Feb 96 min read

Deadline Drama

NBA News - NBA Trade-Deadline - Spittin' Cap

Deadline drama... ish.

The dust is settled as the NBA trade-deadline has now passed. Frankly, for fans it was quite underwhelming after last year's deadline that saw Kevin Durant, D'Angelo Russell, and Mike Conley Jr. be dealt. This year's deadline didn't see a top-10 player like Durant ship to a new squad, but we did get a boat load of trades hit the wire. After writing that, allow me to clarify: the final week of the deadline was underwhelming. All in all it was solid... we did have two big trades happen with Pascal Siakam joining Indiana and OG Anunoby joining New York. The final day was meh, however. We had 15 trades the day of the deadline, three the day before, and 23 overall during the season. I have some quick reflection and grades to run through with the ones that just went down.

There wasn't too many overly won trades. We had the common overpays, but for the most part, the trades were just for depth, salary purposes, or to receive draft capital. Three moves jumped out to me the most with the Suns, Knicks, and Mavericks doing some of the best work in the chat room. All three squads brought in multiple pieces to help elevate each team in the latter part of the season and in the playoffs.

Mavericks got active and in a good way. Dallas struck two deals in the final moments to land a new Power Forward and a stud Center. The stud Center being perhaps the best all-around pickup on the final day. Mavericks acquired Daniel Gafford from the Wizards in exchange for Richaun Holmes and a 2024 1st-Round Pick which was swapped between OKC and Dallas (2028 1st-Round of Mavs). I love this trade for the Mavericks. Love it. Not only do they now have wonderful Center depth between Gafford and Dereck Lively II, but the two create a damn good 1-2 punch at the position. Mavericks are much better after this acquisition. Gafford doesn't pop off the screen to the casual viewer, but he is playing like a top-35 all around player this season. The cat has the 2nd-best field-goal percentage in the NBA; has the 35th best Player Efficiency Rating; and ranks 7th in the league in blocks per game. Only 25 years old, Gafford now gets a grand opportunity in Dallas. From the basement of the East, to a piece for a contender in the West. Mavs also have him locked until 2026. Same with their other addition in P.J. Washington.

I am effy on the Washington add. They gave up a fair share for a guy who is a drag on defense, a 40% shooter, and a lackluster free-throw shooter. The 2027 first round pick wasn't necessarily, but at least they can move on from Grant Williams and have a good replacement in Washington. Williams and Washington go hand and hand minus the BS. I like to see Dallas be active as they look to be a big player in the playoffs. Suns and Knicks used the same game-plan. New York adjusted their rotation and brough in two veteran pieces from the Pistons to help elevate the their rotation. Pistons sent Bojan Bogdanović and Alec Burks to New York in exchange for Quentin Grimes, Evan Fournier, Malachi Flynn, and two second round picks. Burks is a good wing off the bench and Bogdanović fits well in the starting rotation (with Randle out) along OG Anunoby and Jalen Brunson and will be a stellar piece off the bench when Randle gets healthy. Knicks got better versatility and experience with this trade. Bravo.

Suns made a great trade as well; one that was similar to the Knicks'. Phoenix adjusted their roster by sending out four non-fits to the Nets in exchange for forward Royce O'Neale. Suns also received forward David Roddy from the Grizzlies in the same trade. Both guys give the Suns a better look off the bench. O'Neale should be a solid fit; they just hope he can play better in the playoffs than he has in the past few years. Neither guy shakes the ground, but they are better fits than the four the Suns sent out. Good clean up with just one trade. All three teams get a B-B+ for their work at the deadline. No As this year.

My worst moves from this deadline don't spur off outrage by any means, but I had to pick two that received my lower grades. Some will be surprised by this, but I don't like the Buddy Hield to Philly trade for the 76ers. They needed a good shooter, and get that with Hield... he's just not consistently good. Daryl Morey needed to make a splash at this deadline to extend the 76ers' season, and didn't. Buddy Hield the grand prize? Please! Morey failed and continues to fail time and time again. With Embiid lost for possibly the entire season- you can kiss Philadelphia's chances in the Eastern Conference goodbye. Good luck Tyrese Maxey.

I wasn't moved by the Hield move, and I sure as hell wasn't moved by the Gordon Hayward to OKC move. Nothin' but a swap of sh**ty contracts. Hornets dish Gordon Hayward to the Thunder in exchange for Tre Mann, Vasilije Micic, and Davis Bertans. Thunder bring in an incoming $33.3M of salary and ship out $27.9M making the deal cost $5.4M, three players, and two future second-round draft picks ('24 & '25). I can understand this move by Sam Presti; I'm just not about it. Investing in Hayward post 2017 has been a losing game. I will say, in a fantasy that Hayward can stay on the hardwood, who hasn't played since the end of December (calf), the addition is solid in terms of comparing Hayward to current starter at the Thunder's 3: Luguentz Dort.

Hayward would likely give more production to the Thunder than Dort, but would need to stay healthy in order for that to come to fruition. Hayward is slated to return to action shortly after the All-Star break, with a new team and new vibe going from basement East to the current 2-seed in the West. Lets see what comes from this deal... my optimism is low. Hayward and SGA do sound good off ponder. The potential is there, just wouldn't bet on it. Not like Presti did. I would have liked to see Presti improve the 2, rather upgrading Giddey or getting another good option behind/with Giddey. Gilgeous-Alexander is a maestro on the O, no doubt, but getting a more consistent scoring threat next to him in the backcourt would do wonders. This trade ends with one note: it's better to throw away money on Hayward potential than Bertans' hefty-bag partnership.

I look at the 76ers' depth chart and just shake my head, yo. It's so bad, especially when you move Embiid's nameplate away for the season. Tyrese Maxey is currently the Bugatti while the rest of the team is the beat-down and rusted trailer (iykyk). All Morey did was make the depth worse. Sure, the addition of Hield is nice depth wise at the 2, but ya downgraded your point depth, forward depth, and defensive depth. Hield on the second rotation of the 76ers is doom waiting to happen with Cameron Payne now the backup point with Pat Beverley shipped to Milwaukee. It's going to be a long final stretch of the season in Philly.

Knicks have completely elevated their rotation from trades in the past month to give the team real potential in the Eastern Conference as they are one of the three hottest teams on the hardwood right now with two veteran pieces ready to join the fray and supply production to the unit. Knicks adding OG Anunoby, Bojan Bogdanović, and Alec Burks is big-time. I'm talkin' big-time! The team is far better and more sound after the moves. We will see that in full form when Randle returns from injury (shoulder).

New York's bench has been elevated with Bojan and Burks joining the fray, especially with Anunoby and Randle feelin' their injury bugs. Defense has been elevated. Spacing has been elevated. Most importantly, the bench's experience got better. Great work by Leon Rose since the firing of Scott Perry. Who would have thought we would go into the All-Star break with the Knicks comfortably the second most dangerous team in the East? None of us did.

Knicks are 16-4 since the Anunoby trade (he hasn't played in all 20 games) and have catapulted into legitimacy atop the East with the steady decline of the 76ers, Bucks, and Pacers. Once we see the two new additions of Bogdanović & Burks in the picture, we will be considering the Knicks a title contender going into the playoffs. Top-2 behind the Celtics. Just stellar work all around. In the front office. In the coaching circle. On the hardwood. All around. Knicks are striving! They are my biggest winner at the deadline when you include the Anunoby trade. Excited to see where this rotation goes this season with the decline of the Bucks and 76ers. If they get Randle and Anunoby to stay healthy going into the playoffs, then watch out for the Knicks!

Deadline Drama

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