Ben Talks Ball

It’s trade season across the NBA! With an unprecedented amount of parity in the league, everyone’s looking for the one piece that can put them over the top. This is a running thread of my instant reactions, grades, and thoughts on all of the trades before the deadline, updated as they occur. Happy trade season, folks!

Feburay 8th and 9th:

Holy shit, that was one of the most insane deadlines of all-time. For simplicity’s sake, instead of going trade by trade we’ll grade team by team, summarizing all the pieces they have going in and out in one section. No more wasting time, let’s just get started.

Phoenix Suns:

Incoming assets: Kevin Durant(!!), TJ Warren, Darius Bazely

Outgoing assets: Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, Jae Crowder, Dario Saric, 4 unprotected 1st round picks (23′, 25′, 27′, 29′), a 1st round pickswap (28′), 1 second round pick

I’ll start here, because everything started here. Once KD got traded, the floodgates opened. At roughly 10 PM on Thursday night, (1 AM on the East Coast!), Woj dropped the bombshell: Kevin Durant was on the move. I said on Tuesday that the Nets would only move him for a king’s ransom, and they certainly got that. We’ll worry about that later. Right now, this trade makes the Phoenix the favorite in a previously wide open Western Conference. Giving up a DPOY candidate and a young 3 and D wing hurts for sure, yet none of that quite matters when you get one of the 25 best players of all-time in exchange. The offensive fit of Durant with Devin Booker and Chirs Paul is obvious, but defensively this is a savvy move as well. Deandre Ayton and TJ Warren rounding out the starting 5 them allows KD to play as the weakside rim protecter. It’s the same role he played in Golden State, in case you were wondering.

TJ Warren is a crucial addition in this trade as well, his ability to check the tougher assignments will allow Phoenix to hide Chris Paul on defense much more easily. Darius Bazely is a fine pickup to reinforce a now depleted wing rotation, he’s a good defender and can offer something on offense as a big bodied cutter through the lane. Dario Saric is a good player, but one made expendable by the capable play of Bismack Biyombo and Jock Landale in the backup 5 spot.

Losing Mikal Bridges and Cam Johnson is tough, both were fan favorites and key pieces of that 2020 team that gave Phoenix their first finals appearance since the 80s. As does losing control of 5 future firsts. But greatness requires sacrifice. Kevin Durant is a guy worth making those sacrifices for. Worry about the future later, the Suns are now the favorites in the once wide open Western Conference.

Suns’ Grade: A+

Brooklyn Nets:

Incoming: Dorian Finney-Smith, Spencer Dinwiddie, Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, 5 unprotected 1st round picks (23′, 25′, 27′, 29′(PHX), 29′(DAL)), a 1st round pickswap (28′), 3 2nds

Outgoing: Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, TJ Warren, Jae Crowder, Markieff Morris

I already talked about the Nets side of the Kyrie trade, but I’d be remiss if I didn’t give them a brief update section here. Brooklyn brought in a stable of switchable defensive wings who can hit shots and a point guard averaging 17 and 5. This surrounding an All-Defensive team candidate in Nic Claxton, an empowered Cam Thomas (aka the youngest player to ever have 3 straight 40 point games), Ben Simmons, and snipers like Yuta Watanabe and Joe Harris, and you have a team that will still win you a lot of games. The superteam era is over in Brooklyn, and in it’s place is a likeable group of good to great players.

Mikal Bridges is a name to watch, as he’ll have the chance to develop his creation skills even more. If there was player to be on becoming a star in Brooklyn, it’d be Bridges. This team won’t win a title, but they will give a higher seed absolute hell in a playoff series. Also, they’re just so much more fun and less stressful then the KD-Kyrie-Harden soap opera of the last few years. The Nets are in a good place, both today and for the future. Even if they gave up two future Hall of Famers.

Nets’ (Final) Grade: A-

Los Angeles Clippers:

Incoming: Eric Gordon, Mason Plumlee, Bones Hyland, three 2nd rounders

Outgoing: Reggie Jackson, Luke Kennard, John Wall, two 2nds (24′, 25′)

The Clippers roster was one that needed more of a reshuffling then a complete rework. Their deadline moves reflected that. LA managed to get a few steals, most notably acquiring Bones Hyland for essentially nothing. Hyland had worn out his welcome in Denver’s locker room, and the Nuggets were desperate to get him out. It only cost two seconds to acquire the 22 year old sparkplug. Bones may be lacking defensively and be raw as a playmaker, but he can score the hell out of the ball. Every contender needs a player that can get hot and steal a game or two in a playoff series, and Bones is that guy.

This trade made Reggie Jackson expendable, netting Mason Plumlee from the Hornets. Plumlee’s been having a career year and Charlotte wanted to reward for being a good veteran by letting him choose which contender he wanted to be traded to. The Clips need center depth to give Ivica Zubac some much needed rest, it was a match made in heaven. Eric Gordon was another veteran rescued from a tanking team, but doing so required sending legitimate piece in Luke Kennard to a rival contender to get the deal done in a three team trade. Kennard, while a sniper from deep, gets hunted on D come playoffs. Gordon gives the Clippers a wing that can’t be hunted and can still knock down some shots. Overall, not the splash trade for a player like Fred VanVleet many expected, but a really solid job of polishing up around the edges.

Clippers’ Grade: B

Denver Nuggets

Incoming: Thomas Bryant, Reggie Jackson(buyout market), two 2nds (24′, 25′)

Outgoing: Bones Hyland, Davon Reed, three 2nds (25′, 26′, 29′)

The number 1 seed in the Western Conference went into the deadline with two goals: get off of Bones Hyland and find a better backup center then 34 year old DeAndre Jordan. They got both done. He wasn’t their first choice, but snagging Thomas Bryant from the Lakers is a fine move. Bryant isn’t a great defensive player, but he’s a hustler and has a sneaky good shot. The Bones Hyland situation is unfortunate all around, but Denver did the right thing and got rid of the problem before it brought down the rest of the locker room.

We don’t know all the details, but it’s clear there was a rift between Hyland and Jamal Murray. Murray is the Nuggets’ second best player and proven playoff performer. Bones isn’t. Still, Hyland’s a talented player, and you can certainly split hairs over the return they got for him. That said, something tells me this may be addition by subtraction. Reggie Jackson’s had a down year, but he’s a solid piece for a team that needed guard depth. If you think of the trade as Bones for Reggie + two 2nds, it looks a little rosier.

Nuggets’ Grade: B-

Milwaukee Bucks:

Incoming: Jae Crowder

Outgoing: Jordan Nwora, George Hill, Serge Ibaka, five 2nds

The Bucks are all in. They’re the oldest team in the NBA, with an average age of 30 across the roster. They still have the core of the team that won the championship two years ago. If you’ll remember, the deadline in that title year saw them picking up PJ Tucker. Tucker, a gritty 3 and D guy, wound up starting in 19 of Milwaukee’s 23 playoff games. His defensive acrumen and attitude set the tone for the rest of the team, and his shooting ability ensured he wouldn’t be an offensive liability.

Since letting him walk in free agency, the Bucks have tried to replicate this skillset to no avail. Now they think Crowder can be that guy, and I agree. While he’s a little more shot happy and certainly more rusty (he hasn’t played all season after holding out from the Suns), Crowder’s been a starter on two teams that have reached the Finals (notably on the Phoenix team the Bucks beat in the 20-21 season), and his resume suggests the 32 year old will be able to return to from. 5 seconds is pricy for a role-player however, especially one that’s not under contract next season. But that’s all they gave up, (Ibaka, Nwora, and Hill were all out of rotation anyway). Should Crowder play like the Crowder of old, it’s very easy to picture a future where Milwaukee hoists their second trophy in three years.

Bucks’ Grade: B+

Indiana Pacers:

Incoming: Jordan Nwora, George Hill, Serge Ibaka(waived), two 2nds

Outgoing: Cash considerations

Brooklyn and Milwaukee needed somewhere to dump the salary nessacery to complete the Jae Crowder trade. Indiana was game, thanks to their wealth of cap space and losing record. As a reward for helping the two teams complete the deal, they get a young forward with upside in Jordan Nwora and some 2nds. Nwora will have the rest of the season to prove he deserves a role in Indiana’s future plans. I’m not high on him as a prospect, but he’s worth taking a longer look at.

Nothing ground breaking, just some solid business from a team trying accumulate young talent.

Pacers’ Grade: B

Boston Celtics:

Incoming: Mike Muscala

Outgoing: Justin Jackson, two 2nds

The Celtics have the best record in the league, and somehow have a deeper roster then the one that just made the finals last year. Yet they still somehow got better at the deadline. Robert Williams and Al Horford are a phenominal front court, but both have battled injuries all season. If they couldn’t go in a playoff game, Boston would be in trouble. Enter Mike Muscala, a stretch 5 who’s quietly been one of the best bench bigs in the NBA over the past few seasons. Kings legend Justin Jackson and two future seconds is nothing to Boston right now. They needed one final piece of insurance in case of emergency, and now they have it.

Celtics’ Grade: A

Charlotte Hornets:

Incoming: Svi Mykhailiuk, two 2nds (24′, 29′), Reggie Jackson(bought out)

Outgoing: Jalen McDaniels, Mason Plumlee

I mean, come on. There isn’t a lot. For all the smoke around the Hornets being sellers at the deadline, Charlotte didn’t do much. They traded Mason Plumlee for legitimately nothing after waiving Reggie Jackson, and young stud Jalen McDaniels for two 2nds (for those wondering, Svi Mykhailiuk isn’t moving the needle). However, it was nice gesture to send Plumlee to a contender as a thank for putting up with everything over the past two seasons, and his departure does open up minutes for intriguing prospect Mark Williams. I have a harder time seeing the rationale for the McDaniels trade. Seems like a pretty meager return for one of the more promising young players on a team that needs all the help it can get.

Hornets’ Grade: C

Orlando Magic:

Incoming: Patrick Beverly (to be bought out), 2nd rounder

Outgoing: Mo Bamba

The Mo Bamba experience is finally over in Orlando; losing a player whose most notable career highlight is having a song named after him. Trading Bamba for a second rounder and cap space isn’t what the Magic expected when they took him with the 6th overall pick in the 2018 draft, but sometimes you gotta know when to cut your losses. If it’s any condolence to both Mo and the Magic, he wasn’t the worst bust in that draft.

It’s a bummer that Pat Bev will get bought out, I would’ve been interested to see what havoc he could wreck surrounded by size to cover up his lack thereof. A single second rounder in return for a former top 10 pick is a pretty shit return no matter how you slice it. Regardless, Orlando should feel good, they’ve freed up more reps for players that might actually help their team.

Magic’s Grade: C-

Los Angeles Lakers:

Incoming: D’Angelo Russell, Jared Vanderbilt, Malik Beasley, Mo Bamba, Rui Haichimura, Davon Reed, three 2nd rounders (25′, 26′, 29′)

Outgoing: Russell Westbrook, Thomas Bryant, Damian Jones, Juan Toscano-Anderson, one 1st (27′), one 2nd

Here’s Lakers’ online fan cycle:

Step 1: Hype incoming signings/hirings far beyond any reasonable expectation .

Step 2: Bully the shit out of them when then fail to meet these insane expectations. Scapegoat them for every shortcoming the team has.

Step 3: Continue toxicity until player is traded/coach is fired.

Step 4: Wait 2-3 years, then say “man I really miss having ___ on the team”

Step 5: Rinse and repeat steps 1-4 for the guy brought in to replace the previous one.

It’s so predictable it’s almost sad. Of course, this isn’t every Lakers fan- not even close. The Lakers are probably the single most iconic franchise in the history of the NBA. They have an incredible history(minus 2002) full of legendary figures on and off the court. They’re a team I will always have respect and appreciation for. Unfortunately, the loudest idiots are the ones that tend to define a group of people, and that’s what’s happened to the Lakers’ fanbase.

Why go on this tangent? Because I had to watch the Lakers’ (admittedly very good) trade deadline be touted as the greatest thing to happen since sliced bread. It pissed me off to watch Russell Westbrook get thrown under the bus, especially after everything LA put him through. I’ve never seen more abuse and disrespect hurled at a singular player, and Westbrook was nothing but a consumate professional.

Jared Vanderbilt is the exact kind of athletic defender I wanted the Kings to trade for, but I guess LA just had to screw us over once again. However, to say offense is raw is an understatement; Vanderbilt simply cannot score efficiently at any part of the floor. He’s being marketed as a Jaden McDaniels type of player, but he’s not quite at that level yet. Still, a great young player who oozes potential. Malik Beasley is like a less consistent version of Buddy Hield, and Buddy’s already volatile enough. Still, he can heat up quick and win you a game by himself, a type of player every team wants to have.

D’Angelo Russell is the crown jewel of this trade. LA gets to take advantage of Minnesota’s locker room dysfunction and get a stud point guard basically for free. Russell started off the season ice cold but has improved his shooting percentages as time as gone by. He’s immediately the team’s third best player, and will be vital for their success both today and in the future. HIs mere presence completely changes every dimension of LA’s offense.

Mo Bamba is a hypothetically good player. I know I called Rui a hypothetically good player earlier in the thread, but he’s leagues ahead of where Bamba is. Mo seems nice (40% from 3!) until you actually turn on the TV and watch the game. There’s a reason he couldn’t find minutes on a Magic team who’s sole purpose is to try and develop young talent. He’s currently on suspension for the only memorable thing he’s done all season (outside of getting deep fried in pick and roll), decking the hell out of Austin Rivers. When I look at Mo Bamba I think of Billy Beane’s eternal words from Moneyball, “If he’s a good hitter then why doesn’t he hit good?” If Bamba is a good player, why doesn’t he play good? Forget the hypotheticals and look at the actual player in front of you.

To summarize, the Lakers had a successful trade deadline. They managed to shed negative assets, get younger, and do it all at the cost of just one first round pick. The question is: can these players do enough to rescue this season? LA’s certainly better than they were, but so is the entire conference. The Lakers are firmly locked in as the 13 seed as of my writing this, and while there’s ample parity in the conference, that’s a big hole to dig out of. Getting a top 6 seed would require a miracle, and the Play-In is a chaotic question mark where anything can happen. Even if they qualify, is this a roster that can win a title? I wholeheartedly doubt it. Pelinka had a good deadline, but these moves could end up being too little too late. Or all of these players can meet their potential and make me look like a moron. Who knows? At the very least, LA has a chance now

Lakers’ Grade: B

Oklahoma City Thunder:

Incoming: Dario Saric, Justin Jackson, three 2nd rounders

Outgoing: Darius Bazely, Mike Muscala

Wow that was a long one. Sorry, but to be fair the Lakers probably had the busiest deadline out of any team in the league. This one’s quick though don’t worry. Trading Mike Muscala is tough, but ultimately a kind gesture to give the 31 year old a chance to compete for a title (and they got picks out of it). Additionally, OKC sells a dude who wasn’t playing for yet another pick and a solid vet big man to steady the bench as a Muscala replacement. A solid, if underwhelming deadline from Sam Presti and the Thunder.

Thunder’s Grade: C+

Philadelphia 76ers:

Incoming: Jalen McDaniels

Outgoing: Matisse Thybulle

Despite his immense defensive upside, Matisse Thybulle was just never quite able to crack Doc Rivers’ rotation. Thybulle just never had the offensive punch (or offensive ability whatsoever) to justify big minutes. Jalen McDaniels may not be the same defender Thybulle is, but he’s no slouch. With a 7 foot wingspan and standing at 6′ 8″, McDaniels is an adept wing defender with really promising offensive upside.

This lets the Sixers get way more creative in the lineups they use him in, much more then the one-note Thybulle. You aren’t winning shit in the playoffs without capable wing defenders, and McDaniels is the perfect fit in Philly.

76ers’ Grade: A-

Detroit Pistons:

Incoming: James Wiseman

Outgoing: Saddiq Bey, Kevin Knox

In a vacuum, this I like this trade for Detroit. They shed Saddiq Bey, a decent player but one who’s vision of himself differed from the team’s. Bey fancies himself a high volume scorer, while Detroit wanted him to take a more team centric approach. GM Troy Weaver made a good call getting value for Bey rather than being forced to pay him the upcoming contract extension he desires so he doesn’t walk for nothig. Kevin Knox was also traded.

Depending on who you ask James Wiseman is either the next great big man who got hosed by Golden State, or the worst big man taken with the #2 overall pick ever . The truth is probably somewhere in the middle. The way I see it, Wiseman was always a project player, an uber-athletic and super young guy that would be developed slowly over a few seasons(like Deandre Ayton). Issue is, he was drafted by a team looking to compete for rings, and coming into this season the Warriors wanted him to be a player he wasn’t yet. Both sides are better off having moved on.

On the one hand I’m glad the Pistons took a swing on the 21 year old. Wiseman hasn’t even played 100 NBA games yet, there’s no reason to write him off yet. On the other, where does he fit in a crowded frontcourt? Jalen Duren is 19 years old and already looks better than Wiseman has at any point in his career. Isaiah Stewart is 21 and has shown too many flashes to be buried in the bench. Additionally, Marvin Bagley is also here, the old man of the group at 23, and is also a player Detroit allegedly wants to develop. Bagley is injured again(surprise surprise!), but when he comes back that’s a lot of mouths to feed and only so many minutes to go around. In addition to this, Weaver couldn’t any value for vets Alec Burks and Nerleans Noel. What looks like a good deadline in a vacuum becomes more and more confounding the longer you look at it. Detroit’s lucky I’m still high on Wiseman.

Pistons’ Grade: C+

Houston Rockets:

Incoming: John Wall, Danny Green(both bought out), Justin Holiday, Frank Kaminsky, two 2nds, pickswap rights with a Clippers future 1st

Outgoing: Eric Gordon, Bruno Fernando, Garrison Matthews

God the Rockets fucking suck. It’s not even a fun bad, it’s just sad. Stephen Silas has reached Luke Walton level of incompetency, and that is not something I say lightly. I saw this dumpster fire coming 6 games into the season, and all of the problems I wrote about then are still the exact same. There’s zero accountability, zero structure, they can’t score and somehow defend even worse.

Instead of bringing in an actual vet point guard at the deadline like me and so many others have been screaming at them to do, they brought John Wall back just to buy him out. Listen to him talk about his time in Houston if you want a laugh. To look at all the massive problems on this roster from top to bottom and think, “Frank Kaminsky can fix this” is just abysmal management. Just embarrassing man. The only reason they don’t get an F- is because they got rid of Garrison Matthews. Fuck that guy.

Rockets’ Grade: F

Atlanta Hawks:

Incoming: Saddiq Bey, Bruno Fernando, Garrison Matthews

Outgoing: Justin Holiday, Frank Kaminsky, two 2nds, Kevin Knox(was traded to Atlanta then immediately routed to Portland in what became a 4 team deal)

The Hawks are the definition of mediocre, so it stands to reason they’d have aa mediocre deadline. They didn’t trade John Collins for the 900th time, they got one decent young prospect that probably doesn’t move the needle in any type of impactful way, and swapped out mid roleplayers for mid roleplayers. Ownership keeps making shitty moves to get under the luxury tax (Thanks for Kevin Huerter guys!), and Atlanta keeps spinning it’s wheels toward and inevitable first round/play-in exit. They deserve a C, but they have Garrison Matthews on their roster now, which is an automatic deduction.

Hawks Grade: C-

Portland Trail Blazers:

Incoming: Matisse Thybulle, Kevin Knox, Cam Reddish, Ryan Arciadono, lottery protected 1st, 5 2nds

Outgoing: Josh Hart, Gary Peyton II, two 2nds

I’m just not sure how I feel about Portland’s deadline. Dame is playing the best ball of his Hall of Fame career, and instead of bringing in proven players Portland takes a swing on raw prospects with upside. But that being said, they got great value for them. I didn’t love the Josh Hart trade, but Cam Reddish is still a very intriguing player that’s yet to have a real look. Matisse Thybulle is another player who’ll be given the freedom to work though his shortcomings and potentially develop into a high level contributor. This in combination with Anfernee Simons and Shadeon Sharpe gives Portland such a fascinating young core to grow together.

Here’s the problem: Damian Lillard is 32, the Blazers did nothing shore up the center rotation that’s been their achilles heel all year, and seem destined to get washed away in an ultra competitive Western Conference. I’m not knocking the quality of the deals, just questioning the timing of them. I just don’t think it’s fair to Dame, he’s reaffirmed his loyalty time and time again and all Portland gives back to him is a bunch of good but not great rosters. At what point does he get sick of it?

Blazers’ Grade: C+

Toronto Raptors:

Incoming: Jakob Poeltl

Outgoing: Khem Birch, one 1st (24′) protected 1-6, two 2nds (23′, 25′)

After all the smoke from Toronto around the deadline, it was a surprise that all they ended up doing was bringing back Jakob Poeltl. Given their middling record and firm placement as the 10th seed in the East, common logic would say that Toronto would’ve been wise to sell high on their coveted players. Thing is, the Raptors didn’t win a ring by being convential, so they sure as hell wern’t goinng to staart now.

Jakob Poeltl gives Toronto a true cetner for the first time in years, and his bruising style of play has already done wonders for them. The Raptors are +19.3 per 100 possessions with Poeltl on the floor, and -20.8 when he’s not. I’m not a math guy, but a +40 net rating seems pretty good to me. Poeltl is a stabilizer that immediately makes life easier for everyone in the organization. This does create some questions down the line, namely Poeltl’s upcoming unrestricted free agency, but for now Toronto is a much improved team.

Raptors’ Grade: B

Utah Jazz:

Incoming: Russell Westbrook(to be bought out), Juan Toscano-Anderson, Damian Jones, 27′ 1st (protected 1-4)

Outgoing: Mike Conley, Malik Beasely, Jarred Vanderbilt, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, two 2nds (25′, 26′)

For all of their posturing pre-deadline, Utah has to be disappointed in the return they got. Mike Conley, Jarred Vanderbilt, and Malik Beasely are all good players, and I can’t fathom how Utah only managed to get a protected first out of it. I mean, they did get Kings legend Damian Jones and Juan Toscano-Anderson, two players I really enjoy and think do have some real upside. Thing is, these dudes aren’t anywhere near as good as the players given up to get them. The fact that the Jazz couldn’t even get the pick unprotected is flat out embarrassing.

Here’s what happened: Utah wanted to tank this season, then realized this team wasn’t gonna let that happen. Team knew this, and didn’t give the Jazz any good offers, knowing they’d be forced to move players at discounts if they wanted to jump in the lottery odds. Danny Ainge got absolutely worked at this deadline, an uncharacteristically sloppy showing from the usually solid GM.

Jazz Grade: D

Minnesota Timberwolves:

Incoming: Mike Conley, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, three 2nds (24′, 25′, 26′)

Outgoing: D’Angelo Russell

On paper, it’s easy to look at this trade and say “what the hell were the T-Wolves thinking?” I understand. They gave up the best player in the entire 3 team trade and got a 35 year old Mike Conley as their main return. On paper, doesn’t make any sense. In practice, this might be secretly brilliant.

DLO doesn’t fit well with the Wolves. He’s a shoot first PG on a team that desperately needs a table setter. Additionally, Russell’s contract is up after the season and Minnesota didn’t want to pay him the money he wanted. He had zero chemistry with Rudy Gobert, both on and off the court. Anthony Edwards is an emerging superstar, Karl Anthony-Towns will return soon, these dudes need their shots, and if Russell isn’t shooting he struggles to be an impactful player. Conley is the opposite. Minnesota is locked into Gobert for the forseeable future (for better or for worse), and has no choice but to maximize his usefulness. He and Conley have great pick and roll chemistry thanks to their time in Utah. Additionally, Conley makes life easier for everyone on the roster, namely Edwards. Credit the front office for cutting their losses and making the smart, if difficult decision to rebalance their team around both their young and old stars.

Timberwolves’ Grade: B–

Golden State Warriors:

Incoming: Gary Payton II

Outgoing: James Wiseman, five 2nds

What a weird ass deadline for Golden State. Instead of shoring up the numerous holes on their roster, they decided to trade for the guy they’d just let walk in free agency. And doing so it cost them 5 2nds (which is insane!) and a 2nd overall pick two years removed from the draft. Oh, and the guy they traded for won’t even be ready until the playoffs. Good luck even making the playoffs, especially since Steph won’t be back for at least another week. I just can’t understand this passivity from the defending champs, especially since they have no idea how much more time their 4-time championship winning core has. Really disappointing stuff in the bay

Warriors’ Grade: C-

San Antonio Spurs:

Incoming: Khem Birch, Devonte Graham, one 1st (24′) protected 1-6, six(!!) 2nds

Outgoing: Jakob Poeltl, Josh Richardson

Six second rounders and a lightly protected first is a great haul for a tanking team at the deadline. Richardson and Poeltl get to play meaningful basketball, Graham and Birch get a chance to see if they can carve out a role in a new enviornment, and the tank just keeps on rolling. Good business from all sides

Spurs’ Grade: B+

New Orleans Pelicans:

Incoming: Josh Richardson

Outgoing: Devonte Graham, four 2nds

The Pelicans are floundering. Through no fault of their own, the Pelicans tumbled from the 1 seed to below .500, mainly because damn near everyone on their roster has been injured. Most notably, Zion Williamson, All-Star starter and human wrecking ball hasn’t played since January 4th. For the healthy Pelicans squad, Josh Richardson is a great fit. For their current bruised and battered state, 4 2nds is a lot for an upcoming free agent.

Pelicans’ Grade: C

Buyout Market Quick Grades

Russell Westbrook to LAC: Russ brings a completely different speed to a Clippers team that badly needed it. I don’t like that Terence Mann gets less minutes, but it’s still a great situation for both Westbrook and the Clips

Grade: B+

Danny Green to CLE: I absolutely love me some Danny Green. He’s the perfect role-player. There’s a reason dude’s been a big contributor on 4 different title runs. He’s older, coming off an injury, and not the player he was, sure. But he’s a great depth piece on a Cleveland team with championship aspirations.

Grade: B

Terrance Ross to PHX: TRoss is a shoot first, second, and third sparkplug off the bench. Hard to know if he’ll get consistent minutes, but he’s there for Monty Williams to call upon if needed. In my opinion, he’s the kind of scorer that win you a game in the playoffs, and every contender needs those guys.

Grade: B

Reggie Jackson to DEN: Jackson is a better fit for the Nuggets then Bones was. He’s got a proven playoff resume while offering more as a playmaker. It’s been a down season, yet even still Jackson is the most trustworthy backup point guard Denver’s had in years.

Grade: B–

Dewayne Dedmon to PHI: This ain’t the answer at the backup 5. Maybe 3 years ago, but not anymore. Should’ve kept Drummond when you had the chance.

Grade: C-

Justin Holiday to DAL: Solid 3 and D guy, nothing more nothing less. Putting him on this Mavericks roster is like putting a Hello Kitty band aid on a gaping stab wound.

Grade: C

Kevin Love to MIA: Kevin Love: great player, future Hall of Famer, it’s cool that the Cavs are gonna retire his number, but the man is cooked now. Since arriving in Miami, Kevin has a true shooting percentage of 50.5%. I’m not loving it.

Grade: C

Patrick Beverly to CHI: The Bulls season may be a massive dumpster fire, but at least Pat Bev won’t let them go out like bitches. So that’s nice. Beverly also gets to play for his hometown team. So that’s also nice! Really not much else though

Grade: C+

Will Barton to TOR: Will Barton turned out to be a Nikola Jokic merchant. He’s been dogwater for the Raptors since he signed. What a shame.

Grade: D

RJ Hampton to DET: After getting caught in the developmental wash of Orlando, Hampton gets a reset in Detroit. Don’t know how many reps he’ll get, but I wish him well.

Grade: C

Goga Bitadze to ORL: Orlando just got a future 5 time MVP winner for free. What an absolute steal.

Grade: A+++

Feburary 7th:

8:22 AM:

Spurs receive: Dewayne Dedmon, 2028 2nd round pick

Heat receive: Cash considerations

THIS is the stuff I want to write about! Who cares about nobodies like Kyrie Irving, Kings’ legend DEWAYNE DEDMON just got traded! I’ll never forget that Vlade Divac gave this man a 3 year $40 million contract only for him to come in and average 5 points, 5 rebounds, and shoot 19.7% from three(when his express purpose was to be a floor spacer!!). Who would’ve thought that overpaying for a career reserve when you’re trying to develop two other big men (Marvin Bagley and Richaun Holmes) is a bad idea! Jesus Vlade was a shit GM.

Oh yea, the trade. Miami gets rid of a guy who’s most notable highlight of the season was throwing a massage gun on the court after he got subbed out and then getting suspended for a game. This move frees up nearly $5 million dollars and clears a roster spot- two things that give the Heat much needed cap freedom going forward. Whether in the buyout market or via trade, this move should really help Miami. For only the cost of a second rounder 5 years in the future, it’s a no-brainer. Now they just have to do something with this newfound freedom

UPDATE: They did nothing with it. Matt Hanifan does a better job explaining this situation better then I can. In short, a disappointing deadline for a team that fancies itself a contender.

Heat’s Grade: D+

Surprisingly, this trade helps the Spurs too, for a reason I wasn’t even aware existed. As Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun explains, “The Spurs were able to take on Dedmon’s contract because of their available salary-cap space, potentially to be immediately waived by San Antonio upon formal completion of the deal. The Spurs are operating below the NBA salary-cap floor and either had to take on salary or pay additional salary to their current roster to meet the floor. This trade instead yields them an additional draft choice.”

So this is just smart house keeping from one of the smartest organizations in the league. And they get an unprotected extra pick as a thank you from Miami. Pretty solid work.

Spurs’ Grade: B

12:44 PM:

Kings receive: Kessler Edwards, Cash considerations

Nets receive: Cash considerations

When I first saw the notification from Shams saying, “Kings are closing deal on Nets forward…” I nearly had a heart attack. While we didn’t get Kevin Durant, I’m pretty happy with the Nets forward we got. Kessler Edwards is super young (22), super big (6′ 7″, 6′ 11″ wingspan), and super good on defense. He struggled to find his footing in Brooklyn’s competitive rotation, mainly due to a streaky shot. There’s no better place to remedy that then Sacramento, where he’ll be surrounded by shooters. Not to mention the fact that Sabonis and Fox are both incredible at generating open looks, which Edwards has converted roughly 40% of over his career. He walks into the building as probably the best wing defender on the team, an archetype we desperately need. The potential is sky high. His contract slots into the trade exception created in the Marvin Bagley deal, so it doesn’t count against the cap. Overall, this is a great buy low trade. The Kings gave up nothing, so even if Edwards doesn’t work out, no harm no foul. Another excellent move from Monte Mcnair, hopefully it’s a sign of more to come.

Kings’ Grade: A

Not much to say on the Nets side. This move frees them up from about $8 million in salary, and creates an extra spot on the roster. This is a signal of a bigger move to come, what exactly I don’t know yet. Maybe it’s for a potential KD trade, I just don’t know how likely that is. I doubt they’d part ways with him unless they got a king’s ransom in return.

Nets’ Grade: Incomplete

UPDATE: They got KD lol

Feburary 5th:

12:01 PM:

Mavericks receive: Kyrie Irving, Markieff Morris

Nets receive: Spencer Dinwiddie, Dorian Finney-Smith, 2029 1st round pick(unprotected!), 2027 & 2029 2nd round picks

You have to wonder if news of Steph Curry’s injury accelerated this trade. The West was already wide open, and Steph missing a few weeks with a leg injury just opens the window even more. Maybe that was all Mark Cuban and company needed to convince themselves to take a big swing.

If nothing else, I respect the guts this trade took from Dallas. Kyrie Irving hasn’t played a normal season of basketball since Cleveland and is a free agent at the end of the year. Plus, if this trade backfires, Luka is a flight risk. After being forced to carry sub optimal roster after sub optimal roster since being drafted, he might say “nasvidenje”(that’s goodbye in Slovenian!) to Texas and set his sights on free agency.

But enough speculation toward the future, this trade was made with the present in mind. And presently, this unquestionably makes the Mavericks a better team. Since the loss of Jalen Brunson, Dallas has been hurting for a secondary creator to take the pressure off Doncic. So they went out and go the greatest second option of all time. No one can deny Irving’s talent, he’s a maestro with the ability to pick apart any one on one matchup. All due respect to Brunson (who’s having an All-Star caliber season in the Big Apple), but Kyrie is a massive upgrade. He and Luka will immediately be one of, if not the best scoring duos in the league, that’s no question. It’s everything else on the roster that I’m worried about.

I could talk about how atrocious the defense figures to be, but I think that can be inferred by just looking at the roster. The drop off from the 2nd best player to the 3rd is cataclysmic. Tim Hardaway Jr. and Christian Wood are both good players, but might be stretched as starters on a hopeful championship contender. We know this roster isn’t deep, and the Mavericks had to give up two of their better players to secure Kyrie, exacerbating the problem. Markieff Morris has been fine, but he doesn’t move the needle. The center spot is a whole seprate can of worms. How many playoff series are you going to win with Dwight Powell, Maxi Kleber, and 35 year old Javale McGee as your center options? Here’s a hint: not a lot. Christain Wood could be an interesting back up 5. I’m sure those lineups will score a lot, but he’s getting deep fried on D. There’s just too many questions surrounding every aspect of this roster, and they need to be answered if the Mavericks want to be serious contenders.

I’d be shocked if this was the last move Dallas made. This roster is not ready to compete for a title, and I’m sure GM Nico Harrison is aware of it. I’ll hold off on a grade until I see what else they do.

UPDATE: The Mavericks didn’t make any other moves, outside of picking up Justin Holiday from the buyout market. The center depth is still spotty at best, the defense still porous, and all the same questions from above remain unasnwered. That being said, they do have the best scoring backcourt in the NBA. They’ll have a puncher’s chance in every game they play and there’s a very real chance they can contend for a title. For me at least, there’s just too many question marks.

Mavericks’ Grade: B-

Oh yea, there was another team is this trade too. I absolutely love this trade for Brooklyn. Kevin Durant has been playing like an MVP when healthy, and they just couldn’t count on Kyrie to be there when they needed him. Losing Kyrie is losing a superstar, yes. But you also lose all of his bullshit. No more controversy every other week, no more missing games, just good solid basketball. It’s quiet and peaceful in Brooklyn for the first time in years. Now they focus on playoffs, where they’ll be a tougher out than most people would expect. Obviously, KD is as all-time great playoff performer, but he’s surrounded by capable veterans. Royce O’Neale and Dorian Finney-Smith are a rock solid wing rotation, the kind of 3-and-D players every GM in the league would kill for. Spencer Dinwiddie slots in perfectly as a complementary ball handler, and the Dallas first rounder helps restock Brooklyn’s draft chest after the Harden debacle. This trade isn’t a home run, but it’s a solid double that puts the team in a better spot. It gives Jacque Vaughn two more solid pieces to play with Seth Curry, Yuta Wantanabe, Nic Claxton, Ben Simmons, TJ Warren, and all the other compliments to the supernova that is Kevin Durant. Also, clearing Irving gives more playing time to Cam Thomas. Now that’s something to smile about.

Nets’ Grade: B

January 23rd:

9:41 AM:

Lakers receive: Rui Hachimura

Wizards receive: Kendrick Nunn, three 2nd round picks (’23, ’28, ’29)

Due to Rudy Gobert and the Timberwolves resetting the trade market in the offseason, there was a historically low amount of trades early in the season. If the Jazz got 5 picks and 4 young players for a 30 year old, surely my guy is worth a lot too. So we sat in purgatory while the season went by, the only action being Noah Vonleh to the Spurs for cash considerations (apologies to Noah, but I’m not gonna write about that. Both teams get a C.) Until finally, the Lakers (who lead the league in almost-trades) saved us from this boredom.

Whenever a player gets traded to the Lakers there’s a cycle that takes place. 1: Every major media network and personality acts like LA just fleeced whatever poor saps they just traded with. 2: The player who comes over is touted as a cross between Kobe Bryant and Magic Johnson. 3: Lebron makes some tweet about how excited he is to play with him. 4: He actually starts playing and all the hype dies. None of this is meant as shade towards Rui Hachimura; it’s just that usually the idea of the player is better then the actual thing.

So what is Rui Hachimura, actually. Well, he’s a young player with a ton of upside as a big wing with scoring chops. The Lakers have one of the worst young cores in the league, so that alone makes this trade an immediate win. Hachimura is on an expiring contract, but LA expects to able to bring him back. So what’s the catch? Well, again, so much of Hachimura’s game is hypothetical at this point. The main role LA wants him to play with this current roster is as a 3 and D wing who can create if need be. The problem? Hachimura can’t shoot and doesn’t play defense. While he’s flashed scoring ability, the consistency isn’t there quite yet. More worrying is his 3pt%, which outside of one outlier year has hung pretty consistently in the low 30s. His defense is just not there yet either. Again, more of a hypothetical “with enough reps who knows?” rather then a concrete asset to his game. He has just enough measurables and 1-2 decent possessions a game to convince people he’s capable on that end, when he just isn’t yet.

You’ll notice I said “yet” at the end of nearly all my criticisms. that’s because, as I’ve said again and again, the upside of Hachimura is just so tantalizing. As of this season, he’s not a player that moves the needle for LA to even make the play-in, but should the bring him back then he’s a guy that’s worth investing in. One day he’ll be the player he’s labeled as, but he isn’t there just yet. That all being said, given that the Lakers only had to give up some loose change they found in the couch and a potato chip for him, this was an absolute steal.

Lakers’ Grade: C+(For this season, if they re-sign Rui it’s a B)

What the hell are the Wizards doing? I’ve never seen a team more in love with mediocrity. A “big three” (if could sarcastically air quote any harder I’d break my fingers) of Kyle Kuzma, Bradley Beal, and Kristaps Porzingis is winning you one playoff series, tops. A large reason this trade even happened was because Washington wanted to free up cap space so they could throw more money at Kyle Kuzma. KYLE KUZMA! Good player, having a career year, but you want to give him $20-25 million per season? Have fun picking 10th in the draft until the heat death of the universe. There are actual tangible on court benefits of shedding Rui, it clears up the logjam at the forward position and allows Deni Avidja more opportunities to handle the ball. To his credit, he has responded by posting a career scoring stretch, almost making this trade make sense. Kendick Nunn is a fine player to take a flier on, especially with the disaster that’s been Johnny Davis’ rookie season, and those 2nd rounders are nice to have, but let’s cut all the bullshit hypothetical and PR spin.

Washington never should’ve been in this position to begin with, but they managed to piss off the best prospect they’ve had in years. Even if they always wanted to trade him, Washington should’ve gotten way more value for Rui. But everyone knew how desperate they were to move on from him after the situation dissolved. Why are they so desperate to do this? Well to get some value and save a few mil to throw at a guy who doesn’t deserve the contract he’s asking for. All this so they could continue to chase this dream of getting swept by the Bucks in the first round.

They convinced themselves Kendrick Nunn was a good player to take a swing on because they missed so horribly on their draft pick at that position. And where are they now? Back where they’ve always been, 4 games below .500 as the 10 seed, just waiting to lose in the play in. It’s ok, because even after all the posturing and corner cutting they did to re-sign the one positive trade they’ve made in 5 years, that player can still just leave if he wants to. Why would he stay? Washington made this trade was made to fix problems that they created.

The Wizards are the worst kind of NBA team: Too scared to make a big swing to compete, too proud to read the room and tank. Hopefully they come to their senses soon, because that fanbase deserves better.

Wizards’ Grade: D-