NBA Free Agency: An 8-Step Beginner's Guide 

3. Trade Swap: Best/Worst:

• What does it mean?

This is one of the most confusing trade system. Trade Swap: Best is a term that is usually used in sync with the Trade Swap: Worst. It means that if Team A has decides to trade swap their best for Team B's worst, they get the better pick. It will be better understood with an explained example below.

• When is it applicable?

It is applicable only when 2 teams decide to switch their picks of the same draft year. The team that receives the worst pick deal gets the better deal or the more favourable pick. The team that receives the best pick gets the less favourable pick. This is decided by the teams that are going to trade between themselves.

The 76ers have a first round 2019 swap deal with Boston involving the Kings

Example:

1. Celtics to receive 2019 first round draft pick from Philadelphia 76ers or Sacramento Kings:

Boston will receive the more favourable of Philadelphia's 2019 1st round pick protected and Sacramento's 2019 1st round pick while Philadelphia will receive the less favourable or the protected of these two picks.

So now Boston has the choice to pick either the 76ers 2019 1st round protected pick or the Kings' 2019 1st round protected pick, whichever has the better odds to win the lottery. The 76ers get the one which has the worse odds.