2023-24 NBA Bric-a-Brac (Week 16) (Trade Deadline)

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. 

2018-19 NBA Trade Deadline (Teams)

Raptors
(In) Marc Gasol
(Out) CJ Miles, Jonas Valanciunas, Delon Wright, Greg Monroe, Malachi Richardson, 2021 2nd rd pick, 2024 2nd rd pick, the rights to Emir Preldzic
I dunno, man, does this really make them better? Yes, one great player is generally an upgrade on 3-4 rotation guys but the Raptors are kinda based on their superior 2nd string and at this point in the season it'll take a while to re-mold the 1st string to where they want to be, so when does this new look start to produce dividends? Hopefully by round one of the playoffs, I guess. I like Gasol and he does give them more dynamism down low than the underappreciated Valanciunas but I don't see these moves as necessary: it doesn't make re-signing Kawhi any easier this summer, unless Gasol opts out, so this new look is guaranteed not to last. They'll still need to add to the roster, too, so are they looking at, say, Markieff Morris?

Celtics
(Out) Jabari Bird
They stayed notably silent during the deadline. But moving on from Bird (whom they probably should've moved on from months ago), does give them room for a buy-out signing. So are they into Enes Kanter (good around the rim to go with their attacking guards)? Or Markieff Morris (is reuniting the twins a good thing or a disaster waiting to happen?)? Or Wesley Matthews (a little defensive toughness on the wing)? I dunno, but they've still got at least one more move to make.

Sixers
(In) Tobias Harris, Boban Marjanovic, Mike Scott, Jonathon Simmons, James Ennis, Thunder 2019 1st rd pick, 2019 2nd rd pick, 2022 2nd rd pick
(Out) Markelle Fultz, Landry Shamet, Wilson Chandler, Mike Muscala, Corey Brewer, Sixers 2020 1st rd pick (Top 14 protected), Heat 2021 1st rd pick, 2021 2nd rd pick (Rockets get 2021 2nd rd pick swap), Pistons 2022 2nd rd pick, Pistons 2023 2nd rd pick
Okay, this is the culmination of the process. Since they were shamed into firing Sam Hinkie, the Sixers have dealt away pretty much every bauble and bead that he amassed for them. And now, for better or worse, they have their team going forward: Simmons, Embiid, Butler, and Tobias Harris. Is that gonna work? Well, I guess we've got the rest of this season to find out. But for now they also have Mike Scott (feisty), James Ennis (good defender), Jonathon Simmons (could be really great off the bench) and Boban (always a crowd favorite) to thicken that bench. Still not sure this puts them ahead of the Raptors or Celtics but sure gives them a lot of bodies to throw at Giannis, right? This is a weird collection of talent, should be fun to watch for the rest of the season. (Still good enough next year? I'm dubious: the talent was already there last year and didn't win, this just looks like a really expensive train wreck to me; still don't think they're better than the Celtics going forward)

Nets
(In) 2021 2nd rd pick
They waived Greg Monroe, but why? They got something better on the roster? I guess it doesn't matter, just feels like they could've gotten minutes out of him.

Knicks
(In) DeAndre Jordan, Dennis Smith Jr. Mavs 2021 1st rd pick (top 10 protected), Mavs 2023 1st rd pick (top 10 protected)
(Out) Kristaps Porzingis, Trey Burke, Tim Hardaway Jr, Courtney Lee, Enes Kanter
This was all a prelude to July 1, 2019. If they end up with Durant, Kyrie and Zion, this will look brilliant. If not....oh well, they're the Knicks so it kinda doesn't matter.

Bucks
(In) Nikola Mirotic
(Out) Thon Maker
They moved on from an interesting project to a guy that can actually get buckets from the wing. Definitely helps them now. Not a huge upgrade but the Bucks are a more complete team without enduring much drama. Definitely one of the winner of this year's deadline.

Pacers
(In) Wade Baldwin, Nik Stauskus, 2021 2nd rd pick (*)
(Out) Ike Anigbogu, cash
They ended up with the much-coveted Baldwin and Stauskus, we'll see if that upgrades their bench. They're definitely not a contender without Oladipo, but they should still make the post-season, still a sizable lead on the Hornets/Heat/Pistons, so these moves are meant to keep the squad afloat without interrupting the off-season (when they're gonna have a shocking amount of money to spend) and, man, doesn't Tobias Harris seem like the perfect fit for them?

Pistons
(In) Thon Maker, Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk, 2021 2nd rd pick
(Out) Stanley Johnson, Reggie Bullock, 2019 2nd rd pick, two 2020 2nd rd picks, 2021 2d rd pick
Oy! These moves don't make them better now or later. Maker and Sy are two still interesting youngsters and that's better than the two vets they let go, but not necessarily worth giving up a boatload of 2nd rd picks. Gotta look busy, I guess.

Bulls
(In) Otto Porter, Timothy Luwawu-Cabarrot
(Out) Jabari Parker, Bobby Portis, 2023 2nd rd pick, 2020 2nd rd pick
They saw enough of Parker to know he wasn't the guy and, though I'm not a huge fan of Porter, he is an upgrade on Portis and worth building around, I suppose. Still time to see if Luwawu can be something in this league (never got a chance in Philly or OKC, but he should play in Chicago). I dunno, this is some deckchair shuffling right here: is the Porter-LaVine-Markkenen line scaring anyone in the East?

Cavs
(In) Marquesse Chriss, Brandon Knight, 2019 1st rd pick, 2022 2nd rd pick, 2021 2nd rd pick, 2023 2nd rd pick

(Out) Rodney Hood, Alec Burks, Kobi Simmons, 2021 2nd rd pick

Yeah, not sure I see the upside of these moves. They bring in a pile of draft picks (fool's gold if you don't know how to value them) for more salary. I don't see how this helps them now or going forward. Knight could give them minutes and Chriss is still young enough to look at but they don't help the Cavs next year. (And any trade deadline that goes by without getting rid of JR Smith is a thumbs down for the Cavs)

Hornets
(None)
They were in on the Marc Gasol talk but none of it came to pass. Oh well, it'll be another year or two of salary cap hell before they can make any worthwhile moves. (Strange that Michael Jordan would overpay so many mediocre players, I figured he'd be a skinflint kinda GM, an 'ain't nobody worth that kinda money' kinda GM, instead he's flinging cash at a roster that isn't even guaranteed a playoff spot in the East)

Heat
(In) Ryan Anderson
(Out) Wayne Ellington, Tyler Johnson
This hardly solves Miami's problems. Not at all, in fact. Another year or two of overpriced mediocrity there.

Magic
(In) Markelle Fultz
(Out) Jonathon Simmons, 2019 1st rd pick, 2019 2nd rd pick
If Fultz finds his game, this will be more than worth it. Fultz still has a chance to be a difference-maker in the NBA, which is more than can be said for Simmons or that 2019 pick, so it's worth taking a flyer. If it doesn't work out, oh well, it's Orlando, it don't matter.

Wizards
(In) Jabari Parker, Bobby Portis, Wesley Johnson, 2023 2nd rd pick
(Out) Markieff Morris, Otto Porter, 2023 2nd rd pick,
Well they moved off Porter's money, next year they'll be able to stretch Mahinmi, cut Parker and then...oh wait, they'll still be brutally expensive and have no one on the roster (how can you be too expensive and have an empty cupboard?!?!). I dunno, man, I'm not seeing how this move really upgrades anything for the Wizards, at least Porter and Markieff could play.

Hawks
(In) Shelvin Mack
(Out) Tyler Dorsey, 2nd rd pick (top 55 protected)
Hawks bring back a reliable 2nd string PG and move on from a youngster who seem to decline in every stat after his rookie year. Minimal move but doesn't look like a bad one if they weren't feeling good about Dorsey's chances to develop. (Did they waive Mack?) I like what the Hawks got going, I would suggest laying low this summer (how about taking a run at Jonas Jerebko?), bringing in two more 1st rounders, then aiming for summer 2020 to make splashy move in free agency.

Nuggets
(none)
They got a good squad and they know it, no need to upset the locker room with needless drama. Wise move for a solid young team.

Thunder
(In) 2nd rd pick (top 55 protected)
(Out) Timothy Luwawu-Cabarrot
Moved on from TLC to clear up a roster spot for...they interested in bringing Kanter back? Surely they're not interested in bringing Melo back!

Blazers
(In) Rodney Hood, Skal Labissiere
(Out) Wade Baldwin, Nik Stauskus, Caleb Swanigan, 2021 2nd rd pick, 2023 2nd rd pick
Hood gives them a little pep off the bench, more so than Baldwin (they don't really need another ball handler anyway) or Stauskus (the poor man's JJ Reddick that never even became that good). In NCAA I really liked Swanigan's smarts (but not that non-athlete body), while I found Skal's game to be quite a bit less than advertised (#1 prospect out of high school??!? #1? No way, man, he struggled to get 10MPG at Kentucky, not worthy of a 1st round pick), he can run the floor and give you some minute each night. None of these moves are big winners for the Blazers but I guess they provide a little bit more depth.

Jazz
(none)
I'm sure they've got their eye on the waiver wire: Markieff Morris? Can they use Marcin Gortat?

Wolves
(none)
Hmmm, they've had enough drama this year, I reckon. Just mellow this season on down, get it back together in the summer.

Warriors
(none)
Moves made: zero. Moves needed: zero.

Clippers
(In) Wilson Chandler, Landry Shamet, JaMychel Green, Garrett Temple, Micheal Beasley, Ivica Zubac, Sixers 2020 1st rd pick (Top 14 protected), Heat 2021 1st rd pick (unprotected!!!), Pistons 2022 2nd rd pick, Pistons 2023 2nd rd pick
(Out) Tobias Harris, Boban Marjanovic, Mike Scott, Avery Bradley, Marcin Gortat, Milos Teodosic,
Dang, for all the talk about the new-look Sixers, it is the Clippers that most drastically remade their roster. To get two 1st rd picks (the 2021 Heat unprotected pick is arguably the most important piece of this entire deadline), two 2nd rd picks, Landry Shamet and Zubac (I'd keep him) to swap out a ton of dead money is really really really good stuff for the Clippers--way better than what the Knicks accomplished and they didn't have to give up Kristap Porzingis! I think the Clippers had the best trade deadline of anybody: doesn't make them better this year but gives them a lot of room to maneuver in the summer (and next summer!). A+!

Kings
(In) Harrison Barnes, Caleb Swanigan
(Out) Justin Jackson, Zach Randolph, Skal Labissiere, Ben McLemore
I like Barnes, I think he can be a nice addition for the Kings. And Swanigan makes them a little smarter, too. I kinda like these moves together: an active vet and a smart young bench guy to replace an aging vet and some young pieces that weren't gonna pan out. Subtle moves but good ones for the Kings.

Lakers
(In) Reggie Bullock, Mike Muscala,
(Out) Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk, Michael Beasley, Ivica Zubac, 2021 2nd rd pick
All that talk about Anthony Davis....and they ended up with nothing at the deadline. I like Bullock as much as the next guy but I'm not convinced he was wildly better than Mykhailiuk, why not just go for youthful exuberance instead of a mediocre vet (Lebron is just gonna grind down whoever is there anyway). And what was the upside of Muscala instead of just holding onto Zubac? Yeah, he's a raw but I kinda like Zubac (more than Muscala anyway). And if they needed to dump Beasley, why not just waive him? The Lakers are stupid rich and just keep thinking they'll buy their way out of problems instead of just learning how to do it right. Not a fan of any of these moves--their attempts to hijack the Pelicans were laughable and rude and killed their chances to make worthwhile moves at the deadline. Ha!

Suns
(In) Tyler Johnson
(Out) Ryan Anderson
One overexpensive baller for another. Not even sure that Johnson is a better fit than Anderson anyway. I don't get it.

Rockets
(In) Iman Shumpert, Sixers 2021 2nd rd pick (Rockets get 2021 2nd rd pick swap)
(Out) James Ennis, Marquesse Chriss, Brandon Knight, 2019 1st rd pick, 2020 2nd rd pick
Am I looking at this right? What did the Rockets get? They basically swapped Ennis for Shumpert (not a terrible move but not a clearly good one either) and dumped salary and picks. I guess its okay since they don't care about the draft but this doesn't do much for me.

Spurs
(none)
Any interest in Teodosic or Anigbogu or Brewer or Monroe? Didn't really need to make moves, they are what they are, they just need health and a little depth. (What is they nabbed Melo? Either a sneaky brilliant move or it would end up giving Popovic a stroke)

Mavs
(In) Kristaps Prozingis, Tim Hardaway Jr, Trey Burke, Courtney Lee, Zach Randolph, Justin Jackson
(Out) Harrison Barnes, Dennis Smith Jr, Wesley Matthews, DeAndre Jordan, Salah Mehri, 2021 1st rd pick, 2023 1st rd pick
Doesn't help them now but great move for next year. (I'd play Justin Jackson as much as possible down the stretch, see if he's worth keeping)

Pelicans
(In) Stanley Johnson, Jason Smith, 2019 2nd rd pick, two 2020 2nd rd picks, 2021 2d rd pick
(Out) Nikola Mirotic, Wesley Johnson
(Why did they cut Markieff Morris? Do they have something better there that I don't see?) I dunno, a pile of 2nd rd picks for Mirotic? Feels like they could've done better. The Pelicans are all about Anthony Davis, so these moves don't matter but still, could've done better.

Grizzlies
(In) CJ Miles, Jonas Valanciunas, Delon Wright, Avery Bradley, Tyler Dorsey, 2024 2nd rd pick
(Out) Marc Gasol, JaMychel Green, Garrett Temple, Shelvin Mack
This summer they stretch that horrendous Chandler Parsons contract, cast off Bradley and Valanciunas and I guess they're back in business with Conley and Jaren Jackson and a top 10 pick. Ehhh, that's the dream anyway. They didn't really get much younger in any of these deals, did they? Only slightly less expensive (but then it costs them they're favorite son and all that 'loyalty' that everyone seems to admire), I don't feel like these were the home run moves the Grizzlies needed.


(*) Check out Marty Leeunen's career stats, they're fascinating.

2017-18 NBA Trade Deadline recap

The moves
Bulls get Noah Vonleh; Blazers get draft rights to Milocan Rakovic and cash

Bulls get Willie Reed; Pistons get Jameer Nelson and rights to 2022 2nd round pick swap

Cavs get 2024 2nd round pick; Heat get Dwayne Wade

Cavs get Rodney Hood, George Hill, rights to Arturis Gudaitis; Jazz get Jae Crowder, Derrick Rose;
Kings get Joe Johnson, Iman Shumpert, Cavs 2020 2nd round pick, cash

Cavs get Larry Nance Jr, Jordan Clarkson; Lakers get 2018 1st round pick, Isaiah Thomas, Channing Frye

Grizzlies get Brice Johnson, undisclosed 2nd round pick; Pistons get James Ennis

Hawks get Okaro White; Heat get Luke Babbitt

Knicks get Emmanual Mudiay, 2018 2nd round pick; Nuggets get Devin Harris, 2018 2nd round pick; Mavs get Doug McDermott

Suns get Elfrid Peyton; Magic get 2nd round pick

Pelicans get Rashad Vaughn; Nets get Dante Cunningham

Raptors get Malachi Richardson; Kings get Bruno Caboclo

Also, Tony Allen waived by the Bulls, Greg Monroe signs with the Celtics

Team by team
Bulls -- Picked up a last look at Noah Vonleh (his 3rd team though still on his rookie contract), Willie Reed (who has already been waived) and all it costs them was the recently received Jameer Nelson (who would've been waived anyway), a 2nd round pick swap (2nd round pick swap? Is that a thing?), and some cash. Well, along with Omer Asik, they picked up a lot of veteran bodies down low, to go with Robin Lopez, they surely have depth there now (of course, they're all injury-prone). Not sure what these moves do for them but they don't cost much, so worth a try, I reckon.

Cavs -- They did the most to remake their team, which clearly needed to happen. Brought in George Hill (I like the move, gives them a confident ball handling PG that can score and play D off the bench), Rodney Hood (streaky shooter but can fill it up on any given night), Larry Nance Jr (active young scorer down low), Jordan Clarkson (much maligned but I think he's a good fit for the Cavs, a confident reliable presence off the bench), a 2nd round pick (top 55 protected meaning it's basically worthless) and the rights to Arturo Gudaitis (AKA future trade filler). I think all four of those guys will help the Cavs. And all they had to give up was mostly addition by subtraction: Isaiah Thomas (hmmm, well that was a disaster, huh? He was hurt most of the time, he was divisive in the locker room and he wasn't very good on the court, getting rid of Thomas was more important than getting anything in return), Jae Crowder (another part of the Kyrie trade that never really fit in with the Cavs), Dwayne Wade (okay I'll say it: he's virtually useless at this point in his career, surprised the Heat took him back), Channing Frye (always thought he could've be more useful to the Cavs than they ever let him be, felt to me like he was more valuable than just trade filler), Derrick Rose (meh, he never did get into the swing of things in Cleveland), Iman Shumpert (though I was never much of a Shump fan, he did serve a worthwhile need to the Cavs that doesn't really get replaced in any of these moves), a 2018 1st round pick (not a big deal, the Cavs don't draft particularly well to be honest) and 2020 2nd round pick (probably a worthless pick anyway).  I kinda love these moves for the Cavs, I think they've brought in a raft of hungry, underappreciated players and shipped out a pile of lethargic overrated players. The Cavs are still in the driver's seat in the Eastern playoffs.

Hawks -- Okaro White, ladies and gentlemen! The future starts now! Honestly I don't know who Okaro White is but I do know Luke Babbitt and White is probably just fine. Not sure what this move does for either team but it doesn't look like it'll hurt anything.

Grizzlies -- Brought in a rookie (I kinda like Brice Johnson with the Tarheels, never saw him with the Pistons) for a vet that's been hanging around forever (Ennis has been around been never really played anywhere). Got themselves a bonus 2nd round pick, which isn't bad, they need every lottery ticket they can get.

Jazz -- Brought in Derrick Rose (soon to be waived? They don't really need another ball hogging PG) and Jae Crowder (I think he can be useful to the Jazz, his defense and veteran presence can lift a young team), though it cost them Rodney Hood (inconsistent but damn good at times, I guess they weren't planning on bringing him back) and Joe Johnson (agitating for a trade/waiving, I'm sure) and they sent out cash to make this happen?  Hmmm....I guess they needed to do this because I'm not seeing these moves as upgrades.

Heat -- Back comes Dwayne Wade (not as old as Udonis Haslem...can't think of anything else nice to say about him) and Luke Babbitt (uhhh....I'm guessing he has a hot girlfriend....can't think of anything else to say about him). Neither of these moves make the team better (or, to be fair, worse I guess). All it cost them was Okaro White (minor character on Starsky & Hutch, right?) and a 2024 top-55 protected 2nd round pick (the farthest away possible move to make, meaning its basically just imaginary), so...whew, almost like they didn't make a move, isn't it? Yeah, they brought back the hometown fave Hall of Famer but hard to imagine they win a single extra game because of him.

Kings -- Brought in Bruno Caboclo (big man project making Giannis Papagiannis expendable), Joe Johnson (who I assume will be waived any day now) and Iman Shumpert (I kinda like his potential for veteran presence in this youth movement, he can be a good player for them), they also get a bunch of cash and a 2020 2nd round pick from the Cavs (already earmarked for a European stash pick, I'm sure). And all it cost them was George Hill (I still believe in Hill but on this team I thought he was utterly worthless, not a good fit for where they are and what they need to be doing, his absence is a welcome addition) and Malachi Richardson (never really found his place in Sacramento). Great day for the Kings!

Suns -- Brought in Elfrid Peyton (not sure they bring him back next year but they do need PG depth for the rest of the year) and give up only a 2nd round pick. A temporary fill-in for a pick that was not likely to help them and if they can get a good deal on Peyton, they may well bring him back.

Lakers -- Brought in Isaiah Thomas (wouldn't be surprised if they waive him, he doesn't serve any purpose for them and has the chance to be a real bring-down in the locker room) and Channing Frye (again, I think Frye would've be useful for the Jazz but not for the Lakers, I'm guessing they'll use him for minutes rather than waive him) and a 1st round pick (won't be a great pick but Larry Nance and Kyle Kuzma show the Lakers have an ability to make the most of those late 1st rounders). Gave up on Jordan Clarkson (like him, don't love him, Lakers need cap room to go after free agents) and Larry Nance (that kinda hurts, man, I think Nance is pretty good and fit the Lakers well, but worth it to make salary cap space).

Knicks -- Brought in Emmanuel Mudiay (who just wasn't gonna make it in Denver), worth another look in New York, I guess. And sent out Doug McDermott (follow me now: when McDermott scored, the Knicks won games; not saying he was the most important player on the team but was helpful when effective, I think he can still be a good player in the NBA). And swapped 2nd round picks. I dunno, I don't really see the point of this since both contracts are expiring and the Knicks may well have a better 2nd round pick. Not sure what this does for the Knicks, seems to me they need all the scoring they can get rather than PG depth. And if they're just looking to save money, why not dump the entire roster?

Magic -- Got a 2nd round pick for Elfrid Peyton. Since they weren't bringing back Peyton, I guess they did well to get something for him. I like those early 2nd round picks, maybe the Magic can do something with it.

Mavs -- Pick up Doug McDermott (Dirk replacement?) for Devin Harris (you may remember him from that classic Brooks/Reiner routine "The 2000 Year Old Point Guard"). I like McDermott, I wouldn't be surprised is the Mavs re-sign him this summer.

Nuggets -- Brought in Devin Harris as a veteran version of Emmanual Mudiay and (likely) upgraded their 2nd round pick. Not really much difference but Harris replaces the veteran leadership they gave away with Jameer Nelson earlier in the year. A minimal move but not a bad one.

Pistons -- Brought in Jameer Nelson (nice veteran PG off the bench) and James Ennis (nice veteran practice player) for a guy they never really played there (Willie Reed) and a rookie that never found his space (Brice Johnson), and upgraded their 2022 2nd round pick for good measure. Not much of a move but probably fits them a little better for now.

Raptors -- Brought in Malachi Richardson (gives them some Guard depth, I suppose, hasn't done much yet in the league). Sent out Bruno Caboclo (I've liked his work in int'l play but he has yet to do much in the NBA). They've known for a while that Caboclo wasn't going to work so they redeemed him for a few years of a SG to develop. Ehh, I guess this move is something they wanted.

Pelicans -- Brought in Rashad Vaughn (disappointing so far but young enough to be intriguing, I suppose) while sending out the veteran Dante Cunningham. Both contracts were expiring so I'm not sure what this does for them unless they think can develop Vaughn.

Nets -- Brought in Dante Cunningham for a guy that never actually played for them (Rashad Vaughn). In a sense this completes their previous deal with the Bucks, I guess they just like the chances of getting something out of Cunningham more than Vaughn.

NBA Transactions

After the trade deadline, which was a bit of a snooze this year, came the real player movement: waivings and signings. There's still probably a bit more to go but what have we got so far?

Nets named Sean Marks new General Manager. For a day or two this was big news: a Spur lifer coming to Brooklyn to resurrect a moribund franchise. Until it dawned on everyone that no matter what Marks does, this franchise is pretty well guaranteed to stay moribund for 2-3 more years. They're spending too much money, they've got no draft picks and they've got no cache. The Nets are gonna be a collection of D-Leaguers for the next coupla years no matter how brilliant Marks is. He's just there to collect a paycheck and keep the mood from turning irredeemably sour. Good luck, that is not gonna be an easy job.

Pelicans waive Jarnell Stokes, sign Bryce Dejean-Jones to rest of season contract. The Pelicans got Stokes in a salary dump from the Heat and kept the dumping vibe going; hey, man, that guy was a rebounding machine in college, maybe he just doesn't have the size or the instincts but I saw him play once upon a time and he's at least got a D-League career ahead of him. Dejean-Jones just made his league debut about six weeks ago but seems to have already found a home in New Orleans (at least for the rest of the year). He started that game where Anthony Davis went off for 59 points, so he's got that going for him.

Sixers waive JaKarr Sampson. This was part of the 3-team trade that was to send Motiejunas and Thornton to the Pistons for a 1st round pick to the Rockets and Joel Anthony to the Sixers. The deal got voided but the Sixers had already waived Sampson to make room. Oops. The scuttlebutt is the Sixers had a deal with Sampson that they would re-sign him when the time was right but Sampson made other plans and signed a rest of season deal with the Nuggets. Sampson played minutes for the Sixers last year but I wouldn't have thought he was to be part of their future, though it sounds like the Sixers had other thoughts. This ain't exactly like Carlos Boozer dissing Lebron and the Cavs back in the day but, hey, man, sometimes the deals don't work like you like.

Nuggets waive JJ Hickson, Steve Novak. This was to make room for JaKarr Sampson and cut salary. Novak signed with the Bucks, Hickson signed with the Wizards (both of the rest of season variety). Novak gives the Bucks a shooter off the bench (that will probably never play), Hickson gives the Wizards bench depth that got purged when Humphries and Blair were shipped out for Markieff Morris.

Trail Blazers waive Anderson Varejao. This was to cut salary. Varejao immediately signed on with the Warriors (a subtle 'f you' to Lebron) and gets to watch the Finals this year from the winning bench instead of the losing one.

Celtics waive David Lee. This was to cut salary. Unable to find a taker for Lee's expiring contract, the Celtics went ahead and expired it early. Lee signed with the Mavs. I think Lee fits better on a young team just looking for professional veterans to guide yougnsters (re: Wolves or Jazz). On a potential playoff team, I think Lee is just there to dress like a basketball player and maybe get some emergency minutes. Lee's game has dropped off considerably in the last coupla seasons making him the NBA equivalent of a 'Spring Training Invitee' kinda player. I kinda expect Lee to retire in the off-season (or maybe take Varejao's spot with Golden State?).

Nets waive Andrea Bargnani. This was to cut salary. I believe I heard Bargnani is heading to Europe, which is probably his best move. Once upon a time Bargnani was a #1 overall pick and while he wasn't always terrible, he never came close to living up to his potential. Only Anthony Bennett is keeping Bargnani from being the worst top pick in the last 30 years.

Suns sign Phil Pressey to 10 day contract. With Bledsoe and Knight both suffering injuries, I wouldn't be surprised to see Pressey hang on with the Suns for the rest of the year.

Hornets sign Jorge Gutierrez to a 10 day contract. Gutierrez had some nice moments for the Bucks last year. Seems like he could have a decent career way at the end of an NBA bench. He'll give the Hornets some speed and intensity off the bench.

Clippers sign Alex Stepheson to 10 day contract. A 29 year old rookie? Hmm, feels like the Clippers are digging deep for any depth they can get. One assumes that when Blake Griffin comes back, Stepheson will probably be gone.

Mavs waive John Jenkins. This was to make room for David Lee. Jenkins was claimed by the Suns, giving them another SG to give them minutes. Knowing the Suns, he'll probably play.

Suns waive DeJuan Blair. This was to make room for John Jenkins. The oft-injured Blair is one of those guys that's a nice player when he's not hurt. I was surprised to see that he played 29 games this year for the Wizards (and 29 last year too), I haven't noticed him since he left the Mavs a few years back. I'm not sure about his health status but at this point he's probably just as useful as David Lee. I dunno, maybe he's a dick. I still feel like he could be a decent backup but maybe he's just too unreliable, in which case, he'll probably retire this summer (or be back in Summer League).

Magic waive Jared Cunningham. This was to make room for Chris Copeland. Cunningham, a former 1st round draft pick, was a throw-in on the Channing Frye deal. Cunningham has been waived by the Magic, Hawks and Sixers and traded by the Mavs and twice by the Cavs. He did play some minutes with the Cavs this year so I reckon we'll see him at Summer League.

Bucks waive Chris Copeland. This was to make room for Steve Novak. Copeland was quickly nabbed by the Magic, though I'm not sure he brings anything more than what Jared Cunningham could give....and was waived by the Magic the next day. (I was really liking the Magic youth movement but I'm not seeing the genius of their recent moves)

Warriors waive Jason Thompson. This was to make room for Anderson Varejao. Thompson signed on with the Raptors. The Warriors are not really hurting for depth (though you think they would be since their stars don't play many 4th quarters), I guess bringing in Lebron's ex-girlfriend adds a little gangsta to any otherwise clean cut squad.

Wolves waive Andre Miller. This was to cut salary. Kind of a weird move, really. The Wolves have no depth at all now and Miller was not a terribly expensive player, so now they're scrambling to find someone to fill minutes when they had a perfectly acceptable vet at a reasonable price. I know he's not a long term piece for the Wolves (and perhaps they signed him with the proviso that they would make him available at the trade deadline), but they still need bodies for the rest of the season. But Miller signed with the Spurs, so at least he'll get one last deep run in the playoffs before retiring.

Nets waive Joe Johnson. This was to cut salary. The Nets couldn't move that bloated contract but making him available was the nice thing to do since there's no way they were re-signing him in the summer. Johnson has since signed with the Heat and he should give them depth for the post-season.

Rockets waive Marcus Thornton. This was to...I dunno...cut salary? It doesn't feel like the Rockets are looking to bring anyone in but since they already tried to trade Thornton, maybe they just felt the need to get him out. I kinda like Thornton, he's a solid ball handler and, at times, a conscious-free gunner off the bench. Grizzlies, Clippers or Wizards could use a guy like that (or the Bulls unless they've just given up on a post-season run). Rumors tend to have him heading to the Heat but I'm not sure they've got any more roster spots available.

Suns waive Khris Humphries. This was to make room for...Anthony Bennett? (Seriously?) Seems like they'll need someone to fill Markieff's minutes. I don't know what the compensation is for waiver claims (I don't think there are any but I could be wrong), seems like the Suns could've gotten something for Humphries, he's still a pretty good player. I can understand the Wizards wanting to get younger and more offensively aggressive at that position but Humphries is a good defender and rebounder, seems like a coupla Mav 2nd round picks would've been better than just letting him float away. Humphries signed with the Hawks, giving them a nice replacement for Splitter.

Spurs waive Ray McCallum. This was to make room for Andre Miller. McCallum is young enough to be back in Summer League, I kinda doubt he'll catch on anywhere this season but he'll be back. I always loved Andre Miller, unless he hooks on with the Jazz next year, it feels like this will be his last run in the league. Nice that he'll get a long look at the playoffs. He doesn't have the speed to play in the Spurs offense but he's still a crafty presence off the bench that will serve them well.

Raptors waive Anthony Bennett. This was to make room for Jason Thompson. Supposedly he's heading to the Suns and maybe that's the spot for him, but its hard to imagine he'll ever catch on. Bennett is maddening: he'll have moments where he looks like a badass, then you won't see him again for three weeks. I bet in pre-draft individual workouts he looked like a monster but on the court he was never much to see. The craziness of the Suns might be just the thing for him but I suspect he'll be off to China soon enough. Thompson couldn't get minutes with the Warriors but maybe he'll bring some spicy secrets on Toronto with him. And he has to be an upgrade over Bennett.

Heat waives Beno Udrih. This was to make room for Joe Johnson (and cut salary). This deal kinda pissed off some teams because apparently there were some shenanigans involved in getting Udrih paid off the books (or some such something like that). If the details are there, the story will eventually emerge. Until then, its just another guy getting cut to make room for another guy.

Grizzlies waive James Ennis. This was to make room for Ryan Hollins. Ennis actually got minutes last year with the Heat but I guess the Grizzlies figured they needed bulk more than swiftness. Grizzlies just got Grizzlier. I wouldn't be surprised to see Ennis with the Wolves or Pelicans next year, we'll see whose uni he's wearing in Summer League.

Rockets waive Ty Lawson. This was to cut salary. Last summer's most intriguing and seemingly one-sided trade was pretty much a non-starter for the Rockets. Lawson never fit in with the Harden-controlled offense (which was predictable, in hindsight). Where does Lawson go? Early speculation was NYK but supposedly Phil's not interested. Nets always need players and the Clippers do too. On the one hand, he's not the giant talent he was just a few years ago but he's not washed up, he can still be good somewhere. Not sure if we'll find out where this year, though.

Wolves waive Kevin Martin. This was to make room for Greg Smith. Shame the Wolves couldn't trade Martin but giving him a chance to hook on somewhere else was as good as it was ever gonna get, I reckon. The Wolves signed Martin in a different time, when the team's needs and prospects were radically different. When K Love got moved out and the Wolves went into youth movement mode, Martin was an awkward leftover that never really fit. Early speculation is that he'll end up with Andre Miller in San Antonio but I think he's a better fit for the Mavs or Grizzlies. And, again, the Clippers (like the Post Office) are always hiring for cut rates.

Gutierrez (Hornets), Pressey (Suns), Stepheson (Clippers) all got 2nd 10 day contracts. But Jimmer Fredette (Knicks) did not.

Trade Deadline Re-cap

Gotta say right off: the Reddit NBA page was waaaaaaay more useful than NBA.com, an oversight for a league that ought to be setting the standard. Okay, the deals.

Pistons gets Tobias Harris; Magic get Brandon Jennings and Ersan Ilyasova
Pistons added to the long term core by bringing in a solid scorer in the SF position and all they gave up was the guy they were going to trade anyway (Jennings) and a nice vet who isn't really part of the long term (Ilyasova). StanVan pulled off a good one, I think. As for the Magic, they bring a crazy shoot-first PG (who will probably move on in the summer) and some nice veteran depth (to replace Channing Frye, as it turns out). The Magic signed Harris to a big time contract just last summer because, for whatever reason, free agents don't want to come to Orlando, so like the Jazz they have to give big money to whoever they've got right now. But they clearly had misgivings because a Jennings rental and a nice vet PF represent selling low to my mind. I think Harris is the best contract among the bunch and the Magic probably would've been better off holding on to him. We'll see.

Pistons get Donatas Motiejunas and Marcus Thornton; Rockets get Joel Anthony and a 2016 top 10 protected 1st round pick.
Frankly, I think Motiejunas is a badass player (when healthy) and Thornton is a solid vet off the bench and getting both for a 1st round pick isn't a bad move. The Pistons are now rolling with Jackson, KCP, Tobias, Morris, Drummond with Thornton, Motiejunas, Stanley Johnson, and Meeks off the bench. That should get them into the playoffs in the East, thus that 1st round pick wasn't so valuable anyway. Rockets get back into the 1st round (but if they're letting go of Motiejunas, Terrence Jones and giving no playing time to Dekker or Harrell, then who cares about their draft picks?) and a dumpable contract in Joel Anthony (who hasn't played for years in this league, keep getting them checks!). Pistons made two moves and got the better of both of them. Brought in Harris, Motiejunas and Thornton for Jennings, Ilyasova, Anthony and a so-so 1st round pick is a solid upgrade.

Grizzlies get PJ Hairston, Birdman Andersen, 2 Hornets 2nd rd picks, 2 Heat 2nd rd picks; Hornets get Courtney Lee; Heat get Brian Roberts
Hornets needed to bring in some perimeter offense to fill in for MKG to make a playoff push, not sure Lee is the thing that puts them over the top but getting rid of Hairston is probably worth it (although I suspect this move was meant to set up other moves that haven't yet happened). Heat dumped some salary...and that's all. Grizzlies bring in a bunch of 2nd round picks, move on from Lee, get an interesting young shooter in Hairston and some veteran toughness in Andersen. Grizzlies are tough and getting tough (notice I didn't say 'good and getting better').

Grizzlies get Lance Stephenson; Clippers get Jeff Green
The Clippers move a headcase for a rental on a guy who's good every once in a while. Jeff Green is at least a guy the Clippers can rely on to not be an idiot, though he's not actually any better than Stephenson. As for the Grizzlies...man, tough and getting tougher. Look at the roster: Zeebo, Birdman, Lance, Matt Barnes, and Tony Allen. Man, not gonna win a playoff series but they're gonna leave some bruises on whoever they play. And for Coach Joerger, in trying to save your job here's Lance and Hairston to help you out. Good luck with that.

Heat get a 2nd rd pick; Pelicans get Jarnell Stokes
I was impressed with Stokes in NCAA, maybe the Pelicans will finally give him a chance to play. (Doubt it, but maybe) With the health concerns of Chris Bosh, the Heat were probably hesitant to make a move at the deadline other than just dumping salary.

Cavs get Channing Frye; Magic get Jared Cunningham, Blazers 2nd rd pick (and a $7m or so trade exception); Blazers get Anderson Varejao, Cavs 1st rd pick
Cavs get rid of the awful Varejao contract and a not particularly valuable draft pick for Frye, a guy that can come off the bench and give them some good offense. The Magic ditch a veteran contract for the sheer sake of saving money--but why? Why are the making the Cavs stronger for cap space they don't even need anyway? Giving up Frye to make room for Aaron Gordon is fine but Frye is a valuable enough asset that they could've gotten more than a trade exception. I don't get it. As for the Blazers, Varejao's contract can be cast off in the summer (I think) and they get a free draft pick just for playing along. No worries for the Blazers.

Jazz get Shelvin Mack; Hawks get Kirk Hinrich; Bulls get Justin Holiday, Jazz 2nd rd pick
This is just a paper shuffling deal, I guess. The Jazz get a 3rd string PG, the Hawks get a 3rd string PG, the Bulls get a slight upgrade on a 2nd round pick. If the Hawks were going to move Teague, then bringing in Hinrich might make sense...but they didn't move Teague. If the Jazz were going to move Trey Burke then bringing in Mack might give some roster depth....but they didn't move Burke. If the Bulls wanna make a playoff run having a reliable backup PG might make sense...but they just gave away their 2nd string PG. Uhh, I don't get this deal at all now that I think of it.

Thunder get Randy Foye; Nuggets get DJ Augustin, Steve Novak, 2 2nd rd picks
The Thunder are really just looking to dump some salary and perhaps they like Foye a little better than Augustin or Novak. The Nuggets are taking back some salary (but both guys are free agents in the summer) and they get a coupla 2nd rounders for their troubles. Is Foye an upgrade for OKC? I guess, maybe. Foye's a better finisher than Augustin and a better ball handler than Novak and he costs half as much as the two of them put together. Hard to imagine this deal makes any difference in the long run.

Wizards get Markieff Morris; Suns get Khris Humphries, Dejaun Blair, 2016 1st rd pick
The Wizards get an interesting young PF, who may (or may not) fit in well with the Wizards going forward. The Suns get rid of a headache and bring in a decent 1st rd pick, a solid veteran in Humphries and an okay-when-he's-not-hurt veteran in Blair. For the Suns this is bittersweet: it feels like they could've done better for Markieff, but they definitely could've done worse. Humphries is an underappreciated player who should give the Suns some solid dirty work, Blair was once upon a time a Spur-killer (though its hard to imagine that matters any more), and that draft pick could turn out to be pretty good if the Wizards falter in their attempt to get into the playoffs. As for the Wizards, well, if Markieff plays, he'll be a nice tough young scorer to smoosh between Gortat and Beal; or maybe he'll be an unbearable pain in the ass. The Wizards have decided to roll the dice. We'll see.

Sixers gets Joel Anthony, 2nd round pick; Rockets get rights to a foreign player (Chukwudiebere, I presume?)
The Sixers are still available to hide the NBA's dead bodies. I assume Anthony will be bought out and I suspect that's the last we'll ever see of Joel Anthony (hey, he won a ring with the Heat and even had moments where he played, not bad for a dude that never played basketball before).

Blazers get Brian Roberts and Heat 2nd rd pick; Heat get....(uh, nothing I think)
Heat continue to dump salary, Blazers continue to absorb other peoples' garbage contracts for bonus 2nd round picks.

NBA Pointless Trade Impossibilities

Trade deadline is looming and the rumors are flying. I still don't see the moves out there, there are plenty of players who might be available, but what are the chances they get moved?

David Lee (Celtics) -- Big ticket expiring contracts used to be all the rage but not this year, so in order for someone to pick up Lee's contract they have to get minutes out of him. Lee is a well-respected guy (nice fit for a young team) but his performance is rapidly deteriorating and there are precious few teams out there that could afford to have him play minutes. Even the Sixers, who have recently been amenable to being everybody's big ticket dumping ground (Keith Bogans, JaVale McGee, Danny Granger, among others) don't need the cap space and don't have the minutes for an aging below the rim power forward. Danny Ainge would love to move that big contract for a useful piece moving forward but I just don't see it happening.

Roy Hibbert (Lakers) -- Ditto. His contract is way too big for his performance and though it comes off the books in the summer, no one needs the cap space in a year when the cap is going up and everyone's already cleared room for a run at Durant anyway. Could the Lakers and Celtics swap these two? The Celtics could get more worthwhile minutes out of Hibbert than they could Lee (he'd be the rim protector they've long needed) but then again, so could the Lakers, so what's in it for them? Are the Celtics willing to pitch in one of their 400 draft picks for a slight temporary upgrade? I doubt it.

Dwight Howard (Rockets) -- With a player option for next year, he's effectively a free agent and would only be attractive to teams that think they could re-sign him. Hawks, Mavs, Nets might be the only real contenders for that. But the Nets don't have anyone that's terribly attractive (and the Nets need draft picks more than pricey veterans), the Mavs don't have the contracts to make a deal work (unless the Rockets wanted Chandler Parsons back, which I'm assuming they don't since they let him walk two years ago), which leaves the Hawks. But the Hawks would probably have to give up too much (think Horford, Teague and Korver or Sefolosha) to get a guy they might be able to sign in the summer. The trade rumblings suggest that Howard is available but I'm not seeing it.

Zach Randolph, Mike Conley, Jeff Green (Grizzlies) -- With Marc Gasol out, it would appear the Grizzlies are best off in tank mode for the rest of the year. Coach Joerger is not likely to return next year and Mike Conley will have many suitors beyond Memphis for his next contract, this looks like it could be the end to the grit and grind era in Memphis. Their contracts are very similar (all btw $9.8m and $9.0m this year) which makes them rather interchangeable in a trade scenario, but which would they rather keep (Randolph, Conley) and which would they rather swap (Green). Packaging two of those guys brings back a big ticket (who's out there?), all three is too much for a reasonable deal, any one of them is likely to bring back a similar situation. So how do they get a deal done?

Kevin Martin (Grizzlies) -- Aging scorer, signed back when the Wolves had nothing but has now outgrown his purpose in Minnesota. At $7m, he's a reasonably priced option off the bench for a playoff team but who do the Wolves want in return? Who is out there that matches their needs? I'm not seeing it. Can they get OKC to take him for Dion Waiters and Cameron Payne? I doubt it.

Nene Hilario (Wizards) -- Nene's one of those guys that's pretty good....when he's not hurt. He's older now, relatively healthy but probably only useful for limited minutes. Does he make anybody better for $13m? Not a bad player, not even a terrible contract, but not good enough to put in the work to bring him in.

Markieff Morris (Suns) -- Very reasonable contract ($8m), nice young player but...kind of a weirdo head case and inconsistent on the court. He wants to play with his brother which would make Detroit the only clear fit for him but the Pistons don't have the assets. Phoenix has to get rid of him (choking a teammate on the bench is just not cool, man, especially after the team already fired the coaching staff) but he's too valuable to just give away. (Man, the Suns front office has just f'ed up everything over the last 2-3 years) Does he go to Milwaukee for OJ Mayo? But then its on Milwaukee to go get Marcus Morris, right? Does John Henson and a 1st round draft pick get the Morris twins back together?

Hassan Whiteside (Heat) -- Probably the most puzzling asset out there: he's too cheap to trade and not reliable enough for anyone to desire his Bird rights. I think he and the Heat are stuck with each other: they can give him the most money but will they want to? He's so cheap, he has to be packaged with (presumably) Luol Deng just to get him up trade-ability. The Heat are a veteran outfit and as promising as Markieff Morris is, the idea that he's more valuable short or long term than Deng is debatable. Can the Heat pry Nicolas Batum out of Charlotte with these two? And would that be worth it anyway?

Ryan Anderson (Pelicans) -- This is the guy everybody wants. But how does the deal get done? How much are you willing to pay for a rental? When cap space isn't an issue, rentals become less attractive. There's only so much season left for a new guy to make an impact and if he's gone in the summer, then its almost not worth doing. Feels like Anderson could pretty much pick where he wants to play next year but he may as well just wait for the summer to make his decision. As much as everybody wants this guy, I don't see him getting moved (unless the Celtics or Grizzlies make some unbelievable offer).

Joakim Noah (Bulls) -- ....Would've been on this list if he hadn't had a season-ending ankle injury. That injury really throws the Bulls plans up in the air: they may have had a nice trade chip with Noah, but not they either have to move Pau Gasol or lose Noah in free agency (or lose both, which I think is what's gonna happen).

Greg Monroe (Bucks) -- Though he has was one of the most coveted free agents of last summer, it appears the Bucks are already ready to move on from that deal. He is pretty one dimensional but the contract isn't too bad (in a rising salary cap world, that is). Do they take David Lee and a draft pick from the Celtics? Are they willing to take on Hibbert? Monroe might not be the perfect fit but it feels like all they can get back for him now are expiring vets that leave them looking to start over in the summer. While I'm not a fan of Monroe's fit with the Bucks, they're a young team and I think holding them together is probably a better idea going forward that hitting the reset button so quickly.

Al Horford (Hawks) -- The Hawks seem ready to blow it up. It appears they hit their peak some time last year (I'd say around the all-star break) and this current squad needs to be rebuilt. But wait: while they're not likely to beat the Cavs, this iteration of the Hawks is still one of the better teams in the East. If peeling off the core players would make them better, I'd say go for it but I doubt it would. Personally I'd try to keep Horford and roll into next year with the same bunch of guys, keep the consistency and hope for the best (namely, a devastating injury to some other team). But the Celtics can offer draft picks, so I suspect they give away Horford to the Celtics for 'future considerations', which would probably drum them out of the playoffs in the East. If they move Horford, then they may as well move Teague and Korver too. (They're almost getting to the point where they have to make a move because the rumors must be unsettling on a team where the coach and the GM are the same guy: the GM isn't some guy in a suit that sends out mass emails, he's the coach they all talk to every day. That makes a difference)

Blake Griffin (Clippers) -- For Blake to get moved (is that even possible with him being injured right now?), it would have to be a blockbuster. I'm not seeing it. There are plenty of teams that would love to have Blake Griffin but for playoff teams now is a terrible time to do it and for non-playoff teams it would be probably distort their whole roster. Besides, the Clippers would be crazy to move him unless they were getting back at least a top 10 player in this league.

Tobias Harris (Magic) -- Like Greg Monroe, his contract is too big for anyone to take unless they were dumping garbage to get rid of him. For the Magic, they'd be better off holding on him and capturing his value on the court. Some cars are investments, some cars are only as valuable as far you can drive them. Harris and Monroe are in the latter camp: the value you derive from them is on the court, not on the trading block.

The Hawks and the Grizzlies are the two teams that look to be in fire sale mode, while the Celtics look like the team that might be willing to overpay just to buy something. There's lots of talk about lots of players and lots of teams looking to wheel and deal. But I'm just not seeing it. I suspect there will be some deals, a handful of tiny paper shuffling deals and there might even be a blockbuster or two, but either way I suspect the trades that happen will be shocking out of nowhere moves that leave the commentariat scratching their heads.