2025 In-Season Trade Grades
The NBA Trade Deadline passed on Thursday, and now that the dust is settled and I have figured out where everyone is going (and almost all the assets being moved), I have my trade grades! This year was a very busy and exciting deadline, including several big names being moved, headlined by Luka Doncic, Anthony Davis, Jimmy Butler, De’Aaron Fox, Brandon Ingram, and Zach LaVine, as well as several other moves involving very good players.
As a note, I didn’t grade the rescinded trade involving Mark
Williams. Even though Charlotte is
planning on disputing it, I’m not even touching that trade at this time.
Luka
& AD
Los Angeles Lakers receives: Luka Doncic, Maxi Kleber, Markieff Morris
Dallas receives:
Anthony Davis, Max Christie, 2029 1st round pick (LAL)
Utah receives:
Jalen Hood-Schifino, 2025 2nd round pick (LAC), 2025 2nd
round pick (DAL)
Los Angeles Grade:
A+
Simply put, if you can get one of the top 3 players in the
game right now at the age of 25 who has another year remaining on his contract,
you get him. Even with concerns about
injuries or conditioning, he has still proven to be one of the best players in
the game and someone who can be the star on a team that can get to the Finals. Doncic is an upgrade over Davis, and while
Christie has developed into a good player, he and Davis are not enough to opt
not to make the trade. The 2029 first is
now not as valuable with Doncic on the team (unless he doesn’t resign, which is
a concern). I think he will fit with
LeBron since they have both proven to be able to play alongside other ball
handlers in the past. They’re also going
to be in better shape when preparing for the post-LeBron era. While many complained about losing a big man,
getting a superstar is harder than a big man; you make this trade no matter
what even if you don’t have a starting level rim protector at the time.
Dallas Grade: D-
Before I even evaluate this trade, it is worth noting that I
was also low on Dallas trading for Kyrie Irving, P.J. Washington, and Daniel
Gafford, each of which worked out swimmingly.
That said, as I continue to think about this trade, I hate it more. The good news is that they got an All-NBA
player in Anthony Davis and a promising player in Max Christie, who are the
second and third best players in this trade respectively. The bad news is that they gave up Doncic, who
is one of the best players in the NBA and was good enough to lead a team to the
Finals. Dallas have indicated they are
worried about his conditioning, but even out of shape Doncic was good enough
for the team to do well. They also
indicated that they believe that defense wins championships, but there are two
flaws to the logic: first, data has
shown that it’s typically a blend of offense and defense, second, I don’t think
that the additions of Davis and Christie are not going to be enough to make
their defense championship level.
Further, the fit of Davis is not great since they still have Daniel
Gafford and Derek Lively (who is currently injured); since both proved to be
starting level centers on a Finals team, I question both the fit and how much
confidence their front office has in the two of them. On top of that, while he’s been healthy the
last couple years, Davis has dealt with injuries for much of his career, which
isn’t the best thing to bank around for a championship that also has Kyrie
Irving, who has also dealt with injuries in his career. The only explanation is that there’s
something serious that we don’t know about Doncic, but the things I can think
of would have already come out.
Utah Grade: B+
Utah gave up cash to get 2 second rounders and a young
player just because they got involved in the trade to make it possible. The Lakers didn’t pick up the third year
option of Hood-Schifino’s rookie deal, so he’s a free agent after this year;
that said, Utah isn’t trying to win, so it’s worth seeing what he can do. It was a trade that made sense for Utah.
De’Aaron
Fox & Zach LaVine
San Antonio receives:
De’Aaron Fox, Jordan McLaughlin
Sacramento receives:
Zach LaVine, Sidy Cissoko, 2025 1st round pick (CHO, top-14
protected), 2027 1st round pick (SAN), 2031 1st round
pick (MIN), 2025 2nd round pick (CHI), 2028 2nd round
pick (DEN), 2028 2nd round pick (SAC)
Chicago receives:
Zach Collins, Tre Jones, Kevin Huerter, 2025 1st round pick
(CHI)
San Antonio Grade:
A-
I’ve always been high on Fox ever since he was drafted (he
was my favorite player in the 2017 Draft), but I genuinely believe that Fox in
San Antonio is a great fit. He is an
impressive scorer and underrated playmaker, which will be a nice fit alongside Victor
Wembanyama in particular. His shot is a
little streaky (I think part of that was due to how bad the spacing has been in
Sacramento during his tenure there) and his defense isn’t the best (he is
competitive on that end), but I don’t think either of these will be huge issues
in the short term. With his size, the
next contract will probably not age well by the end of it since many guards
around his size usually fade, but they’ll at least be competitive over the next
few years while Wemby is still on a cheaper contract.
Sacramento Grade:
B-
It’s clear that Sacramento favored the possibility of being
a playoff team now more than entering a rebuild, which isn’t surprising given
their recent history. Not enough people
are discussing just how good of a year LaVine is having, as he has been healthy
and has been an unreal scorer. I’m not
sure how the fit will be for a few reasons.
First, while Fox wasn’t a great defender, he at least tried; LaVine
often doesn’t bother trying, which will make their defense worse. Second, LaVine is not the playmaker that Fox
is; while they have Domantas Sabonis, an amazing playmaker, and DeMar DeRozan,
who is also a good playmaker despite being a scorer first, having a little more
playmaking helps with a more dynamic offense (once they figure everything out
with their offense). Lastly, we already
saw how LaVine and DeRozan paired in Chicago, and it wasn’t the cleanest fit. I think the offense will be clunky for at
least a month, but if they can make it work, they’ll still be competitive. Something worth noting about the picks that
they are receiving: the Charlotte pick
is almost certain to not convey, which would make it 2 second rounders, and the
2027 San Antonio pick likely won’t be good unless something happens with Wemby;
this really makes the 2031 Minnesota pick the interesting one because it’s so
far out, and Minnesota has put a lot of assets into competing right now. I guess it’s an okay trade for Sacramento.
Chicago Bulls Grade:
D
The issue with this trade for Chicago isn’t the fact that
Chicago gave up LaVine or got the full rights to the pick back, but that the
pick was top 10 protected to begin with.
While some would argue that the worst case scenario would have been for
Chicago to get the 11th pick, late-lottery picks often do not pan
out, so losing the 11th pick isn’t that big of a deal (even when the
Mavs traded up in the draft to get Luka Doncic and gave up a top-5 protected
pick, I said it was good deal and wasn’t at all concerning when they lost the 8th
pick for this reason). Huerter is having
a tough season this year, but he is a good shooter, Jones is a solid backup
point guard who has started to fall out of the rotation in San Antonio, and
Collins can provide some backup minutes, though he largely fell out of the
rotation in San Antonio. Honestly, LaVine
is having a nice season this year, so it’s a pretty weak return.
Jimmy
Butler
Note: While this
trade was initially reported as a 4-team trade, I’m also including the P.J.
Tucker for Davion Mitchell trade in here because I don’t want to write 3
different bits of analysis on P.J Tucker.
Golden State receives: Jimmy Butler
Miami receives:
Andrew Wiggins, Kyle Anderson, Davion Mitchell, 2025 1st
round pick (GSW, top-10 protected)
Detroit receives:
Dennis Schröder, Lindy Waters, 2031 2nd round pick (worse of
GSW/MIN)
Utah receives:
KJ Martin, Josh Richardson, 2028 2nd round pick (DET), 2031 2nd
round pick (better of IND/MIA), Cash
Toronto receives:
P.J. Tucker, 2026 2nd round pick (LAL), Cash
Golden State Grade:
B-
All in all, Golden State really didn’t give up a lot to get
a star player in Butler. While Wiggins
is a good player and Anderson is a nice role player, Butler is the best player
in the trade, and the rest of the other players they gave up weren’t luxuries
for Golden State. Defensively, the fit
is going to be great since Butler is still an impressive and versatile
defender. He is a smart player, so the offensive
fit will be quicker than it would be for most players. The two biggest concerns should be his jumper
and his personality. Since he arrived in
Miami, he has been more of a non-shooter than a good shooter, which will be
tough since Golden State already has Draymond Green and Trace Jackson-Davis
starting, with the other spot outside of Curry being filled by a streaky
Brandin Podziemski or an inconsistent Buddy Hield; this could cause some
growing pains, especially since Wiggins was having a nice year shooting (though
I think the easiest solution is to start Moses Moody). As for his personality, he can be a bit
combative, to say the least; while that usually isn’t an issue when he first
arrives in a location, how will that pair with Green, who is also more
combative? I think there are questions,
but it’s worth a shot at the price. As
for the contract extension, I question that, though it makes Butler the biggest
winner of the deadline.
Miami Grade: B+
Miami caved, and while the return wasn’t Kevin Durant, it
still was a nice return. Andrew Wiggins has
his inconsistencies, though he is playing more like how he did prior to last
season with Golden State. On top of
that, it sounds like Wiggins was beloved by everyone in Golden State, which
will be a welcome addition. I think he
will also be a good fit with his shooting and scoring ability in Miami,
especially since his shot selection is monumentally better than it was in
Minnesota. Anderson is a nice role
player given his skillset, especially playmaking, and IQ. I believe Miami could use another playmaker,
and having one with his size is great. Mitchell
is a great defender, though I still consider him a minus offensively despite
the fact that his jumper has improved; he really doesn’t do much offensively as
a whole, which is why I’ve never been that high on him. Maybe he could perform better in Miami, but
we’ll see. The 1st rounder
will probably convey this year unless things totally implode in Golden State
instantly (I don’t think they will), but even getting a pick in the teens or
early 20’s is fine. Overall, I think the
trade is fine, especially considering how many teams were likely out on Butler.
Detroit Grade: B
Detroit got involved in this trade to move the newly
acquired KJ Martin to get Schröder, Waters, and 2nd round pick. While I like Martin, I think getting another
second is far. I’m lower on Schröder
than most appear to be due to his unwillingness to adapt to his role for a
winning team throughout most of his career, but he is able to create his own
looks and is a decent playmaker, both of which could help while Jaden Ivey is
out. Waters probably won’t play much,
but at least he can shoot some. Overall,
it wasn’t a bad trade, especially when pairing it with the picks for taking on
Martin.
Utah Grade: A-
After getting involved by taking on Tucker, they got 2 2nd
round picks, Richardson (who was waived), and Martin, who is an interesting player
to take a chance on. Martin is a great
athlete and amazing finisher who is still really raw for his age (I just
learned today that he is already 24; I keep thinking he’s 21). Utah isn’t trying to win, so they might as
well give it a go with him. What’s the
worst that happens, he struggles, and they worry that he’s taking away minutes
from a Cody Williams who is proving that he was drafted way too high? I’m not concerned.
Toronto Grade: B-
After a week where he ended up with 4 different teams, Tucker
finally found his home in Toronto (assuming he doesn’t get waived, which I
wouldn’t be shocked by). I’m guessing
that Toronto was just done with Mitchell (I’m not too high on him, so I don’t
blame them), but is giving up on him worth taking on Tucker for only 1 2nd
round pick? Tucker is 39, hasn’t played
this year, and looked bad when he played last year. I wouldn’t have gotten involved with that
trade unless I got another 2nd, but it really isn’t that big of a deal
to give a horrible grade.
Brandon
Ingram
Note: These grades do
not account for Ingram’s extension with Toronto. Toronto’s grade would likely be a little
higher after this.
Toronto receives:
Brandon Ingram
New Orleans receives: Bruce Brown, Kelly Olynyk, 2026 1st
round pick (IND, top-4 protected), 2031 2nd round pick
Toronto Grade: C+
Every year, there’s one trade that feels a little sad, and
this year, this fits the bill. I’ve
always been higher than most on Ingram and believe that he’s had bad luck with
being on teams that did not prioritize defense or winning shot selection, not
allowing him to break his bad habits (I was high enough on him in the 2016
Draft that what he’s been is not much higher than what I thought his floor
was). Ingram is a good shooter and
scorer, an underrated playmaker, and has really nice size, though his defensive
effort and consistency leave a lot to be desired, as does his bad luck with
injuries. I question how this fit will
work with Scottie Barnes, R.J. Hampton, and Immanuel Quickley, especially as
all of them like having the ball in their hands. On top of that, won’t Ingram contribute to
too many wins for a team that is not trying to compete? I expect both sides are on close to the same
page in regards to an extension, but I just don’t get the fit with what they’re
doing. That said, the price was low for
a player of his talent.
New Orleans Grade:
C
It was known that Ingram wasn’t going to be with New Orleans
for much longer, especially since there wasn’t much agreement with an
extension. The return leaves me longing
for more. The 1st rounder
likely won’t be an amazing pick unless Indiana totally implodes next season
(unless there are major injuries, I wouldn’t bet on it); who knows what’s going
to happen with Toronto in 2031, though it might have some value. Brown is a skilled player on both ends, but
due to her not playing as well since leaving Denver, his greatest value is
likely as an expiring contract. Olynyk didn’t
play as much this year and has defensive questions, but he’s still a good
shooter and passer when he plays. While
it was a disappointing return, the reason I cannot give it a lower grade is
because they got a return for him.
Kyle
Kuzma & Khris Middleton
Note: While Baldwin
was technically moved to San Antonio in this trade, the trades were reported
separately, so I’ll include them separately.
Milwaukee receives:
Kyle Kuzma, Jericho Sims, Patrick Baldwin Jr., 2025 2nd round
pick (most favorable of DET/GSW/PHO), 2026 2nd round pick (SAN, it’s
protected, though not sure of the protections yet)
Washington receives:
Khris Middleton, AJ Johnson, 2028 1st round pick swap (long
story short, it’ll either be Milwaukee’s or Portland’s), Draft Rights to
Mathias Lessort (50th pick of 2017), Cash
New York receives:
Delon Wright, Draft Rights to Hugo Besson (58th pick in
2022), Cash
Milwaukee Grade: C
Maybe being exiled to Washington over the last few years has
changed the mindset, but I’ve never considered Kuzma to be a winning
player. I get that injuries have caused
Middleton’s defensive ability to be totally deteriorated, but is Kumza an
upgrade that is worth giving up Middleton’s offense? Middleton is still an amazing shooter and finisher,
though Milwaukee likely needed to move on from him to be a championship contender. Kuzma’s jumper has always been streaky and
his defense was okay with L.A., but he seemed to be miserable when he wasn’t a
star for a contending team with the Lakers (though he often did well in his
role). He’s having an atrocious shooting
season this year, though I would take that with a grain of salt given the lack
of playmakers that Washington had. I
think the biggest thing this helps with is giving more athleticism to a team
that needs it; simply put, Milwaukee has looked pretty old this year. Another issue for Milwaukee is that they gave
up on Johnson, who hasn’t played much at all (he only played 44 minutes with
Milwaukee), but he was a first round pick who has a lot of upside. They have struggled with having success with
their late first round picks in recent years, and this is just another
indicator of their struggles. Sims gives
them an athletic bench center, which helps given their age. The picks that they either gave up or received
is pretty favorable for them. If Kuzma
buys in, it could work well, but I have my questions.
Washington Grade:
B-
The end of the Kyle Kuzma era in Washington ends with an
underwhelming return compared to what they had hoped (especially compared to
what they were reportedly offered by Dallas last year), though the return wasn’t
going to be stellar since he’s been horrible this season from the field. The pick swap isn’t something I’d be jumping
for joy about considering the fact that the supporting cast around Giannis
Antetokounmpo is getting old, so I question if it will convey. Middleton was thrown in for Milwaukee’s
salary purposes, but I would hope that they could have gotten picks as
well. Johnson is among the rawest
rookies this year, but he is an impressive athlete who has some intriguing upside. They were able to use this trade to get rid
of Baldwin in this trade; while he is only 22 and is still on his rookie deal,
it’s become clear that he wasn’t going to figure it out in Washington. While Kuzma’s bad season limited his trade
value, Washington likely wishes they never gave Kuzma a de facto no trade
clause last year when the value was much higher.
New York Grade: D
I’m not sure why New York flipped Sims for Wright. While Sims is a backup center who is limited,
Wright has been pretty bad over the last couple years. The money is almost identical, so I’d rather
Sims at that point. I’ve heard good
things about Wright in the locker room, but is that worth the drop off in
talent? I don’t think so.
Bogdan
Bogdanovic & Terance Mann
Los Angeles Clippers receives: Bogdan Bogdanovic, 2025 2nd round
pick (MIN), 2026 2nd round pick (MEM, receives if 31-42), 2027 2nd
round pick (LAC)
Atlanta receives:
Terance Mann, Bones Hyland
Los Angeles Clippers Grade: A
This trade is yet another move that suggests that the
Clippers are interested in having cap space in 2026. While Bogdanovic has a player option for the
following year, I would expect that he’ll opt out with the number of teams
trying for cap space that year (unless he plays terribly before then, but I don’t
see it happening like that). As much as
I love Mann, Bogdanovic is a more complete offensive player and could also net
more down the road (if they choose to move her). He has his weaknesses defensively, but he is
so skilled offensively and will give them another scoring punch of the
bench. The fact that they also netted 3
2nd round picks is stunning, even if there’s a good chance that the
2026 pick won’t convey. The main concern
with Bogdanovic is his health, but L.A. has enough depth to make it work if he’s
hurt. I would have expected a 2nd
round pick would be needed to get off Hyland, so I think the return makes this
trade a no-brainer.
Atlanta Grade: B-
I’m just confused about this trade from the Atlanta
standpoint. While Mann is a great
defender and solid shooter and finisher, I was stunned that they were so
willing to give up Bogdanovic, who has been an impressive offensive bench piece
for them. There are concerns with health
and defense with Bogdanovic, but he is still a good player who fit really well
with the team. I’m surprised that they
had to give up 3 2nd round picks in order to make this trade work; even
if the 2026 pick doesn’t convey (I don’t think it will), that’s still a
lot. I think Mann will be a nice fit as
a 3-and-D player who can also handle the ball in a pinch as needed; he could
fit well alongside Trae Young. I don’t
see Hyland doing much outside of the occasional bench points, but he really
hasn’t contributed to winning much. It’s
not that it’s a bad trade, but it’s one that I just don’t really get from
Atlanta’s perspective.
De’Andre
Hunter
Cleveland receives:
De’Andre Hunter
Atlanta receives:
Caris LeVert, Georges Niang, 2026 1st round swap rights (long
story short, either CLE/SAN/MIN/UTA), 2028 1st round swap rights
(worst of CLE/UTA), 2027 2nd round pick, 2029 2nd round
pick, 2031 2nd round pick
Cleveland Grade: A
Over the last month or so, Cleveland has dealt with several
injuries to their wings, so it wasn’t shocking to see them try to upgrade at
the position, especially when moving on from LeVert’s expiring contract. Hunter has had a breakout season this year,
as he looked so confident offensively when coming off the bench for Atlanta
this year. He has appeared to be
confident from just about anywhere on the court with his shot, especially from
deep, which will make him a nice fit off the ball alongside Cleveland’s four
best players. Hunter’s defense has still
not been good (which is odd since that was expected to be his calling card upon
being drafted), but they could always use him in the sixth man role that LeVert
was used in if there are concerns. While
LeVert and Niang have value, Hunter is better than both of them at this
point. The picks that they gave up aren’t
that bad either, so I think it’s a great trade.
Atlanta Grade: B-
I’m admittedly confused as to why Atlanta made this
trade. I’m guessing that they made this
trade for salary purposes, but it is a pretty noticeable downgrade considering
how well Hunter has played for them this season. Hunter has been an elite sixth man for them as
an aggressive scorer who is efficient from most places on the court. LeVert hasn’t been as good as Hunter this
year, but he has been a good shooter who can fill into the role that Hunter had
in a decent manner. Niang has
limitations, but he is an awesome shooter.
The picks aren’t all that amazing in my opinion given how many teams they
have to go through in order to receives them.
Maybe the 2nd rounders will provide value, but I think that
would have to be the latter picks. It’s
not a bad trade, but it feels like it isn’t enough of a return for Hunter.
Dorian
Finney-Smith
Note: This trade
occurred in December. I will still
provide grades as though the trade just occurred, as I think all players are
still getting used to their teams.
Los Angeles Lakers receives: Dorian Finney-Smith, Shake Milton
Brooklyn receives:
D’Angelo Russell, Maxwell Lewis, 2027 2nd round pick (might
not convey due to protections), 2030 2nd round pick, 2031 2nd
round pick
Los Angeles Grade:
C+
I’m very confused about all the praise that the Finney-Smith
move has generated for the Lakers. I’m
not going to begin to deny that the Lakers could use another 3-and-D player,
which will make him an interesting fit, but they gave up too much in my
opinion. Finney-Smith is a good to very
good defender, but it seems like people are acting like he’s an elite defender,
which he is far from at this point.
While he is shooting very well this year, his shot the prior few years
has been a bit streaky, though he hasn’t played with a playmaker as good as
LeBron (the later addition of Luka might have boosted this grade to a B with
the shots they can generate). He is
likely best at defending 3’s and 4’s, which could be problematic when L.A.
needs him to guard 2’s, something he won’t be able to do as effectively at this
point in his career. Milton is a backup,
but he can provide some scoring punch in spurts. That said, the price of 3 2nd
round picks, Lewis (who I think could have netted a protected 2nd),
and Russell (who could have netted 1 or 2 2nd rounders) is way too
much for Finney-Smith in my opinion. The
fit will work since Finney-Smith isn’t going to be a clunky fit in most
locations, but I would rather find a better return for this offer.
Brooklyn Grade: A-
While Finney-Smith is a good player, 3 2nd round
picks, Russell, and a flyer on Lewis is a good return for a 3-and-D player of
his ability. Finney-Smith is a good
defender, at this point, he is far from being an All-Defensive player, which is
how some people view him. Russell is
what he is at this point; he’s an aggressive scorer and an okay playmaker who
is a good shooter but will always frustrate with his shot selection (the number
of 2 pointers he takes even though it is an analytically better shot for him to
take the 3 whenever he’s more than 3 feet from the rim drives me crazy). He’s probably not going to contribute to enough
winning to be concerned about their draft position, but even if he does, he’s a
free agent after this year, and the 2026 draft class could also be good. As for Lewis, he’s only 22 and has some
skill, so he’s worth a flyer. It might
not be a slam dunk trade, but I like it for Brooklyn.
Jonas
Valanciunas
Sacramento receives:
Jonas Valanciunas
Washington receives:
Sidy Cissoko, 2028 2nd round pick (DEN, top 33 protected),
2029 2nd round pick
Sacramento Grade:
C
I will say that in general, this is not that high of a cost
to get Valanciunas, and he can provide value as a rebounder and finisher, in
particular. That said, how much is
Sacramento planning on playing him? I
don’t think he’ll be able to play alongside Sabonis, which will really limit
his playing time to 10-15 minutes a night.
Is this price really worth it? On
top of that, he is a bad defender, which is not beneficial if they’re looking
for another option if Sabonis needs a break due to his defensive
limitations. He is moveable if they opt
to trade him in the offseason since he is still a good backup big and is on a fairly
inexpensive contract. The decision makes
no sense to me, but the cost is reasonable for someone of his ability.
Washington Grade:
B
The whole Valanciunas in Washington experience was sad, but
while the return wasn’t as much as I thought it could be, it was a solid trade
for Washington. 2 2nd round
picks is nice, and they’ll be able to give Cissoko a run. Cissoko is still incredibly raw and will
likely need a lot of NBA and G-League minutes to be an NBA player, but there is
intriguing upside, especially given his athleticism. I could see him being a good finisher and
defender if he develops; he likely won’t achieve it, but consider it a home run
if he ends up playing a role similar to what Aaron Gordon is doing in
Denver. Ultimately, I think the trade
made sense.
Nick
Richards
Phoenix receives:
Nick Richards, 2025 2nd round pick (least favorable of
DEN/PHO)
Charlotte receives:
Josh Okogie, 2026 2nd round pick (DEN), 2031 2nd
round pick (DEN), 2031 2nd round pick
Phoenix Grade: A
Simply put, Phoenix’s center rotation of Jusuf Nurkic, Mason
Plumlee, and Oso Ighodaro (who really isn’t a center) wasn’t playing like they
needed, so Richards will likely be their starting center. When you have several players who take a
bunch of shots and operate with the ball in their hands, a guy like Richards
who doesn’t demand a ton of shots but is a good finisher is a nice
addition. While he’s not elite
defensively, he’s a good defender and rebounder who can hold his own against many
starters and any backup. While I think
of him as a great backup big or a good platoon big, they’ll need him to be a
starter, though I think he’ll be good enough.
Charlotte Grade: A-
Getting 3 2nd round picks for Richards, who they
clearly viewed as a backup big that wasn’t going to be a part of their long-term
future, is a fair return. While he has value,
he was also going to be up for an extension soon. Okogie is a good defender who has always been
an offensive liability, though this year he has been scoring more efficiently
than ever. I personally am higher on
Richards due to his value to a competitive team, but Charlotte isn’t competing,
so the draft capital they got is solid.
Caleb
Martin/Quentin Grimes
Note: Dallas did not
initially receive a second-round pick in the trade, but this was added after Martin’s
physical.
Dallas receives:
Caleb Martin, 2030 2nd round pick
Philadelphia receives: Quentin Grimes, 2025 2nd round
pick (best of DEN/PHI)
Dallas Grade: C
After the Mavericks acquired Max Christie, it was inevitable
that either one of their wings would get moved or there would be a logjam of
off-ball wings. While Martin isn’t a
traditional shot creator or ball handler, he is better at creating his own shots
and can play more on the ball than Grimes.
My concerns with this trade for Dallas are that Martin is more
expensive, currently injured and not as good at this point. They only ended up getting a second rounder
because of the results of the physical.
It just feels like such a strange trade for Dallas.
Philadelphia Grade:
A
While there is a cost with Grimes being a restricted free
agent next season, it makes so much sense to go for him. At this point, Grimes is a better player
since he is having a bounce back season after a tough year last year, and he is
a very good 3-and-D player. They also
saved money for this year and have the option to let him walk if things really
don’t work. The fact that they initially
were the only team to get a second round is just stunning to me.
Marcus
Smart
Washington receives:
Marcus Smart, Colby Jones, Alex Len, 2025 1st round pick
(top-14 protected)
Sacramento receives:
Jake LaRavia
Memphis receives:
Marvin Bagley III, Johnny Davis, 2025 2nd round pick (worst
of DET/GSW/PHO), 2028 2nd round pick (SAC)
Washington Grade: A-
There appeared to be no way that Washington was going to be able
to get rid of Bagley (who is on a sizeable contract with one year left but
doesn’t play) and Davis (who is still on his rookie deal) without attaching
picks, but they found a way: take back a
contract that a team is looking to dump.
By taking on Smart, they were able to get a protected first that will
almost certainly convey this year. While
he likely won’t return a massive amount of value when healthy due to his poor
shooting, he is a great defender and underrated playmaker, which could be valuable
for a team next year when on the last year of his deal. Jones hasn’t played much, but he is skilled
and has some upside at the age of 22; Washington isn’t trying to win, so they can
give him a shot. I really like this move
for them, especially since they barely gave up anything.
Sacramento Grade: B+
Sacramento managed to get involved in this trade by giving
up Jones, who barely played, Len, who they didn’t want anymore and was
struggling, and a 2nd round pick to acquire LaRavia, who I really
like for them. He’s a good shooter and a
skilled player who is competitive and smart.
He’s not an amazing defender and is probably better when on a good
defensive team, but he at least competes even when beat. I think he will provide a nice punch off the bench
for Sacramento. Ultimately, they really didn’t
give up much to upgrade their bench.
Memphis Grade: D+
This was about as sad as the Marcus Smart era could have
ended. He only played 39 games across
1.5 years due to injuries, and while he didn’t get a lot of opportunities to
play with the healthy team, he looked like a bad fit; even with that, it felt
like an odd decision in retrospect to go for him. The good news for them is that they saved a
bunch of money with this trade and don’t have Smart on the books for next
year. That’s about where it ends; Bagley
and Davis are unlikely to do anything for the team (maybe Bagley played a
little bit, but he has not shown that he can contribute in big minutes for a
winning team), they wasted a pick on this trade, and they also had to give up
LaRavia, who was a contributor off the bench for them. It wouldn’t be as bad if LaRavia wasn’t in
the trade and it would be the right move, but this is rough.
Dennis
Schröder to Golden State
Note: This trade
occurred in December; while I will reference things that happened since, my
grade will reflect my views at the time.
Golden State receives: Dennis Schröder, 2025 2nd round
pick (MIA, top-37 protected)
Brooklyn receives:
De’Anthony Melton, Reece Beekman (2-way), 2026 2nd round pick
(ATL), 2028 2nd round pick (ATL), 2029 2nd round pick
Golden State Grade:
C
Look, we can all look now and say that it didn’t work out
now that he is no longer with the team. I
was lower about this trade at the time since I don’t believe in Schröder as a contributor
on a winning team, especially since there have times in the past when he didn’t
want to come off the bench, but I didn’t think it would go as poorly as it
did. The goal was to try to get another
player to be a creator and combo guard, especially since they were banking on
Melton to fill the role before he got injured.
It was a clunky fit that wasn’t helped by his poor shooting (while he’s
a streaky shooter, it was a nightmare in Golden State), but I didn’t think it
was an unreasonable package at the time since Schröder was playing so well with
Brooklyn.
Brooklyn Grade: B+
Could Brooklyn have gotten more at the time for
Schröder? Maybe, especially if he kept
playing as well as he was prior to the deadline (I was especially thrilled that
he was killing it since I took a chance on him on my fantasy team, though I promptly
dropped him after this trade). The issue
was that Brooklyn is trying to get one of the top picks in the draft but were
winning too much. This is a solid return
for Schröder and also helped allow them to win less.
Jusuf
Nurkic
Charlotte receives:
Jusuf Nurkic, 2026 1st round pick (it’s a lot, but it’ll
either be PHO/WAS/MEM/ORL/CHO)
Phoenix receives:
Cody Martin, Vasilije Micic, 2026 2nd round pick (worse of
DEN/WAS)
Charlotte Grade: B
While the pick they received wasn’t great, they were still
able to get a pick for taking on Nurkic.
Nurkic is only there for salary purposes, but he’ll be expiring after
next season, so that’s not a big deal.
Micic and Martin have both been inconsistent, so it’s not a big deal to
give the two of them up, especially since I wouldn’t advise they sign them long-term. I don’t expect that Nurkic will reclaim any value
since he’s unfortunately faded fast, but the contract isn’t long.
Phoenix Grade: D
Phoenix was able to get out of the Nurkic contract and a
disgruntled player, but that’s where the good news for this ends. They traded an amazing pick to get 3 much
worse picks, one of which being used in this trade. Martin and Micic are both incredibly inconsistent
offensively, but maybe they’ll be a little better with the spacing that Kevin
Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal can provide. I also think this is a reflection of how stupid
the trade was to begin with; they only traded him to get someone not as grumpy
as Deandre Ayton, but Nurkic hasn’t always been known to be the best teammate. On the plus side, trading Nurkic saves
Phoenix a boatload of money.
The First
KJ Martin Trade
Detroit receives:
KJ Martin, 2027 2nd round pick (MIL), 2031 2nd
round pick (DAL)
Philadelphia receives: Cash
Detroit Grade: A+
Detroit ultimately traded Martin in another deal, but they
got 2 2nd rounders that have interesting potential. Milwaukee has felt a bit fragile for a couple
years, so it will be interesting to see what they are even as soon as
2027. For 2031, who knows what Dallas
will be by then, so that pick currently has value. It feels like a no-brainer for Detroit.
Philadelphia Grade:
D-
When Philadelphia signed Martin to the deal that they did,
it could not have been their plan to effectively have to dump his salary. They gave up two valuable picks to make the
deal work. While this deal helps them
with financial and tax purposes, it really makes signing Martin to the contract
they did look like a horrible deal.
Kevin
Porter Jr. & MarJon Beauchamp
Los Angeles Clippers receives: MarJon Beauchamp
Milwaukee receives:
Kevin Porter Jr.
Los Angeles Clippers Grade: B
From L.A.’s standpoint, Porter wasn’t playing particularly
well, so they might as well take a flyer on Beauchamp. Beauchamp wasn’t playing much this year, but
he previously showed some upside as a defender with glimpses of shooting and playmaking. He is 24, so there is likely a limited leash
that he will be on, but he’s worth a shot.
Milwaukee Grade:
B-
Milwaukee wasn’t really playing Beauchamp, so this move
saves them a tiny bit of money and gives them Porter, who has shown glimpses of
being a good shooter and playmaker in the past.
I question how the fit will work since he tends to be a bit trigger
happy and has never had good shot selection, though he might be able to provide
a spark from the bench. The two big
issues are his struggles this season and his past issues off-court, including
multiple legal issues. At worst, he is
on a cheap contract that could be dumped onto someone else or waived.
Thomas
Bryant
Note: This trade
occurred in December, but I’m still grading it as if the trade just occurred.
Indiana receives:
Thomas Bryant
Miami receives:
2031 2nd round swap rights
Indiana Grade: A-
All of Indiana’s backup bigs got hurt, so Indiana was able
to get one cheap. Bryant isn’t a good
defender or rebounder at this point, but he is an amazing finisher and a solid
shooter when needed; in other words, you could do a lot worse as a backup point
guard.
Miami Grade: B+
Simply put, Bryant wasn’t playing much in Miami after Kevin
Love came back, so they might as well clear some salary, open a roster spot,
and get something back for him.
P.J.
Tucker & Drew Eubanks
Utah receives:
P.J. Tucker, Mo Bamba, 2030 2nd round pick, Cash
Los Angeles Clippers receives: Drew Eubanks, Patty Mills
Utah Grade: C+
In Utah’s situation, they got a higher grade than I normally
would have given because it made sense that they were able to add Tucker into
another team and get more assets (which is insane for a 39-year-old who has yet
to play this season, but the salary works in that way). Eubanks is a decent backup and Mills is a good
locker room veteran; while I get if they want to move on from either and get
something back, I don’t fully get the return.
They already had swap rights for the 2nd rounder that they
traded (while that would give an additional pick, I would predict the swap
rights would convey, so they’re getting the lower pick) and Bamba was waived,
so I don’t fully get the logic behind it.
Los Angeles Clippers Grade: B+
It was clear that Tucker was going to be traded for
something/someone, and they could certainly do worse with this return. Bamba is really inconsistent, but this trade
replaces him with Eubanks, who is a steady backup big and is much more reliable
than Bamba. Mills likely won’t play much
at this point in his career, but he has a reputation of being an amazing locker
room guy and veteran, so that is absolutely worth including in a trade. They already owed Utah swap rights for this
trade, which I expect will convey, so they’d be giving up the worse pick in the
trade anyways. Not a bad return centered
around a 39-year-old who has yet to play this year.
Reggie
Jackson
Washington receives:
Reggie Jackson, 2026 1st round pick (worst of HOU/LAC/OKC)
Philadelphia receives: Jared Butler, 2027 2nd round pick
(best of GSW/PHO), 2028 2nd round pick (GSW), 2030 2nd
round pick, 2030 2nd round pick (best of PHO/POR)
Washington Grade: C
While this trade was a salary dump since Jackson was waived
already, it brings up the debate: which
is better, several 2nd round picks, or one likely bad 1st
round pick. At this point, I think it
depends on the picks since an early second rounder is close in value than a
late first rounder. The first that
Washington got will likely be late since Houston and Oklahoma City will likely still
be good next season. On the other hand,
the picks involving Phoenix for 2027 and 2030 could be really good (I also find
the 2030 Washington pick intriguing since they’ve struggled to build a winning
team, but it’s not a lock that Washington will still be bad in 5 years. Butler is on a two-way deal and has been
solid when playing this year, so I would have been hesitant to give him
up. The first round pick could have some
value when packaged in a trade, but I think the 4 second rounders would have
more value together than what they got back.
Philadelphia Grade:
A+
Philadelphia managed to save money by getting off Jackson’s
contract, turn a bad first round pick into 4 second rounders with a couple of
them being really intriguing and will return value when moved, open up a roster
spot, and also get a good and intriguing 2-way guy in Butler. If they wanted to go this route, they could sign
Butler to a standard contract, which I wouldn’t blame them since he’s been
solid when he’s played. This feels like a
slam dunk for Philadelphia.
The
Phoenix Pick Trade
Phoenix receives:
2025 1st round pick (worst of CLE/MIN), 2027 1st
round pick (worst of CLE/MIN/UTA), 2029 1st round pick (worst of
CLE/MIN/UTA)
Utah receives:
2031 1st round pick
Phoenix Grade: F
Not all picks are created equally, which is something that
Phoenix quickly found after this trade. While
they made this trade in part to have more picks to offer, there were some
reports that the picks that they had weren’t enough to result in a bigger
move. Ultimately, they used one pick to
dump Jusuf Nurkic’s contract, but they gave up a pick in 2031 that could be an amazing
pick. The two they have remaining aren’t
likely to be great (the 2025 pick will almost certainly be a late first round
pick due to how well Cleveland has been).
I was confused when they made the move, and it already backfired.
Utah Grade: A+
Phoenix’s future picks are among the most valuable in the
league because their team is on the older side and is nearing the end of their
contending window. Considering how many
other picks and swaps they gave up in other trades, they don’t have an easy
path to acquiring young players to build a future around. In other words, there is a solid chance this
could be one of the top picks in the draft, and they only had to give up 3
picks that might not be that amazing by comparison.
Cody
Zeller
Houston receives:
Cody Zeller, 2028 2nd round pick (HOU)
Atlanta receives:
Draft rights to Alpha Kaba (60th pick in 2017)
This is an interesting salary dump. It made sense for Atlanta to make this trade
to clear the spot and save money, but Houston hasn’t waived him yet;
additionally, he has been out all season for personal reasons. I’m not sure if Houston is going to waive
him, but treat it as if it’s a salary dump.
Both teams get B’s.
James
Wiseman
Toronto receives:
James Wiseman, Cash
Indiana receives:
Future 2nd round pick (unsure of year, top-55 protected)
This is a standard salary dump. Wiseman was waived shortly after the
trade. Toronto has the cap room, and
Indiana has the roster spot and salary room to sign another player. Both teams gets B’s.
Daniel
Theis
Oklahoma City receives: Daniel Theis, 2031 2nd round pick
(Worst of NOP/ORL)
New Orleans receives:
Cash
This is a standard salary dump. Theis was waived shortly after the
trade. OKC gets a pick, New Orleans
saved some money with the tax. Both
teams get B’s.
Jaden
Springer
Houston receives:
Jaden Springer, 2027 2nd round pick (worst of NOP/POR, top-55
protected), 2030 2nd round pick
Boston receives:
2031 2nd round pick (top-55 protected)
This is a standard salary dump. Springer was waived shortly after the trade
(I hope he signs with a team that has the room to play him; he’s a solid
player, but is still a bit raw). Houston
gets an additional pick and Boston saves a ton of money in the tax. Both teams get B’s.
Patrick
Baldwin to San Antonio
San Antonio receives:
Patrick Baldwin Jr., Cash
Milwaukee receives: 2026
2nd round pick (uncertain of protections, but probably top-55
protected)
This is a standard salary dump. Baldwin was waived shortly after the
trade. San Antonio had the room to do it
and Milwaukee saved a little bit of money by moving him. Both teams get B’s.
Thunder
and Hornets 2nd round pick swap
Charlotte receives:
2029 2nd round pick (PHO)
Oklahoma City receives:
2030 2nd round pick (there’s a bunch of conditions involved
with it, but it gives them Denver’s pick)
This trade was made because Oklahoma City has a lot of 2nd
round picks in 2029. Both teams get B’s.
What did you think of the trade deadline? Any trades that you found interesting? What grades do you disagree with me about? Let me know in the comments!
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