The 2023 NBA trade deadline was a hectic one, with 54 players moving from one team to another, including two All-Stars.
Now the dust has settled and teams have played a handful of games with their new teams, our panel of NBA reporters — Ric Bucher, Melissa Rohlin and Yaron Weitzman — analyzed how the trade deadline has affected the playoff race so far.
1. It’s been one month since the NBA trade deadline. Which trade has looked like the best so far and why?
Weitzman: I was going to say the Phoenix Suns‘ decision to go all-in for Kevin Durant, but, with Durant likely now out for the rest of the regular season with an ankle sprain, I’m going to pivot and say the Knicks‘ trade for Josh Hart. Hart’s been incredible for them. He’s become their defensive stopper, and his motor and relentless attacking has helped connect the rest of the team. The Knicks are 9-1 since trading for Hart and have outscored opponents by a ridiculous 21.5 points per 100 non-garbage time possessions with Hart on the floor, according to Cleaning the Glass.
ADVERTISEMENT
Bucher: The Lakers did an extraordinary job at the trade deadline. Jarred Vanderbilt and Malik Beasley were on a lot of teams’ radar and the Lakers wound up with them. I also think the TWolves salvaged their season by landing Mike Conley. He’s making the best of Rudy Gobert and has raised the team’s IQ significantly.
Rohlin: Let’s go with the moves the Lakers made. Since the trade deadline, they’ve gone from 13th to ninth in the Western Conference, only two games behind the fifth-place Clippers. That climb is especially impressive considering LeBron James has missed the team’s last five games with a tendon injury in his right foot. Jarred Vanderbilt could easily be considered the steal of the trade deadline with his rim protecting, defensive play and offensive contributions. And at various times, D’Angelo Russell, Rui Hachimura and Malik Beasley have all shined. All of a sudden, the Lakers look like a playoff team, something that was unimaginable a month ago when the locker room was brimming with tension and the team was often ineffectual on the court.
Are the Lakers the scariest team in the West?
Nick Wright is all-in on the purple and gold, explaining why they could be the scariest team in the West after Kevin Durant’s ankle injury.
2. Which trade do you think hasn’t looked great so far and why?
Weitzman: God, how do you choose between the Clippers’ decision to bring in Russell Westbrook — and then hand him the starting point guard job — and the Mavericks risking everything on Kyrie Irving? I’m going with a tie here. The Clippers are 2-5 with Westbrook, who for some reason is averaging 30.4 minutes per game with them. And the Mavericks are 6-6 with Irving and are so bad on the defensive end that a varsity squad could probably rack up 120 points against them. Also, because they gave up so much for Irving, chances are the Mavericks are going to have to re-sign him to a long term deal in the summer which, well, is not ideal.
Bucher: Has to be the Mavericks. Kyrie was supposed to solidify them as a playoff team and that hasn’t happened. I wouldn’t expect GM Nico Harrison to go after the shiny object, but it feels like he has.
Rohlin: I’m going to go with the Mavericks. When they traded for Kyrie, their ceiling skyrocketed. There was a chance they could be contenders. That trade came with so much anticipation — but it has led to nothing but letdown. The Mavericks have greatly struggled and aren’t looking like a team that could go far in the playoffs. Kyrie has said there would be an adjustment period. And he recently acknowledged that even his father told him that it looks as though he’s overthinking things on the court. But time is running out, and it’s dubious whether this extremely talented duo will be able to get things together in time.
Nikola Jokić, Kyrie Irving, Paul George are J-Mac’s players under pressure in playoffs
Jason McIntyre reveals his top NBA players under the most pressure heading into the playoffs.
3. Is there a team you would have liked to see make a trade? If so, which team and for which player(s)?
Weitzman: I’m still baffled that the Toronto Raptors decided to hang onto Fred VanVleet and Gary Trent Jr. — both of whom will be free agents this summer — and that they didn’t take advantage of all the desperate teams trying to get OG Anunoby. Instead, the Raptors made a win-now move by trading for Jakob Poeltl, who’s been great for them, but they’re still stuck in no man’s land. If they lose VanVleet or Trent in the summer for nothing, Masai Ujiri will have some explaining to do.
Bucher: The Warriors had to do something more aggressive than just move James Wiseman. This feels like their last gasp to win a title and they just don’t have enough. I’m not going to question Joe Lacob’s willingness to spend money, but he made a business decision at a curious time.
Rohlin: I’m shocked the Heat didn’t make a move. After being one win away from reaching the NBA Finals last season, they’ve struggled all season. You would’ve thought they’d make some tweaks so they could be competitive during the stretch run. Instead, they sat on their laurels and have won only three of their last 10 games. They could’ve used a boost at the power forward position, a backup big, a 3-point laser. But they chose to do nothing and now their chances of making noise in the playoffs are highly questionable.
Are the Warriors a title threat?
Emmanuel Acho, LeSean McCoy, Joy Taylor, and Ric Bucher discuss whether the Warriors are still a title threat.
4. Which player that wasn’t the centerpiece of their trade package has impressed you with their new team and why?
Weitzman: Can I say Mikal Bridges? Since I think the picks were the centerpiece for the Nets? Because he’s been absolutely incredible. We all knew Bridges was a great secondary player, one of those ideal 3-and-D who could elevate any team. But did anyone know he was good enough on offense to carry a group? I certainly didn’t. Just look at these numbers since joining the Nets: 26.5 points per game on 52.6 percent shooting, 5.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.1 steals. Bridges is an absolute stud, and because of him the Nets, despite their teardown, appear to be in a good position.
Bucher: If Yaron can say Mikal, then I can, too. Few realized that he was a role player in Phoenix because that was best for the team. He has the chance to be one of the best two-way players at his position in the entire league.
Rohlin: As I mentioned earlier, Vanderbilt has been a big surprise. He has made a bigger impact than expected, such as when he had 15 points and 17 rebounds (eight on the offensive end) in a win over the Mavericks on Feb. 26. The Lakers, who are 17th in defensive rating on the season, are tied for fifth in that category over the team’s last 10 games. Sure, Anthony Davis is the team’s anchor on the defensive end. But Vanderbilt’s grit has been a huge boost for them on that end and has made a key difference in a lot of their wins since the trade deadline.
5. The next big transaction window will be draft night. Is there anyone that wasn’t moved at the deadline that you think will be moved then? If so, who?
Weitzman: I mentioned the Raptors up top, but, again with someone like VanVleet, if the Raptors don’t plan on re-signing him they have to figure out a way to get something for him. I also think the Nets are a team perfectly set up to make a small-ish deal, given that they have like a dozen 3-and-D wings and that they are about a dozen playoff teams who could use some help in that department. The Hawks, Lakers, Pelicans and Timberwolves are, in my opinion, the other teams to keep an eye. They all have failed to meet expectations and have players who other teams would be interested in.
Bucher: Now that the Raptors have all the intel they gathered on not only how the league values their players but what they’d be willing to give up, I would fully except one of the oft-mention players – OG, FVV, Pascal – to be elsewhere by the day after the draft.
Rohlin: I think that will become clearer as the season shakes out. But it’ll be interesting to see what the Nets do with their pieces. Not to mention, Lakers GM Rob Pelinka did refer to the team’s trade deadline moves as “pre-agency.” So much could happen in the next few weeks with the standings and the play-in tournament that could directly impact any answers to this question. But it’s clear that multiple teams have decided to load up their arsenals.
Yaron Weitzman is an NBA writer for FOX Sports. He is the author of “Tanking to the Top: The Philadelphia 76ers and the Most Audacious Process in the History of Professional Sports.” Follow him on Twitter @YaronWeitzman.
Ric Bucher is an NBA writer for FOX Sports. He previously wrote for Bleacher Report, ESPN The Magazine and The Washington Post and has written two books, “Rebound,” on NBA forward Brian Grant’s battle with young onset Parkinson’s, and “Yao: A Life In Two Worlds.” He also has a daily podcast, “On The Ball with Ric Bucher.” Follow him on Twitter @RicBucher.
Melissa Rohlin is an NBA writer for FOX Sports. She previously covered the league for Sports Illustrated, the Los Angeles Times, the Bay Area News Group and the San Antonio Express-News. Follow her on Twitter @melissarohlin.
More NBA from FOX Sports:
National Basketball Association
NBA trending
Get more from National Basketball Association Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
Sponsored Content
Bet the World Cup in Wager.dm
