2021-22 In-Season Trade Grades
The Trade Deadline came and past last week (2/10) and, after almost a week of sorting through what every team gave up in each trade, I have finally completed my analysis and grades of each trade. I have ranked each trade in order by how much attention it has seemed to create (rather than by how I thought about it). I graded each trade based on how I felt about it within 1 or 2 days after that particular trade.
James
Harden-Ben Simmons deal
Nets receive:
Ben Simmons, Seth Curry, Andre Drummond, 2022 1st round pick
(right to defer pick to 2023), 2027 1st round pick (protected 1-8)
76ers receive:
James Harden, Paul Millsap
Nets Grade: A-
Wow, I certainly wasn’t expecting the Nets to get so much in
addition to Simmons; I was only expecting Simmons, Curry, and maybe a 2nd. Now, they get possibly the best player that
wasn’t traded by them in addition to an elite shooter in Curry, an excellent
rebounder and solid backup center in Drummond, and 2 draft picks. The 2022 pick is especially interesting since
the option to defer can be used in trades.
They boosted their depth substantially by giving up a guy who doesn’t
want to be there and a guy who fell out of the rotation. The main questions I have about this is if
Simmons is in NBA basketball shape and if he is in a place mentally where he
will be able to do this. With a team
like the Nets, the pressure might be even higher than it was with the 76ers,
but everyone involved seems happy so far.
I also wonder how their offense will be in games Kyrie Irving cannot
play due to vaccine mandates (or when he inevitably gets injured). Still, on paper it sounds like a good team.
76ers Grade: B
I was originally lower on this due to how much they gave up,
but ultimately the 76ers made themselves contenders while everyone accomplished
their goal. Harden is where he wants to
be (for now) and Philadelphia wanted a top-25 player in exchange for
Simmons. While it would be nice to have
Curry and Drummond, the team is already really deep, so they could afford to
lose the two. The draft picks could hurt
later on (as will paying Harden when he’s 37 after extending him), but this is
the opportunity to build around their superstar in his prime, Joel Embiid. As for the fit, I’m not quite sure how the
fit will go on defense, where you go from a player who wasn’t a good defender
but tried (Curry) and replace him with one who doesn’t bother (Harden). I think it could ultimately put some more
pressure on others, even if they aren’t good defenders. I think the offense will work with him since
Harden is a good enough shooter and an elite playmaker. Are they good enough to get out of the
East? I think the Bucks and Heat are
better still, but they are a team that might have a chance now.
Domantas
Sabonis deal
Pacers receive:
Tyrese Haliburton, Buddy Hield, and Tristan Thompson
Kings receive:
Domantas Sabonis, Justin Holiday, Jeremy Lamb, and 2027 2nd
round pick (protected 56-60)
Pacers Grade: A
I think a lot of people are saying that this trade was a
no-brain slam dunk deal for the Pacers due to the return without paying
attention to what they gave up. They did
give up Sabonis, who is one of the league’s most underrated players and is excellent
at almost everything on offense at age-25 (with the exception of
shooting). They also gave up another
underrated player in Holiday, who is a quality player on the wing who can help
in a lot of ways, and Lamb, who is a streaky shooter that they were trying to
trade, though he has some value off the bench.
The big ticket item is that they somehow got Haliburton in this deal,
who is 21 (turning 22 later this month) and already looks like he is a
definitive starting point guard with All-Star potential. They did take back Buddy Hield, who is
probably paid more than he should be but is a good shooter, and Tristan
Thompson, who has struggled and might be bought out. Ultimately, getting Haliburton is worth the
price, especially since it clears the Sabonis-Myles Turner logjam at center. Ultimately, this deal allows them to give up
their best player without totally rebuilding while still having a talented
young player to build around.
Kings Grade: C+
This is a really surprising deal for Sacramento. The obvious big piece of the deal is getting
Sabonis, who is the best player in the trade at this moment. He’s only 25 and is one of the best passing
big men in the league as well as a great rebounder and finisher, though he’s
not a good shooter and has limitations defensively. I don’t think enough is made about Holiday
and Lamb; Holiday is a good all-around offensive player who provides a lot of
value off the ball and Lamb can help shooting off the bench, though he is a bit
streaky. Of course, the obvious point of
contention is giving up on the young Haliburton, who looked like a key part of
their future and was dedicated to the franchise. I’m surprised that was all they could get for
him; I don’t think Hield was necessarily a salary dump since multiple teams were
interested in him, and I don’t think Thompson brought down his value that
much. I also don’t think the fit will be
great, especially since they still have Richaun Holmes and Harrison Barnes,
which might make it tougher to play alongside De’Aaron Fox, who plays best in a
fast-paced offense. I think this trade
raises their floor, though I don’t see them going further than the Play-In
games.
CJ
McCollum deal
Pelicans receive:
CJ McCollum, Larry Nance Jr., Tony Snell
Trail Blazers receive: Josh Hart, Tomas Satoransky, Nickeil
Alexander-Walker, Didi Louzada, 2022 1st round pick (5-14 protected),
2022 2nd round pick, 2027 2nd round pick
Trail Blazers Grade:
B+
A lot of people have criticized Portland’s return on this
trade, but I don’t get what they were expecting for this one. I would expect McCollum to net at most a first-round
pick, a young player, and a second rounder and Nance to net at most a second
rounder and a worse younger player. Does
that mean that Snell would net Satoransky and Louzada? Ultimately, they traded Alexander-Walker and
Satoransky already (we’ll get to those returns separately), and Louzada is
injured, though I wouldn’t expect him to do much considering he has played 5
career games. Hart is an interesting
player because he is a good defender, decent finisher, streaky shooter, and
strong rebounder for his size; he is a player who I could see being beneficial
as a role player on a competitive team or a rebuilding team. I don’t think the Pelicans will make the
playoffs this year, so they could end up with a good pick in another
potentially strong draft this year (though the protections might prevent that),
and those seconds will be nice. It
stinks losing McCollum and not getting a guaranteed young star back, but we
have to be realistic, since he wasn’t going to net that at this point,
something that I don’t think enough people are considering. Ultimately, they got a good return during a
season that is rapidly turning into a lost season for Portland.
Pelicans Grade: B-
There are parts of this trade that are justifiable to give
it a high grade and other parts that justify a low grade, but we’ll start with
the positives. It feels pretty obvious
to me that McCollum is the best player, so they got the best player in the
trade without looking at it and deeming it was an obvious overpay. I also think McCollum could fit with their
star, Zion Williamson, offensively as a guard who can shoot, be a playmaker,
and is a smart offensive player. Nance
is also a good fit since he is a good defensive player, strong finisher, and
great athlete, which could help their transition game as well as defense. Losing Satoransky (who barely played),
Alexander-Walker (who has horrible shot selection, though has potential), and
Louzada (who has played 5 career games in 2 seasons) are not at all big deals
for them. That said, I’m skeptical about
certain aspects of this trade. Nance is
injured and will be out for several weeks, which will hurt not having him to
fill in for the Hart minutes. McCollum
is 30, which is ahead of Williamson and Brandon Ingram’s timeline, so this has
to be a win-now move…but they’re in 10th in the West. Is McCollum worth it to possibly make the
Play-In? There also is no word about
when Williamson is coming back, and I’m not as confident in a McCollum-Ingram
pairing, which is what you have to consider if you don’t know when Williamson
will come back. I think B- felt right;
it could be a huge success, but this trade could get rapidly worse as
Williamson’s future is in question due to several serious injuries.
Kristaps
Porzingis deal
Wizards receive:
Kristaps Porzingis, 2022 2nd round pick (top-45 protected)
Mavericks receive:
Spencer Dinwiddie, Davis Bertans
Wizards Grade: D+
People are making this out to be a huge trade, but this is
the saddest trade since the Russell Westbrook for John Wall deal. Porzingis has so much skill that some act
like he is still a star, but his injury tendencies, inconsistent play,
irrational confidence, and difficulties playing with the Mavericks make this no
longer the case. At this point, he is a
player who can do some good things on the rare occasions he is healthy but is
on a bloated salary. This trade isn’t a
failure for the Wizards since they were able to get rid of Dinwiddie (who
struggled with the team) and Bertans (who would have been difficult to trade
due to how terrible he has been), though there is a case to be made they got
rid of two underwhelming contracts to get a worse one. There was an opportunity to buy low on
Porzingis, but there is a reason for that.
The best bet I can figure other than thinking he’s still a star is that
maybe this would convince Bradley Beal to stay in Washington, but I don’t think
it will. The fit in Dallas wasn’t right
since Porzingis thought he was a superstar, so now he has the opportunity to
show he’s not one.
Mavericks Grade: D
The good news for them is that they were able to get out
from Porzingis’ contract and have two smaller contracts instead. The bad news is that they had to attach draft
compensation (though it might not convey) for the player they thought was going
to be the franchise costar. The worst
news of all is that the players they got back are not players who have played
well this year and one of which (Bertans) might be untradeable without
attaching compensation. I don’t get the
fit of Dinwiddie with this team since he is an inefficient scorer and would be
joining Luka Doncic and Jalen Brunson as ball handlers. The issue with that is that I believe both
are better playmakers than Dinwiddie is; are the Mavericks that convinced
Brunson will leave in free agency? As
for Bertans, he is being paid $16M a year to shoot and has shot 37.6% since
signing this contract in 2020 and fell back in the rotation after shooting just
31.9% in Washington this season.
Considering the fact that he can’t do anything well other than shoot and
is on year 2 of a 5-year deal, this could be a rough one if he doesn’t turn it
around quickly. Despite finally freeing
themselves of Porzingis, I’m not sure they improved in the short-term or long-term
with this deal.
Caris
LeVert deal
Cavaliers receive:
Caris LeVert, 2022 2nd round pick (MIA)
Pacers receive:
Ricky Rubio, 2022 1st round pick (lottery protected), 2022 2nd
round pick (HOU), 2027 2nd round pick (UTA)
Cavaliers Grade: C
Look, I get that they needed some help with their depth
after losing Rubio and Collin Sexton for the season, but I’m not the biggest
LeVert fan at this point. While he is a
good finisher, he takes so many more shots than I think he should (especially
as a starter when he shoots like he’s the best offensive player in the lineup,
while he’s not). He also has not been a
good shooter (32.3% this season, 33.4% career) and has poor shot selection,
often settling for midrange jumpers despite being so much more efficient at the
rim. I think that the best route for the
Cavs is if they utilize him in a role like Utah had Jordan Clarkson in, playing
the volume scorer off the bench; Clarkson’s efficiency improved substantially
when he won Sixth Man of the Year, and I think having him off the bench will
allow him to play on the ball more (which is what he naturally does, though I
think he could be better than he has been off the ball) and puts an excellent
shooter alongside him in Cedi Osman.
That said, I only gave the trade a C since I expect they will start him
and he will take shots away from Darius Garland. Still, it’s nice that, other than the picks,
they didn’t have to give up any players other than Rubio, who is out for the
year.
Pacers Grade: A
Rubio’s presence in this trade was for salary purposes, as
he is out for the year and on an expiring contract. The bigger deal to me in this trade is all
the draft picks they got back. Best case
scenario is that they get a mid-late 1st, a pick in the low 30’s,
and Utah implodes so they get another great 2nd. Worst case scenario is that Utah’s pick
becomes worthless and (depending on how you view the seconds vs. firsts), the
protection comes into play and becomes 2 seconds instead. Getting that number of picks for a volume scorer
who’s not a good shooter and hasn’t been the most efficient is an impressive
deal, especially since LeVert didn’t necessarily make sense for the team’s
future.
Norman
Powell/Robert Covington deal
Clippers received:
Norman Powell, Robert Covington
Trail Blazers received: Eric Bledsoe, Justice Winslow, Keon Johnson,
2025 2nd round pick (DET)
Clippers Grade: A-
Ultimately, owner Steve Balmer approved increasing the
luxury bill to take back these players, and they got the two players who are
the best at this moment in this trade. Powell
never fit in with Portland as a 6’3 forward having to pick up defensive
deficiencies from Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum, but he will be able to
guard defenders closer to his size (which will make him look like a better
defender) while still having the same efficient impact he has on offense. Covington is a poor individual defender and
ball handler, but is one of the best team defenders in the NBA, making him best
suited for a good defensive team.
Portland needed him to be their best individual defender, but L.A.
should be able to utilize Covington’s brilliance with a better defense than the
Trail Blazers. For what it’s worth, they
also get Covington’s bird rights from this trade, which could be beneficial. Trading Bledsoe was smart since his salary is
not fully guaranteed next year, and Winslow was expendable. We’ll see what Keon Johnson looks like in the
future and if the team ends up winning a Championship thanks to this trade (if
not, it might not be worth the massive luxury tax bill). I also question how few point guards they
have at this point, but I think they can make do until next season.
Trail Blazers Grade:
B-
Trading Covington was inevitable, but that does sting a bit
getting that return for Powell; I thought he would be able to net a first. Winslow has some upside with Portland and
might be worth a shot and Bledsoe isn’t fully guaranteed, so they can waive him
if they want next offseason. Ultimately,
the team wasn’t going anywhere, Covington was expiring and not part of the
long-term plan, Powell wasn’t the best fit, and now they have cap room next
offseason for the first time in a while.
It was interesting to see Keon Johnson involved in this trade in lieu of
a 1st round pick. Teams
typically prefer the allure of the pick, but Keon Johnson was a player I
thought had a case to be a lottery pick due to his athleticism and scoring
ability, though he is still not a good decision maker on offense and his focus
isn’t always there. At worst, they gave
up two guys for cap space, a 2nd rounder, and a couple chances; at
best, Johnson becomes great and Winslow is closer to what he was when healthy
in Miami…and they get some cap flexibility.
Derrick
White deal
Celtics receive:
Derrick White
Spurs receive:
Josh Richardson, Romeo Langford, 2022 1st round pick (top 4
protected), Swap rights on 2028 1st round pick (top 1 protected)
Celtics Grade: B+
I really like this trade for the Celtics. While Richardson was a solid player for
Boston, White is better on both ends, as well as a better playmaker (something
the Celtics need). While Langford is an
intriguing prospect who looks like he could be a solid defensive player
especially, he has been so inconsistent and is due for an extension next
year. This trade also clears the way for
some of their young players like Payton Pritchard and Aaron Nesmith to get more
playing time. I think White is a skilled
player on both ends; while he has struggled from 3 this year, he is a smart
player on offense and is an excellent defensive guard. I also think he could be a solid playmaker,
as he has shown potential there (though Dejounte Murray was better at that, so
he got more touches). The swap rights might
sting a bit later, but White gives them an upgrade on both ends.
Spurs Grade: A-
The biggest reason the Spurs had a higher grade was because
I wasn’t expecting a trade for White to net as much, though it was a seller’s
market at this deadline. I expected they
would get a 1st in the trade, though I was a bit surprised about the
swap rights; that could be beneficial for them down the road. Additionally, Langford might be worth giving
a look through next season to see if they have anything in him, as he is a good
athlete who has been a solid defender and had his moments defensively. While I don’t expect Richardson will be a
long-term option for them, he is signed through next season, so he would likely
net a return at that time. The biggest
thing for them is that they were so deep in young players at the guard spots,
and this at least clear up some of the logjam there while getting back two
switchable wings and picks.
Montrezl
Harrel deal
Hornets receive:
Montrezl Harrell
Wizards receive:
Ish Smith, Vernon Carey, 2023 2nd round pick (BOS, top-45
protected)
Hornets Grade: B+
The Hornets are trying to make the playoffs this year and
had a lack of big men, having P.J. Washington play minutes and center, which
probably wasn’t best for their defense.
While Harrell won’t impact their defense in a positive way, he will
provide an offensive punch in the paint while playing physically. On top of that, they barely gave up anything
for him that will impact their team.
Smith was behind LaMelo Ball and Terry Rozier as well as several wings
for the guard spot and Carey was behind Mason Plumlee, Washington, Nick
Richards, and Kai Jones at center. While
this isn’t going to be a long-term solution, they didn’t give up a lot for a
short-term one; it’s not like they’re trying to cover a lost limb with a Band-Aid.
Wizards Grade: C-
Their goal with this trade was to clear the logjam at
center, which they did for a surprisingly small return. Smith is a solid backup point guard, but he
will likely be in a bit over his head since now the point guards on the team
are him and Raul Neto. As for Carey,
he’s an intriguing young center, but they were already overloaded with big men
to begin with, so don’t expect him to get much playing time. I really don’t think they got a ton that will
be beneficial for Harrell, who still has some value as a high-scoring backup
center. The 2nd rounder
likely wouldn’t be a huge deal unless Boston totally craters next season (while
possible given their team, I wouldn’t bet on it). They also got a small trade exception, but I
wouldn’t be too optimistic with that.
Daniel
Theis deal
Celtics receive:
Daniel Theis
Rockets receive:
Dennis Schroder, Enes Freedom, Bruno Fernando
Celtics Grade: B-
While it might not make the most basketball sense, there are
some good reasons for it. There were
rumors after the deadline ended that Schroder was not the most popular guy in
the clubhouse, so they were able to get someone in Theis who was a generally
liked teammate during his time in Boston, which should help. On top of that, he will provide additional
defensive help and some more value as a backup 4-5, though I don’t think it is
a necessity considering the emergence of Grant Williams. It won’t be great losing the offensive punch
that Schroder provided, but there wasn’t an urgency to keep him considering he
was going to be a free agent next offseason.
As for Freedom and Fernando, Freedom barely played and Fernando played
less, so they were expendable. This also
made more sense once they acquired Derrick White to be a guard. It also stinks that they couldn’t get a pick considering
how desperate Houston was to get rid of Theis.
Rockets Grade: B
Well, the Rockets managed to get rid of Theis, who fell out
of their rotation, without giving up any picks.
Instead, they got back Schroder (who I expect to be waived), Freedom
(who was already waived), and Fernando (who will not be waived). Fernando has some upside as an athlete and
potential defender/finisher but probably isn’t ready for a ton of minutes for
an NBA team, which makes the Rockets the perfect fit for him. They are clearly not trying to win, and rookie
forward Usman Garuba will be out for at least a few more weeks, which will open
a spot for Fernando to get an opportunity.
Maybe this will pan out for them, but I think it’s not a huge deal
either way.
Goran
Dragic deal
Raptors receive:
Thaddeus Young, Drew Eubanks, 2022 2nd round pick (DET)
Spurs receive:
Goran Dragic, 2022 1st round pick (protected 1-14 2022, 1-13
2023, 2 2nd rounders)
Raptors Grade: A-
If Dragic hadn’t been traded, they would have waived him, so
it made sense to try and get something in return. Eubanks has already been waived, but Young
could be an interesting backup given his experience, rebounding, defense, and
ability to score inside. The biggest
reason I consider them being so successful in this trade is that they were able
to dump Dragic and receive Young while receiving an excellent 2nd
round pick. While I expected they would
have to give up a 1st to part with Dragic, they instead effectively
moved back around 15 spots in the draft; that’s pretty impressive.
Spurs Grade: B
From the Spurs end, this was a traditional salary dump
trade. They took back Dragic, who they
will waive, but realistically likely moved up around 15 spots in the draft in
exchange for Young (who wasn’t part of their present or future plans) and
Eubanks (who wasn’t getting a ton of minutes).
It stinks for them that they gave up Detroit’s 2nd, but at
least they got a pick back for Young.
Serge
Ibaka/Donte DiVincenzo/Marvin Bagley deal
Bucks receive:
Serge Ibaka, 2023 2nd round pick (less favorable of CLE or
GSW), 2024 2nd round pick (POR), Cash
Kings receive:
Donte DiVincenzo, Trey Lyles, Josh Jackson, Draft rights to David Michineau
(39th pick in 2016), 2024 2nd round pick (SAC)
Clippers receive:
Rodney Hood, Semi Ojeleye, Draft rights to Vanja Marinkovic (60th
pick in 2019)
Pistons receive:
Marvin Bagley III
Bucks Grade: C
With Brook Lopez injured, the Bucks needed a center who is
great in the paint and, if the option is available, shoot some. On paper, Ibaka is a great fit for that since
he has always been a good paint defender and is a 36% shooter from deep for his
career. In actuality, he has only played
76 games since the start of last season and has dropped to 15.4 MPG this
season, at times almost falling out of the rotation. He is a shell of himself defensively and is
not as quick as he used to be. If he’s
healthy, this could work, but it feels like using a Band-Aid to cover a lost
limb. It doesn’t help that they lost
DiVincenzo, who I think could be valuable in the playoffs. That said, the picks could be nice,
especially the 2024 Portland pick, and neither Hood nor Ojeleye were going to
do much for them this season.
Kings Grade: A
Ultimately, giving up Bagley wasn’t a big deal since he was
not a part of their long-term plans, and I don’t expect either Jackson to get
it together anytime soon or Lyles to be there long-term. Ultimately, the big parts of the trade for
Sacramento were DiVincenzo and the 2nd round pick they gave to
Milwaukee. I consider DiVincenzo to be
the best player in this draft given his athleticism and defensive ability, as
well as shooting potential, though he has struggled a bit this season. They did get their own 2023 pick back, which
is also a nice bonus. The catch is that
the pick they gave up, the 2024 Portland 2nd rounder, is looking
pretty good right now considering the uncertainty surrounding Damian Lillard’s
future. That said, I think DiVincenzo
might be worth this pick.
Clippers Grade: B
This is a salary dump for L.A. Ibaka wasn’t playing much for them and they
decided to save a little bit of money.
If they’re not waived, I don’t expect Hood or Ojeleye to do a ton for
the Clippers (maybe Hood will do a bit), but Ibaka wasn’t going to be doing a
ton, so they saved on the luxury tax bill without giving up a pick.
Pistons Grade: B
I might be a little tougher on this trade than others since
I’ve never been a fan of Bagley, even saying when he was drafted in 2018 that I
would rather 2018 version of Jahlil Okafor.
Still, they really didn’t give up much to get him. Jackson has regressed since his resurgence
season with Memphis, Lyles is a solid offensive center but best suited as a
backup due to his lack of defense, and the pick they gave up shouldn’t be too
bad since it’s the worst between Cleveland and Golden State next year. Ultimately, I don’t think it will work out
since I don’t think Bagley is as talented as others seem to think he is, but
it’s such a low-risk trade that I approve of it.
Cam
Reddish deal
Hawks receive: Kevin Knox II, 2022 1st round pick
(CHA, top-18 protected)
Knicks receive:
Ca Reddish, Solomon Hill, 2025 2nd round pick (BKN), Cash
Hawks Grade: B+
Ultimately, Reddish is up for an extension this offseason
and Hill was injured, so it was expected that the two of them would be among
the most likely players to be traded by the Hawks. I don’t expect Knox to do much for them at
any point, but they netted a first (we’ll see when that conveys, but at worst it
becomes 2 2nd rounders) and created an extra roster spot without
having to waive Hill. Not a bad trade at
all.
Knicks Grade: C+
I might have been harsher on this trade than others because while
Reddish has potential and is improving, I don’t think he’s as talented right
now as others seem to believe. While
other teams might have been able to justify giving up a 1st for him,
I don’t think coach Tom Thibodeau would be as thrilled playing him considering
his lack of focus at times on defense and his occasional inconsistencies
offensively. On top of that, the team
has so many wings that he would have to fight for playing time, which is akin
to what happened with him in Atlanta. I
just don’t get this move for them.
Rajon
Rondo deal
Cavaliers receive:
Rajon Rondo
Lakers receive:
Draft rights to Louis Labeyrie (57th pick in 2014)
Knicks receive:
Denzel Valentine, Draft rights to Brad Newly (54th pick in
2007), Draft rights to Wang Zhelin (57th pick in 2016)
Cavaliers Grade: B
Once Ricky Rubio went down, everyone knew that the Cavs
would trade for an additional playmaker, so they went with Rondo. I’m a bit mixed on this one; while he is a
skilled playmaker and everybody makes a big deal about Playoff Rondo, he hasn’t
always been the best teammate, and something needs to be said about Regular
Season Rondo: he doesn’t always play
with consistent effort. While this is
fine for a deep team or a playoff-bound team, the Cavs haven’t been to the playoffs
since LeBron James left, and they aren’t particularly deep at guard without
Rubio or Collin Sexton. That said, they
only had to give up Valentine, who wasn’t consistently in their rotation, so it’s
a nice low-risk, high-reward deal.
Lakers Grade: B+
While Valentine was initially going to the Lakers, they got
the Knicks involved in the trade and did something very important: they cleared a roster spot without waiving
anybody. This isn’t essential for most
teams, but Stanley Johnson was on a 10-day deal and was valuable enough that it
was a no-brainer to give him a contract for the remainder of the season. Rondo made sense to get rid of since he was
often not in the rotation and didn’t have as much value in time around with the
Lakers.
Knicks Grade: C+
Considering New York waived Valentine, I don’t get what the
point of them getting involved in the trade was. I guess something could be said about getting
the draft rights to the youngest international player involved in this trade
(Zhelin is 28), but I’m not putting money on any of them coming over anytime
soon (especially not the 36-year-old Newly).
I guess there is something to be said about having the rights to an
additional international player, but maybe I’m not valuing them the same way others
are.
Torrey
Craig deal
Suns receive:
Torrey Craig, Cash
Pacers receive:
Jalen Smith, 2022 2nd round pick
Suns Grade: A
Phoenix could really use somebody who could fill in for the
Dario Saric minutes as a forward/small ball center, and why not give it a try
with somebody who did it for them last year in their Finals run. Craig hasn’t had quite the numbers he had
last season, but he’s a good defender who can switch and guard multiple
positions and is a decent shooter. Ultimately,
they didn’t value Smith enough to pick up the option on his 3rd of 4th
seasons, so it made sense to trade him, and the 2nd rounder this
year shouldn’t have too much value attached to it.
Pacers Grade: B+
With the Pacers struggling this year, dealing with some
injuries to key players, and having already traded Domantas Sabonis, it makes
sense to give Smith a shot. He didn’t
get much playing time in Phoenix but showed ability as a rebounder and
finisher; additionally, he was a good shooter and rim protector in college, so
there’s hope that those aspects of his game can eventually translate. If his game does develop like how I expected
it would in college, they could wind up with another Myles Turner on their
hands, which could be a nice bonus from this trade.
Aaron
Holiday deal
Suns receive:
Aaron Holiday
Wizards receive:
Cash
Suns Grade: A
Holiday had his inconsistencies on defense and didn’t do a
ton other than shoot/score, which likely made Washington decide that the
25-year-old wasn’t worth keeping, especially since he will be a restricted free
agent this offseason. The reason this is
such a good deal for Phoenix is because he has always been at least a decent
shooter, with upside of great shooter. By
giving up cash, it is a low-risk, high-reward trade.
Wizards Grade: C
If this was the only deal involving guards that the Wizards
made, I would have given this a higher grade.
That said, they opened a roster spot but now are stuck with guards of
Ish Smith and Raul Neto. I thought
Holiday would be a better playmaker in the NBA, but I think part of that is
because he has been utilized off the ball more than on. With the Wizards season going nowhere, this
would have been the perfect prove it situation for Holiday to see if they have
a point guard for the future, something they would need anyways. Instead, they end up with a few extra dollars
and a path to Bradley Beal’s departure ahead.
Bryn
Forbes deal
Celtics receive:
Bol Bol, P.J. Dozier
Nuggets receive:
Bryn Forbes
Spurs receive:
Juan Hernangomez, 2028 2nd round pick (DEN, top-33 protected),
Cash (from both teams)
Celtics Grade: B+
The main thing about this trade for the Celtics was that
they were able to get rid of Hernangomez without attaching a pick. With Dozier (who is out for the year) and Bol
(who is out for a while), they have two young players who have potential and
can either be retained to develop or be traded in a separate move (more on the
second to come). It saves them a little
bit of money, which ownership would always be excited about when the player they
gave up wasn’t playing.
Nuggets Grade: A
Nikola Jokic has managed to will this team into still being
competitive, so it made sense to try to acquire somebody to help. Forbes is an excellent shooter who should thrive
off Jokic with his passing. While many
would argue this is a steep price for Forbes, I think it made sense for
them. The 2nd rounder isn’t a
massive deal for them, Dozier is injured for the year, and, while Bol has
potential, he wasn’t going to get the playing time necessary to showcase the
potential in Denver, so it didn’t make sense to keep him (even if he winds up
being a superstar, though I hesitate to predict that, I think this holds true). They’re still trying to compete, so it might
be worth the shot.
Spurs Grade: B+
They got back Hernangomez (who wound up being traded in the
next deal we’ll discuss) and a 2nd rounder. There is some allure to the 2028 2nd
rounder since who knows what Denver will look like at that time, but even if it’s
a later pick, there has to be something said about getting this return for a
guy like Forbes, who is a great shooter but didn’t get a ton of playing time
for the Bucks in the playoffs since that was about all you could count on him
for in just about any series.
Joe
Ingles deal
Jazz receive:
Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Juan Hernangomez
Spurs receive:
Tomas Satoransky, 2022 2nd round pick (MEM)
Trail Blazers receive: Joe Ingles, Elijah Hughes, 2027 2nd
round pick (Worst of HOU/IND/MIA/OKC)
Jazz Grade: F
For one of the best offenses in the
league, a major need for them was to improve defensively, especially on the
perimeter. Instead, they decided to give
up 2 2nd rounders, Hughes (who wasn’t playing much, but could wind
up being something), and Ingles (who was injured) for Alexander-Walker, an inefficient
high-volume shooter and poor defender, and Hernangomez, a solid but
inconsistent shooter who is pretty bad defensively. I wouldn’t be too surprised if neither are in
the rotation during the playoffs, which is a steep price considering they
parted with 2 picks.
Spurs Grade: B
There isn’t too much to this one; they just acquired
Hernangomez but evidently didn’t want him a ton, so they took back Satoransky (who
is a little bit more expensive and isn’t someone I expect will play a ton) and
got a pick for their trouble. While the
pick will likely be a late pick, it still is nice to have in their arsenal for
a nonconsequential cost.
Trail Blazers Grade:
B
I personally don’t have any strong opinions about what
Portland did in this deal. They got back
Ingles, who is injured, though his bird rights might have some value, and were
willing to part with Satoransky, who I don’t think would have done much
anyways. I’m not high on Alexander-Walker,
but I have no idea what Hughes will become; while he might not do much in the NBA,
I could also see him being a quality player.
The pick is fine, though 3 of those teams are rebuilding and the other
(Miami) is centered around a pair of players who might be out of the NBA by
then (or at least not in their primes).
Overall this doesn’t seem like too much to write about.
Bol
Bol/PJ Dozier second deal
Celtics receive:
2023 2nd round pick (top-55 protected)
Magic receive:
Bol Bol, P.J. Dozier, 2028 2nd round pick (top-45 protected),
cash
Celtics Grade: B
Congratulations, Boston:
you made it under the tax with this trade! Ultimately, they gave up a player injured for
the season (Dozier) and a player who is injured and is still so raw that he
would contribute this season (Bol) to get their salaries off the books. It stinks to have to give up a pick as a
result, but the protections should make it tolerable.
Magic Grade: A+
Dozier has already been waived and the pick they are giving
up likely won’t be conveyed, so the heart of this deal revolves around the pick
(less important) and Bol (more important).
Orlando isn’t competing at this time, so it makes sense for them to take
a chance on Bol, the former 5-star recruit high schooler who fell to the mid-2nd
round in the 2019 Draft. He has shown
some ability to shoot, block shots, and dribble, though there are questions
about his frame and injury history. The
catch is that they likely will wind up giving up nothing as a result of the
protections, so it’s worth the chance.
KZ Okpala deal
Heat receive: 2026
2nd round pick (worst of DAL/OKC/PHI)
Thunder receive:
KZ Okpala, 2023 MIA pick deferred to 2025
Heat Grade: A-
Thunder Grade: B
This is more interesting than most trades to create an open
roster spot: normally it’s the player
and cash for a top-55 protected pick, but this is totally different. The Heat get a pick, the Thunder get a player
who was waived a few days later (though didn’t receive cash), and (most
interesting of all) the Heat has deferred their pick to 2025, allowing them an
additional pick to trade. I think the Heat
won this one since they effectively gained an additional pick in terms of
trading, although the pick was protected initially so they didn’t gain one in reality.
Miye Oni
deal
Thunder receive:
Miye Oni, 2028 2nd round pick
Jazz receive:
Cash
Thunder Grade: B+
Jazz Grade: B
The only things separating this from being the standard trade
for waiving on first glimpse is that normally the team sending out the player
to waive receives a top-55 protected pick and that the team receiving the
player typically gets cash instead of the pick.
However, something that makes this more interesting is that the 1st
round pick the Jazz sent along with Derrick Favors had some protections on it
that would turn into the 2028 2nd round pick if those were not met;
now, that will amend the protections, and potentially give the Thunder an
additional pick.
Bonus: The voided trade
The Pistons voided this trade after Bol Bol failed the
physical, but I still wanted to grade this.
Pistons receive:
Bol Bol
Nuggets receive:
Rodney McGruder, 2022 2nd round pick (BRK)
Pistons Grade: A
I think Bol would have been interesting on this team since
the Pistons are not trying to win, and, as discussed earlier, Bol’s upside is
insane given his skillset and how highly touted he was as a high schooler. Ultimately, giving up McGruder and Brooklyn’s
2nd round wouldn’t have been the worst thing in the world (even with
Brooklyn’s recent struggles), but there were some health issues that prevented them
from going for it.
Nuggets Grade: C-
The Nuggets really lucked out on this one; McGruder is barely
in the rotation (when he is in it) for the Pistons, and that 2nd won’t
likely be valuable enough to justify giving up one of their more enticing young
prospects. While McGruder is a good
shooter, he has played just around 13 MPG, and I don’t expect that output would
have changed had they gotten him.
What were some of your favorite trades? Any teams totally change their season? Let me know in the comments!
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