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7 winners and 6 losers of the hectic NBA trade deadlinehttps://www.businessinsider.in/sports/news/7-winners-and-6-losers-of-the-hectic-nba-trade-deadline/slidelist/81698233.cms2021-03-26T04:23:24+05:30

7 winners and 6 losers of the hectic NBA trade deadline

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Scott DavisMar 26, 2021, 04:23 IST

7 winners and 6 losers of the hectic NBA trade deadline — Nikola Vucevic was traded to the Bulls.Chris Carlson/AP Images
A flurry of trades came at the NBA trade deadline on Thursday.
Only one All-Star player was dealt, but several other impact players were traded.
The Heat, Blazers, and Bulls all look like winners, while the Rockets and Celtics seem iffy.
The NBA trade deadline has passed, and what was expected to be a quiet day ended with a flurry of trades.
Though only one All-Star player was traded, several other impact players changed teams, and a few playoff teams added talent in the hopes of making a push in the final portion of the season.
Here are the winners and losers in the action.

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WINNER: Miami Heat

WINNER: Miami Heat — Miami Heat president Pat Riley and forward Udonis Haslem. Lynne Sladky/AP Images
The Heat added Victor Oladipo and Nmenja Bjelica while giving up very little in return. Oladipo, in particular, is a worthwhile gamble — he's a recent All-Star who has struggled with efficiency and injuries in recent years, but will now be playing for a new contract on a contender.
The Heat added scoring, shooting, ball-handling, and defense, and they are reportedly the favorites to land LaMarcus Aldridge when he is bought out. So the reigning Eastern Conference champions got a much-needed boost for the stretch run.

LOSER: Houston Rockets

LOSER: Houston Rockets — Rockets head coach Stephen Silas. Steph Chambers/Getty Images
Not much has gone right for the Rockets this season, and their trade deadline continued that trend. Victor Oladipo was the key player return in the James Harden trade. But the Rockets were unable to flip him for anything more than Kelly Olynyk and Avery Bradley — two average role players who likely won't be long-term pieces in Houston — and a pick swap with the Heat (which likely won't be used).
The return on the Harden trade now consists of multiple future first-rounders, but just Olynyk, Bradley, and Dante Exum in the player department. The Rockets also did not trade Eric Gordon, who could have returned some value. It's going to be a long rebuild in Houston.

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WINNER: Chicago Bulls

WINNER: Chicago Bulls — Nikola Vucevic. Chris Carlson/AP Images
The Bulls got arguably the best player in any transaction at the deadline: All-Star big man Nikola Vucevic. It cost them third-year center Wendell Carter Jr., small forward Otto Porter Jr., and two first-round picks. But Carter never established himself as a franchise cornerstone center, Porter has barely played because of injuries, and the picks are expected to be late lottery picks.
Vucevic will take scoring pressure off All-Star Zach LaVine and spread the floor alongside power forward Lauri Markkanen.

LOSER: Los Angeles Clippers

LOSER: Los Angeles Clippers — Rajon Rondo. Tony Dejak/AP Images
The Clippers flipped Lou Williams, two second-round picks, and cash for ... Rajon Rondo? Williams' scoring has slipped, and he's a liability on defense, but surely the Clippers could have done better than Rondo. The 35-year-old is averaging 3 points on 40% shooting this season and has not been an effective regular-season player in years.
The playoffs can be a different story; Rondo was key for the Lakers in the bubble in last year's Finals. But he was also playing alongside LeBron James, who can make people around him look better and manage personalities. There is now a lot of pressure to summon Playoff Rondo this spring.

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WINNER: Portland Trail Blazers

WINNER: Portland Trail Blazers — Norman Powell. Carlos Osorio/AP Images
The Blazers made a gutsy move in trading excellent third-year guard Gary Trent Jr. and Rodney Hood to the Raptors for Norman Powell. It's a bit of a gamble, since Powell's scoring (19.6 points per game) and shooting (43.9% from three) would have to hold up to give the Blazers more size and athleticism on the wing.
Trent's shooting will be missed, but his playing time was largely blocked by starting guard C.J. McCollum. Powell will be a free agent this summer and is expected to receive big contract offers, but Portland will have the ability to pay him more than suitors. Give Portland credit: They added talent up and down the roster to try to give Damian Lillard a true shot at winning some playoff series.

LOSER: Toronto Raptors

LOSER: Toronto Raptors — Kyle Lowry. Chris O'Meara/AP Images
The Raptors' trade deadline was a bit puzzling. Getting Gary Trent Jr. for Norman Powell, an impending free agent, was a good move. But holding onto Kyle Lowry amid trade rumors is an eyebrow-raiser. The Raptors are 18-26, 11th in the East. They're still in play for the play-in tournament, and they've been hit hard by COVID-19 and injuries. But trading Lowry, also an impending free agent, might have enabled them to begin a mini-rebuild around Pascal Siakam, Fred VanVleet, and OG Anunoby next season.
Instead, barring some big playoff push, they essentially kicked the can down the road for what? A shot at losing to one of the top three seeds in the first round?

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WINNER: Lou Williams

WINNER: Lou Williams — Lou Williams. Nick Wass/AP Images
No, Williams is no longer playing for a championship in LA. But he is set to move to his hometown in Atlanta, where the Hawks are competing for a playoff seed. There are touches and minutes available to him, and Magic City is right down the road.

LOSER: Boston Celtics

LOSER: Boston Celtics — The Celtics. Adam Hunger/AP Images
The Celtics were reportedly all-in on Harrison Barnes. Then they were pursuing LaMarcus Aldridge. Then they were all-in on Aaron Gordon. In the end, they added Evan Fournier, a rock-solid regular-season scorer and ball-handler whose game has wilted in the playoffs the past two seasons.
They also, puzzlingly, traded Daniel Theis — a serviceable big man on a team lacking size — for Luke Kornet and Moe Wagner, who are stretch bigs, but iffy defenders. The Celtics offense likely got better, but it's unclear if the team got much better in a year they expected to contend.

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WINNER: Aaron Gordon

WINNER: Aaron Gordon — Aaron Gordon. Kathy Willens/AP Images
Gordon requested a trade from the Magic in February. One of the most sought-after players at the deadline, Gordon ended up with the Nuggets, a contender in the Western Conference. The team need his size, scoring, and defense. So Gordon is going from a lottery team where he never seemed to make things work to a playoff squad where he'll have a chance to shine and make a big impact.

LOSER: Sacramento Kings

LOSER: Sacramento Kings — Harrison Barnes. Mark J. Terrill/AP Images
Why, exactly, have the Kings not blown it up? Sacramento is 19-25, 12th in the West, and on pace to miss the playoffs for the 15th straight year. They dealt Nemanja Bjelica, a reserve forward, but ultimately held onto players like Harrison Barnes, Marvin Bagley III, Richaun Holmes, and Buddy Hield. Those four players would have returned them great assets to jump-start a rebuild around talented guards De'Aaron Fox and rookie Tyrese Haliburton.
But instead, the Kings seem to believe they can make a playoff run next season. The logic is confounding, since the team hasn't made a playoff run the last two seasons with the same core.

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WINNER: Oklahoma City Thunder

WINNER: Oklahoma City Thunder — Thunder GM Sam Presti. Sue Ogrocki/AP Images
Why they're a winner: The Thunder dealt George Hill in a three-team trade at the deadline, getting a second-round pick in return. According to ESPN's Bobby Marks, the Thunder now own 17 first- and 17 second-round picks over the next 7 years. They are in position to land a superstar the next time one becomes available, thanks to the team's whopping package of picks.

LOSER: Three Garys

LOSER: Three Garys — Gary Harris and Gary Trent. Jr. AAron Ontiveroz/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post/Getty Images
Gary Trent Jr., Gary Harris, and Gary Clark were are all traded at the deadline. Bad day for Garys.

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WINNER: Teams with cap space this summer

WINNER: Teams with cap space this summer — Lonzo Ball. Gerald Herbert/AP Images
Not many impending free agents were moved ahead of the deadline. Players like Kyle Lowry, Lonzo Ball, Lauri Markkanen, Kelly Oubre Jr., and John Collins were rumored to be in trades but all stayed put in the end.
That's good news for the teams with cap space this summer: they didn't give up assets to sign players that they could sign outright in a few months. Because of tight finances as a result of the pandemic, only a few teams will have money to spend this offseason, and there will be plenty of players available to spend it on.

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