Charlotte Acquired Jumaine Jones for a Future Second-Round Pick
On October 26, 2005, the Los Angeles Lakers traded veteran forward Jumaine Jones to Charlotte for a 2007 second-round selection. The future pick was later identified as No. 40 in 2007, used by Los Angeles on Chinese guard Sun Yue. Charlotte was still constructing a reliable rotation for its second season and wanted another experienced forward who could rebound and make outside shots. The Lakers had depth at the wing position and chose a later draft opportunity instead of keeping Jones. Both teams’ transaction histories identify the direct player-for-pick exchange. No additional players came back to Charlotte and no Lakers first-round choice was involved.
Jones Was a Regular Charlotte Starter in 2005-06
Jones appeared in 76 Bobcats games during 2005-06 and started 42. He scored 799 total points, or about 10.5 per game, and averaged 4.9 rebounds. Those are meaningful supporting-player totals on a young team, not a three-game end-of-bench audition. His ability to cover both forward spots gave Charlotte flexibility while the roster’s younger players developed. The C+ Bobcats grade is defensible from this season alone, though Jones did not remain an important part of Charlotte for many additional years. His prior Cleveland and Philadelphia appearances and later international career do not need to be imported into the return from the October transaction. The strongest evidence is the 42 Charlotte starts that followed.
Sun Yue Was a Longer-Term Pick Option but Barely Played for the Lakers
The Lakers used the 2007 No. 40 selection on Sun Yue, a tall Chinese guard who stayed overseas before making his NBA debut in 2008-09. He appeared in just ten regular-season Lakers games, with minimal scoring. Los Angeles still held a prospect with international experience and the option to assess him during its championship era, but his small NBA role did not match Jones’s 76-game starting and reserve contribution to Charlotte. The Lakers C grade acknowledges draft-right optionality and roster flexibility without assigning Sun Yue’s later professional accomplishments in China to the NBA return. Charlotte obtained the more immediate regular-season playing minutes from this modest draft-pick trade.
Final Verdict
Slight Charlotte Edge. The Bobcats earn C+ for Jumaine Jones’s 76 appearances, 42 starts, 10.5 points and 4.9 rebounds in 2005-06. Los Angeles receives C after obtaining the 2007 No. 40 pick used on Sun Yue, whose Lakers NBA role lasted only ten regular-season games.