In this year’s installment of HKL’s annual trade grades column, Jared and Rob go through every trade made in the days, hours, and minutes leading up to the trade deadline – offering our reactions and grading each team on how their moves position them for the future. For the more significant trades, we split up our reactions by each taking the perspective of one team and justifying why they made the move they did. For the others, we alternated at random.

As Hoopshype noted, this year’s trade deadline was the most active in NBA history. Now that we’re a week out and the dust has settled a bit, it’s time to dish out the report card for how the GMs handled the most hectic day of their year. Let’s get to it.

 

  • MAVERICKS get: Kristaps Porzingis, Tim Hardaway Jr, Courtney Lee, Trey Burke
  • KNICKS get: Dennis Smith Jr, DeAndre Jordan, Wesley Matthews, 2021 Dallas 1st round [Unprotected if convey 2019 to Hawks], 2023 Dallas 1st round [Top-10 protected 2023-2025]

Mavericks Perspective: (ROB)

This trade marked the unofficial start of the NBA trade deadline, and what a start it was. The Mavericks went all-in with their Euro core, relying on Porzingis’ existing relationships with Dončić and Nowitzki to keep him for “the next 20 years” according to Mark Cuban. And that is despite reports that Porzingis initially threatened to sign a QO with the Mavs. It’s unclear whether he actually informed the Mavs of that or if that was just posturing by Porzingis and his brothers.

In exchange for a unicorn, the Mavericks agreed to take on the contracts of Tim Hardaway Jr. and Courtney Lee, who will make a combined $30M next season. Still, by getting rid of Harrison Barnes (more on that below), the Mavs still have cap space this summer to sign a mid-tier player to run with one of the most exciting point guard-big man duo in the league. Expect Carlisle to pull out all the stops with zany PnR plays, high post action, and inverted offenses (with Porzingis up high and Dončić posting up down low).

The Mavericks may also be wise to keep Nowitzki for another season, whether in a player capacity or as an assistant coach. Kristaps, like many other European players his age, have grown up idolizing Nowitzki for his success in the NBA. And as a player he constantly draws comparisons to, he could learn a lot from his legend. Which in turn, will do much to ensure Porzingis stays long-term.

It may not immediately translate to wins next season, but the future in Dallas got a whole lot brighter with Porzingis there. They just better hope those 2 future firsts don’t come back to bite them.

Mavericks Grade: B+

Knicks Perspective: (JARED)

A trade that was not on Knicks fans’ radar at all, quickly went from possibility to actuality.

With no prior inclination, other than a dust-up during the Phil Jackson era, Kristaps Porzingis went from franchise centerpiece to malcontent to a Dallas Maverick in less than two hours.

Given the expedience with which the trade happened, details were slow to emerge, both transactional and conspiratorial. For the purposes of this article we will focus on the former (more of the latter, later).

If we run off the assumption that Porzingis was indeed unhappy and willing to do the unprecedented and sign the one year qualifying offer coming off an ACL tear, the haste of the deal makes sense. Players in this day and age have consistently used scare tactics to get to their preferred destination while driving down their team’s bargaining power on the open market.

According to the NY Post, Scott Perry sat down with Donnie Nelson behind closed doors during the Mavericks’ meeting with the Knicks Wednesday night to hammer out the details of this deal. This was not without due diligence either. Marc Stein recently wrote a piece for the New York Times stating the Knicks had been discreetly gauging Porzingis’ value in the past couple of months; unsuccessfully vying for Donovan Mitchell, De’Aaron Fox and most recently Anthony Davis. Rash to the public, but clearly planned in private.

In a nutshell, the Knicks used Porzingis to give themselves a complete clean slate and reverse out the position they have been in for the past 20 years. By clearing out the contracts of Tim Hardaway Jr. (due $37 million over the next two years) and Courtney Lee (due $12.7 million next year) the Knicks have given themselves short- and long-term financial flexibility. The short-term flexibility giving the Knicks a widely reported $73 million in cap space this off-season, enough for two max free agents.

From an asset perspective, the Knicks did OK there too. Though many lament the Knicks not drafting Dennis Smith Jr. in the first place, that’s not what happened. Pushed out by an incongruence with rising star Luka Dončić, Smith Jr. is one of the top athletes in the NBA and still has potential to be an All-Star one day. As seen by recent All-Star D’Angelo Russell, sometimes it takes few years for young players to fully develop.

The picks the Knicks received are on par with what a player like Porzingis should command. An unprotected first is a rarity these days and the top-10 protected pick in 2023 has three years to convey (assuming Dallas conveys to Atlanta this off-season). For the first time I can remember in my lifetime, the Knicks have more first round picks than years ahead of them.

One could argue that letting your young All-Star get so frustrated he wants out is a loss in itself. But if you are forced to trade him… cap space from two contracts, a young promising point guard and two first round picks is a fair haul.

Knicks Grade: B

 

  • BULLS get: Timothé Luwawu-Cabarrot, Cash considerations
  • THUNDER get: 2020 Chicago 2nd round [protected #31-55]

ROB: The trade that everyone was waiting for. The Thunder were looking to shed some salary and the Bulls wanted some cash (never change, GarPax). In NBA circles, it is understood that a second-round pick protected 31-55 is generally only given for CBA purposes, not to actually convey. And that is the case here as well. There is no chance the Bulls finish with a top 5 record next season, so the Bulls get paid to give some burn to a 6’ 6” wing player who has been pretty terrible his whole career (in his defense, Timothé is 23-years old). The Thunder did this deal to lower their tax burden a bit.

Since the cash is the best asset received in the deal, I cannot, in good conscience, give either team an A.

Bulls Grade: $$

Thunder Grade: B-

 

  • BLAZERS get: Rodney Hood
  • CAVALIERS get: Wade Baldwin, Nik Stauskas, 2021 Portland 2nd round [Unprotected], 2023 Portland second-round [Unprotected]

JARED: The first stop on the Baldwin/Stauskas train is Cleveland! The first trade of a solid Cavaliers deadline day that saw them land multiple picks. Rodney Hood was not in the future plans and thus an impedance to playing time for those who are. Getting two unprotected second round picks for him was about as good as it gets.

From the Trail Blazers perspective, this deal seems a bit too short sighted. Rodney Hood is a solid wing rotational player for a Blazers team currently sitting 4th in the Western Conference. While I appreciate the effort to “go for it”, how much does Rodney Hood move the needle in a conference with Golden State, Denver, Oklahoma City and Houston? Add in the fact that Hood does not have bird rights this offseason, and this seems to be a costly half year rental for limited return.

Blazers Grade: C-

Cavaliers Grade: A

 

  • CLIPPERS get: Mike Muscala (traded to LAL), Wilson Chandler, Landry Shamet, 2020 Philadelphia 1st round [Lottery Protected 2020-2022, then 2023/2024 second], 2021 Miami 1st round [Unprotected], 2021 Detroit 2nd round[Unprotected], 2023 Detroit 2nd round [Unprotected]
  • SIXERS get: Tobias Harris, Boban Marjanovic, Mike Scott

Clippers Perspective: (ROB)

What a haul for a player who will be an unrestricted free agent in 4 months. Depending where the Heat pick lands, this could be a better package than what the Knicks received for Porzingis (Riley has always fought the idea of a full rebuild but he might not have a choice after this year). The Clippers clearly did not view Tobias Harris as a long-term piece and are all-in on star hunting in the offseason.

Don’t sleep on Landry Shamet either. The Sixers liked what they saw in his minutes off the bench, and he’s been a career 41% 3-point shooter on 4.5 attempts per game. The Clippers control his rights through 2022 on a cheap rookie scale deal.

Add in the other picks involved, and the Clippers got as good of a haul as they could have hoped for Harris. It’s far more than the same Sixers team gave up for Jimmy Butler.

The question though is whether the two available max slots will actually go to star players (looking at you, Kawhi) or will they be used on desperation signings of mid-tier talent (looking at you, Khris Middleton). Tobias Harris is a legitimately good player, and he could have been a great complementary piece to a Kawhi Leonard or Klay Thompson. The Clippers may one day regret letting Tobias go, but today, they’re feeling pretty good about the ROI.

Clippers Grade: A-

Sixers Perspective: (JARED)

As Rob stated above, this is an absurd price to pay for a player on an expiring contract. Two first round picks for one player, one the coveted unprotected Miami pick, does not happen often anymore. Prior to the Porzingis trade, the last time this occurred in the NBA was the Goran Dragic trade in 2015 (which yielded this pick). Trading more than one first rounder in the same deal has become taboo ever since the fabled Brooklyn Nets trade. Several All-Star players have been moved since without multiple first round picks going the other way. That includes Kyrie Irving, Paul George, Blake Griffin, Kawhi Leonard, and Jimmy Butler. On top of that, the Sixers also traded rookie Landry Shamet who has been a key bench contributor for Philadelphia, shooting well from three.

Price point aside, Tobias Harris is an excellent basketball fit for the 76ers. A team built upon Ben Simmons (Career 0-13 3P), Joel Embiid (29.1% 3P%) and Jimmy Butler (36.1% 3P%) badly needs a release valve. All three like to have the ball in their hands, and none of them is a particularly good shooter, although Butler is at least league average. While J.J. Redick has filled this role admirably, he needed some help. Tobias Harris is the perfect secondary release valve for the Sixers’ version of a big three. Harris was having by far his best season from an efficiency standpoint for Los Angeles, shooting 49.6 FG%, 43.4 3P% and 87.7%, extremely close to the prodigious 50/40/90 splits reserved for the best shooters to ever play. Harris replaces Wilson Chandler, who was perhaps the only weakness in the starting lineup for Philadelphia, and now paired with Redick, should provide exactly the shooting the Sixers’ big three need beside them. This also increases the versatility you can create in lineups throughout the game, having at least one of Redick and Harris on the floor at all times.

Whatever the team accomplishes this year, there is still work to be done in the off-season. Butler (assuming he declines his Player Option) and Harris are both free agents, but Philadelphia has retained Full Bird Rights to both players by trading for them, perhaps the most important part of this deal. Harris’s presence will help relieve not only tension on the court but also off it. By making the game easier, Butler may be more inclined to stay as well.

I am not normally a fan of these kinds of buy-high scenarios, but Harris is only 26-years old and has come onto the scene as one of the best offensive players in the NBA this year. His fit with this core of players is perfect and I expect the 76ers to re-sign him this off-season. Assuming they re-sign Butler as well, this team has at least a 3-year championship window. That’s all you can ask for when depleting the Sam Hinkie warchest.

Sixers Grade: B+

 

  • BULLS get: Otto Porter Jr.
  • WIZARDS get: Jabari Parker, Bobby Portis

Bulls Perspective: (ROB)

Signed to a 4-year $106M max contract by the Nets, the Wizards were quick to match the offer and move forward with a big three of John Wall, Bradley Beal, and Otto Porter Jr. Fast forward a little over 2 years later, John Wall has destroyed the Wizards’ cap space (and his achilles), Bradley Beal has been linked in rumors to the Lakers, and Otto Porter was shipped in for little more than a salary dump (but don’t tell Bobby Portis that).

So why did the Bulls do this deal? Other than to get rid of Jabari “they don’t pay me to play defense” Parker, Otto Porter is still an intriguing young player in the NBA. Many harp on his monstrous contract and his iffy hip, but peel back the layers and you see a 25-year old forward who is a career 40% shooter from deep and currently shooting a hair under 70% in the restricted area – the two most important parts of the floor in the NBA today. Sure, he gets paid a lot of money, but who’s going to sign in Chicago unless they vastly overpay a roleplayer? Might as well take a young, intriguing player who fits the timeline of the rest of the team.

In the end, I think all players in this trade needed a change of scenery more than anything, as can be seen from their most recent game against one another. I expect Porter to thrive alongside a guy like Lauri Markkanen, who may soon develop into the best shooting big man in the league. And the Bulls didn’t have to give up any draft capital to do so.

Bulls Grade: B+

Wizards Perspective: (JARED)

Despite owner Ted Leonsis’ comments just two weeks ago that he would not split up this core, the Wizards have done exactly that. It wasn’t John Wall (who may never get moved) but Porter Jr.’s contract was the second in line of albatross contracts on the Wizards’ books.

In return the Wizards get the expiring contract of Jabari Parker and Bobby Portis. Parker was mainly included to match salaries and while he might help somewhat this year, he is likely not the Wizards long-term plans.

The real haul here for Washington is Bobby Portis. During the Bulls rebuild, Portis had been their most consistent player. A legitimate stretch 4, Portis was shooting 37.5% from three on 3.3 attempts per game for Chicago on his way to 15 points and 7.4 rebounds this year. While Porter Jr. may be the better player by a smidge, it’s close, and Portis is a better fit with Wall and Beal.

Portis also gives the Wizards more financial freedom. He is a restricted free agent this off-season and rumored to be looking for a deal in the neighborhood of $16 million per year, according to K.C. Johnson. Much less than the $27.25 million and $28.48 million Porter Jr. is due over the next two years. Of course, if the price gets too high, they can always opt to not sign Portis and completely rid themselves of any additional financial burden. By relinquishing Jabari Parker and Bobby Portis the Wizards would surprisngly find themselves with about $30 million in cap space this off-season.

Wizards Grade: A-

 

  • PELICANS get: Markieff Morris, 2023 Washington 2nd round [Unprotected]
  • WIZARDS get: Wesley Johnson

JARED: This move is all about the Wizards getting under the luxury tax threshold. The difference of $2.5 million in contracts between Morris ($8.6M) and Johnson ($6.1M) helps the Wizards get under the luxury tax by $232,000. On the other side the Pelicans took on just $2.5 million for an unprotected second round pick. No limitation beyond this year is essentially a free asset for them.

Pelicans Grade: A

Wizards Grade: B+

 

  • SUNS get: Tyler Johnson, Wayne Ellington
  • HEAT get: Ryan Anderson

ROB: It’s hard to know who benefited more from the 2016 free agency bonanza, Tyler Johnson or Ryan Anderson. In a summer where the cap jumped about $24M (and Kevin Durant broke the NBA), players were given all kinds of crazy contracts. Chief among them, Ryan Anderson for 4-year $80M and Tyler Johnson for 4-year $50M. You might think Tyler Johnson’s isn’t all that bad of a deal. $12.5 AAV? Not great, but not terrible. Well that would be the case if the Nets didn’t sign him to a poison pill contract where the last 2 seasons of the deal (this year and next) count as $19.2M against the cap each year before Miami matched the deal. Yikes.

Still, the Suns desperately needed a point guard, and while Tyler Johnson may be an uninspiring pick, he is still only 26 years old and does not turn the ball over – something that cannot be said for his new backcourt mate, Devin Booker. Less ball handling pressure should alleviate some of Booker’s offensive burden. And at least they don’t have to pay Ryan Anderson not to play anymore. The other player in this deal, Wayne Ellington, has already been waived and signed by the Pistons.

From Miami’s perspective, this was a pure salary dump. Their tax bill drops from $9.7M to $1.7M and they acquired a $6.27M trade exception. A pretty uninspiring return for 2 players who have been key contributors to them over the last few seasons. While both are overpaid, so is Ryan Anderson. And I would kinda rather overpay guys that I am playing over someone that I’m not. Ideally, I don’t overpay anyone, of course.

The Suns were desperate for PG help and I can’t help but think the Heat could have gotten some draft capital out of it if they pushed hard enough. The Heat are still over the luxury tax and unless they get under it, they will still be subject to the repeater tax. I’ll give the Heat the benefit of the doubt and say they find a way to get under it by June 30th (Kelly Olynyk’s performance bonus may help them there). Because if they don’t, this trade would be a big fat F for them.

Suns Grade: C+

Heat Grade: C-

 

  • LAKERS get: Reggie Bullock
  • DETROIT gets: Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk, 2021 Los Angeles Lakers 2nd round [Unprotected]

ROB: The trade all Laker fans hoped the team would make! Honestly, I’m surprised the Lakers gave up a pick of any kind in this deal. You would think that they would want to keep all picks on hand for the 2019 summer bonanza. But anytime you can acquire a guy shooting 41% from the field, you gotta take it right?

Perhaps that’s being a bit harsh to Bullock, who did shoot 44.5% from deep last year on 4.5 attempts per game. Even more importantly, on catch and shoot 3 pointers (an essential stat for any LeBron teammate), he shot 45% last season and 39% this season. Clearly the Lakers are hoping that efficiency continues or improves with LeBron drawing the majority of defenses’ attention.

Want to sound smart in front of your NBA friends? Casually drop the correct pronunciation of the player the Pistons received in exchange – svee-AT-uh-slahv muh-KIE-luke. He’s a 21 year old wing player from Ukraine who has been awful in just about every facet of the game. But hey, he’s 21! He’ll have a chance to prove himself as the Pistons push to make the playoffs in the East.

Lakers Grade: C+

Pistons Grade: B

 

  • SIXERS get: Malachi Richardson, Rights to Emir Preldzic, 2022 Toronto 2nd round [Unprotected]
  • RAPTORS get: Cash considerations

JARED: Another scintillating swap. The Raptors get off the hook for Malachi Richardson’s $1.56 million and open a roster spot for potential buyout candidates. The 76ers get an unprotected second pick and a reserve in Richardson who might actually provide useful in case of an injury down the stretch.

Sixers Grade: A

Raptors Grade: B

 

  • PELICANS get: Jason Smith, Stanley Johnson, 2019 Denver 2nd round [Protected #31-55] (from MIL) , 2020 Milwaukee 2nd round [Unprotected] (from MIL) , 2020 Washington 2nd round [Unprotected] (from MIL) , 2021 Washington 2nd round [Unprotected] (from MIL)
  • BUCKS get: Nikola Mirotic
  • PISTONS get: Thon Maker

Pelicans Perspective: (JARED)

While the Pelicans didn’t quite recoup the first round pick they traded to get Mirotic (#22 in 2018), I’d say they did OK here. I cannot remember the last time I saw a team get four second round picks since they became an NBA currency. For that matter, I cannot remember the last time I saw a second round pick protected #31-55 that was actually expected to convey at the time of the trade.

Pair the fact that Nikola Mirotic is on an expiring contract with the news that Anthony Davis is leaving in the off-season and this move was a no brainer for New Orleans. Three of the four second round picks the Pelicans got are unprotected and the pick this year may actually convey. To boot, I don’t think Stanley Johnson is done in this league. While he is up for restricted free agency this off-season he should be cheap to retain, assuming the Pelicans want to spin the tires on the 22-year old forward. Johnson has proven to be a solid defender at both forward spots due to his size and strength and is a three-point shot away from being a good role player. Perfect project for the Pelicans to take on in their rebuild.

Pelicans Grade: A

Bucks Perspective: (ROB)

Nikola Mirotic has done this before and he will do it again dammit! Last season, Mirotic was acquired by the Pelicans at the deadline. The Pelicans had just lost Boogie Cousins for the season in the closing minutes of a win against the Rockets, who were eviscerating EVERYONE in the league at that point (for reference, the Rockets won the four games leading up to that game and the SEVENTEEN games after that). AD and Mirotic were among the best 2 man combo on the Pelicans last year, even better that AD and Cousins. While some of the shine has come off a bit this year, he is still the perfect stretch big for the all-in Bucks to acquire at the deadline. He is a restricted free agent in the off-season, but that is something for the Bucks to worry about later. Right now, their focus may not even be on the East, but on the Warriors. Four second round picks is a reasonable price to pay for that kind of firepower.

Bucks Grade: A-

Pistons Perspective: (ROB)

Originally, Woj tweeted out that this was a Stanley Johnson for Thon Maker trade. Pistons beat writer James Edwards III (of royal blood, I assume) confirmed this by tweeting that the deal was “straight-up” and with “no extras.” Then, this trade got real extra.

The deal expanded into the 3 team trade you see above, and somehow, the Pistons ended up with the worst return out of everyone. I like Thon. He is under team control for another year, and he has shown flashes of being a real NBA player, not just the YouTube phenom he was when he towered over high schoolers. But he’s also on a team that has Blake Griffin and Andre Drummond in the frontcourt.

The Pistons managed to avoid paying Stanley Johnson free agent money this offseason (even though it’s doubtful any team is going to pay him much), but they’ll have the same issue with Thon next season.

Let’s say he plays wonderfully for the Pistons. Are they going to be paying big money to him, Blake, and Drummond? Let’s say he does terribly. Well then what exactly did they get out of this trade? This trade feels incomplete from the Pistons side, who should have pushed for one of those FOUR second round picks that were included in this deal.

Pistons Grade: C-

 

  • ROCKETS get: Iman Shumpert (from SAC), Nik Stauskas (from CLE), Wade Baldwin (from CLE), 2021 Milwaukee 2nd round [Unprotected] (from CLE)
  • KINGS get: Alec Burks (from CLE), 2020 HOU/GSW second-round pick [More favorable of HOU/GSW unless HOU #31-19] (from HOU)
  • CAVALIERS get: Brandon Knight (from HOU), Marquese Chriss (from HOU), 2019 Houston 1st round [Lottery protected 2019-2023] (from HOU), 2022 HOU 2nd round [Unprotected] (from HOU)

Rockets Perspective: (JARED)

This trade served multiple purposes for Houston and was a fantastic use of their first round pick this year, which projects to be in 20’s range.

First of all they get out from $15.6 million owed to Brandon Knight next year, which in itself is a solid accomplishment for the cash strapped Rockets. Next season Houston has $115 million tied up in five players — James Harden, Chris Paul, Clint Capela, Eric Gordon and P.J. Tucker. All of them core members of this team. Knight appeared in just 12 games for Houston  this season, his value added is clearly not worth his price tag. Shedding his salary was essential.

Although Shumpert was thrown in as more of a salary matcher, he does provide value to this Rockets team. Essentially already having replaced what would have been Brandon Knight’s minutes with Austin Rivers, the Rockets still had depth concerns on the wing. Shumpert is a great fit there, backing up Harden, Gordon and Tucker. He doesn’t do anything exceptionally well, but Shumpert plays good defense and can knock down an open three. He’s a good glue to have on the team and can cover some of the tougher wing players in stretches.

The Rockets essentially upgraded their roster while shedding a substantial salary for next year. A first round pick was the price of doing business.

Rockets Grade: A-

Kings Perspective: (JARED)

This move was simple from the Kings perspective and cost them essentially nothing. Shumpert and Burks both were on expiring contracts for about $11 million this season. It seems that Houston must have preferred Shumpert who is the better defender and more proven veteran while Sacramento was interested in Burks’ ability to shoot and upside. They also picked up a second rounder in 2020, however late the pick may be.

Kings Grade: A-

Cavaliers Perspective: (JARED)

The Cavaliers made another good trade on deadline day from a rebuilding perspective. Cleveland already had $120 million tied up next year in Kevin Love, J.R. Smith, Tristan Thompson, Jordan Clarkson and others. They likely weren’t going to be players in the 2020 free agent class without attaching assets to shed salaries. By being willing to take on salary for next year instead, the Cavaliers added assets. For their troubles, Houston gave them a first round pick this year and a second round pick in 2022. Marquese Chriss still has some value too and should get an opportunity in Cleveland at least for the rest of the year.

Cavaliers Grade: A

 

  • HAWKS get: Shelvin Mack
  • GRIZZLIES get: Tyler Dorsey

JARED: Not sure I quite understand this one. Tyler Dorsey is a 22-year old second round pick who has been disappointing so far but was a good shooter in college. He is a restricted free agent after this season, so limited value, fine. But what exactly do the Hawks plan to do with Shelvin Mack? Seems like they gave up slight potential for no potential here, while the Grizzlies picked up a potential role player.

Hawks Grade: D+

Grizzlies Grade: B+

 

  • NETS get: Greg Monroe, 2021 TOR 2nd round [Unprotected]
  • RAPTORS get: Cash considerations

ROB: They say you don’t know what you got ’til it’s gone. In the case of Sean Marks, he started his job as GM of the Nets in 2016 with nearly all his draft picks gone. While everyone knows about the first rounders forfeited to the Celtics, not many know that all the Nets second round picks through 2021 were also shipped out in one trade or another (but good luck on finding a new NBA gig Billy King). In another classic asset acquisition move, the Nets obtain the Raptors unprotected 2nd round pick in 2021, which could sneakily be a good pick if Kawhi leaves this summer and the Raptors turn to a full rebuild. Even if not, it’s a cheap price to pay for a free pick.

For the Raptors, this trade simply opened up another roster spot and saved them some sheckles. Monroe clearly wasn’t going to get playing time behind Siakam, Ibaka, and the recently acquired Gasol. Surprised they didn’t put any protections on the pick, but other than that, can’t blame them too much for doing it.

Nets Grade: A

Raptors Grade: B-  

 

  • PACERS get: Wade Baldwin, Nik Stauskas, 2021 Milwaukee 2nd round [Unprotected]
  • ROCKETS get: Draft rights to Maarty Leunen (2008 #54), Cash Considerations

ROB: The third and final stop for our favorite duo, Wade Baldwin and Nik Stauskas! No one can claim more of a whirlwind free agency than these two. They may need the rename the trade deadline after them. Maybe it shouldn’t be considered the last stop because Indiana waived both players after acquiring them. For their troubles, the Pacers received a second round pick in exchange.

Stauskas’ story, at least, has a bit of a happy ending. He signed with Cleveland, who if you’re still following, actually had him before trading him to the Rockets. He never appeared in a game for the Cavs until this week, where he has gone 3-12 with 10 points in 2 games.

Baldwin’s story is sadder, as he has yet to sign with another team. And for now, is watching college basketball with the rest of us. Pour one (or three) out for our guy Wade.

Pacers Grade: B

Rockets Grade: C

 

  • LAKERS get: Mike Muscala
  • CLIPPERS get: Michael Beasley, Ivica Zubac

JARED: Magic, you’ve done it again! Surrounding LeBron with middling role players is what General Managers do best and the Magic Pelinka team is no different. Zubac is actually a talented young player whose name was floated as part of a package for he who shall not be named (no tampering!). Beasley for all his faults is a capable scorer off the bench. The fit of Muscala around LeBron makes sense since you want to surround James with shooters, but this seems too high a price to pay. The only logic that makes sense here is the Lakers weren’t willing to extend Zubac in restricted free agency this off-season. If that were the case they could have gotten a second rounder or two, instead of a half season rental of Muscala.

Clippers Grade: A

Lakers Grade: C-

 

  • KINGS get: Harrison Barnes
  • MAVERICKS get: Justin Jackson, Zach Randolph

ROB: GREAT deal for the Dallas Mavericks, who got out of a contract they never should have agreed to in the first place, and acquired an interesting young player in the process. The timing? Yeah, that could have been, uhh… a bit better.

Regardless, Barnes would have almost assuredly opted in to his $25M, crushing any free agent hopes to pair with Dončić and Porzingis. Now, the Mavs project to have close to a max salary slot available in the off-season. I don’t expect them to sign a max level player, but this is the summer to fill with second tier players before Porzingis’ extension eliminates all remaining cap space.

The Kings are one of the few teams that aren’t scared off by Barnes’ contract. In fact, they’re looking to lock him into a long-term deal. If you look hard enough, you can see what they like about him. He’s a big body on the wing that is a career 37% shooter from deep, and even better this season. The Mavs tried to make Barnes the focal point of their offense, which is clearly not a role he thrives in. If he can get back to an offense where he’s mostly asked to catch and shoot from distance (he’s 39% on those), the trade could be beneficial for the Kings, who were not going to attract any notable free agents this offseason anyway.

Mavericks Grade: A-

Kings Grade: B

  • KINGS get: Caleb Swanigan
  • BLAZERS get: Skal Labissiere

JARED: Another baffling trade for one team here. The Kings actually had a solid trade deadline besides this deal. Swanigan is one year younger and has a more team friendly contract with team options the next two years. However, he has been a model of inefficiency for a big man shooting 36.5% from the field.  On the other hand, Skal has shown the ability to be an NBA player in this league. Labissiere can run the floor, and even knock down threes (career 35.7% 3P). He is a much better fit in Portland to complement the more ploddy Jusuf Nurkic. The Blazers pick up a player of value essentially for free, while I have no idea what the Kings are doing.

Blazers Grade: A-

Kings Grade: D-

 

  • SIXERS GET: James Ennis
  • ROCKETS get: Swap rights for a 2021 PHI 2nd round

JARED: The addition of Shumpert made Ennis and his player option next year expendable for Houston. The 76ers can actually use the wing depth after trading much of it away to get Jimmy Butler and Tobias Harris. Ennis is a legitimate shooter (career 36.3 3P%) off the bench who should see some time in Philadelphia.

Sixers Grade: B+

Rockets Grade: B-

 

  • MAGIC get: Markelle Fultz
  • SIXERS get: Jonathan Simmons, 2019 Cleveland 2nd Round [Best of Cleveland, Houston, Orlando, and Portland], 2020 Oklahoma City 1st round [Protected 1-20, if not conveyed, turns into 2022 2nd and 2023 2nd round pick]

Magic Perspective: (JARED)

Perhaps the most polarizing trade of the deadline, I don’t mind this deal for Orlando.

There were plenty of question marks surrounding Fultz throughout his tenure in Philadelphia. One thing that is not: Markelle Fultz is still a talented basketball player. There is no doubt he is a risk, especially with the recent diagnosis Thoracic Outlet Syndrome. An injury more prevalent in baseball players than basketball players it is difficult to diagnose and there is no guarantee of full recovery. The options, according to NCBI, seem to be physical therapy (the route Fultz appears to be taking now) which is less effective, or rib reduction (which yes, means removing at least part of a rib). That is the route Matt Harvey chose. The latter has a higher success rate in terms of on-field recovery, but it’s certainly not 100% and some pitchers like Harvey never return to their prior form.

This is certainly a risk, but for the Magic it may be a risk worth taking. Finally knowing the injury that has been ailing Fultz at least puts him on the right path to treatment and recovery. Unlike in baseball, where pitching is heavily reliant on this muscle, basketball is more about overall athleticism which Fultz clearly has. However, it’s possible Fultz never fully recovers and regains his shooting from from Washington, where he was one of the best pull-up shooters in the country.

The Magic have the time and desperation to see if Fultz ever fully recovers. If he does, they just got a #1 overall pick for a late first round pick and a second round pick. Otherwise it could be a couple of assets in the bin.

Grade: B-

Sixers Perspective: (ROB)

The right move for the Sixers to make after acquiring Tobias Harris. Fultz’s value was something of a mystery going into the season given his strange “injury” history. The fact that they were able to get a likely first round pick out of the deal is surprising and a great return for Fultz, but it could also turn into 3 second round picks. Still not terrible for the Sixers and still needed to be done given that Fultz is not cheap. While most rookie deals count minimally against the cap, going #1 overall is the exception. Fultz is due $9.7M next season and the Sixers need to save every dollar they can before re-signing Tobias Harris and Jimmy Butler (not to mention the extension due to Ben Simmons the following summer).

I’m also still a believer in Jonathon Simmons. Being on the Sixers allows him to go back to his bench mob role, where he has thrived in his career. His build and mobility has led teams like Orlando to think he could be the primary option on a team, but that’s never been his game. Simmons (not Ben) gives the Sixers some depth that they lost in the Butler & Harris deals.

Sixers Grade: A-

 

  • CLIPPERS get: Garrett Temple, JaMychal Green
  • GRIZZLIES get: Avery Bradley

JARED: A sad fall from grace for Avery Bradley. From elite perimeter defender, to getting dumped for a guaranteed $2 million next year. As witnessed by the Tobias Harris trade, the Clippers are clearly going all-in on the free agent class this off-season. Jerry West and company are shaving off every last penny of next year’s payroll and now have enough room for two max free agents. I’ve always been a fan of Bradley’s game and think he’ll do well in Memphis, they’ll likely keep him around next year.

Clippers Grade: B-

Grizzlies Grade: A-

 

  • GRIZZLIES get: Jonas Valanciunas, Delon Wright, CJ Miles, 2024 Toronto 2nd round [Unprotected]
  • RAPTORS get: Marc Gasol

Grizzlies Perspective: (ROB) Many teams were questioning what kind of return the Grizzlies would want for Marc Gasol, and this trade showed that they wanted legitimate NBA players. Instead of forfeiting this season (and probably a few more) in trading for far off draft picks, the Grizzlies obtained 3 players that can help speed up their rebuild. Valanciunas, especially, has been a player who has been underutilized on offense and started to show it against the Spurs the other night by putting up 23 & 10.

The Grizzlies will have some choices to make in the offseason. All 3 players could cost them a good chunk of their cap space. Valanciunas has a $17M player option, CJ Miles has an option for $8.7M, and Delon Wright will be a restricted free agent. What Memphis chooses to do with these players will be interesting. They may not have a choice with the first two, but how much do they want to pay to keep Wright? After giving up Gasol to get him, they might have to match whatever offer he gets in the open market. How the Grizzlies handle this offseason weighs heavily on their grade.

Grizzlies Grade: B-

Raptors Perspective: (ROB)

The acquisition of Marc Gasol has already had a significant impact on the Raptors offense. And that is only the start. One week after the trade deadline, and it’s easy to tell that Gasol still has some acclimating to do with the Raptors team (including, hilariously, the team’s pre-game ritual). But he already provides them something they never had from the center position – playmaking ability. Gasol’s passing has always been his strong suit, especially as his defense has declined from his former Defensive Player of the Year level. There is some awkwardness in what lineups he works best in. So far, the Siakam-Gasol pairing has worked well albeit in a small sample size. Small lineups with OG Aunoby at power forward should work too. But if Nurse starts playing Gasol and Ibaka together, spacing and scoring are going to get tight.

Still, the Raptors have also shown they are all-in on winning the East this year. They gave up some bench depth to get Gasol, but may have made it back picking up Jeremy Lin on the buyout market. With one of the few players capable of containing Giannis on the wing, their gamble may just pay off.

Raptors Grade: B+

 

Who do you think won the trade deadline this year? Who lost? Tweet us @Hard_Knick_Life and let us know!