The NBA trade deadline is by far the most exciting in all of the four major sports in my opinion because you can get some very interesting deals with multiple players and teams AND draft picks. If you want to know the key to trades in NBA, it is draft picks and cap space. That is because trades do not happen between two contenders. They happen between one team trying to make a jump or solidify their bench and the other is looking to better their draft status or cap space for free agency.
All that being said, our big blockbuster trade didn’t actually happen at the deadline but happened a few days before when the Sacramento Kings dealt DeMarcus (Boogie) Cousins to New Orleans. See below for my breakdown of a few of the big trades! You will occasionally find where a line may start with “DA” which stands for “Devil’s Advocate.” Trying something new, let me know if it’s interesting.
The Teams: Dallas Mavericks – Philadelphia 76ers
Dallas receives: Nerlens Noel (C)
Philly receives: (G) Justin Anderson, (C) Andrew Bogut, 2017 protected first round pick
Breakdown – This is a good trade for Dallas. Noel has shown flashes of being a great rim protector and they did not give up anything they were not willing to let go of. They will be competing with the other teams for the 8 spot in the West. The pick protection is if the pick falls between 1-18 then Dallas gets to keep it.
(DA) Yes, but why are the Mavericks trying? Dirk Novitzki is well past his prime and they don’t measure up with Houston, Golden State, or San Antonio.
(Me) Well if you don’t try or at least look like you are trying then you get fired like Sam Hinkie.
The Teams: Oklahoma City Thunder – Chicago Bulls
OKC receives: (F) Taj Gibson, (F) Doug McDermott, unprotected 2018 second round pick
Chicago receives: (F) Joffrey Lauvergne, (G) Anthony Morrow, (G) Cameron Payne
Breakdown – Don’t expect all those players that Chicago got to be on the team next year, you can view this as a slight rebuilding. I say slight because they didn’t deal their huge piece, Jimmy Butler, which rumors were flying around about him. OKC on the other hand gets two pieces to make their weak bench better with shooting from McDermott and rebounding from Gibson. Second round picks mean very little but it’s not nothing.
(DA) You know – Draymond Green, Marc Gasol, and Manu Ginobli were all drafted in the second round.
(Me) You know there are twelve players drafted in the second round of 2016 that have never played in the NBA?
The Teams: Houston Rockets – Los Angeles Lakers
Houston receives: (G) Lou Williams
Los Angeles receives: (G) Corey Brewer, 2017 first round pick
Breakdown – The Houston Rockets just added one of the best “6th man” in the league and the Los Angeles Lakers leading scorer. So this was a good trade for them. Lakers do a get a first round draft pick in a deep draft (everyone and their mother is saying so), but it will likely fall in the mid to upper 20s as Houston could finish with the second best record in the West.
(DA) Moving away from the veteran Lou Williams should really help with being able to give more time to young players on the Lakers and help them develop more as scorers in the 4th quarter. The Lakers are rebuilding and could possibly snag some great free agents in the future.
(Me) If you are speaking about Kevin Durant or Steph Curry – that is not going to happen. The Lakers are in flux and no huge name will just throw care to the wind just because it is the Lakers.
The Teams: Washington Wizards – Brooklyn Nets
Washington receives: (F) Bojan Bogdanovic, (F) Chris McCullough
Brooklyn receives: (F) Andrew Nicholson, (G) Marcus Thornton, 2017 first round pick
Breakdown – The two big pieces exchanged are Bogdanovic and the 2017 first rounder. The Wizards gained a valuable bench (though he didn’t help them to beat the 76ers the other night) without giving up too much. I say they didn’t give up too much because Ernie Grunfeld (Wizard’s GM) cannot be trusted with draft picks.
(DA) Ernie has actually made good on many trades acquiring veteran talent for John Wall and Bradley Beal.
(Me) Ernie is also the longest tenured GM in the NBA without a title. How does that happen?
The Teams: New Orleans Pelicans – Sacramento Kings
New Orleans receives: (C) DeMarcus Cousins, (F) Omri Casspi
Sacramento receives: (G) Buddy Hield, (G/F) Tyreke Evans, (G) Langston Galloway, 2017 first round pick, 2017 second round pick
Breakdown – This was the blockbuster that everyone was talking about this past President’s Day! These trades don’t usually happen. A blue chip player that was received on the relative cheap. The Kings finally started to part ways with Boogie and go into full rebuilding.
The crazy thing about this trade is that Divac (King’s GM) stated that he had a better offer a couple days before and was worried he wouldn’t get as much. Not very heartening for Kings fans. It is a good thing for that GM that the owner is even more clueless. The man thinks Buddy Hield could be Steph Curry and he also did this:
Not that I think this trade is good for New Orleans. People are drinking the Kool-Aid with Boogie Cousins. He is a great player, but he is a big man in a shooters NBA. And last time I checked two great centers will not win you an NBA championship anymore. Last ones may have been Duncan and Robinson in 2003 for the San Antonio.
(DA) That may be
but shooter’s can’t shoot if they never get the rebound. Both Boogie and Anthony Davis are among the leaders in rebounding.
(Me) Yes, but are they both going to be in the lineup in the fourth quarter? What if the other team goes small? The addition of Boogie Cousins is great until teams in the playoffs start locking people down and you can’t spread the floor anymore.
There were a few teams that could have made a move and did not this past deadline. The most notable of which is the Boston Celtics who have Brooklyn’s first rounder this year and next year. It is disappointing to see teams not give it everything to try and knock the Cavaliers out of the top spot in the East.
That is my trade deadline wrap-up! Joey, I still need my ice cream.
