NBA Draft Day 2: Trades and Surprises Shake Up the Second Round
The NBA draft's second round started with a bang, as teams began swapping picks almost immediately.
Phoenix Suns Make Early Moves
The Phoenix Suns made the first move, selecting Rasheer Fleming after a quick trade with the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Suns gave up the No. 36 pick and two future second-round picks to move up and get Fleming, who had just spent the previous night at Barclays Center for the first round.
Fleming, a standout forward from Saint Joseph's, had a solid college career, averaging 14.7 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per game. He was clearly excited about his new opportunity, calling the whole experience "a crazy feeling."
The Suns weren't done dealing, though. They also traded picks No. 52 and 59 to the Golden State Warriors for the No. 41 pick, which they used on Kentucky's Koby Brea.
Other Notable Trades
Boston Celtics traded their No. 32 pick to the Orlando Magic for picks No. 46 and 57, plus second-rounders in 2026 and 2027. The Magic used that pick on French forward Noah Penda, a versatile 6-foot-8 player who averaged 10.3 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 2.6 assists in France's top league last season.
Los Angeles Lakers traded up to No. 36 to select Adou Thiero. To make the deal work, they had to send cash along with the No. 45 pick to the Timberwolves, which means they'll need to stay under the second apron next season.
New York Knicks selected Kobe Sanders at No. 50, then quickly traded him to the LA Clippers. In return, the Knicks moved down one spot to No. 51 and got Mohamed Diawara from France.
Familiar Names Go Early
Some familiar names went early in the second round as well:
- Auburn's Johni Broome was picked by the Philadelphia 76ers at No. 35, just one pick after Creighton's Ryan Kalkbrenner went to the Charlotte Hornets.
- Broome called getting drafted "the most exciting moment of my life so far."
Not Every Team Was Active
The Dallas Mavericks, who had the No. 1 pick in the first round, didn't have a selection in the second round.