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NBA: Re-grading every first round pick from the 2018 NBA Draft

By Corey Rausch

NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 21: NBA Commissioner Adam Silver (C) poses with NBA Draft Prospects Trae Young, Marvin Bagley III, Deandre Ayton and Luka Doncic before the 2018 NBA Draft at the Barclays Center on June 21, 2018 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. 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 Mike Lawrie/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 21: NBA Commissioner Adam Silver (C) poses with NBA Draft Prospects Trae Young, Marvin Bagley III, Deandre Ayton and Luka Doncic before the 2018 NBA Draft at the Barclays Center on June 21, 2018 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. 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 Mike Lawrie/Getty Images) /
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NBA draft (Photo by Nic Antaya/Getty Images) /

2018 NBA draft: Re-grading Pick Number 25. Mo Wagner: C-

With their last pick before LeBron James joined the roster, the Los Angeles Lakers could certainly have done more to improve the assets they had on hand to make the push to the playoffs with him in his first season and to sweeten the eventual trade package for Anthony Davis. Sure, James was a week away from opting out of his contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers but there was not much mystery surrounding his ultimate decision. Mo Wagner was not the pick to maximize the youth around the King.

So far, Wagner has been a little bit everywhere. He has played on four teams in three seasons already. It is not to say that he has not shown anything, because he certainly has. To end the season with the Orlando Magic he started to stand out statistically. It simply seems that it is too easy to trade Wagner. He was salary dumped after his rookie season to make all the money work for the Lakers moving forward.

This season Wagner was traded at the deadline as part of a three-team deal between the Boston Celtics and Chicago Bulls. After just nine games with the Celtics, Wagner found himself waived and, on the move, again. The pick is by no means a failure because Wagner seems to be an NBA player and the Lakers were able to trade him away to land their second face of the franchise. But to date, it also cannot be considered a success.

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