When the oddsmakers at Bovada.lv placed the over/under on the amount of NBA trade deadline deals at 9.5 on Wednesday, we scoffed. Ten trades? In this economy? With all that cap space coming? Come on.
We were partially correct. In all, 11 trades went down involving 37 players and more than a dozen possible draft picks. More than half of the NBA’s 30 teams took part, and all of our smartphones hate us right now.
Let’s dive into who made out, in a chaotic trade deadline day.
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Boston Celtics
Received: Isaiah Thomas, Luigi Dantone, Jonas Jerebko.
Traded: Marcus Thornton, 2016 first-round pick (Cleveland’s), Tayshaun Prince.
This appears to be the first move that Boston general manager Danny Ainge has made to pull the Celtics out of their rebuilding mode. Ainge was in the right place at the right time last summer when he decided to take on Tyler Zeller and a future draft pick from Cleveland as the Cavs cleared cap space for LeBron James, and he turned that pick and Thornton’s expiring contract into a damn fine scorer in Isaiah Thomas. Having a sound relationship with Suns GM Ryan McDonough probably didn’t hurt either.
Ainge didn’t score a draft pick in his attempts to deal Tayshaun Prince (who appeared to have found the fountain of youth in his brief stay with Boston) to a contender, but expiring rotation helpers Dantone and Jerebko aren’t a bad take. League-wide goodwill, in sending Prince back to Detroit, is also a nice thing to take in.
Thomas has three-years and under $20 million left on his deal following this season, fantastic value.
Grade: A+
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Brooklyn Nets
Received: Thaddeus Young
Traded: Kevin Garnett
Not with a bang, but with a whimper; eh?
We’re not discussing Kevin Garnett’s career, here. That won’t go out quietly. What is slowly fading is Billy King’s kiss-kiss-bang-bang attempts to build an over the top winner in Brooklyn, treating money as no object. After falling just short of publicly stating that former stars like Deron Williams, Joe Johnson and Brook Lopez were available, King failed to trade all three.
The one guy nobody thought would be traded, future Hall of Famer Kevin Garnett, was shockingly dealt home to Minnesota for the serviceable Thaddeus Young. Young has an early-termination option on his $9.9 million contract for next year that he may not utilize. It’s very much possible that, after a disappointing 2014-15, Young might make nearly eight figures with the Nets last season. Billy King just managed to trade Kevin Garnett for more salary beyond this year.
We should give him an A for making Garnett fans happy, but …
Grade: D
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Denver Nuggets
Received: Thomas Robinson, Victor Claver, Will Barton, Portland’s lottery-protected first-round pick in either 2016 or 2017 (turns into a second round pick if Portland misses the playoffs in both seasons).
Traded: Arron Afflalo, JaVale McGee, first-round pick (Oklahoma City’s; protected 1-18 in 2015, 1-15 in 2016 and 2017, becomes two second-round picks if not conveyed by 2018), Alonzo Gee.
The Nuggets committed to firesale mode earlier in the season when they sent Timofey Mozgov to the then-desperate Cleveland Cavaliers for draft picks. Pairing a future first-round pick with JaVale McGee’s deal (at $12 million next season, for a guy that has played 22 games over the last two years) seems needless and far more desperate. If the Nuggets think they can be a player in the free agent market with new space and a core still featuring the disappointing Ty Lawson, good luck.
In a vacuum, though, this isn’t bad.
Turning Afflalo – who like Thaddeus Young has essentially a player option that he may or may not pick up for next year – into a likely future first-round pick was a fine move. Afflalo’s production has fallen off this year and teams were under no obligation to overpay for what might be a rental of a shooting guard.
Grade: B-
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Detroit Pistons
Received: Reggie Jackson, Tayshaun Prince.
Traded: Kyle Singler, D.J. Augustin, Jonas Jerebko, Luigi Dantone.
Don’t count me in as one of the types that tend to overrate Reggie Jackson. He puts up great box score numbers when allowed to run the show by himself, and it’s understandable that he wants to run his own team, but this doesn’t really look like a bust-out killer of a starter if we’re honest.
The Pistons didn’t give up much, however, in spite of Singler’s sound shooting this year and Augustin’s typically-great (if inconsistent) play in response to the Brandon Jennings injury. Jackson is an upgrade over D.J.’s defense, and the return of Piston legend Tayshaun Prince isn’t just some token move – Prince was playing very well in Boston this year. Detroit wants to make the playoffs and they have the roster to do it with, even as Jennings watches from the sidelines.
Just go easy on the expectations with Jackson, OK?
Grade: B+
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Houston Rockets
Received: K.J. McDaniels
Traded: Isaiah Canaan, second-round pick.
A very Daryl Morey and/or Sam Hinkie deal from best bros Daryl Morey and Sam Hinkie.
McDaniels has tremendous talent, and it was clear from the outset that he was not long for the 76ers after his representatives and the team couldn’t come to an agreement on the typically-goofy second-round contracts the Sixers give their players. Canaan is a fantastic shooter but McDaniels certainly has far more upside as a defender this year and something even more impactful should he remain with the Rockets.
Grade: A
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Miami Heat:
Received: Goran Dragic, Zoran Dragic.
Traded: Two first-round picks, Justin Hamilton, Shawne Williams, Norris Cole, Danny Granger.
The Heat may have taken in the best player to be moved on trade deadline day, but that doesn’t mean this is an out and out win for the team. Goran Dragic is exactly what the team needs, someone to put defenses on their heels as he spirals around the court, and he could return to his active and free throw-earning ways with a new start in Miami.
Still, two first-rounders down the line is a lot to give up for a player that might not stick in Miami past this season, and may not put them back in the top half of the East even if he does. This deal fits Miami’s plan, though, which is why you can’t criticize them much for playing by their own rules.
They always hoped to win now, Pat Riley doesn’t really want to think about what’s going to happen in 2017 and 2021 (when they have to lose those picks) and the Heat had to make a splash. Picturing Goran, Dwyane Wade, Luol Deng and Chris Bosh all moving without the ball and healthy in the playoffs is a frightening thing.
At 22-30 and just a game out of the lottery, the Heat just have to stay healthy enough to get there first.
Grade: B+
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Milwaukee Bucks
Received: Michael Carter-Williams, Tyler Ennis, Miles Plumlee.
Traded: Brandon Knight.
Now this was a shocker.
The Milwaukee Bucks had cap and payroll flexibility to work with even before they reached a buyout agreement with Larry Sanders this week. Brandon Knight is having a fantastic, borderline-All-Star year and he was merely going to be a restricted free agent this summer, someone who could sign to terms that the Bucks would match.
Instead, the team shot for depth and length in picking up Ennis (a pass-first guy that turns the ball over a ton), Plumlee (who has stepped back after a promising second season) and 2014 Rookie of the Year Carter-Williams. Carter-Williams remains a terrible shooter whose per game numbers (not to mention hardware, in a weak year for rookies) were inflated last season, but he adds to Milwaukee’s intriguing brand of length and he can truly defend.
Still, this is a risky one.
Grade: B-
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Minnesota Timberwolves
Received: Kevin Garnett
Traded: Thaddeus Young
Just seeing Kevin Garnett’s name on this list, genuinely, inspires a double-take. Even though the setting seems perfect, and even though he left it all on the court for the Timberwolves from 1995 through 2007, it was still a massive and warm surprise to see the Wolves deal for him. They’ll also get out from Young potentially making nearly $10 million next year.
What these two sides decide to do moving forward is anyone’s guess, but for now everyone should be happy. As happy as you can get on a 10-win team, I suppose.
Grade: A+
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New Orleans Pelicans
Received: Shawne Williams, Norris Cole, Justin Hamilton
Traded: John Salmons
Not a lot to see here.
Cole is having a miserable year, and while Williams is an upgrade over Salmons, he’s not going to be the sort of guy to push NOLA into the playoffs. Not that this sort of particular player was available for the Pelicans to grab.
Grade: B
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New York Knicks
Received: Alexey Shved, two second-round picks.
Traded: Pablo Prigioni
Pablo was on the block as soon as the Knicks decided to punt the season, so it was a sound move for Phil Jackson to dive into Houston’s massive bag of assets and grab a couple of second-rounders. This is probably Shved’s last chance, working in a triangle that could suit him, to make an NBA impact.
Grade: B
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Oklahoma City Thunder
Received: Enes Kanter, D.J. Augustin, Kyle Singler, Steve Novak.
Traded: Reggie Jackson, Kendrick Perkins, future first-round pick.
Kanter never quite fit in with the Jazz, so our initial optimistic take as to his role with the Thunder may surprise you. At the very worst, the big man will fit in far better than the lumbering Brook Lopez (who was available from Brooklyn all Thursday) would have with OKC. Even if the Thunder play chicken with the luxury tax yet again this summer and Kanter signs elsewhere as a restricted free agent, this is a move you make. It’s time to win this thing.
Adding shooters in Singler and Novak and one of the league’s top reserve point guards in Augustin on top of that? This won’t guarantee a championship, the Thunder will probably still have to play Golden State in the first round, but this was quite the haul for the Thunder.
Grade: A+
Philadelphia 76ers
Received: First-round pick from Los Angeles (top five protected in 2015, protected 1-3 in 2016 and 2017, unprotected in 2018), the lesser of Denver or Minnesota’s 2015 second-round pick, first-round pick from Oklahoma City (protected 1-18 in 2015, 1-15 in 2016 and 2017, becomes two second-round picks if not conveyed by 2018), JaVale McGee, second-round pick from Denver, Isaiah Canaan, second-round pick from Houston.
Traded: Michael Carter-Williams, K.J. McDaniels.
The Sixers are nuts. We don’t know if this is good or bad, but they’re absolutely nuts.
They’re this:
Just because Michael Carter-Williams was the Rookie of the Year in perhaps the worst race for that award in NBA history, it doesn’t mean he’s untouchable. And McDaniels, who at times has looked like the team’s best player, likely wasn’t returning as a free agent this summer. It’s still a shot to the bow, after two seasons of outright tanking, for GM Sam Hinkie to trade the team’s two most capable players (even after all those missed shots) for yet another series of future considerations.
Nabbing a future first-round from the Lakers, via Phoenix, was a fantastic move. If used properly, the person selected either this year out of the top five or in the next years in the top five, the draftee should turn out to be a better player than MCW.
Still, it’s an asset. Again. One that, with a bad streak of lottery luck, might not fall Philadelphia’s way until 2018.
Taking on JaVale McGee just for another first-rounder from the Thunder (via Denver), another second-rounder alongside analytics superbabe Isaiah Canaan?
It’s all very Hinkie. So damn Hinkie.
You want me to grade this? Are you serious?
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Phoenix Suns
Received: Brandon Knight, 2016 first-round draft pick (Cleveland’s), Danny Granger, John Salmons, two first-round picks from the Miami Heat (2017 and 2021).
Traded: First-round pick (Los Angeles Lakers’, top-five protected this year, top-three protected in 2016 and 2017, unprotected in 2018), Miles Plumlee, Tyler Ennis, Goran Dragic, Isaiah Thomas, Zoran Dragic,
The Suns were clearly put in a tough spot with Goran Dragic’s outright trade demand, they were never going to get equal value for his 2015 services even if Dragic were signed until 2019. The future free agent is not signed until then, so nabbing two future first-rounders from Miami was impressive enough.
Giving up on Isaiah Thomas so soon into his tenure with the Suns for what will be a lower-rung first-rounder from the championship-contending Cleveland Cavaliers seems like a miss. And while it’s good to appreciate Knight’s gifts, he is a restricted free agent this year, and that Laker first-rounder could eventually turn out to be something special.
In a vacuum, would a return package with the two Heat picks and one Cavalier pick even be enough to take in that Laker selection? Dealing four guards in return for one and losing a rotation guy in Plumlee? This is tough, even if the Suns will still have a very good roster this season and next. Miami could be a miserable team in a few years and the team could find a gem late with that Cavs pick, sound but future planning is a hard sell at any point in the season.
We really appreciate where GM Ryan McDonough is coming from, and the Dragic-inspired restrictions he had on him, but this trade deadline and the last year or so really haven’t been very kind to him.
Grade: C-
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Portland Trail Blazers
Received: Arron Afflalo, Alonzo Gee.
Traded: Victor Claver, Thomas Robinson, Will Barton, first-round pick (lottery protected in 2016 or 2017, turns into a 2018 second-round pick and a 2019 second-round pick if not used by 2018).
As we championed when the Grizzlies and Cavaliers made-win now moves in anticipation of a championship run, the Trail Blazers did the right thing in securing Afflalo. He’s a likely free agent this summer, but that’s fine. He’s struggled this season and he’s not going to force Nic Batum to get his game back, he’s not going to heal LaMarcus Aldridge’s hand and he’s not going to make up for the month and a half that Robin Lopez was out, but he’s a sound pro that will help on both ends. Gee could be a rotation player.
The Blazers will give up a first round pick on a player that won’t guarantee them a championship, and might split come July. Yeah? So what? They’re close to it. This is what you do.
Grade: A
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Sacramento Kings
Received: Andre Miller
Traded: Ramon Sessions
This isn’t to call the Kings selfish, but this is not a good passing squad. Point guard Darren Collison has never been a comfortable passer, the same goes for the rest of the rotation save for DeMarcus Cousins, and while Miller won’t be playing 30 minutes a game every little bit of passing savvy counts. His experience with new coach George Karl … yeah, you know this was going to happen.
Grade: A
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Utah Jazz
Received: Kendrick Perkins, first-round pick, second-round pick.
Traded: Enes Kanter, Steve Novak
In context that includes the entire franchise history, turning a top-three overall pick who puts up great per-minute stats into an expiring contract and potential first-round pick from a very good Oklahoma City Thunder team is a bum move. Kanter was drafted in 2011 and never quite fit in with (read: he was terrible alongside) Derrick Favors, but you’d like to get a little bit more out of this, right?
For the purpose of Thursday alone? There just wasn’t much the Jazz could do. They weren’t going to throw big money at Kanter this summer just to watch him struggle next to Favors, when he hits restricted free agency, that was probably the case even prior to Rudy Gobert’s emergence, and any little bit helps. Even if it’s just a guy in Perkins that you’re going to waive, and unappealing draft picks.
Grade: C
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Washington Wizards
Received: Ramon Sessions
Traded: Andre Miller
Sessions has struggled this year but his ability to get to the rim is exactly what Washington needs. If he could regain his form and take minutes away from Garrett Temple, then the Wizards have done well here.
Grade: B
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Kelly Dwyer is an editor for Ball Don't Lie on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at KDonhoops@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!
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