2023 NBA Trade Deadline Grades
Now that the trade deadline has past and I have figured out where everyone/everything is going, I have graded each regular season trade for each team. I ranked them in order by how much attention they seem to get and not by how much I am interested in the trade or when they occurred. All grades are based on how I view the trades at this time and will almost certainly change in the future.
Kevin
Durant
Phoenix receives: Kevin
Durant, T.J. Warren
Brooklyn receives:
Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, Jae Crowder, 2023 1st round pick,
2025, 1st round pick, 2027 1st round pick, 2029 1st
round pick, 2028 1st round pick swap
Phoenix Grade: A
If there is a player to count on fitting in with whatever
team acquires them, it would have to be Durant, something that is rare for a
superstar. While he can absolutely take
over games due to his scoring ability, he is also able to operate off the ball
and generally seems to prefer focusing on playing basketball and winning than creating
drama. He is still one of the best
players in the NBA, meaning that the Suns instantly have risen their ceiling
despite losing depth. I think the quartet
of Durant, Devin Booker, Chris Paul, and Deandre Ayton could be a force to be
reckoned with and will be difficult to handle on both ends. They also acquired Warren, who isn’t the T.J.
Warren in his lone healthy season in Indiana, but is still a fairly efficient
scorer off the bench. There is risk
involved since the team just got older and acquired a player with injury issues
in recent history. They also lost a
couple valuable players in Bridges and Johnson, as well as several draft
picks. That said, increasing their odds this
substantially is worth taking the risk.
Brooklyn Grade: A-
While it cannot be overstated how much of a big deal it is
to lose a player like Durant, I love the return they got. I am a big fan of Bridges, who is an elite
defender who has also shown he can play a more prominent role on offense in
lieu of the injuries Phoenix has faced all season. Johnson has dealt with injuries most of the season,
but he is an elite shooter who is also a nice athlete and defender. I’ll skip discussing Crowder here since they
moved him in another trade that will be discussed soon. They also got a lot of picks in the trade,
which helps start to rebuild the stash they traded away. While this trade and the Irving trade gives
them a lot of wings/forwards, I don’t have any problems with that. If they aren’t competitive and are starting a
rebuild, position shouldn’t be an issue until they know who they are building
around. If they end up being competitive
this year, I would rather have an excess of versatile wings who can play
multiple positions, which is something they have.
Kyrie
Irving
Dallas receives:
Kyrie Irving, Markieff Morris
Brooklyn receives: Spencer
Dinwiddie, Dorian Finney-Smith, 2029 1st round pick, 2027 2nd
round pick, 2029 2nd round pick
Dallas Grade: C
Despite it being a superstar trade that I get, I’m not
excited about either side. The case for
Dallas doing this is that they have risen their ceiling by acquiring a
superstar in Irving to pair with Luka Doncic.
I’m not too worried about the issues of having two ball-dominant guards
on the same team since Irving is an awesome player off the ball, though I do
wonder if Doncic will be willing to play off the ball more, or if it will be
like Trae Young in Atlanta. I also will
point out that they really didn’t give up much for him considering the
off-court issues he’s had. I think that
defensively it could be a bit of a trainwreck, especially considering that they
gave up Finney-Smith, who is an awesome defender. I also am nervous about Irving’s availability;
while some have expressed concern about his off-court behavior, I am more
focused on the fact that he always seems to be injured and hasn’t played 60
games in a season since leaving Boston, as well as not topping 70 since leaving
Cleveland. I often fear that some sort
of injury will come up with him. It is
also possible that he leaves in free agency or they get stuck in a corner signing
him long-term if he plays well. My view
of it is that the best-case scenario for them is that he plays well and
resigns; worst case scenario is that they didn’t give up an abhorrent amount if
it doesn’t work or if he leaves.
Brooklyn Grade: C-
I am grading this independent of the Kevin Durant trade
since Durant was not expected to be traded at the time of this trade. There’s a case to be made that it’s a win
since they got rid of a headache, but ultimately I don’t think they got enough
back. Even if the amount they gave up could
range from 25 cents to a dollar, I don’t think the return is more than 50
cents, which is still less than the expected value. I think the biggest reason I’m not high on
this return for them is because I’m not the biggest Spencer Dinwiddie fan. While he is having a nice season, I think he’s
at his best when he’s either the second or third best guard on the team since he
is more of a scorer than playmaker and isn’t the most efficient as a primary
option. The issue is that he is now likely
Brooklyn’s top guard (unless they experiment with Ben Simmons in the role,
something I would try). I expect his efficiency
to crater for the remainder of the season. I do love Finney-Smith as a 3-and-D player who
can guard several positions; I have also heard that he is beloved by teammates
across the board. They did get some
picks (including 1 1st), but is that really worth Irving? I just find it a bit of a disappointment.
D’Angelo
Russell/Mike Conley/Russell Westbrook
Los Angeles (Lakers) receives: D’Angelo Russell, Malik Beasley, Jarred
Vanderbilt
Minnesota receives:
Mike Conley, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, 2024 2nd round pick (worst
of Memphis & Washington), 2025 2nd round pick (Utah), 2026 2nd
round pick (Utah)
Utah receives:
Russell Westbrook, Juan Toscano-Anderson, Damian Jones, 2027 1st
round pick (LAL, top-4 protected)
Los Angeles Grade: B-
I know I said L.A. was a winner at the deadline in my last
blog post, but I meant more for short term (especially this season). The organization appears to realize that
their best bet might be to not trade for star players and to focus on depth
instead (a strategy that worked when they won in 2020). Russell could be a clunky fit, but he makes
more sense than Westbrook does due to his shooting ability while improving as a
playmaker. Malik Beasley is a bit of a
one-way player, but he is a great shooter who isn’t afraid to pull the trigger;
if you’re wondering what that’ll look like, think when J.R. Smith played with
LeBron. Vanderbilt makes sense as a
defensive big (albeit undersized), though I have questioned since the trade what
he will be offensively and his fit with Anthony Davis. With all of this, they were able to get rid
of Westbrook and only trade one of their picks while protected. That said, what does this do for them? Make it possible for them to make the Play-In
Tournament then lose in the first round of the playoffs if they make it? Especially if they don’t resign Russell, it
seems like a lot for a season where they aren’t actually contenders.
Minnesota Grade:
B+
While it seems weird to get several years older by flipping
Russell for Conley, there is a reason that I like. Ultimately, Russell wasn’t that amazing of a
fit with the team and was on an expiring contract. Rather than deal with whether or not to
extend him, they got a point guard who fits better. Conley is a much better playmaker and
decision maker than Russell, which will be nice to have someone who will
understand his role and be willing to slide into it. While Russell is a better shooter than
Conley, Conley has better shot selection and won’t think that he should take
more shots than other players on the team (say, Anthony Edwards or Karl-Anthony
Towns). They also got 3 2nd
rounders in exchange to take back a player that fits better. That said, there is a risk involved since
Conley isn’t as talented as Russell and is 9-years older, making him a bit of a
clunky fit in the timeline. That said, I
really like this for them.
Utah Grade: D-
Considering his contract and ability, I expected Westbrook
would need to have a 1st rounder attached to him. On top of that, I expected that the combination
of Conley, Beasley, and Vanderbilt could net at least 1 1st,
possibly some 2nd rounders as well.
I’m a bit confused about how the return of this and a pair of seconds
was just 1 first rounder, 1 player who will be waived, and 2 players who weren’t
in the Lakers’ rotation. On top of that,
the pick was top-4 protected, where the protections intact make it that the
pick will turn into 1 2nd round pick if it lands in the top-4. That is rough and makes me wonder what their
point of being involved in the trade other than trying to tank. I do think Toscano-Anderson could be an
interesting fit due to his defense and intensity. It is also worth noting that trading Conley
to Minnesota is interesting since that makes them older, something that is
important since Utah holds several future draft picks. I just find it to be a sad trade for Utah which
I’m not sure they should have done.
Jakob
Poeltl
Toronto receives:
Jakob Poeltl
San Antonio receives:
Khem Birch, 2024 1st round pick (top-6 protected), 2023 2nd
round pick, 2025 2nd round pick
Toronto Grade: C
This one is tough to grade in my opinion; part of that is
because I’m not sure what the protection on the 1st rounder means if
the pick doesn’t convey, part is since I think the fit will be nice, part is since
I don’t know what Toronto is doing. The
big thing for Toronto on the court is that they need a center who can be a rim
protector, something they have badly missed this season. His presence could help their defense
especially, as he is a great paint defender.
He might struggle with switches, but they have enough long big forwards/wings
that I think they could survive if they utilize him more in drop coverage. That said, while I found it questionable not
to sell at the deadline given their free agency situation, trading for a player
on an expiring contract is even more puzzling.
Poeltl will be a free agent this year, where he could be joined by Fred
VanVleet and Gary Trent Jr., who I expect will both decline their player
options. That is a team that is about to
be difficult to retain while struggling.
The first rounder (albeit protected) is also pretty risky.
San Antonio Grade:
A+
Poeltl is a very good player who is still fairly young (26),
but ultimately it made since for the tanking Spurs to trade him. Getting a 1st rounder for a player
on an expiring deal is always nice, even if it is protected. This will also give them more opportunity to
see what younger players they have; I expect that Zach Collins, who has looked
nice offensively, will get more leeway.
The younger players will also result in more losses, increasing their
odds of one of the top picks in a stacked draft. While it stinks to lose Poeltl, the return
and increased potential for a top pick make it the right move.
Rui
Hachimura
Los Angeles (Lakers) receives: Rui Hachimura
Washington receives:
Kendrick Nunn, 2023 2nd round pick (CHI), 2028 2nd
round pick (worst between Los Angeles & Washington), 2029 2nd
round pick
Los Angeles Grade:
D+
I will preface this by saying that Rui Hachimura was one of my
favorite players in the 2019 Draft (the only player I liked more was Ja
Morant), but I have been thoroughly disappointed in how his career has
gone. He hasn’t been available
consistently and I don’t really think he’s improved a lot either. While his jumper has improved, it still is
streaky and he appears to be hesitant to take 3’s. His shot selection is not good, his defense
might be worse, and his playmaking appears to be regressing at times. One positive with him is that he has improved
his finishing ability within the 3-point line, especially his midrange game
(though I’d still rather him take more 3’s and fewer midrange shots than he’s
taking). There’s an argument to be made
that he hasn’t had the luck of playing with a playmaker like LeBron James, but
I don’t know if he’ll be able to shake off the bad habits and shot selection he
has on offense. To fit alongside LeBron
and Anthony Davis, he will need to be more willing to shoot 3’s. I just think this is a big risk and questionable
decision with too low of an upside considering he is a restricted free agent
after this year.
Washington Grade: B+
Look, it stink to have another situation where the Wizards lose
one of their former 1st round picks and don’t extend them on their
rookie deal (which seems to be a trend with Washington). That said, the truth is that Hachimura was
not going to be a part of their future plans, nor should he have been. His career has been marred by injuries,
inconsistencies on both ends, and a general lack of development since his
rookie year. They weren’t going to get a
1st rounder unless it was so protected that it wouldn’t be worth
it. As such, I think the 3 2nd
rounders is a nice return for him. I don’t
think Nunn will do much of anything, but at least it’s another player who won’t
be someone they’ll need to resign.
Josh Hart
New York receives:
Josh Hart, draft rights to Dani Diez, draft rights to Bojan Dubljevic
Portland receives:
Cam Reddish, Ryan Arcidiacono, Svi Mykhailiuk, 2023 1st round
pick (lottery protected), draft rights to Ante Tomic
New York Grade: A
New York was in 7th entering the trade deadline
with a 30-26, so it makes sense for them to strive for the 6 seed. I think this is an amazing trade for
them. Hart is a good team defender who
will fit perfectly in Tom Thibodeau’s defensive system. While he has struggled this year from 3 and
has often avoided attempting them, he has been a better shooter in the past and
is also a good finisher. He is also a
great rebounder for a wing and is a smart player. I think he will fill a need for the Knicks
off the bench, which has been often thin and inconsistent for them this
season. The price for him wasn’t that
much either, especially since the players included weren’t in the Knicks’
rotation and the pick is lottery protected.
While some have argued that it is not good that the Knicks gave up a 1st
to get Reddish and then gave up another to get rid of him, I think you have to
consider the first one a wash and lost value; if you ever try to recoup the
value of a trade in a seller’s market, you’ll never get a trade done.
Portland Grade: F
Maybe I’m just being harsh with this grade, but I just don’t
get it. They said they were trying to
compete, but this on its own doesn’t look like a winning move. It should be noted that this was connected to
the Matisse Thybulle trade and I am grading it independent of this move, but I’d
rather have Hart either way. I think he
made so much sense with the team as a versatile defender and bonus rebounder to
put a little less pressure on Jusef Nurkic.
Ultimately, I don’t think the draft pick is that valuable and I don’t
like any of the players they got back. I’ll
skip Mykhailiuk since he was traded shortly after, but the other two don’t
appear to be players who will contribute to Portland. Reddish in particular has not been good as a
role player, often looking lost on defense and unsure of how to contribute when
off the ball on offense (I was worried about this when he entered the draft
since he looked great when he starred in a game at Duke and horrible when Zion
Williamson or RJ Barrett were the focus).
The only improvements he appears to have made so far are in his strength
and finishing ability. The only motivations
I could think of to justify making this trade are that this is a money saving
move or that Hart has a player option next year. That said, I just think that Portland will
miss the playoffs and when evaluating their decisions, will have to wonder what
the motivation behind this trade was.
Jae
Crowder to Milwaukee
Milwaukee receives: Jae
Crowder
Brooklyn receives:
2028 2nd round pick (MIL), 2029 2nd round pick
(MIL), draft rights to Juan Pablo Vaulet
Indiana receives:
George Hill, Serge Ibaka, Jordan Nwora, 2023 2nd round pick
(MIL), 2024 2nd round pick (MIL), 2025 2nd round pick
(MIL), Cash (BRK)
Milwaukee Grade:
B+
The Bucks have been searching for their switchable 3-and-D
power forward ever since P.J. Tucker left after the 2021 Championship, and
Crowder might be the closest they’ve come to that. Crowder is not Tucker (which you probably guessed
based on their names), as Crowder isn’t the shooter and might not be as
switchable at this point, but he can fit the bill enough. There is some risk involved since Crowder
hasn’t played a game this season and is a streaky shooter. That said, he has never been someone who had
trouble with conditioning or staying in shape, so I think that his defense will
be solid by the playoffs. It is also
valuable for them to get another competitive/winning player out there to provide
depth since Milwaukee has been hammered with injuries all season. While I would advise most teams not try to go
for Crowder, I think it makes a lot of sense for him to go to Milwaukee.
Brooklyn Grade: A-
Brooklyn made it clear that they didn’t want to keep
Crowder, so getting anything back for him would be a bonus benefit. Considering Crowder hasn’t played in the NBA
this season due to a holdout, getting 2 picks certainly is a nice return in
that regard. While the 5 picks would
have been a dream come true, I think the 2 without adding to their luxury tax
bill is a better move for them.
Indiana Grade: A-
Since Indiana was willing to take on 3 players that
Milwaukee was trying to get rid of, they were able to obtain 3 2nd
rounders. It should be noted that the
2023 and 2024 ones (at minimum) might not be the most valuable, but their role
is literally to just take 3 players back and some cash to waive them. I expect George Hill and Serge Ibaka will be
waived. As for Nwora, he is a good
shooter, so he might be worth holding onto.
Eric
Gordon/Luke Kennard
Los Angeles (Clippers) receives: Eric Gordon, 2024 2nd round pick
(Memphis), 2024 2nd round pick (Toronto), 2027 2nd round
pick (Memphis)
Memphis receives:
Luke Kennard, 2026 2nd round pick swap (L.A.)
Houston receives:
Danny Green, John Wall, 2023 1st round pick swap (swap
Milwaukee pick with worst of L.A. and Oklahoma City)
Los Angeles Grade:
C-
I cannot give them lower than this grade because there is
motivation to get Gordon here, though I cannot figure out with certainty what
they were going for. My best guess is
that they were looking for somebody who was less afraid to shoot than Kennard
was, which they certainly got in Gordon.
I feel like they were also looking for a guard at the deadline, though Gordon
is not a playmaker and is more likely to take away shots from other people than
create them. I’m not quite sure how the
fit will be with the current organization (though I’m not sure anyone outside
of Kawhi Leonard and Paul George have a consistent role that they are certain
of), but he can at least shoot and create his own shots. That said, I would much rather have Kennard than
Gordon and the picks. That said, it
should be noted that John Wall was not working, so it’s good that they could
dump him as well.
Memphis Grade: B+
Despite concerns regarding his knees and sudden aversion to shooting,
I believe Memphis got the best player out of the trade in Kennard. He is an elite shooter who led the league in 3-point
percentage last season. It should be
noted that he doesn’t do much else on offense (though there has been some playmaking
and passing potential in the past) and isn’t the best defender, though is
improving. That said, even the threat of
him getting a chance to shoot is enough to keep a defender on him and ease up
the pressure on their stars. I think Ja
Morant should be able to get him some amazing looks since he’s never played
with a playmaker of his level. On top of
that, there will likely be enough shooting around him and a better run offense
to make it easier for him to be confident in his looks. I think he will fit well.
Houston Grade: B-
I’ll confess that I’m still not sure how much of a trade the
pick swap will be in exchange for Gordon is since I’m not sure how either L.A.
or OKC will do after the trade deadline.
As such, the grade is probably best described as incomplete. Normally I would say that trading Gordon will
result in more losses, but they weren’t winning much with him either. The best news out of all of this is that now
Tari Eason will likely get more playing time, which will be nice for Houston
since he looks really good. Green and
Wall will be waived, which is good for Wall after he criticized the Rockets
just a few weeks ago on a podcast.
Jalen
McDaniels/Matisse Thybulle
Portland receives:
Matisse Thybulle
Philadelphia receives:
Jalen McDaniels, 2024 2nd round pick (NYK), 2029 2nd
round pick (POR)
Charlotte receives:
Svi Mykhailiuk, 2023 2nd round pick (PHI), 2027 2nd
round pick (POR)
Portland Grade: B+
As a note, I am grading this trade separately from how I am
grading the Josh Hart trade, even though these trades are linked for Portland. While Portland’s offense has been amazing,
their defense has been atrocious yet again, resulting in them bringing in Thybulle. He likely won’t be defending the other team’s
best offensive player, but I’d trust him on many shooters in particular. He is an awesome perimeter player due to his
length and instincts. He is one of the
better players at blocking 3-pointers and seems to have that down. I think he will form a nice defensive pairing
with Jerami Grant. That said, he is a
massive liability on offense who will likely be left wide open anytime he is
close to the perimeter. He is not a good
shooter, though he might be able to be hidden enough if Damian Lillard,
Anfernee Simons, and Grant are cooking.
Philadelphia Grade:
A+
I’m not quite sure how they did it, but it appears as though
Philadelphia gained a draft pick while also acquiring the player I would
consider to be the best in this trade. I
think the best situation for McDaniels is to end up in the role of being a
3-and-D player, though it’s not guaranteed.
His jumper has been streaky this season, though I expect it will improve
this season when surrounded by better playmakers and a more competent offense
then he had around him in Charlotte. He’s
not the defender Thybulle is by any means, but he’s good defensively. When giving up Thybulle, who fell out of the
rotation at points, they weren’t necessarily worried as much about defense as
they were about getting someone who could at least hit open shots, something
they couldn’t count on Thybulle to do.
As such, they won big in this trade.
It’s also worth noting that while they gave up their 2nd
rounder this year, they got back the Knicks 2nd round pick for next
year, which will likely be a better pick than the one they gave up.
Charlotte Grade: F
The good news for Charlotte is that they don’t have to make
a decision about paying McDaniels. That said,
I don’t know how salary is going to be such a hindrance that they wouldn’t be
able to pay him market value (I don’t see it being more than $12M a year for
him, probably less than $10 even). The
bad news is that they gave up a great player for reasons that I don’t
understand. They netted one pick (while
they received 2, they gave up the New York pick to Philadelphia) and gained a player
who I don’t expect to play a ton. There’s
a case to be made that some of their younger players can get more playing time,
but McDaniels is only 25 and I think is still young enough that he could fit in
the timeline. While he is an unrestricted
free agent after this year, I just don’t understand the point of this trade.
Saddiq
Bey/James Wiseman/Gary Payton II
Note: At the time of
writing, Gary Payton II failed his physical with the Warriors. While the trade is going through, my grades do
not reflect this result or an impending investigation that the league is doing
into their treatment of Payton’s injury and information provided.
Atlanta receives: Saddiq
Bey
Detroit receives:
James Wiseman
Golden State receives:
Gary Payton II, 2026 2nd round pick (Atlanta), 2028 2nd round
pick (Atlanta)
Portland receives:
Kevin Knox, 2023 2nd round pick (Atlanta), 2024 2nd round
pick (Atlanta, protected), 2025 2nd round pick (Atlanta, protected),
2026 2nd round pick (Memphis, protected), 2028 2nd round
pick (Golden State)
Atlanta Grade: B+
There is a risk involved with acquiring Bey for 5 second
rounders, but I think it is among the safest in this deal. While his shot has been streaky after his
rookie year, Bey has had difficult shot selection and been without a great
playmaking guard (Cade Cunningham isn’t quite at that point yet), something
that he will benefit from being in Atlanta around Trae Young and Dejounte
Murray. He also hasn’t been that great
of a defender, but there have been glimpses of good team defense at points; I
think that being in a situation where he is playing for a competitive team will
improve his defensive effort and make him closer to league average. He doesn’t do a ton on the ball at this
point, but he really won’t need to while in Atlanta. Ultimately, they got the best player in the trade
who is 23 and still on a rookie deal.
Detroit Grade: D
Most of the criticism towards Detroit on this trade is that they
have another big on their lineup, but I’m not worried about that. When a team is rebuilding, you need to be
more focused on acquiring talent than worrying about what position players are
since you don’t know with certainty who will pan out. The bigger issue I have is that I’m not sure
if they can develop him to the point where he will be useful. The biggest thing Wiseman needs to improve is
playing time, which might be tough to come by in Detroit with several bigs who
are much better than him (including Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart, two young
players who are better than Wiseman already).
While they also have Marvin Bagley III, he’s recovering from surgery so
they don’t have to worry about that. I
think for this team, Wiseman will not get the playing time to develop to a
point where he will be better than Bey.
Ultimately, while Wiseman is 2 years younger than Bey, I think they gave
up a better player in Bey to get a worse player in Wiseman who is on the same
contract timeline (both are eligible for extensions this offseason) while not
getting enough of a realistic upside.
Golden State Grade:
C-
This trade was mainly designed to get something in return
for Wiseman. He needed more playing time
to develop but wasn’t good enough to play for a team trying to win, so it made
sense to try to get something back for him, despite his talent and
potential. On top of that, they saved
money on their tax bill by doing this. But
trading for an injured Payton doesn’t seem like the best decision. Even prior to failing his physical, if there’s
an injury that’s resulting in him not playing a ton, there should be some
concern. On top of that, they did get 2
of Atlanta’s picks, but had to give up 2 of their own. They didn’t even get a pick for swapping
Wiseman with Payton. On the plus side,
Payton was just on the team last season and was a key role player in their
Championship run, so he at least knows how to play there.
Portland Grade: A+
Payton hasn’t played much in Portland since he’s been
injured. While he could provide some
value, if they’re not sure he’ll be healthy, it makes sense to see if anyone
will take him. They got 5 2nd
rounders for a guy who hasn’t really played much at all due to injuries? I don’t even care that some of the picks are
protected, that’s a massive haul, especially since Payton is a role player who
I never could imagine netting that many picks.
Josh
Richardson
New Orleans receives:
Josh Richardson
San Antonio receives:
Devonte’ Graham, 2024 2nd round pick, 2026 2nd
round pick, 2028 2nd round pick, 2029 2nd round pick
New Orleans Grade:
B-
I think part of my grade is how much they had to give up
since the contract was such a poor decision when it was signed. While they were desperate to get a point
guard in the 2021 offseason, they signed a player who is a good (but not great)
shooter and inconsistent playmaker who can’t score inside the arc best suited
off the bench as their starting point guard.
Needless to say, they had to give up a lot to get off him, but
Richardson will probably be a solid fit.
He’s probably around the same shooter as Graham, though is a better
defender with more versatility, making him a smoother fit with this
lineup. I’m not sure if Richardson is
worth 4 picks, but 1 or 2 of them were probably needed to just get off of
Graham’s contract.
San Antonio Grade:
A
While Richardson has been a nice player for them, San
Antonio is tanking, so getting the picks is a good idea. 4 2nd rounders is an awesome
return for Richardson and was one that they needed to make. While Graham is a solid enough player, he isn’t
a good enough player to accidentally give them wins. With Richardson in a contract year, it was a
good idea to get whatever assets they could for him, and they got a lot.
Patrick
Beverly/Mo Bamba
Los Angeles (Lakers) receives: Mo Bamba
Orlando receives:
Patrick Beverley, 2024 2nd round pick (DEN), Cash
Los Angeles Grade:
C+
While the Lakers had optimism about Beverley fitting,
ultimately it just didn’t work. He was a
massive liability offensively, his jumper was inconsistent, and his tenure
seemed to involve more moments that I associate with him (bad, pointless fouls)
than what others seem to associate with (intense play and grinding). They didn’t have to give up much in order to
get Bamba, who is going to be their backup center with the Thomas Bryant trade,
but there is a reason: he’s not that
great (and this is coming from someone who was really high on him entering the
2018 Draft, as I loved him more than everybody except Luka Doncic…oops). His jumper and efficiency have improved, but
his focus and effort continue to be inconsistent. They’ll only need him as a backup and his
contract isn’t guaranteed for next year, so it isn’t a big risk. Maybe a different environment will do a world
of wonder, but eventually there has to be questions regarding when consistency
will come for a player in year 5 of his career.
Orlando Grade: C-
Despite everything that I just said about Bamba, they only
got 1 2nd rounder that will likely be late in the draft for
him. For someone who has the tools to be
a good player, that is a pretty bad return.
I have heard on a couple podcasts that they were considering waiving him
if they didn’t get a trade done, so it is nice that they got something for
him. I’m guessing the market wasn’t
there for him, which kind of surprises me even for a backup big. I’m just not sure if a second rounder and a
different player they are going to waive even makes this trade worthwhile.
Mason
Plumlee/Reggie Jackson
Los Angeles (Clippers) receives: Mason Plumlee
Charlotte receives:
Reggie Jackson, 2028 2nd round pick, cash
Los Angeles Grade:
A
One of the major issues that the Clippers have dealt with is
that their small lineups have not been effective, which was a problem with only
one center on the roster (Ivica Zubac). They
have Plumlee, who makes a lot of sense.
While he’s not a superstar by any means, he’s a role player who overall
is a good rebounder and very good defender.
He’s not a traditional rim protector, but he is fine defending the paint
and can switch onto forwards and hold his own if needed. On offense, most of his shots are in the
paint, but he has shown that he can come off the bench for a winning team and
not require a ton of shots (as in his time in Denver). I think the best reason for his fit in L.A.
is his ability to pass out of the post, which will help a team that is
isolation heavy and doesn’t move the ball effectively. They also didn’t give up a ton to obtain him,
as it was time to part ways with Jackson.
Charlotte Grade: C
It made since to trade Plumlee since he’s 32, doesn’t fit
with the timeline, is a free agent after this year, and takes time away from
some of their young players, but wow, that return is not good. They got back a player to waive, some cash to
waive him with, and 1 2nd rounder.
That said, the pick has value given the current condition of the
Clippers. While Plumlee has been playing
well this year, his absence will provide playing time to some younger players;
while Nick Richards and Mark Williamson seem most likely to gain an immediate
uptick in minutes, JT Thor and Kai Jones could also receive some more time.
Thomas
Bryant
Denver receives:
Thomas Bryant
Los Angeles (Lakers) receives: Davon Reed, 2024 2nd round pick
(Clippers), 2024 2nd round pick (Denver), 2025 2nd round
pick (Clippers)
Denver Grade: A-
For a few years, Denver has been looking for a backup center
behind Nikola Jokic, and I believe they found the one in Bryant. He is an incredible finisher who also has a
nice jumper and can rebound. While he is
a poor defender and often looks outmatched against anyone faster than him
(especially quick guards/wings), they really don’t need him to do a ton on that
end. It’s also worth noting that he almost
never turns the ball over, which will be a nice bonus to have. The one question I have is how much he will
play; Jokic is one of the most durable players in the league, but I don’t see
Bryant and Jokic effectively playing together. It is a lot to give up for a backup center,
but he’s skilled enough and on a cheap contract, so it’s fair.
Los Angeles Grade:
B+
While he played very well for the Lakers, I agree that it
was right to trade him. He is on an
expiring contract and will be difficult to retain as he has outplayed his
contract, though league rules would restrict the amount he could resign
for. On top of that, his playing time
would likely be reduced as long as Anthony Davis is healthy (this was evident
near the end of his tenure with the team).
With all that, 3 2nd rounders is a nice return for him. While they used one pick to get Bamba, they still
netted 2 picks from the Clippers that could have some value, especially the one
in 2025. They only will have an issue if
Davis is injured again, but at that point it would be an issue whether they had
Bryant or not.
Bones
Hyland
Los Angeles (Clippers) receives: Bones Hyland
Denver receives: 2024
2nd round pick, 2025 2nd round pick
Los Angeles Grade:
B-
I find this trade to be a tad confusing on the L.A.
side. If it is a deal made to have a
younger guard to develop for the future, then it makes sense. That said, the team’s move seems to indicate
that unless Terance Mann is their point guard or they plan on making an
acquisition from the buyout market, Hyland will be getting a lot of playing
time at point guard. The issue with that
is that the Clippers struggled to generate any offense and that started with
their now former point guards, Reggie Jackson and John Wall. Hyland is more of a score first point guard
who is inefficient, something that is reminiscent of Jackson. I think the fit will be clunky, so it really
only makes sense to me if they are planning on developing Hyland (which is a
solid idea) or they don’t know what they’re getting into (which would be bad
for them).
Denver Grade: C+
I get that there were some locker room issues and that he is
inefficient, a poor defender, and likely won’t help in the playoffs. That said, I wouldn’t be so quick to give up
on someone who is 22 on a rookie deal with potential and is already an okay
backup. I’m not too surprised by the
return since there skinnier, inefficient score first guards tend not to get a
high value. At that point, I just don’t
fully understand the motivation of trading him at this time when his value
appears to be incredibly low and he can still play a role in the regular
season.
Mike Muscala
Boston receives: Mike
Muscala
Oklahoma City receives:
Justin Jackson, 2023 2nd round pick (could be one of 4 teams),
2029 2nd round pick
Boston Grade: A
Boston has been dominant this season and didn’t necessarily need
anything to contend for a championship, but their final game prior to this
trade showed an issue: they had to face
Philadelphia and Joel Embiid without Robert Williams and Al Horford, leaving
them with Luke Kennard and Blake Griffin as their centers. Needless to say, Muscala gives them a bit of
depth at the position. Ultimately, he is
a sharpshooting big who is a solid defender.
I think he can play either the 4 or the 5 for Boston, which will allow
for a tad more versatility and open more minutes for him. While 2 picks is a bit of a steep price, the
market and the skillset make it more palatable.
Oklahoma City Grade:
B
It stinks to lose a player of his talent and skillset, but
there are three reasons that it makes sense.
The one I think is least important is that it allows them to tank a
little more if they want; I don’t think Muscala would be essential in that role,
but if they decided to fall out of the playoff race, that could help them lose
an additional game or two. A second that
is a little more valuable is that some of their younger players could get more
playing time. The one I think is most
important for them is that they were never going to see a price of 2 second
round picks in exchange for Muscala at any other time. That said, he was one of their better shooters,
so that might be rough for a couple weeks.
Kessler
Edwards
Sacramento receives:
Kessler Edwards, Cash
Brooklyn receives: Draft
rights to David Michineau
Sacramento Grade:
B+
Edwards hasn’t gotten much time in Brooklyn this year, but
he’s shown that he is a good shooter and has some defensive potential as a
forward with solid size. He’s only 22
and is signed to a small contract; I could see him contributing if they keep
him. At worst, they received the cash to
waive him, so it wouldn’t be a major deal to release him.
Brooklyn Grade: B
Edwards rarely played for the Nets this season, so they
traded him. This way he won’t impact their
tax bill, saving the team a significant amount of money. While most fans don’t care about that aspect,
it doesn’t make sense to spend millions on a player who had played just 14
games prior to the trade deadline.
Justin
Holiday/Garrison Mathews
Atlanta receives:
Garrison Mathews, Bruno Fernando
Houston receives:
Justin Holiday, Frank Kaminsky, 2024 2nd round pick (Oklahoma
City), 2025 (Oklahoma City)
Atlanta Grade: B-
Neither Holiday nor Kaminsky were doing too much for
Atlanta, so it’s not surprising to see them moved. Holiday has struggled on both sides of the
ball this year, so it makes sense to go for Mathews; while he’s having a
tougher season, he is an awesome shooter.
While Kaminsky was their 3rd option at center, I don’t blame
them for wanting to go with Fernando since he has more upside, though I don’t
see that being a major swing either way.
The biggest thing for Atlanta is that they save a bit of money by doing
that trade. The 2nd round
picks to do this is a bit puzzling, but not the biggest deal.
Houston Grade: B+
Houston only did this for the picks. While Mathews is a nice shooter and Fernando has
potential, they weren’t playing at all this year and weren’t likely to gain
more playing time in future seasons.
Holiday will almost certainly be waived (since that’s Houston’s mantra
for players they traded for at the deadline); if Kaminsky isn’t waived, he
could provide some leadership, though I think he could be waived as well. Ultimately, not a bad return in picks for
what they gave up.
Dewayne
Dedmon
San Antonio receives:
Dewayne Dedmon, 2028 2nd round pick
Miami receives: Cash
San Antonio Grade:
A
This trade not only gave San Antonio another draft pick, but
it appears to have them reach the salary floor.
As such, that’s two massive achievements attained in one trade. Dedmon will be waived, so he’s not the focus of
the trade from their end.
Miami Grade: B
It stinks to lose a draft pick in a salary dump trade, but
ultimately it made sense to do this with a player who fell out of the
rotation. With Dedmon’s salary, that was
likely the cost of dumping him. It saves
Miami some money and opens a roster spot.
Noah
Vonleh
San Antonio receives:
Noah Vonleh, Cash
Boston receives: 2024
2nd round pick (top-55 protected)
This is your standard salary dump. Boston saved a bunch of money in their tax
bill by getting rid of a guy who rarely played, and San Antonio got closer to
the salary floor while promptly waving Vonleh.
Both teams get a B for accomplishing a goal.
What do you think about the trade grades? Did you have a favorite trade? Let me know in the comments!
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