Has Trading the First Overall Pick in the NBA Draft Fared Well Historically?

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Jun 23, 2016; New York, NY, USA; A general view of a video board displaying all thirty draft picks in the first round of the 2016 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports /

Number Five

To the 1957 Minneapolis Lakers – The First Pick (Hot Rod Hundley), Art Spoelstra, Bob Burrow, Ed Fleming and Monk Meineke

To the 1957 Rochester Royals – Clyde Lovellette and Jim Paxson

To call this deal complicated is an understatement, especially when trying to discern how it impacted either team.

While the Lakers received a handful of players, including Hot Rod Hundley, none of them would really become impact players or help them to a championship.

Alternatively, the Royals got an all-star player in Clyde Lovellette, but he only ended up playing one season for them.

Neither team enjoyed much success in the late 50s and most of the guys that were part of this deal only played a couple of seasons for either team.

I’d have to call this one a wash.

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