The NBA trade deadline ended up with one big trade and number of rumors. The biggest names floated around were Paul George and Jimmy Butler which both stayed. The Boston Celtics were the loser of the deadline by not making a move. The team has one star and some young talent with a mixture of older guys as well, but having two stars would have made them a bonafide contender in the East. The biggest winner of the trade deadline the New Orleans Pelicans who got the best center in the NBA for a couple throw in players, a first round pick, second round pick, and Buddy Hield. The Cavaliers and Warriors both came out winners without making any moves. Neither the East or the West got that much better to be considered the favorites. That doesn't mean either team couldn't get upset on the road to the finals with the Rockets adding Lou Williams and in play for buyout players and the Raptors adding Ibaka and PJ Tucker to an already talented team. The Oklahoma City Thunder made a move which is was underrated in acquiring Taj Gibson and Doug McDermott. Doug McDermott is a shooter and scorer, and Taj Gibson can get rebounds and shoot the mid-range shot. Kyle Korver is another pickup who has proven to be rejuvenated and helped by LeBron's passing skill since being acquired by the Cleveland Cavaliers. Nerlens Noel was a solid pickup for the Dallas Mavericks who are still in the playoff race. The trade deadline didn't have but one "WoW" trade, but had some solid under the radar trades that could help playoff teams. Each trade this season is below and graded:
October 16
Chicago Bulls received: Michael Carter-Williams - A
Milwaukee Bucks received: Tony Snell - B-
Chicago got a solid point guard with no shooting ability at very low price to pay. The Bucks didn't need a big point guard with Giannis taking care of the ball handling. The trade is fairly even, but Chicago won it based on the better player going there.
November 1
Philadelphia 76ers received: Ersan Ilyasova, 2017 first-round pick (top-20 protected) - B+
Oklahoma City Thunder received: Jerami Grant - C
The 76ers add a pick and on top of that, a guy who they move later on for some 2nd round draft picks and an expiring contract. The 76ers aren't winning this year, but they are on the right path to building a contending team if health allows it. The Thunder gave up a first round pick for a decent defender and one of the better athletes. For what wasn't a big trade seemed like a steep price to pay for a role player.
January 5
Cleveland Cavaliers received: Kyle Korver - A
Atlanta Hawks received: Mike Dunleavy, Mo Williams, 2019 first-round pick - A
Kyle Korver was declining with the Hawks, but for the Cavaliers, it was another shooter to put around LeBron. The Hawks got a similar guy in Dunleavy and a 2019 first-round pick which if everything goes as planned for the Cavaliers it will be near the end. Both teams get a high grade for this trade that is an even trade considering Korver was declining.
February 2
Charlotte Hornets received: Miles Plumlee - D
Milwaukee Bucks received: Roy Hibbert, Spencer Hawes - B-
The Hornets took on a huge contract for a guy who wasn't hardly playing for the Bucks. Plumlee can be a solid backup in the NBA, but with that said he is still being overpaid. The addition of Hawes and Hibbert weren't that bad with Hibbert having an expiring contract and Hawes making half the money of Plumlee with only one year left. Hibbert is way past his prime and near retirement but Hawes can shoot the three and be a solid center for a team as a backup.
February 12
Denver Nuggets received: Mason Plumlee, 2018 second-round pick - C-
Portland Trailblazers received: Jusuf Nurkic, 2017 first-round pick (via Grizzles, top-five protected - A+
The Denver Nuggets needed to get rid of Jusuf Nurkic and they did that but cost them a first-round pick, but Mason Plumlee's contract will expire and they have the option to keep or not. Mason Plumlee is a solid player who can start in this league with his athleticism and passing ability for a big man. The main problem with this trade is they have a center that is very talented and that's why they gave up a center in the trade. Portland got the best end of this deal by adding a young center and on top of that a first-round draft pick.
February 14
Toronto Raptors received: Serge Ibaka - B+
Orlando Magic received: Terrence Ross, 2017 first-round pick (lottery protected) - C-
Toronto gave up a pick to get a power forward in decline, but Ibaka has a variety of skills. Ibaka can shoot, defend, and gives a team pick and roll options. If this was Ibaka of 3 years ago this would be an easy A plus but it is an Ibaka who has seen a dip in numbers. Orlando gets a C for the players they gave up in order to get Ibaka from the Thunder and what they got in return from the Raptors.
February 19
New Orleans Pelicans received: DeMarcus Cousins, Omri Casspi - A+
Sacramento Kings received: Buddy Hield, Tyreke Evans, Langston Galloway, 2017 first-round pick (top-three protected), 2017 second-round pick - B-
New Orleans got the best center in the NBA without giving up much. For them to get Cousins for what amounts to a 2017 first-round pick and a young four-year college player in Buddy Hield is a steal. Buddy could potentially be a star, but at the mid-point of his first year, the ceiling looks lower. The first-round pick is interesting because if the Pelicans can't win this year and stumble they could potentially get to keep their pick in a very interesting draft. Sacramento gets a B minus because they needed to get rid of Cousins. The Kings may have taken a bad deal, but Cousins was becoming a culture problem for the Kings. Cousins is a hot head who has trouble controlling emotions and racks up technical fouls. The change for both player and team could be beneficial in the long run.
February 21
Houston Rockets received: Lou Williams - C+
Los Angeles Lakers received: Corey Brewer, 2017 first-round pick - A-
Houston gains more scoring and one of the better guys every to come off the bench in the NBA. The reason for the C plus is because they have tons of scoring options and they needed to add to the defense. As we have seen all year scoring isn't going to be a problem for the Rockets and even more now that they got Williams. The Lakers gave up a player who wasn't going to help them in the long run and received a first-round pick which will be near the end but it is something they can work with down the road.
February 22
Atlanta Hawks received: Ersan Ilyasova - C
Philadelphia 76ers: Tiago Splitter, 2017 second-round pick, swap rights to 2017 second-round pick - B
Atlanta gets a guy who is becoming a well traveled around player in the league. Already traded once this year from the Thunder, it seems to suggest that he isn't beneficial to a team. Ilyasova is a solid player who can be a solid player off the bench. Philadelphia 76ers win this trade by gaining two 2nd-round picks and an expiring contract.
Washington Wizards received: Bojan Bogdanovic, Chris McCullough - A-
Brooklyn Nets received: Andrew Nicholson, Marcus Thornton, 2017 first-round pick (lottery protected) - A
Washington has been looking for bench pieces and finally got a guy who can do a little bit of everything. Bojan is a perfect player to come off the bench who can score 20-25 on any given night. At 6'7" he is a versatile player that does every aspect of the game well. The Nets, on the other hand, aren't going anywhere fast other than to the bottom of the East. With the Nets in disarray getting rid of a player and grabbing a pick to draft young talent was the right choice to make.
February 23
Toronto Raptors received: P.J. Tucker - B
Phoenix Suns received: Jared Sullinger, two second-round picks - B-
P.J. Tucker gives the Raptors a solid player coming off the bench and didn't have to give up but and often injured Jared Sullinger and future second-round picks. The Suns aren't doing anything in the West so adding a few picks didn't hurt them for the future.
Phoenix Suns received: Mike Scott - C
Atlanta Hawks received: Cash - C
This trade doesn't really help either team that much so I just gave it an even C. Mike Scott has some shooting ability for a power forward which could help a team out, but not a Suns team who are bad.
Los Angeles Lakers received: Tyler Ennis - B-
Houston Rockets received: Marcelo Huertas - B-
This trade basically gave the Lakers a young guy to see what he has in a well-traveled player in Ennis. This gives the Rockets a roster space after they cut Huertas to try to get into the buyout market.
Brooklyn Nets received: K.J. McDaniels - B+
Houston Rockets received: draft pick - B-
See above for why the Rockets made the move. For Brooklyn to get a young athletic player for basically nothing was a nice pickup. McDaniels has potential to come in and play right away and give them some versatility.
Denver Nuggets received: Roy Hibbert - C-
Milwaukee Bucks received: protected second-round pick - C-
The fact that Denver recently picked up Mason Plumlee made this move interesting. Hibbert is not the same player he once was but he still has size. The Bucks basically gave a guy away for nothing to get rid of him so it's a pretty even trade.
Dallas Mavericks received: Nerlens Noel - B-
Philadelphia 76ers received: Andrew Bogut, Justin Anderson, 2017 first-round pick (protected 1-18) - B+
Dallas got a center that it has been looking for, but an unproven center for a first-round pick. There is a chance they get to keep the pick this year which would actually make this trade A plus for them. They got rid of Andrew Bogut who is getting bought out and who didn't want to be there in the first place. Philadelphia adds a draft pick and young shooting guard in Justin Anderson who has potential to get some good minutes for them. The 76ers had too many centers and at least one of them had to go and they decided that Noel had the better value.
Oklahoma City Thunder received: Doug McDermott, Taj Gibson, 2018 second-round pick - A+
Chicago Bulls received: Cameron Payne, Anthony Morrow, Joffrey Lauvergne - B-
The Thunder made a great move to acquire players to put around Westbrook. McDermott has a lethal outside shot, but he is a little more versatile of a scorer than people give him credit for. Taj is a hard worker down low who can pop out and shoot the midrange. Along with those two guys, they get a second round pick to top it off. Chicago got rid of an expiring contract to pick up a player that teams are very high on in Cameron Payne. I'm not sold on Payne as a starting point guard of the future, but if he pans out this would be considered an even trade. Joffrey Lauvergne could potentially be a rotation guy on the Bulls team.
Biggest Winners
New Orleans Pelicans
Oklahoma City Thunder
Cleveland Cavaliers
Portland Trailblazers
Biggest Losers
Sacramento Kings (based on they could have got more)
Charlotte Hornets
Boston Celtics (not making a move)
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