Trades
Celtics get Xavier Tillman; Pelicans get Lamar Stevens; Grizzlies get 2027 2nd rd pick, 2030 2nd rd pick
Celtics finally get the rim protection they've needed for years (Robert Williams was pretty good in his time but seemingly always injured). Grizzlies get a couple more 2nd rd picks to throw on the pile and, since Stevens hasn't been waived, I guess they plan on adding Stevens to the rotation.
Pistons get Troy Brown Jr, Shake Milton, 2030 2nd rd pick; Wolves get Monte Morris
Pistons didn't really need Morris, a vet hungry for some playoff run, but I'm not sure they needed Brown or Milton, either--well, until they waived most of their roster, stripping it back down to pure youth movement--as they are already Cunningham and Ivey as ball dominant attackers. As for the Wolves, well, Morris is fine, gives them a little more toughness on D, little more irrational confidence on offense, and since Milton had fallen pretty far out of the rotation, this was an easy move for them.
Pacers get Cory Joseph, 2025 2n rd pick, cash; Warriors get 2024 2nd rd pick
Since Joseph has already been cut, this looks to be a paper-shuffling move for the Warriors, opening the spot for a buy out (big man?), I presume. Presumably the Pacers get the better 2nd rd pick and for a team that values the draft, that might become something useful.
Pistons get Danuel House Jr, 2024 2n rd pick; Sixers get 2028 2nd rd pick
Another roster-shuffling move, as House has already been waived by the Pistons. Not sure why the Sixers are moving on from House, he's a nice contributor and I'm not sure I see someone more fitting for them out their in the buy-out market, but I guess they have moves in mind, already. As for the Pistons, it's just another 2nd rd pick for the upcoming draft.
Jazz get Otto Porter Jr, Kira Lewis Jr, 2024 1st rd pick; Raptors get Kelly Olynyk, Ochai Agbaji
I don't really get this trade. The Jazz love their 1st rd picks and that's probably the right price for Olynyk, but Agbaji is still a nice young prospect and I don't see Kira Lewis as an upgrade. And what do they intend to do with Porter? As for the Raptors, what do they need Olynyk for? I like Olynyk but he's the kind of guy that can make a worthwhile contribution to a good team but isn't gonna do much to raise the level of a bad team, so are the Raptors just looking to tank the rest of the season, then flip Olynyk in the summer? Is that really worth a 1st rd pick? Agbaji should fit the new-look Raptor rotation but, again, not sure he's worth a 1st rounder, either (unless the Raptors presume this draft will suck). Can't help thinking that Porter and Olynyk are still on the move--and since the draft probably will suck, wouldn't the Jazz rather have Agbaji rather than Lewis and an anonymous draft pick?
Kings get Robin Lopez, cash; Bucks get the rights to Dimitrios Agravanis
Another roster shuffle, as the Kings have already waived Lopez (hmmm, kinda thought the Kings could use Lopez). Don't know Agravanis....sounds Greek...pal of Giannis, I presume. Seems like this about the Bucks freeing up a roster spot for a buy out guy (hmmmm, kinda thought the Bucks could use Lopez).
Mavs get Daniel Gafford; Wizards get Richaun Holmes
All the Wizards got was Richaun Holmes? Why didn't OKC offer slightly more and steal him away? I like Gafford, good rebounder, hard worker, a guy that busts his ass night in, night out. Not a star but the kind of role player pretty much every team could use (especially, say, the Thunder). Holmes is a nice veteran but he's hardly a long term addition for the Wizards, so they just wanted the fungible contract rather than a highly prized role player? Great trade for the Mavs, kinda shocked the Wizards couldn't do better than this for Gafford--not even a throw-in 2nd rounder? Jeez.
Blazers get Dalano Banton; Celtics get 2nd rd pick
Banton had a moment last year with the Raptors where he kinda seemed like a guy, but I guess it was just an unexpected hot streak because nothing much ever happened with him again. The Celtics needed a roster spot but since the Blazers haven't waived him, perhaps they've got plans for Banton.
Celtics get Jaden Springer; Sixers get 2024 2nd rd pick
Jaden Springer is why the Celtic moved on from Banton--and why they could afford to give away a 2nd rd pick. So basically this is a 3-way trade where the Sixers and the Blazers get nothing and the Celtics get the prospect they wanted all along. We'll see if Springer becomes something, if he can handle the ball then he'll get more of a chance with the Celtics than the Sixers, I suppose. But on the surface this just looks like the Celtics get the Blazers and Sixers to pay each other for the guy the Celtics wanted.
Bucks get Patrick Beverley; Sixers get Cameron Payne
PatBev is one of those guys that people are irrational about. The idea that he makes the difference for the Bucks or the Sixers is laughable....that said....every time I've watched the Sixers this year, he's the one that stands out. So I can't imagine why the Sixers gave him away to a conference rival. Payne brings back a ball handler instead of a defensive presence but do the Sixers need that? I can't believe there wasn't more to this deal--why would the Sixers just give away a player to the team ahead of them in the standings? I guarantee Beverley was giving them more than Payne will, so what is up with this move?
Nets get Dennis Schroder, Thaddeus Young; Raptors get Spencer Dinwiddie
Schroder is the kinda guy that can bring it when he's motivated but mails it in when he's not feeling it. In 2023's Euro championship, I thought Schroder was the MVP of the tourney--not Luka, not Jokic, not Markennen. And with the Lakers in the playoffs last year, I thought Schroder's defense was extremely underappreciated. But when he was with the Celtics a few years back--a team desperate for a PG--he barely paid attention and was clearly eager to get run out of town. Why? Likewise, the Raptors are a team desperate for a PG and yet night after night he brought not much to that team. Well, now he's going to another squad desperate for a PG and I can't help feeling that this is the best/last chance for Schroder to actually be a star--which I am convinced he can be if he really wants to. Will he ball out in Brooklyn? I doubt it, but we'll see. As for Young (already moved on to the Suns) and Dinwiddie (already moved on to the Lakers), I think they can be kinda useful in limited roles on playoff teams, we'll see if they get anything done in their new homes.
Knicks get Bojan Bogdanovic, Alec Burks; Pistons get Evan Fournier, Malachi Flynn, Quentin Grimes, Ryan Arcidiacano, 2028 2nd rd pick, 2029 2nd rd pick
Knicks bolster their bench with two reliable veteran shooters, both of whom are wildly underrated. The fact that the Knicks got both of these guys without giving up a 1st rd pick is remarkable. What happened to the Knicks? They look like a real organization for the first time since the Patrick Ewing days. As for the Pistons, well, I guess Grimes has a shot at becoming a rotation guy, but Arcidiacano is already gone, I assume Flynn will be waived at the first chance and Fournier is clearly not someone to build around. So Grimes and a coupla 2nd rd picks feels like not much for two vets all playoff teams could use.
Mavs get PJ Washington, 2024 2nd rd pick, 2028 2nd rd pick; Hornets get Grant Williams, Seth Curry, 2027 1st rd pick
I love PJ Washington, he's on a great contract and he's a hungry that's never been on a good team--exactly the guy I'd love to add to a playoff roster. (So why didn't OKC go get this guy? And they facilitated the trade by offering a 1st rounder in a pick swap deal with the Mavs--why not just use that pick to go get Washington for the Thunder roster?) Clearly Grant Williams was not a successful signing, but still a reasonable enough addition for the Hornets, and Seth Curry was not really needed on a team with so much firepower (and now the Hornets can play the "we got a Curry!" game, worse ways to go). Weird trade but the Mavs end up with the guy they want (instead of the guy they don't want) and the Hornets shuffle the deck chairs and have an extra 1st round pick.
Thunder get Gordon Hayward; Hornets get Vasilijie Micic, Tre Mann, Davis Bertans, 2024 2nd rd pick, 2025 2nd rd pick
Why did the Thunder do this? So instead of going to Charlotte and putting your assets out for Washington (and Nick Richards), they help Washington go to a conference opponent and get Hayward instead? Why....why....I don't get this at all. I like Micic and Mann, they'll both get run in the Hornets rotation, and even Bertans might get some time, too, since the Hornets have no need to win anything. I like OKC, they have drafted so well over the years that they can afford to give up on Micic and Mann, but to do that for Hayward makes no sense to me.
Grizzlies get Chimezie Metu, Yuta Watanabe; Suns get Royce O'Neale, David Roddy; Nets get Keita Bates-Diop, Jordan Goodwin, 2026 2nd rd pick, 2028 2nd picks, 2029 2nd rd picks, the rights to Vanja Marinkovic
The Suns wanted a solid veteran perimeter defender and, in O'Neale, they got that. The rest is just a shuffling of little used players to similarly dusaty benches. I like Watanabe but hard to imagine he makes a difference in Memphis. Roddy was my favoire player in the NCAA tourney a coupla years back, but I think we can say he doesn't look to be a major star in the NBA. Bates-Diop is a servicable forward but the Nets already have a whole roster full of those. Metu and Goodwin have already waived. No idea who Marinkovic is, I suppose it is possible that he is the real jewel in this transaction. Well, the Nets got a fist full of 2nd round picks, that's something, I guess.
Sixers get Buddy Hield; Pacers get Furkan Korkmaz, Doug McDermott, 2024 2nd rd pick, 2029 2nd rd pick, cash; Spurs get Marcus Morris, 2029 2nd rd pick
Sixers get the shooter they needed in Hield, but unless Embiid returns, not sure it matters. Pacers get two guys they don't need or want and some 2nd rounders. Spurs get a Morris twin for no reason and a far off 2nd rounder. Feels like the Pacers should've done better for Hield--and why were they so desperate to trade him anyway? He has better value than what they got back. The Spurs get to move on from McDermott but what do they need Morris for? I dunno, this just looks like a big ol' waste of time.
Nuggets get rights to Ishmael Kamagate; Clippers get cash
Okay. Do the Nuggets really like this guy or were the Clippers just extra desperate to get rid of him?
Pistons get Simons Fontecchio; Jazz get Kevin Knox, rights to Gabriele Procida, 2024 2nd rd pick
Fontecchio is a reasonable perimeter shooter, kinda had moments with the Jazz, not sure what kind of time he'll get with the Pistons. Jazz have already released Knox. I remember some hopeful talk of Procida in that draft. Interesting to see if the Jazz can bring Procida over next year.
Waivings
Victor Oladipo (Grizzlies), Frank Ntilikina (Hornets), Ish Smith (Hornets), James Bouknight (Hornets), Robin Lopez (Kings), Harry Giles (Nets), Thaddeus Young (Nets), Cory Joseph (Pacers), Danilo Gallinari (Pistons), Danuel House Jr (Pistons), Joe Harris (Pistons), Killian Hayes (Pistons), Spencer Dinwiddie (Raptors), Chimezie Metu (Grizzlies), RJ Hampton (Heat), Kevin Knox (Jazz), Jordan Goodwin (Nets), Furkan Korkmaz (Pacers), Kyle Lowry (Hornets), Ryan Arcidiacano (Pistons), Delon Wright (Wizards)
Hornets and Pistons clean house.
Signings (for the rest of the season)
James Johnson (Pacers), GG Jackson (Gizzlies), Keon Ellis (Kings), Lindy Waters III (Thunder), Spencer Dinwiddie (Lakers), Bismack Biyombo (Thunder), Kyle Lowry (Sixers), Thaddeus Young (Suns), Danilo Gallinari (Bucks), Delon Wright (Heat), Criag Porter Jr (Cavs), Duop Reath (Blazers), Jeremish Robinson-Earl (Pelicans)
Jackson has been balling out, looks like a great signing for the Grizzlies.
I think Dinwiddie can be really good off the Lakers bench. He can be the pretty good 2nd string playmaker (as long as he stays engaged) that the Lakers will need if they plan on making a run.
Thunder needed rebounding and rim-protecting and that's pretty much all Biyombo can do, so he can be pretty good for them. (They could've traded for PJ Washington and Nick Richards and still signing Birombo....just sayin'....)
So the Sixers will use Lowry and Buddy Hield to stay afloat til Emibiid comes back? Meh, I guess it might work.
The Suns weren't old enough, they're gonna need Young's veteran presence.
I don't see what Galinari gives the Bucks. He can shoot 3's but he's too slow to be effective on defense, hard to imagine he's a net benefit for this team. Well, the Bucks this year are built to outscore teams so I guess his lack of defense doesn't really matter (as long as he scores).
Wright is a nice backup PG, the Heat always need depth.
10 Day Contracts
Ashton Hagans (Blazers), Trey Jamison (Grizzlies), Taj Gibson (Knicks), Justise Winslow (Raptors), Mouhamadou Gueye (Raptors), Zhaire Smith (Cavs), Tosan Evbuomwan (Pistons), Jordan Goodwin (Grizzlies)
Winslow is back! Man, when he fell to $#10 in the draft, I thought that would be a talking point for years to come. Not so much.
2-Way Contracts
Alondes Williams (Heat), Mason James (Kings), Adam Flagler (Thunder)
Don't know.
No comments:
Post a Comment