NBA Deadline Recap

Man...I haven't written about NBA once this season...I'm off my game. I've been watching a ton still, just not writing down my observations due to a new job (and looks like an even newer job soon) and a new lovely in my life (no complaints on that one). I';m not as up on the salaries as in previous years but I'm ready to get back into it and the trade deadline is a good opportunity. Here we go.

Hornets get Miles Plumlee; Bucks get Roy Hibbert (stay tuned) and Spencer Hawes
The Hornets got rid of two not-so-important vets for a young guy (with Carolina ties) who gives them a little more life off their bench; not moving the needle but not a bad move for them. The Bucks get rid of a guy who is really expensive for a veteran shotblocker/trade bait and a low cost veteran off the bench; basically they're moving off future salary and adding a tad more perimeter scoring. This deal ain't shaking up the Eastern conference playoff standings in any way.

Blazers get Jusef Nurkic, Nuggets 2017 1st rd pick; Nuggets get Mason Plumlee, Blazers 2018 2nd rd pick
I'm still a fan of Nurkic, a cartoonish big man who fell out of favor after the rise of Jokic but I'm not sure his low block dominance is a better fit than Plumlee, who isn't much of a scorer but is a solid ball handler for a big man. Given that the Blazers are way off where I thought they'd be, perhaps they'd rather look toward the future with a young big and a 1st rd pick than try to make it work with another passer. The Nuggets no longer needed Nurkic and I guess a good passer fits nicely in their rotation. Not a huge upgrade for either team but not a step back either.

Hornets get Chris Andersen, cash; Cavs get Hornets 2017 2nd pick (top 55 protected)
Andersen is hurt, isn't he? And he never plays anyway. Clearly the Cavs would rather have room to bring in a vet that might actually contribute. The Hornets get nothing, give nothing, but pick up a coupla bucks for the end of the year office party.

Raptors Serge Ibaka; Magic get Terrence Ross, Raptors 2017 1st rd pick
This is a nice pick up for the Raptors (although Ibaka may do nothing more than clog the bench on his way to somewhere else), adding a competent veteran who contributes on both sides of the court gives them a counter to Love and/or Lebron come playoff time. Ibaka was never gonna last in Orlando but I'm sure the Magic were hoping he'd be a better trade chip than this. That said, I've always liked Ross and this should be a good draft, even a pick in the bottom third might still could yield a plum and since Ibaka was always just bait, I think the Magic did pretty well here (which is not something I've said about them for the last few years).

Pelicans get Demarcus Cousins, Omri Casspi; Kings get Buddy Hield, Langston Galloway, Tyreke Evans, 2017 Pelicans 1st rd pick, 2018 Pelicans 2nd rd pick
Here it is, the big one. The Kings finally give up on the guy they've been unable to please for a handful of future prospects and an expiring contract...isn't that always the deal that was gonna happen? We've been waiting for a Boogie Blockbuster for years now and while this seems anticlimactic, the Kings were never gonna get as good a player back, so this looks kinda normal to me. The Kings get Hield (me and Vivek like him better than everybody else, but I still think he can be a top notch shooter), Galloway (a hard working young ballhandler, not the most talented guy but the Kings need all the self-motivated players they can get), Evans (I suspect he gets waived, on his way to...Atlanta? Cleveland?), a 1st rd pick in a good draft and a 2nd rd pick because...hey, people like 2nd rd picks. Could they have done better? Almost certainly but they could've done worse (this is the Kings we're talking about, I guess that caveat goes without saying). Also, it helps them tank now, bulking up their own draft pick. (Ironic, right, that they covet draft picks when they're only two good picks in the last ten years just got swapped for each other?) As for the Pelicans, it'll take time to gel and they're still soft on perimeter scoring but at least I get I get to watch my two favorite Wildcats miss the playoffs on one team instead of two. An underrated part of this deal is Casspi, an occasional deadly outside shooter, which the Pelicans need very much. Can the Pelicans sneak into the playoffs? Ehhhh, maybe. I like them to get past the Kings and Blazers now but I think the Nuggets and Grizzlies hang in there. (The upcoming free agency period should be quite a bit more exciting in New Orleans, though)

Rockets get Lou Williams, Marcelo Huertas; Lakers get Corey Brewer, Tyler Ennis, Rockets 2017 1st rd pick (and shook up their front office) (two separate deals but I'm squishing 'em)
These deals were clearly dreamed up by an accountant somewhere because I'm not seeing much change for either side. The Rockets had to upgrade Brewer but I'm not convinced Williams is that guy. And the Lakers had to...uh...I dunno, not sure what they get out of this. I can see them moving on from Williams but Brewer isn't part of their future, Ennis is still young enough that maybe he gets some run but I don't see him as a long time Laker either. The Lakers get an extra late 1st rounder and move off some veteran salary, while the Rockets get a more reliable scoring option off the bench. Neither of these are earth-shattering deals.

Wizards get Bojan Bodanovic, Chris McCullough; Nets get Andrew Nicholson, Marcus Thornton (waived), Wizards 2017 1st rd pick
I think the Wizards got the best of this swap. Bojan is a solid shooter, McCullough could still be a fine young big man and all they give up is a late 1st round draft pick, which I think is a good enough move. The Nets need all the youth they can get so I guess every draft pick is valuable to them but they gave up (to my mind) the two best players in this deal for a salary dump and the hopes they can turn that pick into someone like....oh, I dunno....Chris McCullough.

Hawks get Ersan Ilyasova; Sixers get Tiago Splitter, 2 Hawks 2nd rd picks
Ilyasova (which is actually Turkish for 'Chris Gatling') has now played for every team in the league twice--in just the last 3 years. Man, it just wouldn't be a trade deadline with Ersan in the mix. He's a reliable (if unspectacular) rotation guy, thought he kinda worked for the Sixers, not sure what he brings to the Hawks. Splitter has been injury-plagued in recent years but clearly this is a salary dump for the Hawks, not sure what he brings to the Sixers (except two more 2nd rd picks to throw on the last of the Hinkie haul).

Mavs get Nerlens Noel; Sixers get Justin Anderson, Andrew Bogut, Mavs 2017 1st rd pick
The Sixers have been trying to unload Nerlens for ages now and I think this isn't a bad deal for them. I like Justin Anderson and this pick should be a pretty good one for a guy they didn't really need (I assume Bogut will be waived). The Mavs get a rim protector to build around going forward and while I kinda like Anderson, they've now got a tantalizing piece to lure free agents this summer. The Mavs are currentl 12th in the West and this deal doesn't change that but this move is about next year.

Nets get KJ McDaniels; Rockets get....well....nothing
I forgot McDaniels even played for the Rockets (I guess because he didn't). Remember his 15 minutes back in Philly a few years back? He had a brief run as a high flying shot blocker and crazy wing shooter that got him promptly traded away. The Nets got nothing better to do, might as well see if he's got another nice run in him.

Thunder get Taj Gibson, Doug McDermott; Bulls get Cameron Payne, Anthony Morrow, Joffrey Lauvergne
The Thunder get a veteran leader off the bench and the perimeter shooting they've been dying for for years. The Bulls get younger and cheaper and continue to peel off one more of Thibodeau's soldiers. Taj was so important to the Bulls but I'm not sure he means that much to the Thunder and McDermott is talented but hasn't exactly set the world on fire, will either of them get more opportunity in OKC? I'm not sure. Some are down on Payne but I'd already put him ahead of Rondo and MCW, so I look forward to seeing him get some playing time. Lauvergne is a nice young player, we'll see if he fits in there, I guess Morrow can get some of McDermott's time but hardly a move for the future.

Nuggets get Roy Hibbert; Bucks get Nuggets 2017 2nd rd pick
The Nuggets can offer Hibbert one last shot at being the down low presence he used to be and it sounds weird but Jameer Nelson is the kind of crafty veteran that can get the most out of him. The collection of youngsters in Denver is exciting to watch and I think Hibbert can give them a bit of veteran presence (or perhaps he's already been waived, either way).

Suns gets Mike Scott; Hawks get cash
All I know about Mike Scott (and I would certainly never say this to his face): goofiest looking tats I've ever seen in my life. Looks like he gave a kindergarten class some sharpies and let them go to town on his torso. (And didn't he get busted for selling weed last summer?)

Raptors get PJ Tucker; Suns get Jared Sullinger, 2 Raptors 2nd rd picks
The Raptors get a hungry forward to step in do some dirty work (should platoon nicely with Patrick Patterson) and give up only a guy that wasn't working out for them anywhere. The Suns get a Hinkie-ish collection of picks and can offer some playing time to see if Sullinger can actually become something.

It looks to me like the Raptors were big winner of this year's trade deadline, which is a pleasant surprise considering their usual stand-pat style. Tucker will play for them and Ibaka has a chance to be a really good player again and basically all they gave up was Terrence Ross (but they've got enough wing scoring) and a so-so 1st round pick. Not bad. The Pelicans and Kings are radically changed but neither will affect this year's playoff race. The Wizards and Mavs are upgraded but not much else seems meaningful looking around the league, a lot of bean counting moves but nothing on the court. The 2nd half of this season doesn't look it will be terribly different from the 1st half.