NBA Trade Grades: Nets Trade Thaddeus Young To Pacers

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Apr 22, 2016; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Celtics fans react as they take on the Atlanta Hawks during the fourth quarter in game three of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at TD Garden. The Celtics defeated the Hawks 111-103. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports /

Boston Celtics

This was only a two-team trade, but the Thaddeus Young swap also affects a third party: the Boston Celtics.

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By virtue of that disastrous Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett trade that has since doomed the Nets to a life without first round draft picks, Brooklyn owes Boston the rights to swap first round picks in 2017 — in addition to owing the Celtics their 2018 first-rounder outright.

Thanks to that ill-fated trade back in 2013, the Nets probably won’t have their own first round pick until 2019. That’s right, folks. The next first round pick the Nets own won’t be until after the next two Star Wars movies!

With Young’s departure, the list of quality Brooklyn players is down to Brook Lopez and RHJ, a second-year player. Unless the Nets somehow pull a rabbit out of the hat in free agency, this likely means another year of tanking without benefits for the Nets, which all but assures the Celtics another top-three pick next year.

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The Celtics weren’t directly involved in this trade, but they should be standing and applauding it nonetheless. By trading Young, the Nets are now an even worse team, which only means good things for Boston’s 2017 draft.

Grade: A+++

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