Trade
Knicks get OG Anunoby, Malachi Flynn, Precious Achiuwa; Raptors get RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley, 2024 Pistons 2nd round pick
The Raptors weren't going to keep Anunoby, so they needed to get some kind of return. Knicks weren't sure what to do with Quickley, so they flipped him for Anunoby, the Knicks get bigger on the wing, the Raptors get more ballhandling and playmaking. I think Achiuwa will get playing time in New York and Flynn will likely get some 3rd string time, as well. Meanwhile, Barett gets another shot in Toronto (where he is a better fit than NYC) and I love that pick, which will likely be the #31 pick, a great pick to have. I like this trade for both teams.
Wizards gets Marvin Bagley, Isiah Livers, two 2nd rd picks; Pistons get Mike Muscala, Danilo Galinari
This trade, on the other hand, is utterly pointless for both sides. The Wizards get a little younger...but so what? And the Pistons rotate youth for vets...but so what? Neither of these teams got better (or, to be fair, worse) in the short term or long term. Weird trade, why did anyone bother with this?
Ownership
Mark Cuban transfers majority ownership of the Mavs to Las Vegas Sands Corp.
This could be an indicator that NBA teams (or sport franchises, in general) have topped out in value and Cuban is a savvy investor that wants to maximize his wealth (a thought that I have had as I wonder how TV rights money could possibly keep going up). Or it could signal that Cuban in his personal life is ready to move on to other pursuits (he's won his championship, he can walk away happy). It looks to me like Cuban has sold a chunk of his share but still expects to run the team his way indefinitely. Well, that will come to an abrupt end at some point but until then Cuban has pocketed a bunch of cash and gets to tell himself that nothing has changed. But if Cuban doesn't own the team any more, then his control of the team will not continue too much longer. He's like Wile E. Coyote who has gone over the cliff but hasn't realized it yet.
Executive Suite
GM Daryl Morey (Sixers) signs 4-year extension
My gut feeling is this is Morey collecting a payday ahead of the guillotine. On the one hand, is the ownership fires Morey, they'll have to pay him a crippling balloon payment. On the other hand, the money out was already budgeted and now they can rid themselves of Morey with a quickness when they're ready. So this might be the sign that Morey is juiced in for life....or he might be collecting one last big paycheck if the Sixers get bounced in the playoffs. We'll see.
Coach Erik Spoelstra (Heat) signs 8yr/$120m extension
Great signing! Spoelstra is one of the best coaches in the league, a Heat lifer, this is a no-brainer, money well spent.
Waivings
Dylan Windler (Knicks), Theo Maledon (Hornets), Sir'Jabari Rice (Spurs), Justin Lewis (Bulls), Kenneth Lofton Jr (Grizzlies), Miles Norris (Hawks), Jaylen Martin (Knicks), Javonte Smart (Sixers), Charles Bediako (Spurs), DaQuan Jeffries (Knicks), Dmytro Skapintsev (Knicks), Ish Wainright (Blazers), Skyler Mays (Blazers), Alex Fudge (Lakers), D'Moi Hodge (Lakers), Armoni Brooks (Nets), Lindell Wigginton (Bucks), Marques Bolden (Bucks), Taj Gibson (Knicks), Ryan Rollins (Wizards), Bismack Biyombo (Grizzlies)
Some of these guys will be back, some are gone forever now. Biyombo was with Memphis?
Extensions
Miles McBride (Knicks) 3yr/$13m
Okay.
Kawhi Leonard 3yr/$154.2m
So Kawhi is staying with the Clippers. When he's healthy, this will look like a bargain.
Vince Williams (Grizzlies) converts 2-way contract to 3yr deal
Okay.
End of year contracts
Juan Toscano-Anderson (Kings), Taj Gibson (Knicks), James Johnson (Pacers), Trendon Watford (Nets) (Guaranteed for 2023-24), Vince Williams Jr (Grizzlies)
Doh! Toscano-Anderson was already waived, why sign the guy to a term deal and then cut him at this point in the season? Are there mid-season cap hold concerns? Did Toscano-Anderson just not work out?
I believe Gibson is already gone, too. I don't see why these moves are gettind made at this point in the season.
I like Trendon Watford, I think he'll get some real time with the Nets.
2-way contracts
Drew Peterson (Celtics), Nathan Mensah (Hornets), David Duke Jr (Spurs), Henri Drell (Bulls), Theo Maledon (Suns), Vit Krejci (Hawks), Kenneth Lofton Jr (Sixers), Brandon Williams (Mavs), Mamadi Diakite (Spurs), Duane Washington Jr (Knicks), Dylan Windler (Lakers), Skylar Mays (Lakers)
A bunch of marginal guys getting shuffled around. Some of these guys will last, some won't. I still like Mays and the Lakers might be the right spot for him.
10-Day contracts
Juan Toscano-Anderson (Kings), Hamidou Diallo (Wizards)
I was just thinking about Diallo the other day, a pretty good scorer. Diallo and Poole might be an annoying combo.
Retired
Goran Dragic, Ricky Rubio
Damn, two of my faves. Just too many young splashy guards in the league right now for these two. Dragic has been gone for a coupla years now but Rubio was having a pretty good year with the Cavs until he got hurt in 2022. Go with God, fellas, two guys I really liked a lot.
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