By the Numbers: Winners and Losers From the 2017 NBA Draft

Winners

With such a loaded draft class, there were a slew of winners last night, but here are the six teams that did the most to better themselves.

Minnesota Timberwolves

To kick off the night, Minnesota and Chicago agreed on a trade involving All-Star Jimmy Butler. It was supposed to be a blockbuster deal, and it was -- but only for the Timberwolves.

While Minnesota added the league's fifth-best player, Chicago returned young guards Zach LaVine and Kris Dunn, as well as the seventh overall selection in the draft. It's not a terrible haul, but it's not a good one either.

Before tearing his ACL, the 22-year-old LaVine posted just 3.0 win shares, while the rookie Dunn tallied 0.1 in 78 games. Next to Butler's 13.8 win shares, the numbers aren't even comparable.

And that's before we even get to the Bulls sending their own first round pick in the deal, a pick Minnesota turned into big man Justin Patton, who ranked second in the Big East in player efficiency rating (25.3) a year ago.

By our math, the T'Wolves won the trade by a country mile...and maybe even the entire Draft.

Philadelphia 76ers

As we've become accustomed to saying in recent years, the Philadelphia 76ers couldn't lose the draft.

Even before they traded up to the first overall pick, they were ensured a top-three spot if they wanted it. But after they made the swap with the Boston Celtics, it was all Markelle Fultz, a match made in heaven for the Sixers.

Fultz's efficiency (27.9 PER) and potent perimeter shooting (41.3% from three) will ideally compliment Ben Simmons' playmaking, as Philly looks for more results from The Process in 2017.

Los Angeles Lakers

We know about the whole LaVar Ball rider that comes with Lonzo Ball, but with D'Angelo Russell now in Brooklyn, Ball checks the star point guard box for the Los Angeles Lakers. In 36 games as freshman at UCLA, the 6'6" phenom churned out 14.6 points, 2.2 threes and 7.6 assists per game. Last year, the Lakers ranked 17th, 19th and 26th, respectively, in those three categories.

The success goes beyond Ball, though. In addition to not paying the trade price for free-agent-in-waiting Paul George, the Lakers added Villanova's Josh Hart with pick number 30, and Indiana's Thomas Bryant with pick number 42. All those two players did was average .224 and .188 win shares per 40 minutes for their respective collegiate careers.

Sacramento Kings

I'm not sure who stepped in to do the drafting for the Sacramento Kings last night, but whoever it was did a bang-up job for the eternally rebuilding franchise.

At the top of the draft, the Kings went with Kentucky point guard De'Aaron Fox, who should end up as the team's starter. Then, as they capitalized on picks acquired via trade, the Kings selected North Carolina's Justin Jackson and Duke's Harry Giles in the latter stages of the first. They eventually added Kansas guard Frank Mason (ya know, this year's Wooden Award winner) and completed their royal blue flush of top program talent.

The Kings front office did a great job at balancing proven production and high upside. With Fox, Jackson and Mason, they're getting 55.9 points and 96 wins from a year ago, but with Giles, they're getting a top high school recruit who averaged just 3.9 points in 26 games in his single season at Duke.

If there's one way to go from terrible to adequate in one fell swoop, this has to be it.

Charlotte Hornets

For the Charlotte Hornets, it's plain and simple. Even if second round pick Dwayne Bacon amounts to be a rotational player at best, they found great value in drafting Malik Monk -- DraftExpress' sixth-best prospect -- 11th overall. As a team ranked 23rd in effective field goal percentage (50.1%) a year ago, Monk's effective field goal rate of 54.3% should help to rapidly improve the Hornets' shooting efficiency.

Golden State Warriors

Believe it or not, the NBA champions somehow managed to make a draft night splash in a very New England Patriots-esque way.

In sending $3.5 million to the Chicago Bulls, the Golden State Warriors essentially purchased Oregon's Jordan Bell with the 38th overall pick in the draft. And, by doing so, they added a lengthy 6'7" forward (6'11 3/4" wingspan) to their list of versatile defenders. Last year, Bell proved himself to be just that, with 2.2 blocks per game and 3.0 defensive win shares overall in his final year in Eugene.