2024 Trade Deadline Grades
The trade deadline that occurred on February 8th has come and gone. While there wasn’t a superstar trade that occurred on the deadline day itself (the 3 biggest trades of the year all happened before), there were still so many trades (which explains why my grades are coming out so late)! In this post, I graded every trade that happened this regular season except for the James Harden trade (this trade was too long ago for me to review). I ordered all trades in order of significance of the biggest name.
Pascal
Siakam
Indiana receives:
Pascal Siakam
Toronto receives:
Bruce Brown, Jordan Nwora, Kira Lewis, 2024 1st round pick (top-3
protected), 2024 1st round pick (worst of HOU/LAC/OKC/UTA), 2026 1st
round pick (top-4 protected)
Indiana Grade: A
While it might seem like a risky move to trade multiple
picks for a player on an expiring contract, you don’t make this move without
having a good idea that he will resign with the team. I think the fit will be exciting due to
Siakam’s ability in transition, which is where this team thrives; I also think
he’ll be a more efficient shooter than he had been the last couple seasons
since he hasn’t played alongside as good of an offensive talent as Tyrese
Haliburton since he was a sidekick for Kawhi Leonard, and I don’t think he’s
ever played alongside this good of a playmaker.
I also think he’ll pair very well with Myles Turner defensively. While Bruce Brown was a nice fit for them,
this is a clear upgrade.
Toronto Grade: B
I get that everybody raved about the 3 1st
rounders, but not all picks are created equally; the 2 this year will likely be
in the 20’s, and the one in 2026 will be when Tyrese Haliburton is still under
contract. I think their best bet with
these picks is to package the 2 this year to try to move up in the draft; additional
picks are great when making trades, if nothing else. I thought Bruce Brown would be traded at the
deadline, but he’s still a versatile player who can fit with any team; if he
opts into his deal this offseason, he’ll be a nice trade piece next year. They traded Lewis, but Nwora has some scoring
ability when he can play. Not what I expected
they’d get, but not horrible, especially since Siakam’s contract is expiring
and they likely burned too many bridges to extend him.
OG Anunoby
New York receives:
OG Anunoby, Precious Achiuwa, Malachi Flynn
Toronto receives:
RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley, 2024 2nd round pick (DET)
New York Grade: A-
While I felt like Anunoby is a tiny bit overrated among
certain fans (he’s not an All-Star, but he is a very good starter), Anunoby is
a talented player who I think is an amazing fit with the Knicks. He doesn’t demand to have the ball in his
hands a lot, which will pair him well with Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle. While some bill him as a 3-and-D player, I think
he’s more than that since he’s really smart at cutting off the ball and an
excellent finisher. He is also a
versatile defender who can guard any position at an elite level; I think Thibs will
love him. Achiuwa is a solid defender
who plays hard and rebounds, which will earn him playing time; Flynn ended up
being traded in a separate deal. While
Barrett is expendable in this trade, losing Quickley’s scoring off the bench could
be difficult to replicate. That said,
the trade was worth it, especially since they managed to not give up any 1st
rounders. Like with Siakam, I expect
they plan to resign him.
Toronto Grade: B-
I’ll give Toronto some props since they didn’t allow Anunoby
to walk in free agency, which has been a trend in Toronto. Further, it doesn’t even bother me that they didn’t
get any first round picks back, as I think it’s fine to ask for players instead
of picks; that said, the 2nd rounder they got will be early in the draft. That said, I don’t love the players that Toronto
got back. While I think Barrett has
2-way upside, I don’t love the fit alongside Scottie Barnes since neither is an
excellent shooter, and Barrett’s shot selection still isn’t particularly good. While Quickley is a talented scorer, I think
part of his ability was due to the fact that he feasted on second units (though
he is still a good scorer) and was able to be hidden defensively when not
facing the starters; I think it could be a bit of a shock being an every day
starter. I don’t mind Toronto giving up
Achiuwa or Flynn either, as they were inconsistent in their rotation. While Toronto got the 2nd and 3rd
best players in this trade, I’m still shocked they couldn’t cobble up one that
fit better for their rebuild.
Buddy Hield
Philadelphia receives: Buddy Hield
Indiana receives:
Doug McDermott, Furkan Korkmaz, 2024 2nd round pick (best of
Indiana, Toronto, and the worst of Cleveland/Utah), 2029 2nd round
pick (POR), Cash
San Antonio receives:
Marcus Morris Sr., 2029 2nd round pick (LAC), Cash
Philadelphia Grade:
A-
People will scoff when I say this, but Hield is one of the
best shooters in history given his percentage on the high volume he shoots
at. Philly really didn’t give up a
boatload given that, as Korkmaz wanted to be traded and Morris hasn’t been
great; the 3 2nd rounders is a decent amount, with the 2029 picks
being interesting, especially for the 2029 Clippers, but Buddy Hield will help
them this year. Since it hasn’t been
announced that Joel Embiid is expected to miss a significant amount of time (as
I feared he might), it makes sense to operate as if he’s back. The 76ers have been pretty bad at shooting
this year, so Hield will instantly help with that, and is enough of a sharpshooter
that he could play at the end of games despite his defensive limitations. They got the best player in the trade, and
the player I consider to be the best traded at the deadline.
Indiana Grade: C+
I just don’t really get it from Indiana. I get that Hield’s contract is expiring, but if
they’ve made it clear that they want to compete with the Pascal Siakam trade, I
would think that they’d want to keep him for the season at least. Ultimately, I don’t think McDermott (who is
an amazing shooter, though limited), Korkmaz (who is being waived), and 2 2nd
round picks offsets what Hield could provide for the remainder of the
season. If they had no desire to resign
him and they don’t think they’re competing for a championship, then it makes
sense to make the trade. That said, I
don’t think it’s enough value to make it worthwhile.
San Antonio Grade:
B+
While McDermott is a great shooter, he is limited, so there
was only so much value he would provide in the trade market. Still, I don’t mind this trade for them. I wouldn’t play Morris at this point and
would consider waiving him, but getting a 2029 Clippers pick is interesting;
who knows what they’ll look like given what their future could look like. This will also open up playing time for some
more young players, though who knows what that will look like given how bad
this team has been so far.
Bojan
Bogdanovic
New York receives:
Bojan Bogdanovic, Alec Burks
Detroit receives:
Quentin Grimes, Evan Fournier, Malachi Flynn, Ryan Arcidiacono, 2028 2nd
round pick (unsure of team), 2029 2nd round pick (unsure of team),
Cash
New York Grade: A
After the Anunoby trade and several injuries, New York was
struggling for some depth, and they got it with this trade. Bogdanovic is an amazing shooter and scorer
who would be successful both on and off the bench and doesn’t need the ball a
ton to make a massive impact. While he
isn’t an amazing defender, I think he’ll be better in New York than he has been
in other places since he is fairly strong and is smarter than he’s given credit
for with positioning. Alec Burks was a
Tom Thibodeau favorite due to his shooting ability, ability to create as
needed, and intensity on both ends. On
top of that, they really didn’t give up much.
I really like Quentin Grimes, but he wasn’t getting as many minutes
after the Anunoby trade. Otherwise,
Fournier, Flynn, and Arcidiacono (who never scored in this tenure with the
Knicks) weren’t rotation contributors. I
haven’t seen what picks were traded yet since they have two options for 2028
and 2029, but it’s a great trade for them.
Detroit Grade: C+
I’m a little higher on this trade than others because I
really think Grimes is a good 3-and-D player who is what Detroit is looking for
to surround Cade Cunningham with.
Further, for those complaining that he would take away minutes from some
of their other players, who would that be?
Killian Hayes, who was just waived?
James Wiseman, who has struggled throughout his NBA career? They just traded or waived 6 guys who were in
the rotation and 1 other who could have been and got back 2 who I think are
locks to make it; they’ll find room. That
said, the rest of the return was pretty bad.
Fournier was included for salary, Flynn hasn’t done much in the NBA, and
Arcidiacono’s 0 total points this season shows the impact he has. Ultimately, I’m surprised that they waited so
long to trade Bogdanovic to a point where they didn’t get a first. I would say Grimes probably would be close to
a protected 1st, but still, the idea of them never getting an offer
including 2 1st rounders for him is surprising to me, let alone the
fact that Burks was also included in the deal.
Terry Rozier
Miami receives:
Terry Rozier
Charlotte receives:
Kyle Lowry, 2027 1st round pick (top-14 protected)
Miami Grade: B
Miami had been looking for an upgrade for Lowry for a little
while; while he was solid at points for them, he wasn’t what they had hoped,
didn’t appear to fit, and sounded grumpy when he got moved to the bench. Rozier has been more efficient in Charlotte
than he was in Boston (even in the Scary Terry run, he often struggled, especially
from 2), though his 3 is streaky. While
the fit theoretically would work due to his size, competitiveness, and defense
(the latter two weren’t on display in Charlotte, but he showcased in
Boston). The big what if in this
situation is how he will play after being in a losing situation in Charlotte;
sometimes, guys claim to realize what it’s like to star on a bad team versus be
a supporting member on a team and just want to get out of the bad
situation. The question I always have is
that if it’s true; there are countless other times when a player doesn’t want
to give up the point totals (recently we saw this a bit from Jerami Grant, though
Portland was grasping for straws a bit by the end). If Rozier can buy into the culture, this
could be slam dunk; that said, if I felt confident he would, the grade would be
an A.
Charlotte Grade: C-
Charlotte is entering a rebuild, so it makes sense to trade Rozier
and expediate the process. I expect
Lowry will want to be bought out, but he had to be included for money
purposes. As for the remainder of the
return, a lottery protected 1st?
That’s it? Even if they had
included 1 2nd rounder as well, I’d say that it was a solid trade,
but I don’t understand the rush when that was the return. The major reason I consider this underwhelming
is because there wasn’t a rush to trade him now, especially when several teams
have more picks that will come available in the offseason. Further, it’s not like keeping Rozier was
going to add too many wins for the remainder of the season; they were still
atrocious this season with him, they were the 4th worst team and
were awfully close to falling further. If
teams like Atlanta and even Washington could realize that not rushing things could
be beneficial, Charlotte should have.
Even if they thought this offer might not be there, what’s the harm in
trying and waiting a little longer for the trade to be back? I’d be shocked if the offer never improved.
Kelly
Olynyk/Ochai Agbaji
Toronto receives:
Kelly Olynyk, Ochai Agbaji
Utah receives:
Otto Porter, Kira Lewis, 2024 1st round pick (worst of HOU/LAC/OKC/UTA)
Toronto Grade: A-
I will start by saying that I don’t understand why Toronto
decided Olynyk was the piece to go after when they appear to be starting a
rebuild, but that’s not why I’m giving them this grade. In exchange for Porter, a guy who was out of
the rotation, Lewis, a guy who felt like a throw in from the Siakam trade, and
a pick likely in the 20’s (when they already have Indiana’s pick, though their
own pick would go to San Antonio if it falls out of the top-6), they get a
quality big who is versatile on both ends in Olynyk, and Agbaji, who has
struggled with his shot, but is improving defensively and looks like he could
be a solid 3-and-D guy at worst (also worth noting that Utah considered him
untradeable in the offseason). They
managed to convince Utah to give up these two guys that Utah seemed reluctant
to trade (especially Agbaji) for pieces they grabbed on the bargain bin, which Utah
should be embarrassed by.
Utah Grade: F
I think it was the right move to trade Olynyk, and this
trade will open up some playing time for their rookies, which will help. Beyond that, I think this makes Detroit’s
deadline deals that were puzzling look brilliant. The pick that they got will likely be in the
late 20’s, Porter unfortunately hasn’t been anywhere near the same since his
last injury, and Lewis has been awful on both ends of the court in the rare
occasions that he played. For this awful
return, they gave up a quality rotation big who could’ve warranted multiple 2nd
rounders (honestly, 2-3 picks in the 30’s-low 40’s might have been a better
pick return since those have more value when compiled), and Agbaji, a young guy
who has struggled, but was just untradeable in the offseason and still has
potential to be a nice 3-and-D rotation piece.
I’d rather not make a trade if that’s what the return was.
P.J.
Washington
Dallas receives:
P.J. Washington, 2024 2nd round pick (BOS), 2028 2nd
round pick (Unsure of team)
Charlotte receives:
Grant Williams, Seth Curry, 2027 1st round pick (top-2
protected)
Dallas Grade: C
I have to give Dallas props for both getting a player on a
multi-year contract who could fit in Washington and for getting rid of Williams
when they realized that the fit wasn’t right.
I also don’t mind them giving up Curry, who is a great shooter but a
defensive liability, so he didn’t play much.
Washington is a good all-around player who I think will fit with the
team due to his shooting and finishing; I also think his shooting, which was a
bit streaky this year, will improve alongside Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving. The issue with this trade is the pick that
they gave up. Dallas needed to make some
sort of move if they wanted to be contenders, but getting Washington and dumping
Williams is not enough to justify the 2027 pick, which corresponds with Doncic’s
player option, and is an incredibly valuable pick at this time (that could
change though; Doncic could opt to stay there, and this trade grade gets turned
upside down). If I’m making this move, I
wouldn’t even consider doing it if it was only going to be top-2 protected; I
would need it to be at least top-5 protected, preferably top-7. While some would say that being too picky
would make the deal not happen, that’s fine, don’t make the trade; I don’t
believe Dallas is a championship contender at this time anyways, though a
healthy team (if that exists with this roster) could change my perception.
Charlotte Grade: B
It wasn’t surprising to see Washington be traded since it
seemed like neither side was sold on the future of this combination after a
difficult negotiation in free agency, even if they agreed to a 3-year
deal. The fact that they got a 2027 1st
is wild, especially since Doncic’s contract ends that year (at least his player
option does). Even if he decides to stay
with Dallas past then, the pick will still have so much value leading up to
that point. They had to take on
Williams, who struggled in Dallas, but I think this was more due to the fit
being off; what I expect will happen is that he will reclaim some value over
the next year or two and end up netting more draft capital, even if he doesn’t,
he’s not on that big of a contract. Curry
probably won’t do much for them, but he’s a nice shooter which could help. That said, I think this shows their
organizational failings with draft picks over a long time. Even just looking at the last 10 years, the
only players who made it past their rookie deals include Washington, Miles Bridges
(though legal reasons contributed to that), and LaMelo Ball (starting next
season). Some players either not
resigned, traded or waived include Malik Monk (I’m still adamant they never
used him right, which became obvious upon leaving), Frank Kaminsky, Noah Vonleh,
Kai Jones, and James Bouknight. They do
have rookies Brandon Miller and Nick Smith and second-year player Mark Williams
who look good (though Smith is more raw and inconsistent), but this trade still
demonstrates the organization’s continued failures in drafting and development,
even if it was a good trade.
Royce O’Neale
Phoenix received:
Royce O’Neale, David Roddy
Memphis received:
Yuta Watanabe, Chimezie Metu, 2026 1st round pick swap rights
(worst of ORL, PHO, WAS)
Brooklyn received:
Keita Bates-Diop, Jordan Goodwin, Draft rights to Vanja Marinkovic (60th
pick, 2019), 2026 2nd round pick (worst of DET/MIL/ORL), 2028 2nd
round pick (MEM), 2029 2nd round pick (MEM)
Phoenix Grade: B-
I was shocked when I heard that Phoenix made a trade to get
better without giving up Grayson Allen or Nasir Little in the deal. While they gave up multiple fringe-rotation
players, there is the case to be made that Phoenix got the 2 best players in
the trade. While O’Neale is a solid
3-and-D player, I think his defense over the last few seasons may be a bit
overstated; I think he fell into the trap of relying on Rudy Gobert too much in
his last year in Utah and hasn’t been as good defensively since then. I also have some doubts about Roddy, but he
is better than multiple players that they gave up and has shown glimpses on
both ends. I don’t mind all the 2nd
rounders they gave up, but I do think the swap is a bit of a risk for this
return. That said, I cannot deny that
Phoenix is better than they were entering the trade deadline.
Memphis Grade: B
I’m a little confused about Memphis being so willing to give
up on Roddy so quickly, especially since I don’t expect either Watanabe or Metu
to be massive contributors in future years (Watanabe is an interesting player
to watch this offseason though). The swap
rights are a bit risky too since this would assume that Memphis will be better
than each of Orlando, Phoenix, and Washington (I would guess the latter will be
true). While the other two are less
likely, there is reason to believe for each, especially if everyone is healthy
in Memphis over the next two years. The
reason I’m higher than it than most is because I’ve never been the biggest
David Roddy fan; while he’s shown glimpses in the NBA, he has been far from
consistent, which is something that I wasn’t shocked by. He’s already turning 23 next month, so it’s not
like he’s as young as most second year players either.
Brooklyn Grade: B+
While I’ve always liked Bates-Diop, I think the deal can be
summarized down to this: Brooklyn got 3
2nd round picks to give up O’Neale.
I’m not sure just how much value any of these picks will have, but at
worst, they’re far enough out that they will have trade value when packaged with
other picks/players. I’m not sure that O’Neale
would have netted a 1st given the market, but I think 3 2nd
rounders isn’t unreasonable. While O’Neale
was a solid player for them, his defense is in decline after the last few
years, which made him expendable (as does their wing depth, which is extensive). I think this might have been among the best
offers they got for O’Neale and that they struck at the right time. I like Bates-Diop, but he’s already 28 and
probably won’t amount to much more than he is (I think I’ve thought he was 23 every
year since his rookie year), and Goodwin is an inefficient scoring backup point,
so there’s only so much he can be; they’re both in it because some salary had
to be.
Gordon
Hayward
Oklahoma City receives: Gordon Hayward
Charlotte receives:
Tre Mann, Vasilije Micic, Davis Bertans, 2024 2nd round pick
(HOU), 2025 2nd round pick (PHI), Cash
Oklahoma City Grade:
A
While a lot of people were hoping that OKC would try to a traditional
big, I’m glad they didn’t for two reasons:
none were available that made sense (so many people said Andre Drummond;
really? That fit is horrible other than
his rebounding), and the cost of those available would be a lot (a 1st
rounder for Gafford? No thanks). Instead, they got Hayward, who fits so well
with the team. While he isn’t what he
was prior to his awful 2017 injury, he is still an all-around skilled player
who is efficient from anywhere, is a nice playmaker/passer who can push the
pace, and is a versatile defender (though he has lost a step in the last couple
seasons). While he is often injured, the
most important thing he brings to this young team is veteran experience. He has played 29 playoff games and has been
apart of multiple competitive teams, including a Boston team that made 2 Eastern
Conference Finals (though injuries limited his games played in both). This deal also helps clear out some guys who
weren’t getting playing time; they also didn’t give up much in draft capital. Hayward is also on an expiring contract, so
they can resign him, do a sign and trade, or let him walk at no massive
expense.
Charlotte Grade: B
While I don’t love the return, I think it was a good idea to
trade him in this situation; while I often say if the deal isn’t worth it, don’t
force it, I think this is a different situation. Hayward isn’t going to be a part of the team’s
future since he’s turning 34 this year, would be taking away minutes from other
young guys, and likely wouldn’t agree to a buy-out (he would lose his bird
rights, and I would bet on at least one team being interested in giving a
contract at the mid-level or above). The
picks they could likely won’t be amazing picks, but you never know what will
happen by next season; that one will at least have value in trades. Mann is a good shooter and is only 23, though
I question what his upside is due to his defensive issues and lack of
playmaking. Micic is a solid backup
point, but is already 30; Bertans was only included for salary purposes, and it’s
a way for OKC to get out of his monster of a contract (at least next year is
the last year for Charlotte’s sake). Not
the best return, but at least it’s something.
Daniel
Gafford
Dallas receives:
Daniel Gafford
Washington receives:
Richaun Holmes, 2024 1st round pick (I’ve seen it reported as
the 2nd worst of HOU/LAC/OKC/UTA, but I’ve also seen it reported as
the 2nd best)
Dallas Grade: B-
Dallas was looking for any sort of depth who could help, especially
with their bigs. Luka Doncic plays best
with bigs, but they have all struggled except for Dereck Lively II, a rookie who
has dealt with some injuries lately, though he is talented. They traded Gafford to be a backup big who can
also fill in when Lively is out, which I think will be a good role for Gafford. Bigs in Dallas’ system are needed to catch
lobs/dunk, screen, rebound, and block shots, which is exactly what Gafford is
good at; I’ll admit that I’m not the best Gafford fan because I feel like he’s
not the defender everyone makes him out to be (shot blockers who are often late
on rotations get a better reputation for defending than they should, kind of
like Kristaps Porzingis), but I think this will be the right role for him. Holmes wasn’t playing much, so really the
massive price was the 1st rounder.
While I think the fit is right, I question if a backup center is worth 1
1st; that seems like such a steep price to me. Even if this pick could end up being in the
20’s, I think that’s an extreme move to try to convince Doncic they are
competing, when Dallas continues to be operating at a step behind where they
should be; this is why they were desperately giving up any pick they could to create
some depth.
Washington Grade: A
I think this entire trade victory could be summarized in one
sentence: the Wizards received a 1st
round pick for Gafford. That’s not to
say that he’s not a skilled player, but he is best suited to be a backup center
on a good team with his skillset.
Washington is rebuilding, so taking a draft pick in exchange for him makes
a lot of sense. Gafford is only 25, but
I don’t think they would be able to inflate the value any more without an elite
passer, which is what Gafford would thrive with as an athletic rim-running center.
I know that it’s possible that this pick
will end up in the 20’s, but I still love this trade for Washington, especially
if Gafford isn’t in their long term goals.
Xavier
Tillman
Boston receives:
Xavier Tillman
Memphis receives:
Lamar Stevens, 2027 2nd round pick (ATL), 2030 2nd
round pick (DAL)
Boston Grade: A-
While Boston has been awesome this year, they could really
use some depth, especially as a backup center considering that Kristaps
Porzingis is injury prone, Al Horford is getting up there in years, and guys
like Luke Kornet and Neemias Queta (who is on a 2-way deal) aren’t the guys you
want to give big minutes in a playoff game.
In exchange for Stevens, who wasn’t in the rotation, and 2 2nd
rounders, they got Tillman, who is a nice fit on both ends. He is a solid defender who will look good against
backups, an aggressive rebounder, and a solid finisher (this year was rough,
but I think that was partially due to the team around him in Memphis). The 2nd rounders could end up
being valuable, but these kinds of moves are what the 2nd rounders are
for.
Memphis Grade: B
While it stings losing Tillman, Memphis had to face the
reality of how much this team will cost.
Their stars are all either currently on or are soon starting bigger
contracts, so they can’t afford to offer Tillman a bigger extension, especially
since he is more of a luxury. Stevens didn’t
play much in Boston, but he plays hard on both ends and showed defensive
potential in Cleveland; this will give him a nice opportunity in Memphis. The biggest wildcard is the 2 2nd
rounders; I think both have values given the current situation that the teams
are in, especially given the future compared to the contracts of their
stars. While there are very few wins available
in this situation, I think they made the best out of giving up a good player in
Tillman.
Simone
Fontecchio
Detroit receives:
Simone Fontecchio
Utah receives:
Kevin Knox, Draft rights to Gabriele Procida (36th pick, 2022),
2024 2nd round pick (best of MEM/WAS)
Detroit Grade: C-
While it’s a fair value given up for Fontecchio, this trade
makes no sense to me. While it makes
sense for Detroit to want to obtain skilled younger players, especially one who
is in their second season, like Fontecchio, he is already 28, which won’t line
up with Detroit’s current timeline. This
is especially difficult considering the 2nd rounder will likely be
an early pick and the upside of Procida.
Still, Fontecchio is a skilled player and talented off-ball player on
offense. Knox has shown glimpses, but
continues to be a player who is more potential than actual results, which
starts to lose value when you’re 24 and have been in the league since
2018. The main issue with this trade is
that Fontecchio is perfect for a competitive team, which Detroit is far from.
Utah Grade: A-
While Fontecchio is a good player, he clearly wasn’t a part
of Utah’s future, which makes sense considering he is already 28. I would have never expected him to net a 1st
round pick, so I’m shocked that he netted a 2nd rounder that will be
pretty darn good since both teams that could supply the pick have honestly been
pretty terrible (I’d be shocked if it’s not top-35). Procida is a nice addition as well; while he is
incredibly raw, he has nice size, has shooting upside, and is still only
21. At worst, he doesn’t come over and Utah
can use the draft rights in another trade.
While I wasn’t high on him when he was drafted and he hasn’t done much
since, Knox has shown finishing ability, which makes sense given his
athleticism; I’m not sure what his upside is now that he’s not 18 (I keep
thinking he is still 18, even though he’s 24).
Still, the fact they got an amazing 2nd round pick is amazing
and unreal.
Monte Morris
Minnesota receives:
Monte Morris
Detroit receives:
Troy Brown, Shake Milton, 2030 2nd round pick
Minnesota Grade:
B+
Minnesota desperately needed a backup point guard, as their
offense looked lost whenever Mike Conley was off the court. While they sniffed around, Morris is a fair
selection given that they didn’t give up a lot.
Brown and Milton have shown glimpses, but neither of them have done a
ton for Minnesota; we’ll see what the 2nd becomes, but that’s not a
huge amount to give up. Morris has dealt
with injuries for most of the year, but in the past has been a steady backup
point guard. He is efficient and a solid
playmaker; while he is more of a score first guard, he can at least run an offense. He isn’t a good defender, but I think you can
survive with him defending bench units.
The biggest question is how he’ll look this year; if he's not healthy,
then that will be difficult to find a backup point guard on the team.
Detroit Grade: B
With Morris missing most of the season due to injury, being
on an expiring contract, and turning 29 this summer, it makes sense to try to
get anything for him. The 2nd
rounder could be interesting if Minnesota ends up struggling around then. It wouldn’t surprise me if neither player
they acquired plays a ton, but both could offer something. Milton has struggled this year, but is an
aggressive scorer who has moments of efficiency; Brown has improved a shooter
and defender, and has nice size. While
both are likely 8th best or worse on a team, but they could still
get time in Detroit. If nothing else,
maybe one of them will hit.
Spencer
Dinwiddie
Toronto receives:
Spencer Dinwiddie (waived)
Brooklyn receives:
Dennis Schroder, Thaddeus Young
Toronto Grade: D
This trade is just sad for both teams that involved each
team just trying to get rid of some players.
People praised the Schroder signing at the time, and I never understood
why, though I’ve been out on him for a couple years as a winning player. That said, he was playing pretty well before Toronto
got Immanuel Quickley, but sounded like he wasn’t a fan of coming off the
bench, which is what his role should be if he is going to be on a team that’s
even decent. Thaddeus Young was solid in
like 10-16 MPG for them, but at this point wasn’t particularly good defensively
and didn’t make sense on his contract as the team entered a rebuild (as a side
bar, I was confused when they traded for him and then resigned him, but that’s
neither here nor there). They dumped both
to get Dinwiddie, who they promptly waived.
A dump that involved another player without any picks is pretty sad,
especially considering I’m not sure that Dinwiddie was the best player in the
trade (though he has that reputation).
Brooklyn Grade: C-
I don’t know what was going on in Brooklyn with Dinwiddie,
but it clearly wasn’t working there this time around (which also was true in Washington,
but that’s beside the point). I’ve never
been a big fan of his since he’s been terribly inefficient when not in Dallas, rarely
tries on defense, and is a bit overstated as a playmaker with his decision
making, so they decided to try to dump him with only this year remaining on his
deal. I don’t fully get it since I don’t
think Brooklyn has a great chance of making the playoffs, but what do I know. While I don’t like Schroder either, I think
he is a little better than Dinwiddie, but I’m not sure I’d want Schroder for
the remainder of the season and next season (unless they find a trade partner
in the offseason). Young was traded to
be waived, which is a lesser cap hit than Dinwiddie was. While some would look at the grades and say
Brooklyn won, there are some trades where nobody wins; sometimes you look at a
trade and marvel at how terrible and sad it is, which describes this one.
Patrick
Beverley
Milwaukee receives:
Patrick Beverley
Philadelphia receives: Cameron Payne, 2027 2nd round pick
Milwaukee Grade: B
I’m sure a lot of the NBA online world would scoff at this
grade since it’s not an A+, but the truth is that I find Beverley to be
immensely overrated (it should be noted that I often find these aggressive
energy type defenders to be overrated; I feel the same way about Dillon Brooks
and Marcus Smart, though I didn’t have the guts to admit it about the latter
for a couple years). He has a reputation
of being an elite defender and energy guy, but he has yet to remain on a team
for more than 1 season since the Clippers were more then excited to get rid of
him (this is team number 5 in 3 seasons) with 2 competing teams willing to dump
him at the trade deadline each of the last 2 seasons. Further, as a defender, his greatest
specialty is fouling, where he has continued to put himself and his teams in
awful situations, and somehow gets worse at it in the playoffs. He isn’t that good of a playmaker, and his
shot is getting worse (I’d categorize him as an average to below average shooter
though, so it’s not like he’s atrocious).
With all that said, Milwaukee needed something defensively, and they
didn’t have to give up much to get him.
Payne never found a consistent role with the team due to his defensive
struggles, and Beverley will be a clear upgrade on that end. Some have said that Beverley will fix all
their defensively problems, which I think is ridiculous to expect anyone to pull
that off, but he might help; even if he rubs everyone the wrong way, he’s on a
minimal deal and could be sent home or waived.
Philadelphia Grade:
B-
I haven’t heard anything about how Beverley was as a
teammate in Philadelphia, so I can’t comment on if there was a reason that they
wanted to get out of the Patrick Beverley business (I remember him questioning
why he wasn’t in the 6th Man of the Year race when Kelly Oubre was
prior to his injury, but I don’t think that’s something anyone was bothered
by). Ultimately, I support it for
Philadelphia since he has often been a minus in the playoffs with his tendency
to foul. I know that the return kind of
stinks, but I think he has a greater reputation amongst fans than he does amongst
teams, which makes this return more justifiable. I don’t see Payne making a massive impact due
to his defensive liabilities, but he is a good shooter and aggressive scorer. The biggest thing with this one is that they
decided Beverley isn’t their guy; they're not the first team with championship
aspirations to agree with that statement, so I think that’s reasonable.
The Walking
Wounded…I mean Steven Adams and Victor Oladipo
Houston receives:
Steven Adams
Memphis receives:
Victor Oladipo, 2024 2nd round pick (OKC), 2024 2nd
round pick (protected, but I’m not sure about the protections) (best of
BRK/GSW), 2025 2nd round pick (best of HOU/OKC)
Houston Grade: B-
There aren’t often trades where two injured players are
traded for each other, but here we are. Houston
got rid of an injured Oladipo, which is interesting that they got a return for
him, but I’m a tiny bit surprised and confused by trading for Adams. While a healthy Adams is a great defender and
rebounder, there are questions about how healthy he’ll be after missing more
than a season. On top of that, Houston’s
center for the future is clearly Alperen Sengun, who has been incredible this
season; I don’t believe that Sengun and Adams would be able to play together,
so they effectively gave up potentially 3 2nd rounders (the
protected one might not convey) to get a backup center. On the plus side, he is a competitive athlete
and great locker room guy, which should make him fit swimmingly in the locker
room.
Memphis Grade: B
Oladipo was promptly waived after acquiring him, but this
trade was more about clearing their cap space for next year. While Adams was essential for Memphis as a
rebounder (something they continue to miss anytime he’s not playing, especially
on the defensive end), Memphis is about to get very expensive, especially as Ja
Morant, Jaren Jackson, and Desmond Bane will all be signed to max rookie
extensions starting next season. It’s
not an insignificant loss, especially also considering his off-court impact,
but the return of up to 3 2nd rounders (the protected one wouldn’t
convey if the protection is met) is a pretty good one for a player who won’t
play this year.
The sad
Marvin Bagley III dump
Detroit receives:
Danilo Gallinari, Mike Muscala
Washington receives:
Marvin Bagley III, Isaiah Livers, 2025 2nd round pick (worst
of GSW/WAS), 2026 2nd round pick (long story, but it could be between
MIN/NYK/NOP/POR)
Detroit Grade: D
Detroit’s spin on this trade is that they were able to get
veterans and create additional cap space.
That said, this trade was made because they made a massive mistake by
signing Bagley to the contract they did.
Bagley showed that he could put up points and get some rebounds, but he still
can’t shoot (I didn’t expect his jumper to translate, but many did) and is an
atrocious defender. He’s only 24
(turning 25 in March), but I don’t see him projecting as better than a backup big
in his prime, possibly even 3rd string big. Adding to the fact that they already have
multiple bigs who are better in Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart, as well as
James Wiseman, who I think has higher upside and is worth giving a go, further
makes this contract questionable. They
had to give up Livers, who has struggled this year but has rotation upside when
healthy due to his shot, and 2 2nd rounders, when they should be collecting
assets. The good news is that they gave
clarity with the rotation and got a couple of veterans, which doesn’t hurt; the
bad news is that this shows the incompetence and constant mismanagement of the
team over the past several years.
Washington: B+
Like Detroit, Washington is struggling and is in the rebuild
(they just started their rebuild after trading Bradley Beal). Unlike Detroit, Washington seems to realize
what the right moves are. They gave up 2
veterans who weren’t going to contribute to the winning and got 2 2nd
rounders, a 24-year-old who was a top-2 pick, and a 25-year-old who is a good
shooter; that sounds like a good rebuilding move. The reason I don’t have this trade higher is
because I don’t think the players will help out. It’s also possible that the picks don’t end
up doing much, especially if most of the teams mentioned above struggle. That said, I think it’s the right move for
the team.
An Interesting
Pick Move
Dallas receives:
2024 1st round pick (2nd best of HOU, LAC, OKC,
UTA)
Oklahoma City receives: 2028 1st round pick swap rights
Dallas Grade: D-
Dallas made this trade to have another pick available at the
trade deadline. Ultimately, it was used
to acquire Daniel Gafford. While there
is no denying that Dallas needed to do something if they wanted to demonstrate
to Luke Doncic that they are building a contender, but this trade demonstrates
to me that they are being too reckless. It’s
one thing to be aggressive, but they have to think about if these kinds of
moves make them a contender. Is this
kind of draft pick going to make them a contender? My answer is no. Were they a contender before this move? Not with the supporting cast that they have;
they don’t have enough players who fit and that I trust.
Oklahoma City Grade:
A+
The first reaction some might have (I’m thinking of you,
Brian Windhorst, given a previous trade) is that it’s a weird trade to go from
a guaranteed pick to a potential swap.
The catch is that Oklahoma City has an excess of picks in any given year,
this year included. Unless both Utah and
Houston fall apart this year, this pick will likely not be a lottery pick, but
now they get the ability to swap with the Mavericks instead. There is absolutely risk involved with this,
since it’s possible the swap rights aren’t even guaranteed to be conveyed. That said, 2028 is a long time away…even
longer than Luka Doncic’s contract. If Dallas
keeps operating 2 steps behind, I wouldn’t blame Luka if he loses faith in the
organization (though I also wouldn’t blame him if he loves Dallas and wants to
stay there; it’s not easy to leave somewhere that’s been home for several years,
even if you think there’s greener grass).
This will make the swap have incredible value, even if OKC decides they
don’t want to keep it and want to trade it instead.
Jaden
Springer
Boston receives:
Jaden Springer
Philadelphia receives: 2024 2nd round pick (best of
CHI/NYK)
Boston Grade: B
I don’t believe that Springer will be a playoff contributor this
year since he is still incredibly raw.
That said, at 21, he does have some nice upside, and is on his rookie
deal for another year after this. While
Boston has been awesome this year, the additional depth isn’t the worst thing
to have (which is why I also approved the Xavier Tillman trade). This season, Springer will likely be their 11th
best player, but I expect there will be at least one regular season game where
they wouldn’t win without him. Sometimes,
that kind of trade is worth a 2nd rounder for that win; I think it’s
more worthwhile considering his age and contract situation.
Philadelphia Grade:
B-
I questioned it when Philadelphia drafted Springer in 2021 since
I was worried he was too similar to Ben Simmons in skillset (speaking of which,
if you want a laugh, you could read at how wrong I was with some of my 2021
draft grades, as I made mistakes like giving Charlotte an A+ for drafting James
Bouknight and Kai Jones, who were both waived, and called Jalen Suggs an NBA
ready offensive talent…oops). While
there is upside with him, they clearly wanted to dump the salary and roster
spot. Ultimately, Chicago’s pick (they
won’t be worse than New York) isn’t the worst return for him.
Danuel House
Detroit receives:
Danuel House, 2024 2nd round pick (NYK), Cash
Philadelphia receives: 2028 2nd round pick (top-55
protected)
This is a standard salary dump. House will likely be waived (I’ve always
liked his potential and playing style, so this is kind of sad for me, since I
still haven’t given up on him). Detroit
also getting an unprotected second rounder is interesting, even if it might be
a later round one. B- for everyone.
Cory Joseph
Indiana receives:
Cory Joseph (likely will be waived), 2025 2nd round pick
(CHA) (top-55 protected), Cash
Golden State receives: 2024 2nd round pick (uncertain
what pick, but it’s likely the worst of 3 picks)
This is a standard salary dump. Joseph will likely be waived. Indiana also getting a second rounder is
interesting. B- for everyone.
Robin Lopez
Sacramento receives:
Robin Lopez, Cash
Milwaukee receives:
Draft rights to Dimitrios Agravanis (59th pick, 2015)
This is a standard salary dump. Lopez will likely be waived. B- for everyone.
Kira Lewis
Indiana receives:
Kira Lewis, 2024 2nd round pick
New Orleans receives:
Cash
Indiana Grade: B-
Lewis was included in the Siakam trade; I just listed it
separately since it was officially a separate trade. They had to waive James Johnson to do this,
but he was on a minimum deal. Not much
more to say here.
New Orleans Grade:
A-
This deal got them under the tax, which is mainly big so
that they don’t have to worry about being in the repeater tax next year. Lewis barely played, so it felt like a
no-brainer.
Dalano
Banton
Portland receives:
Dalano Banton, cash
Boston receives:
2027 2nd round pick (less favorable of NOP/POR) (top-55
protected)
This is a standard salary dump. B- for everyone.
Ismael
Kamagate’s Draft Rights
Los Angeles receives:
Draft rights to Ismael Kamagate (46th pick, 2022)
Denver receives:
Cash
This is a weird trade that I didn’t even realize happened
until I was double checking the trades that went down. Kamagate has potential, but he is also
already 23 and still looks super raw. I
guess B- for both teams? I have no idea
anymore.
Bonus: The Trade We
All Got Wrong (Especially Me)
While this blog post gives grades for almost all of the
trades that occurred this season, there was one I left out since it was so long
ago, which was the James Harden trade on November 1st. I never wrote a blog post about it due to my
schedule, but I didn’t love the trade for the Clippers or 76ers (I felt like
the only winners at the time was Oklahoma City, who got involved by trading a
pick for a pick swap). While most people
don’t revisit their sports opinions publicly (I’ll sometimes look back at mine,
though I’ve rarely dedicated a post to revisit past opinions), I wanted to do
it here.
At the time, I probably would have given the Clippers either
a C+ or B- for the Harden trade (I likely would have leaned towards the
B-). While I didn’t think they gave up a
lot to get Harden (the 2028 1st rounder and 2027 and 2029 swaps could
really bite them in the butt eventually though), I didn’t love the fit,
especially since he seemed annoyed about the fact that he wasn’t the star. Even while P.J. Tucker fell out of their rotation
and Filip Petrusev was promptly traded, I think I would pump this trade into
the A- to A range in the short term with how well Harden has fit. There were initially hiccups for around 10
games, but have since emerged as one of the top-4 teams in the West on a
consistent basis (Oklahoma City, Minnesota, and Denver have been grouped
together for several weeks). He appears
to have totally bought in on both ends of the court. His pick-and-roll game has paired perfectly
with players like Ivaca Zubac, Mason Plumlee, and Daniel Theis, who fit more of
the mold as role players who are able to get to the rim easily, which matches
how Harden likes to play with bigs. I
also have felt like he has been quicker to get off the ball if it’s the right
move; his usage rate is the lowest it’s been since his 2nd season,
but he also seems more willing to make connective passes and allow others to
make the right play if needed. I feel
like the fit is better than some thought on the defensive end with the amount
of switching they can do; while Harden has gotten a bad rap for not giving any
effort on defense at time, he has good size, is strong, and has quicker hands
than most give him credit for. I think
the biggest thing is that the fit works so well. If they don’t win a championship and implode
by the time these picks come around, would the grade be impacted? It’s possible; it’s also a serious possibility
and risk. That said, I think Harden’s
presence increases their championship odds.
As for Philadelphia, I probably would have given them a C-
or C at the time. While I didn’t mind
the return (I thought the pick return was wild), I felt like this was an
example of another failing under Darryl Morey’s tenure. This is now the second star that has become
disgruntled with the team and they’ve had to trade. Given this is yet another chaotic situation
that Philadelphia has been involved in, which eventually has to wear on
Embiid. On top of that, while they
cleared cap space, I think playing the cap space game is pretty risky since
current the CBA makes it more beneficial for stars to extend and request a
trade than to go into free agency, which you’re starting to see as the number
of top free agents continue to dwindle. That
said, this trade did one thing that was massive for Philadelphia: it unlocked Tyrese Maxey and allowed him to
play more on-ball. When Harden was with
Philadelphia, Maxey was really limited in his transition offense, which is a situation
where he thrives due to his control and athleticism. Maxey is also a very good playmaker (he’s not
as good as Harden, which made him not get as much opportunity on that end), and
he has showcased this ability as well. As
for the players in the return, Nicolas Batum had been playing incredibly well
for them prior to getting injured, and really has fit well with Maxey in
particular. Robert Covington’s role has continued
to shrink, but he is still a solid defender.
Kenyon Martin doesn’t play much but looks solid when he does and Marcus
Morris looked okay offensively, but really was a liability defensively before
he got traded. While I’d raise the grade
to at least a B, I had serious concerns about them prior to Joel Embiid’s
injury, most importantly being how Maxey would fair in the playoffs (usually guards
who aren’t big and good defensively struggle in the playoffs). Still, I felt like they stumbled into a good situation
by their hand being pushed.
What did you think of the trade deadline? Any grades you disagree with? Let me know in the comments!
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