The deal
Clippers get: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (No. 11 pick)
Hornets get: Miles Bridges (No. 12 pick), two second-round picks
Get more trade grades for every deal here
LA Clippers: C
On its surface, this seems like a strange trade. Why would the Clippers give up two second-round picks to move up just one spot? After all, if the Hornets were really going to take Gilgeous-Alexander, why would they be interested in trading down?
In this case, the clue surely lies in the negotiations with other teams that ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported Charlotte was having before settling on this deal.
If those teams were looking to trade up for Gilgeous-Alexander, as Wojnarowski reported was true of the Phoenix Suns, the Clippers needed to make the deal with the Hornets themselves to prevent it.
If the Clippers were that convinced Gilgeous-Alexander was their guy, the price to go up and get him wasn't exorbitant -- even if it looked puzzling.
Charlotte Hornets: A
From the Hornets' standpoint, moving down only a single pick all but assured the player they really wanted (Bridges) would still be on the board, whereas trading all the way down to Phoenix's No. 16 pick was a riskier proposition.
For the trouble, Charlotte picks up a couple of future second-round picks, adding to the two the Hornets reportedly got from the Brooklyn Nets in Wednesday's trade involving Dwight Howard. As a small bonus, picking Bridges at No. 12 instead of No. 11 means he'll make about $170,000 less as a rookie -- giving Charlotte a tad bit more breathing room with regard to the luxury tax, as Nate Duncan pointed out on Twitter.