MVPs, an NBA MVP, and 18 All-Star Game appearances.

    In hindsight, the Charlotte Hornets made a terrible decision trading their draft pick away in return for the Los Angeles Lakers’ Vlade Divac. Had they kept Bryant, the franchise might’ve been more than just a cellar dweller in the NBA.

    1. Bill Russell

    Arguably the biggest superstar to be traded on draft night, Red Auerbach made a wise decision to give Cliff Hagan and Ed McCauley to the Hawks in return for Bill Russell. Of course, the unstoppable Russell led the Celtics to 11 NBA championships, arguably the most dominant dynasty in NBA history.

    The post 10 NBA superstars that were traded on draft night, ranked appeared first on ClutchPoints.

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