Indeed wrote:But why are teams want to trade up? Because we are the Lakers?
Nope.
Those other teams might want to trade up to select a player who probably won't be available when it's their turn to pick like Khaman Maluach, Derik Queen, Jeremiah Fears, Kas-Jak, Tre Johnson or someone like Noa Essengue who flies up the draft board.
Miami might covet a player like Kon Knueppel, Derik Queen or Jeremiah Fears over those available at #12 and #21 and want to trade up to pick him.
Atlanta might think that Jeremiah Fears is the next Tre Young or want to pair him with a tall guard/wing like Kas-Jak or Egor Denim. Otherwise, someone like Khaman Malauch or Derik Queen could help in the frontcourt alongside Zaccharie Risacher and Onyeka Okongwu.
Brooklyn may want to consolidate multiple first round picks into another top 10 lottery pick so they can draft two higher end prospects rather than a bunch of prospects at once or take a gamble on someone like Noa Essengue who might take longer to develop but have a higher return a few years down the road.
Orlando could use more depth in the frontcourt and would rather have their choice from among Khaman Maluach, Collin Murray-Boyles, Asa Newell, Noa Essengue, and Derik Queen than wait until they pick at #16 and #20 and have to choose from among the next tier of bigs like Danny Wolf, Rasheer Fleming, Joan Beringer, and Thomas Sorber.
Washington would jump at the chance to turn 3 picks (#40, #47, #52) from the back half of the second round and an end of the first round pick (#22) into another top 10 selection and the Jazz would be even happier to send one less second round pick (#44, #50) and a slightly better first rounder (#19) for the same opportunity.
[emoji[emoji6
]][emoji