When the NBA split up the Draft into a two-day affair, they did so in part to give teams time to reassess their draft board after the first round and have more of an opportunity to work out deals.
That certainly played out, as four different trades involving eight teams got struck on Thursday prior to the 4 p.m. ET start of the second round (with a bunch more deals happening during the Draft itself). Among them was a move by the Kings to shed some salary and free up the full mid-level, as they sent Davion Mitchell, Sasha Vezenkov, the 45th overall pick, and a future second to the Raptors for Jalen McDaniels.
McDaniels is the brother of Timberwolves wing Jaden, and the Kings will hope he can bring some depth on the wing and a defensive presence to their roster. The move came as a surprise to many, including McDaniels himself, who was in the middle of a workout when he got informed he was headed to Sacramento and had the reaction I assume most guys have when they suddenly find out they’ve been traded.
“Hey bro, you just got traded to the Kings!”
Jalen McDaniels: “Me?”
(via keolanakealoha / IG) pic.twitter.com/x2gkCFjITD
— Dime (@DimeUPROXX) June 27, 2024
The second “me?” is incredible, and I gotta say I’m not sure this is the most tactful way of letting someone know they just got traded but it is effective and to the point. McDaniels will make the cross-continent journey from Toronto to Sacramento soon.