Even amid the madness of the 2017 NBA Draft, some teams found a way to do business that put the new picks in the shade.
The Minnesota Timberwolves and Chicago Bulls took most of the spotlight, pulling off a blockbuster trade for Jimmy Butler. Elsewhere there was drama with the New York Knicks, and more speculation over the eventual destination of Paul George.
Here's a round-up of the biggest deals and rumors.
Jimmy Butler
The Chicago Bulls and Minnesota Timberwolves loomed over the rookies' big night with a monster trade deal.
The Bulls sent Butler, three times an NBA All-Star point guard, to the Timberwolves in exchange for Kris Dunn, Zach LaVine and the No. 7 overall pick.
The Timberwolves got the 16th overall pick in return, which they used to select Justin Patton, the center out of Creighton University.
It's a deal that instantly makes the Timberwolves a team to be respected in the Western Conference. Butler is a two-way superstar to add to the Timberwolves' talented young core in Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins.
Kristaps Porzingis
The New York Knicks center didn't get traded in the end. The New York Daily News reported that Knicks President Phil Jackson wanted a "massive" return for Porzingis from the Boston Celtics, including the third overall pick in last night's draft, and the Celtics' first-round pick in 2018 from Brooklyn.
That was too much for the Celtics so no deal was done and Porzingis remains a Knick, but this probably isn't the end of the story.
Paul George
Another potential fail for Boston. The Vertical reported on Thursday that the Indiana Pacers and the Celtics were in trade talks for George, the four-time All Star.
Talks "stalled," reportedly, early on Friday morning. George can leave as a free agent next summer and intends to do so. It's imperative then that the Pacers find another home for the 27-year-old while he's still trade bait. It just may not be Boston. There are other possibilities on the table for the small forward, including the Portland Trail Blazers and San Antonio Spurs, according to Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders.
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