While you were asleep, the Trade Deadline woke up from its 2-year slumber, sending shockwaves to the competitive landscape of the NBA. With teams heading towards different directions, roster improvements and asset collection were two primary objectives meant to be achieved by involved parties. Before you log on to fantasy, get your facts straight and embrace the madness.
(Disclaimer: Exact picks will be updated once more details have been confirmed.)
PLAYOFF RECALIBRATION
- POR receives: Arron Afflalo & Alonzo Gee
DEN receives: Will Barton, Victor Claver & Thomas Robinson
lottery-protected 2016 first-round pick & 2016 second-round pick (both from Portland)
Back in a winning position, Arron Afflalo is primed to bring consistency to a Portland bench that GM Neil Olshey felt was inferior to its playoff peers. As for Denver, they’re finding pieces which they can start the rebuilding process with and aside from Thomas Robinson, these picks were a nice return for their proven scorer.
TRADING POINTS
- MIA receives: Goran Dragic & Zoran Dragic
PHX receives: Danny Granger, Norris Cole, Shawne Williams & Justin Hamilton, two first-round picks (from Miami)
Goran Dragic, Dwyane Wade, Luol Deng, Chris Bosh, and Hassan Whiteside. No team in its sane mind would be excited to face this starting lineup of former champions, All-Stars, and a wild X-Factor. Miami may have just set its course in the post-LeBron era. As for Phoenix, this was probably the best offer they had on the table given that the league knew their hands were tied with Dragic expressing publicly wanting out of the desert. Even with the trade, the Heat’s first-round pick will land in the 16-20 range most likely.
- DET receives: Reggie Jackson
OKC receives: DJ Augustin, Kyle Singler, Steve Novak & Enes Kanter
2019 second-round pick
UTA receives: Kendrick Perkins, Grant Jerrett, two draft picks, rights to Tibor Pleiss
Addressing the need of bolstering their bench with Enes Kanter and replacing their unhappy backup point guard with DJ Augustin in just two transactions, Sam Presti made himself look like a genius once again with those shrewd moves. Pulling out of a deal that would have snatched Brook Lopez in the last minute and maneuvering their way to the best trade possible, bravo OKC. Bravo. With the recent re-jiggering of the Suns, it appears more and more likely that the Thunder will make it to the West’s elite eight.
Now a #freeman, Reggie Jackson has the platform to prove he is a starter in this league. If he can lead the Pistons to the playoffs, he will get that “market max contract,” joining Detroit’s promising future with Andre Drummond. As for Utah, not that I dislike Kendrick Perkins but it felt like a panic move to ship out Enes Kanter just for that.
- MIL receives: Michael Carter-Williams, Tyler Ennis & Miles Plumlee
PHX receives: Brandon Knight, Kendall Marshall
PHI receives: 2015 top-five protected first-round pick (from Phoenix, via Los Angeles Lakers)
After stocking their team with four point guards, Phoenix eventually shipped three of them to acquire one alongside Eric Bledsoe. In essence, Brandon Knight, who in my eyes is an All-Star, was acquired in exchange of Tyler Ennis (not part of the rotation), Miles Plumlee (see Alex Len), and a 2015 top-five protected first-round pick (the price to pay). His skill set of 3-point shooting and ball-handling complements the fast-paced style that Coach Jeff Hornacek likes to run, but the inexperience will show should they hold onto that 8th seed.
It was surprising to see Sixers GM Sam Hinkie let Michael Carter-Williams go just like that despite fans believing he was part of their so-called “Phuture.” The only reason that makes sense for me is that they’re eyeing Emmanuel Mudiay of the Guangdong Tigers with their own pick, and either Kevon Looney (PF, UCLA) or Stanley Johnson (SF, Arizona) to solidify their front court should the Lakers surrender their pick. Should the Lakers keep their pick this year, it becomes only top-three protected in the 2016 draft.
As for the Bucks, it’s obvious that Jason Kidd sees himself in MCW and at 6′ 6″, he will more than improve his coach’s philosophy of positionless basketball. With Larry Sander’s buyout in the fold, there is room for Plumlee to contribute.
- BOS receives: Isaiah Thomas
PHX receives: Marcus Thornton, 2016 first-round pick (from Boston via Cleveland)
Boston’s interest in I.T. has long been chronicled and given that the Celtics weren’t ready to hand over the reigns to Marcus Smart yet, the price to pay was just right. At the same time, this is not to say that Smart isn’t the future but he will be groomed first by the speedy devil. As for that 2016 first-round pick, it will most likely land in the mid to high 20s plus they’ve still got a trove of assets in their treasure chest.
- SAC receives: Andre Miller
WAS receives: Ramon Sessions
Can’t blame George Karl and his affinity with Andre Miller.
HOMECOMING TOUR
- MIN receives: Kevin Garnett & a full bag of nostalgia
BKN receives: Thaddeus Young
ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE!!!
After waiving his no trade clause, Kevin Garnett is reuniting with former head coach Flip Saunders, coming home to the team that drafted him. It’s finally gone full circle for KG, and apart from grooming the young’ns, it seems apparent that he will transition to a front office role thereafter. For the Nets, it wasn’t as splashy as those other trades but it quietly gets the job done in getting more offense from Thad Young.
- BOS receives: Jonas Jerebko & Luigi Datome
DET receives: Tayshaun Prince
I’m not sure what coach Stan Van Gundy told general manager Stan Van Gundy but probably wanted to reacquire the former Detroit Piston champion as a veteran who could guide the young team to the playoffs.
NON-STORY BUT FYI
- HOU receives: KJ McDaniels
PHI receives: Isaiah Canaan, second-round pick (from Houston)
Morey: “Hey Hinkie, you got a steal in Robert Covington!”
Hinkie: “Yeah, I know. Thanks for waiving him!”
Morey: “Would you be willing to trade him for…”
Hinkie: “He’s part of our future.”
Morey: “If it weren’t for me, you wouldn’t be…”
Hinkie: “Fine. Someone else, instead.”
Morey: “That Clemson kid.”
Hinkie: “For?”
Morey: “Isaiah.”
Hinkie: “Our undersized point guard?”
Morey: *snickers* “And a second.”
Hinkie: “Done.”
Morey: “Done.”
Hinkie: “Don’t use that if-it-weren’t-for-you line again, Daryl.”
Morey: *dork laugh* “‘Til next time, Sam!”
In other words, a wink wink deal.
- PHX receives: John Salmons
NOP receives: Norris Cole
Jrue Holiday might still be out for another month after aggravating his leg injury. Norris Cole is an insurance policy for their point guard position as they hang tough in the race to the final playoff seed in the West.
- PHX receives: Ish Smith, protected 2015 second-round pick, rights to forward Latavious Williams, cash considerations
OKC receives: protected 2016 second-round pick
Norris Cole ain’t enough so we got Ish Smith as insurance to the insurance said the current Pelicans GM Dell Demps.
- NYK receives: Alexey Shved, 2017 & 2019 second-round picks (from Houston)
HOU receives: Pablo Prigioni
I don’t want to know what the guards up West will do to Pablo Prigioni and his dignity but I can assure you, it won’t be a sight to watch. As for the Knicks, I hope those picks turn into something.
“WTF?!”
- PHI receives: JaVale McGee, 2015 protected first-round pick (from Denver via Oklahoma City), rights to Chukwudiebere Maduabum
DEN receives: rights to Turkish professional player Cenk Akyol
I decline for further comment.
urbancrossover 