What happened with the Zhou Qi incident (the trade of the No. 1 pick in the second round of the NBA draft caused controversy)

Zhou Qi is a Chinese basketball player. He was selected by the Houston Rockets with the 43rd overall pick in the second round of the 2016 NBA Draft, becoming the first Chinese interior player selected by the NBA. However, Zhou Qi's career in the NBA did not go smoothly. He rarely played time and did not show his strength in the CBA league. In 2021, Zhou Qi's NBA career once again caused a sensation because he was traded to the Washington Wizards, which caused controversy.

Transaction details

The details of Zhou Qi being traded to the Washington Wizards are as follows:

The Houston Rockets will acquire Zhou Qi and a 2024 second-round draft pick. Traded to the Washington Wizards in exchange for cash and a 2023 second-round draft pick. This deal caused many people to question it because Zhou Qi's performance in the NBA was not outstanding, but the Houston Rockets received a cash and a higher draft pick.

The significance of the transaction

The significance of this transaction is that the Washington Wizards may discover Zhou Qi's potential and make him an excellent inside player. The Houston Rockets can get more cash and higher draft picks through this deal to get better players in future drafts.

Controversy

This deal caused controversy among many people because Zhou Qi’s performance in the NBA was not outstanding, but the Houston Rockets received a cash and a higher of picks. Many people believe that this trade is unfair because the Washington Wizards received nothing while the Houston Rockets received a lot.