Although it was considered tamer compared to years past, this year's deadline had several impactful trades that could shape the upcoming postseason. Multiple teams took several different angles, looking to buy and sell as they went towards and away from contending. In this article, we will look at the 3 biggest deals made, who won each trade, and how it will effect each team in the future.
Deal #1: OKC Receives Gordon Hayward; CHA Receives V. Micic, T. Mann, D. Bertans, 2 2nd round picks, cash considerations
OKC: For the Thunder, this only further shows that they are all in on contending. As the Number 1 team in the west, they believe that they have a team built for a championship, and are ready to move on from some bench players to work their main, core stars. The acquisition of Hayward should help them with their playoff run, as his veteran experience will almost certainly translate to their younger players.
CHA: The Hornets are still stuck in their seemingly never ending rebuild phase. Once again, fans post deadline focus will likely be on the draft, and trading Hayward only strengthened that point. LaMelo Ball and Mark Williams are both very good players, and Brandon Miller has been stellar in his rookie season, but the team has proven to be unable to string together wins once again.
Winner: Oklahoma City Thunder
Deal #2: BKN Receives Dennis Schroeder, Thaddeus Young; TOR Receives Spencer Dinwiddie
BKN: The Nets successfully traded away deadweight in Dinwiddie, and acquired someone similar in Schroeder that provides a stronger all around game, and a veteran in Thaddeus Young that can provide useful playoff experience. As for the team, they are still stuck somewhere between contending and rebuilding. I expect them to take the first couple weeks after the deadline to review where they are, and decide if they are all in on the playoffs, or focusing on developing their young guys for the coming years.
TOR: This deal is a confusing one for the Raptors. After trading away star PF Pascal Siakam not even a month ago, and Guard OG Anunoby just a little bit after that, they traded away a versatile guard for one just like him, before releasing Dinwiddie. I see no point in acquiring a player and cutting him, especially considering who they gave up. This only solidifies the fact that they are focused on the future, and they are looking to completely retool their roster in the upcoming offseason.
Winner: Brooklyn Nets
Deal #3: NYK Receives Bojan Bogdanovic, Alec Burks; DET Receives E. Fournier, Q. Grimes, M. Flynn, R. Arcidiacono, 2 2nd Round Picks
NYK: I like this trade for the Knicks. They acquire 2 sharpshooting players who can make an immediate impact on a contender. They gave away Quentin Grimes, a young guy who was good compensation, but the Knicks will have a much greater improvement this season. With the recent injury to new acquisition OG Anunoby, Bogdanovic and Burks can help fill the void and keep this team where they are in the east. They should pair well with PF Julius Randle and star guard Jalen Brunson as the Knicks look to make a postseason run.
DET: It was only a matter of time before Bogdanovic and Burks were on the way out of Detroit. They no longer fit in with the team's roster. The Pistons are clearly not a team built to win right away, and considering the age of both players, they will contribute much more to a team like the Knicks. In return, they got 2 picks, and a solid building piece in Grimes that can play well with the Pistons other core players. Overall, this trade gave each team a little bit of what they need in the future, which happen to be 2 completely different teams.
Winner: New York Knicks (for now)
-Eli Knight
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