NBA Trade Deadline Review
Jennifer Stewart-USA TODAY Sports
Trade 10: Clippers finally get rid of Lance
Memphis receives: Lance Stephenson and a future 1st round pick
Not sure what Memphis is thinking here. Maybe Randolph can whip him into shape? If not they can always decline the team option on him this summer and free up some more cap space. One thing to think about: Now the Grizzlies have Lance, Matt Barnes, Birdman, and Zach Randolph all on the same roster. Grade: D
Clippers receive: Jeff Green
Huge trade for the Clippers. Lance Stephenson was becoming a cancer in yet another locker room, and they were able to trade him for a guy that can start at SF immediately. I'm a guy that still believes that Jeff Green can help a team in the right situation. Big upgrade from Lance. Grade: A
Trade 9: Philly takes on Joel Anthony’s contract
Philadelphia receives: Joel Anthony
Nothing to see here. Just trying to get to the salary floor. Grade: C
Houston receives: Future 2nd round pick
Solid return for a guy they’d never play. Grade: B
Trade 8: Bulls trade Hinrich to Atlanta
Atlanta receives: Kirk Hinrich
After moving Shelvin Mack to Utah, the Hawks must have felt the need to get another veteran guard in their backcourt. When healthy he’s a solid rotation player, but he’s been hurt a lot these days. Doesn’t shift things one way or another. Grade: C+
Chicago receives: Future 2nd round pick
Chicago did what they could to lower their luxury tax bill. Other than that, nothing to see here. Here’s hoping that Jimmy Butler can return to help stop their free fall. Grade: C
Trade 7: Markieff Morris to Washington
Washington receives: Markieff Morris
This is a big risk/reward move for the Wizards. They have been struggling all year, and it looks like they needed a shake up, but Morris can go either way. He can help propel them to the playoffs, or he can combust the team with his bad attitude. Will be interesting to see if he responds better to Randy Wittman than Jeff Hornacek. But given what they actually gave up, this is a win for Washington. Grade A-
Phoenix receives: Kris Humphries, DeJuan Blair, and a protected 1st round pick
Phoenix has been looking to move Morris all year after they traded the first twin Marcus. I don’t really like the return for Phoenix because none of them match the talent of Markieff, but they were never in a position of strength to get good value for him. The first round pick is only protected in picks 1-9, so they could end up getting another lottery pick in 2016. Grade: C
Trade 6: Miami Heat get under the luxury tax
Portland receives: Brian Roberts and future 2nd round pick
Nothing to see here for Portland. Roberts helps them get to the cap floor and they get a 2nd round pick out of it. Gave up nothing too. Grade: B
Miami receives: Cash considerations
Big for Miami here. They don’t get a return, but the removal of Roberts’ contract gets them from under the luxury tax and saves them from having to pay a repeaters tax. Huge save for owner Mickey Arison. Roberts was never going to be a big part of the rotation anyways as the 3rd/4th point guard. Grade: A
Trade 5: OKC saves almost $10M in tax money. Nets veteran Foye
Oklahoma City receives: Randy Foye
Looks like DJ Augustin wasn’t providing much for OKC so trading him, a benchwarmer (Novak) and 2 of their many 2nd round picks is fine for Foye. He has had a down year from 3, but he still commands respect from players around the league for his range. Thunder also saves $9.4M in salary cap and luxury tax savings. Grade: B-
Denver receives: DJ Augustin, Steve Novak, 2 future 2nd round picks
Really like this return for Denver.They’re all expiring contracts including Foye, so getting 2 2nd round picks is a good deal. I would imagine that Augustin is moved again because he and Jameer Nelson play the same role. Grade: B
Trade 4: Utah gets the veteran guard they were looking for
Utah receives: Shelvin Mack
This is a win for Utah. They were looking for a veteran guard, and getting Mack instead of Ty Lawson is huge. They don’t have to give up any real players or salary. I like this for Utah. Grade: A-
Atlanta receives: Future 2nd round pick
Gets some salary off the books, sets themselves up for free agency, doesn’t hurt them for the rest of this season. Grade: C+
Trade 3: Cavs pull the trigger on Frye over Clippers
Cleveland receives: Channing Frye
Cleveland upgrades their scoring off of the bench, but they lose defense and rebounding. Should still be fine if they don’t trade Mozgov or Thompson. Grade: B
Orlando receives: Jared Cunningham and a future POR 2nd round pick
Pretty obvious now what the Magic are trying to do. Get future cap holds off of the books, regardless of todays success. Channing Frye was falling out of the rotation so this works, but it’s hard to see them getting good value with this cap space this summer. Jared Cunningham is expected to be waived. Grade: B-
Portland receives: Anderson Varejao and conditional 2018 CLE 1st round pick
UPDATE: The Blazers are now expected to waive Anderson Varejao, according to Yahoo! Adrian Wojnarowski.
From what I believe, Portland needed to add more salary to get up to the salary floor this year. This also gives them a good veteran for their young core, and Varejao is an expiring contract so getting him basically for free is a win. Grade: B+
Trade 2: SVG takes the gamble on Motiejunas
Detroit receives: Donatas Motiejunas and Marcus Thornton
SVG does it again. After what it looks like a steal for Tobias Harris, it looks like he got another steal here too. Motiejunas is an upgrade from Ersan Ilyasova, so trading a pick in the late-teens looks like a good move to me. This all depends on whether Motiejunas can stay healthy. If he does, he’ll be a good player in their rotation. Marcus Thornton also helps them replace the loss of the injured Jodie Meeks. Grade B-
Houston receives: Joel Anthony and a protected 2016 1st round pick
Don’t understand this deal for Houston. Motiejunas, while frequently injured, has shown he can be a good rotation player in the league. The Rockets still need other offense other than James Harden so giving him up for a lottery pick that won’t be in the lottery and a way past his prime (if he even had a prime) Joel Anthony seems like a waste. Giving up Marcus Thornton isn’t good either. The only good spin on this I can put on this is the Rockets likely wouldn’t have matched a RFA offer for Motiejunas in the off-season, so getting a 1st rounder that will likely fall between 15-20 looks like a better haul. Grade: C-
Trade 1: Miami tries hard to get under the luxury tax
New Orleans receives: Jarnell Stokes and Cash
New Orleans doesn’t look like they’re going anywhere this season, so taking a flyer on a young prospect that could become a solid rotation player in the league is worth taking. Especially when you aren’t giving anything up in the deal. Grade: B
Miami receives: Cash considerations
Miami traded Jarnell Stokes and kicked in a little cash to the Pelicans in order to lower the Heat’s luxury tax bill. Stokes wasn’t a part of Miami’s rotation anyways so getting a salary off the books is a good move. Grade: B
Tuesday 2/16
Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Trade 1: Detroit looks to build on young core, trade for Harris
Detroit receives: Tobias Harris
I love this trade for Detroit. They were able to trade their 6th man on an expiring deal, and Ilyasova on an unfavorable contract for a player that’s just 23 years old and has 3 years left on his deal past this season. He’s having a down year from 3, but Harris still has a ton of upside and can play both the SF and PF positions. Grade: A
Orlando receives: Brandon Jennings and Ersan Ilyasova
This deal on Orlando’s side makes no sense to me at all. Jennings now clogs up their backcourt with Payton, Oladipo and Herzonja there already. Unless they move one of those 3 players, or package Jennings in a separate deal, the Magic have moved backwards. Only positive I see in this deal is it provides more playing time for Aaron Gordon. Grade: C-
Trade 2: Charlotte trades for Courtney Lee in wake of MKG injury
Memphis receives: PJ Hairston, Chris “Birdman” Andersen, 2 future MIA 2nd round picks, 2 future CHA 2nd round picks
Pretty lateral move for Memphis. They trade a solid shooter they might not have been able to resign anyways for 4 2nd round picks, an expiring deal in Birdman, and a still solid young prospect in Hairston. Reports say that he was becoming a problem in Charlotte, but I think the vets on the roster in Memphis will be able to take him in smoothly. Grade: B-
Miami receives: Brian Roberts
Got rid of Birdman’s $5M contract in expense for 2 2nd round picks and got Brian Roberts. They now have more flexibility if they want to add more money in a separate deal before the deadline, and they have another solid depth piece in Roberts. Grade looks better if they make a bigger deal in the next few days. Grade: C
Charlotte receives: Courtney Lee
Charlotte is still a team trying to get back in the playoff conversation, and with Michael Kidd-Gilchrist now out for the season, they needed more wing depth. Lee provides them that and also gives them more offense off the bench. Grade: B+
