The NBA trade deadline came and went without a star player
being moved but that’s not a surprise. However; we did have a good number of
trades happening with the 76ers being the most active. With the ten trades that
went down at the deadline I graded the deal for each team. Trades were first
reported in the order that they are graded.
TRADE 1: Kings and Nets
Kings: get
Jason Terry, Reggie Evans
Nets: get Marcus
Thornton
Grades:
Kings (D) Nets (C+)
WHY?: The Kings
were looking to dump Thornton’s contract and save some money, unfortunately for
them they couldn’t do any better than Terry and Evans and save them only a
million dollars. If the Kings can agree to buyouts with either or both players
by March first to allow them to sign with playoff teams there grade will incase
to an A. The Nets don’t understand what the point of the luxury tax is for so
adding another million dollars in salary and a bunch of tax penalties doesn’t
matter to Russian billionaire Owner Mikhail Prokhorov. The Nets get a minimal
upgrade in Thornton over Terry.
 |
| Terry (left) and Evans (right) get swapped for Thornton (middle). |
TRADE 2: Lakers and Warriors
Lakers: get
Kent Bazemore, Marshon Brooks
Warriors:
get Steve Blake
Grades:
Lakers (C+) Warriors (A)
WHY?: The Lakers
had no use for Blake and by shipping him off they save some luxury tax money
and get a trade exception for about $2.8 million they can use all the way up to
next year’s trade deadline. The Warriors traded for Jordan Crawford back in
January to be the backup point guard and it unbearably failed. Bringing in
Blake gives the Warriors a veteran backup point guard to play behind and with Stephen
Curry much like Jarrett Jack did last year.
 |
| Blake, in his first Warriors practice, will provide veteran experience coming off the bench. |
TRADE 3: Cavaliers
and 76ers
Cavaliers:
get Spencer Hawes
76ers: get
Earl Clark, Henry Sims, two second round picks
Grades: Cavaliers
(B) 76ers (B-)
WHY?: The 76ers
have been looking to unload Hawes for a first round pick for the last two
months, unable to do so they unload him for a couple of non-guaranteed contracts
and a pair of second round picks (a theme for the 76ers on this day). The 76ers
had no long term plans for Hawes since Nerlens Noel is their future at center
so dumping him for a couple of picks without taking back long term salary is a
good move. The Cavaliers are making one last hard push for the playoffs and
adding Hawes gives All Star MVP Kyrie Irving a pick and pop player who can
space the floor for Irving to create. The reason the Cavaliers didn’t get a
higher grade is because Hawes is an unrestricted free agent this summer and
likely won’t return next year. However, two second round picks and some bench
players isn’t a horrible deal for a player rental to make a playoff push.
 |
| Hawes ability to stretch the floor and shoot the three will fit well in the Cavaliers offense. |
TRADE 4: Heat and Kings
Heat: get conditional
second round pick
Kings: get
Roger Mason Jr. (waived right after trade approval), cash considerations
Grades: Heat
(B-) Kings (C)
WHY?: This is a
very simple trade; the Heat pay the Kings enough cash (plus a little extra for
helping out) to cover Mason’s contract (that the Kings waived right away). Now
the Heat have an open roster spot for the all-important March first date when
player buyouts must be done for players to play in the playoffs. The Kings by
rule have to give the Heat something so the Heat will receive the Kings 2015
second round pick if it is between picks 56-60 (which won’t happen) so the Heat
won’t receive anything in reality.
 |
| The deal is all about money for the Kings. A lot of money! |
TRADE 5: Bobcats
and Bucks
Bobcats:
get Gary Neal, Luke Ridnour
Bucks: get
Ramon Sessions, Jeff Adrien
Grades:
Bobcats (A) Bucks (B)
WHY?: The Bobcats
are making a playoff push and while many believed Ben Gordon’s expiring
contract would be used in any Bobcats deal, it wasn’t and Gordon might be a
player looking for a March first buyout. The Bucks were looking to add a
shooter and grabbed Neal, who has been dying to get out of Milwaukee since he
signed their in the offseason. The Bucks have been trying to get rid of Neal
and his two year $6.5 million dollar contract. The reason why the Bucks don’t
get an A grade is because they should of tried to get a second round pick in
this deal. Considering the Bucks traded away two of their trade assists in one
deal without getting anything valuable back. Sessions may also be a playing
looking at that March first buyout.
 |
| Ridnour (left) and Neal (right) will provide scoring and stability to a shaky Bobcats bench. |
TRADE 6: Wizards,
Nuggets, and 76ers
Wizards:
get Andre Miller
Nuggets:
get Jan Vesely
76ers: get
Eric Maynor, two second round picks (one each from Wizards and Nuggets)
Grades: Wizards
(A) Nuggets (C+) 76ers (C+)
WHY?: The Wizards
turn two players sitting on their bench into one of the better veteran point
guards on an expiring deal. The Nuggets trade Miller who has been away from the
team since the start of 2014 because of a clash he had with Head Coach Brian
Shaw. The 76ers get two second round picks (see the 76ers theme?) to take on
Maynor and the remaining year on his contract after this year (something the
Nuggets weren’t willing to do).
 |
| Miller will provide a veteran leader and playmaker to the Wizards second unit. |
TRADE 7: Rockets
and Nuggets
Rockets:
get Jordan Hamilton
Nuggets:
get Aaron Brooks
Grades:
Rockets (C+) Nuggets (D-)
WHY?: Pretty
boring trade especially after the three team deal above. The Rockets and
Nuggets swap bench players who were doing very little for their old team. The
reason why the Rockets got a C+ is because they took Brooks (who they have
traded now twice) and got back a young prospect in Hamilton, who was a first
round pick three years ago and never got a chance to show what he can do with
consistent minutes. The Nuggets get a D- because while they needed a point
guard with Miller traded and starter Ty Lawson hurt, they gave away a former first
round pick to get a guy who won’t be with the team next year and all Denver has
to look forward to is the draft. So instead why not sign a free agent point
guard for the rest of the year and play Hamilton to see what he can do?
Changing my grade now to an F!!!
 |
| The Nuggets get an F on this trade. Horrible decision!!! |
TRADE 8: Raptors
and Spurs
Raptors:
get Nando De Cole
Spurs: get
Austin Daye
Grades:
Raptors (C) Spurs (C)
WHY?: Probably
the most boring trade of the deadline. Both teams get a grade of a C because
this trade could have never happened and no one would care. Both players were
stuck on the bench doing very little for their old team. I can only imagine what
the conversation between Spurs General Manager R.C. Buford and Raptors General
Manager Masai Ujiri…
·
Buford: Hey Masai how’s the deadline going?
·
Ujiri: Nothing, quiet you?
·
Buford: Same, wanna make a deal?
·
Ujiri: What did you have in mind?
·
Buford: I’ll give you De Cole
·
Ujiri: For?
·
Buford: uhh?.. A bucket of fried chicken and a
two litter of soda?
·
Ujiri: HAHA anything else? Maybe some mac n cheese?
·
Buford: Nah not a fan of mac n cheese… how about
Daye?
·
Ujiri: Sure why not? But no chicken and soda
then!
·
Buford: HAHA okay deal
·
Ujiri: Cool. Most painless deal ever
·
Burford: Agreed
·
Ujiri: When are we going to have dinner R.C.?
·
Buford: When you find a wife that can cook? HAHA
·
Ujiri: -SLAM!!!- Hangs up phone
And that is how the Daye and De Cole trade happened (I
WISH!!).
TRADE 9: Clippers,
Hawks, and 76ers
Clippers:
get draft rights to Cenk Akyol (from Hawks)
Hawks: get Antawn
Jamison
76ers: get Byron
Mullens, second round pick
Grades: Clippers
(C-) Hawks (B) 76ers (C+)
WHY?: The
Clippers are playing the luxury tax so removing both Jamison and Mullens saves
the Clippers some money plus opens two roster spots for the March first buyout
date. If the Clippers add a player or two come early March their grade will go
up toward the B+ range since neither Jamison nor Mullens were playing much for
the Clippers anyways. The Hawks just need a body that is healthy enough to play
basketball right now and adding the savvy veteran Jamison for the draft rights
to a guy playing in Turkey who will never play a game in the NBA. The 76ers
gain a second round pick to take on Mullens contract and pay him for the rest
of the year. The Clippers are first in line to sign recently bought out Glen “Big
Baby” Davis.
 |
| Davis, just bought out by the Magic, could provide depth to a very thin Clippers front court. |
TRADE 10: Pacer
and 76ers
Pacers: get
Evan Turner, Lavoy Allen
76ers: get
Danny Granger, second round pick.
Grades:
Pacers (A-) 76ers (B+)
WHY?: The Pacers
traded Granger’s expiring contract and turn it into two players designed to
give the Miami Heat trouble in the playoffs. Turner gives the Pacers depth at
both guard spots and the small forward spot. Allen gives the Pacers a big
physical body to guard against the pick n roll. The only downside is it might
seriously mess with the team’s chemistry after Granger swallowed his pride and
accepted his sixth man role. The 76ers looked like they couldn’t find someone
to take Turner and were just going to hold to him. But last minute, of course,
the 76ers take part in their fourth trade of the day and ship off two players
not in their long term plans for the expiring contract of Granger; who is a
very likely to be bought out in time for that March first date and net them yet
AGAIN a second round pick (their sixth of the day!!). I originally gave the
76ers a B+ because they will save some money if they can agree to a buyout with
Granger and failed to get back a first round pick for Turner (much like Hawes)
but being clutch in the last few minutes of the deadline and finding a deal for
Turner I’m re-grading them and giving them an A+!!
 |
| 76ers get a grade of an A+ after making smart moves for their future. |
