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Reviewing similar draft night trades that the Detroit Pistons could make

By Martin Mansour

PHILADELPHIA, PA - MARCH 10: Thaddeus Young #21 of the Indiana Pacers smiles against the Philadelphia 76ers at the Wells Fargo Center on March 10, 2019 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - MARCH 10: Thaddeus Young #21 of the Indiana Pacers smiles against the Philadelphia 76ers at the Wells Fargo Center on March 10, 2019 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) /
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SALT LAKE CITY, UT – APRIL 22: Utah Jazz head coach Quin Synder and Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Utah Jazz interact in the second half of Game Four during the first round of the 2019 NBA Western Conference Playoffs against the Houston Rockets at Vivint Smart Home Arena on April 22, 2019 in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by Gene Sweeney Jr./Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, UT – APRIL 22: Utah Jazz head coach Quin Synder and Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Utah Jazz interact in the second half of Game Four during the first round of the 2019 NBA Western Conference Playoffs against the Houston Rockets at Vivint Smart Home Arena on April 22, 2019 in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by Gene Sweeney Jr./Getty Images) /

Donovan Mitchell to the Utah Jazz!

The 2017 NBA Draft was a bit of a mess. Many young players went higher than what some mock drafts had them going. And other players were completely slept on.

With the 11th overall pick, the Charlotte Hornets snagged the first shooting guard off the board; Malik Monk. The Detroit Pistons followed up the Hornets pick by snagging a shooting guard; Luke Kennard.

The Denver Nuggets are on the clock with the 13th pick. With Gary Harris, Will Barton, Jamal Murray, Malik Beasley, and Emmanuel Mudiay on the roster, the Nuggets felt the need to improve at the power forward position.

With no confidence in selecting a big man in the draft, the Nuggets decided to trade the 13th pick for Trey Lyles and Tyler Lydon. The Utah Jazz would ultimately draft promising young guard Donovan Mitchell.

Mitchell was projected all over the place in the draft. Many Nuggets fans were filled with anger that their team would trade the rights for the 13th pick. And many Charlotte and Detroit fans were livid that they passed up on him.

Mitchell would ball out in his first season. He averaged 20.5 points per game, 3.7 rebounds, and 3.7 assists on 43.7 percent shooting. Even after losing Gordon Hayward in free agency, Mitchell was able to take the Utah Jazz to the NBA Playoffs. And eventually they would make quick work of the Oklahoma City Thunder team that had superstar players Russell Westbrook and Paul George.

The Denver Nuggets and Trey Lyles on the other hand missed the playoffs. Lyles would average 9.9 points per game and 4.8 rebounds off the bench for the Nuggets. But he continued to be a solid rotation player in the next season; helping the Nuggets secure a second seed in the West.

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