Trade Deadline has come and gone, with Shams and Woj finally able to get some sleep.
It was a busy morning for two of the best in the business, with one of the busiest NBA Trade Deadline periods in recent memory.
Winners:
What’s one way to keep your superstar All-Star guard in Chicago once his contract is up next season?
Bring in one of the best bigs in the league (and fellow All-Star) Nikola Vucevic! What a coup for this young Bulls team, as they’ve immediately put themselves into the playoff race as a top 6 team in the East with their revamped roster.
Vucevic gives the Bulls the perfect duel threat big man. Amazing post play, as well as his ability to pick and pop with Zach LaVine, makes these two a duo to be feared in the East.
The Bulls added much-needed depth, bringing in Daniel Theis from Boston, and able to put Thad Young back into a second unit roll with Markannen and Vucevic to start in the frontcourt, this team has the ability to pull off an upset in the first round of the playoffs.
Denver lost Jerami Grant in Free Agency at the beginning of the season and they lost their best wing defender in the process. Enter Aaron Gordon. This is a huge addition for this team, which gives them a capable wing defender in Gordon, one who can also stretch the floor and hit the 3 ball, and gives them the depth they needed at the 3-4 position.
They lost Gary Harris in the process, but in a season marred with injury for Gary, it was time to move on and look to build on Nikola Jokic’s best season yet and get him some help. With the Lakers on the decline with injury, this is Denver’s time to make up some ground with their revamped lineup and get home court for the playoffs locked in!
They got their man in Vic Oladipo.
If they can get the injury-free Oladipo, he gives this team another weapon to play alongside Jimmy and their shooters.
Playing in a team that will be competing for a championship will also be big for Oladipo, and he will be key in getting this team back to the NBA Finals, making a late push to lock up home court in a top-heavy Eastern Conference.
They’re also in talks to land LaMarcus Aldridge in a deal once his buyout is complete, which gives them solid front-court depth to play with Bam Adebayo.
Lou Williams is a walking bucket.
The Rondo move was never really working out for Atlanta, and it now gives Trae Young another weapon in this young upcoming Hawks team making a serious push for Playoff basketball. Lou gets this team over the edge, and they’ll be fun to watch! Lou’s also a big fan of the city of Atlanta and their amazing wings, so he’s one happy man!
Losers:
What’s one way to lose your entire fan base for a while?
Trade your best 3 players away and begin a long rebuild. Orlando lost Vucevic to the Bulls, Aaron Gordon to the Nuggets, and finally Evan Fournier to the Celtics. Orlando went super young, bringing in the likes of RJ Hampton from the Nuggets and Wendell Carter from the Bulls.
The Magic will look to rebuild through the draft, and once Cole Anthony gets healthy, will have themselves a young core to build their future around with Hampton and Carter. It may however, take a very long time.
Houston traded away disgruntled superstar James Harden earlier in the season, in a deal that landed them Victor Oladipo. Oladipo has since been traded to the Heat in a deadline deal. What’s left of the James Harden deal…a few picks and Kelly Olynk and Avery Bradley.
Yikes.
Yes, Rondo has championship pedigree, but you just gave away your best bench scorer for a guy who can’t score the ball.
You now have 2 point guards (Beverley and Rondo) who can’t stretch the floor and get you a bucket.
They obviously have a lot more faith in Reggie Jackson and Luke Kennard than most people do, as in the space of a season, they’ve just lost their best two bench producers (Harrell and Lou Will).
Who do you think has made the best moves on deadline day?
Bauky