There was a surge of second round picks traded during the NBA’s transaction window leading to the 2023 trade deadline with 71 changing teams from Jan. 1 until Feb. 9.
That number compares to 29 in 2022, 32 in 2021, 17 in 2020 and 32 in 2019.
In order for the Milwaukee Bucks to acquire Jae Crowder, they sent two second rounders to the Brooklyn Nets as well as three second rounders to the Indiana Pacers to match salaries. The Atlanta Hawks traded five second rounders to acquire Saddiq Bey, while the Memphis Grizzlies sent out three second rounders for Luke Kennard. The Los Angeles Lakers sent three second rounders to the Washington Wizards for Rui Hachmiura while later getting three back for Thomas Bryant.
A number of teams have gone all-in in which they have traded multiple future first round picks and swaps that leave them bereft of currency to help facilitate trades.
“You can’t trade first-round picks if you don’t have first-round picks to trade,” an Eastern Conference analytics staffer told Jake Fischer of Yahoo.
“Any time there’s market imbalance, there’s going to be some wild trades,” one team cap strategist said.
“Second-round picks are currency,” one assistant general manager
