So was Sundquvist traded for a second and a 1st along with Reaves just happened to be thrown in... or did PIT really want to trade down and use Sundquvist as a sweetener along with Reaves being a sweetener too?
I can't tell if you're asking me a serious question or pondering aloud, because the way you phrased it sounds like you're suggesting Pittsburgh was trying to DUMP a 1st round pick. Very convoluted.
Pretty sure JR needed someone who could fight on the team to protect their players. That was Reaves - 1st with sundquvist and the 2nd being thrown in... they were the sweeteners.
Yes, JR wanted some muscle. Reaves was his guy. Sundqvist didn't fit the team style, there were no spots for him, he was chewing up cap, and he wasn't developing at the rate he needed to (or showing the promise of) in order to be a player of significance to the team in the future... and therefore... was a tradable asset. STL must have had some interest in Sundqvist, but Sundqvist < Reaves, and the two GMs agreed that the difference was about 20 spots in the draft. A minor difference between the two players, but enough of a difference that they agreed there was a difference. I don't believe either of the players were "sweeteners", if anything, the 20 spot jump was the sweetener.
All of which is a far cry from "A player being traded for A 1st round pick".