Not since Bruce Arena traded away the LA Galaxy’s draft picks and flew home in 2016—leaving assistant Dave Sarachan as a stand-in for the annual coaches’ photo—has there been quite as poignant a commentary on the MLS SuperDraft as the trade that occurred on Thursday night in Chicago.



The Philadelphia Union shipped away all of its 2019 draft picks—five in all—for between $150,000 and $200,000 in General Allocation Money to expansion side FC Cincinnati. The message was clear from new sporting director Ernst Tanner: The draft held little to offer the Union’s first-team roster this year.



“I know it is a tradition here (in the U.S.) and that this is a big event in the big four (sports). But in soccer, I think we have totally different preconditions,” Tanner said on Friday afternoon midway through the first round, as he was on his way out the door to catch a flight.



Tanner said he enjoyed the spectacle of the...