Introduction
The NBA draft is an exciting time for basketball fans as they wait to see which players their favorite teams will select. Teams often trade draft picks to acquire players or future picks. Protected picks are a common type of trade in the NBA. But how do they work?
What Are Protected Picks?
Protected picks are draft picks that are traded with conditions attached. These conditions determine whether the pick will be transferred to the other team. Protected picks come in various forms and can be very complicated.
Top-14 Protected Picks
One of the most common types of protected picks is the top-14 protected pick. This means that if a team’s draft pick falls within the top 14 selections, they get to keep it. If it falls outside of the top 14, it goes to the other team.
Lottery Protected Picks
Another type of protected pick is the lottery protected pick. This means that if a team’s draft pick falls within the lottery selections (the first 14 picks of the draft), they get to keep it. If it falls outside of the lottery, it goes to the other team.
Unprotected Picks
Unprotected picks are just as they sound. There are no conditions attached to these picks. If a team trades an unprotected pick, they are giving up their selection in the draft no matter where it falls.
Why Do Teams Use Protected Picks?
Teams use protected picks to give them more control over their draft selections. They may want to keep their top picks in case a star player becomes available in free agency or through a trade. Protected picks also allow teams to rebuild while still having a chance to land a top draft pick.
Examples of Protected Pick Trades
To better understand how protected picks work, here are a few examples of recent trades involving protected picks:
Example 1: The Brooklyn Nets and the Boston Celtics
In 2013, the Brooklyn Nets traded three first-round draft picks to the Boston Celtics for Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Jason Terry. One of these picks was a top-14 protected pick in 2016, 2017, and 2018. If the Nets had finished with one of the 14 worst records in the league in any of those years, they would have kept the pick. However, they finished outside of the top 14 each year, so the Celtics received the pick.
Example 2: The Philadelphia 76ers and the Sacramento Kings
In 2015, the Philadelphia 76ers traded two second-round draft picks to the Sacramento Kings for rights to swap first-round picks in the 2016 NBA draft. The swap was lottery protected, which meant that if the Kings’ pick fell within the first 10 selections, they would keep it and the 76ers would keep their own pick. If the Kings’ pick fell outside of the top 10, the teams would swap positions. The Kings ended up with the eighth pick in the draft, so they kept it, and the 76ers selected 12th.
Example 3: The Atlanta Hawks and the Houston Rockets
In 2022, the Atlanta Hawks traded Cam Reddish to the Houston Rockets for a 2025 first-round pick. The pick is top-14 protected in 2025 and 2026, meaning that if the Rockets’ draft pick falls within the first 14 selections in either year, they get to keep it. If not, it goes to the Hawks.
Conclusion
Protected picks are a complicated but important aspect of NBA trades. Teams use them to gain more control over their draft selections and to rebuild while still having a chance to land a top pick. The conditions attached to protected picks can vary greatly and can affect teams for years to come.
