{"id":35200,"date":"2017-06-24T16:55:22","date_gmt":"2017-06-24T21:55:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mensbasketballhoopscoop.com\/?p=35200"},"modified":"2020-08-27T04:31:01","modified_gmt":"2020-08-27T09:31:01","slug":"2017-nba-draft-winners","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mensbasketballhoopscoop.com\/2017-nba-draft-winners\/","title":{"rendered":"2017 NBA Draft Winners and Losers; Sixers trust the “Process”, Celtics fail to impress"},"content":{"rendered":"

Take a look at the 2017 NBA Draft Winners and Losers; Timberwolves win out, Knicks avoid something dumb, Celtics lack big move!<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Timberwolves level up, the Pacers remain in a holding pattern with their best player, and the Knicks avoid doing something dumb.<\/p>\n

We will take a look at the 2017 NBA Draft winners and losers, but we need to break down a little draft trading first. Jimmy Butler got what he wanted, Paul George didn’t, Markelle Fultz went first, and LaVar Ball got his 2017 Draft wish.<\/p>\n

Losers: Chicago Bulls<\/strong><\/p>\n

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The Chicago Bulls have to go down as one of the worst franchise moves in NBA history with their trade of Jimmy Butler. Jimmy Butler, end of the first round player, developed into a two-way All-Star by the end of the rookie contract. Drafting him made the Front Office look like a genius move, and it was an excellent work ethic choice during the Tom Thibodeau era. Jimmy Butler is a franchise guy that has made three straight All-Star appearances. It doesn’t matter that he hade a personality conflict with coach Fred Hoiberg and his younger teammates. Butler is a work ethic guy, and the younger guys weren’t working as hard as he wanted. He was the best thing of the horrible 2016-17 NBA Season.<\/p>\n

Instead of giving him the franchise treatment that he had earned, the Chicago Bulls front office low-balled him on his rookie extension offer. They had him in trade talks for almost two years. They fired Tom Thibodeau and hired Fred Hoiberg. The front office didn’t try to build around Butler, but they signed Rondo and Wade who are two players past their primes.<\/p>\n

Ultimately, the front office traded Butler for some unproven young players in Zach LaVine, Kris Dunn, and Lauri Markkanen.<\/p>\n

Zach LaVine is a scoring guard that has great potential, but couldn’t guard a soul with his bad knee (knee surgery).<\/p>\n

Kris Dunn was a twenty-three-year-old point guard that was very disappointing in his rookie season.<\/p>\n

Lauri Markkanen is a seven-foot shooter that hasn’t proved that he can do anything, but shoot the basketball.<\/p>\n

Winners: Minnesota Timberwolves<\/strong><\/p>\n