Bulls get Nikola Vucevic and Al-Farouq Aminu, Magic get Wendell Carter, Jr., Otto Porter, two first-round picks
Bulls grade: B+
Otto Porter was an expiring, and showed only flashes of the potential that made him the 3rd overall pick. It would have been bad for them to not move that deal. WCJ was awesome his rookie year, before rashes of injuries held him to just 119 games in 3 seasons. This move cements the Bulls as play-in participants at worst, so those two picks will be in the mid-teens. Billy Donovan has them eager to win now, and it's hard not to see the fact that they can as a triumphant success.
Magic grade: A-
This is pretty quality return for a 30-year-old borderline All-Star. A center who can't play defense can be a tough sell, but there is no question he makes any team a lot better. They are going full rebuild, and that warrants a good grade all on its own. A core of Jonathan Isaac, Markelle Fultz, Cole Anthony, Carter, Chuma Okeke, RJ Hampton, and all these picks is something to truly be optimistic about. The next three draft classes all have the potential to be historic, so loading up on ammo now is huge. These picks will be at premiums as the drafts near, and teen picks in these years have legit All-Star potential. Wendell Carter, Jr. has major boom potential if he ever ends up healthy too. Poor Mo Bamba, though; this really puts some writing on the wall.
Heat get Victor Oladipo, Rockets get Avery Bradley, Kelly Olynyk, draft swap
Heat grade: A
The Heat were the favorites to sign Oladipo this summer, when he's a free agent. Now they get an extra playoffs out of him, and get to see exactly what they want to pay him.
Rockets grade: D
This is more a punishment for the Harden trade return. Getting so little for the best player in that deal hurts a ton.
Nuggets get Aaron Gordon, Magic get Gary Harris, RJ Hampton, and a first-round pick
Nuggets grade: A
Missing Jerami Grant has been the biggest difference between last year's magical Western Conference Finals run and this year's tumults. The defense and ability to match up have hurt greatly. The loss of Mason Plumlee has been the next biggest issue, and it compounds that gape. Big man defense will always be the most important in basketball because it affects the most opposing shots. Gordon adds a lot of strength and versatility inside, and his well-rounded offense is as good or better than last year's Grant/Plumlee was. Huge upgrade for Denver at their biggest need.
Magic grade: B-
Not bad return, but I'm slightly curious that this is the package they decided to go with. Hampton is a combination guard that isn't a great shooter, and Orlando just extended Markelle Fultz and drafted Cole Anthony. With the departure of Evan Fournier it makes way more sense; guards are guards. Hampton has a super high ceiling, and I had him 10th on my draft board (he went 24th). The Nuggets pick will be in the 20s. Gary Harris is just a salary match, but he's a good veteran.
Celtics get Evan Fournier, Magic get two second-round picks
Celtics grade: B+
Fournier has put up 19.7 points and 3.7 assists on 46/39/80 shooting. He will have a reduced role given Boston's talent level, but that should only make him even more efficient. The Magic are bad, but empty stats are far superior to no stats. He helps Boston a lot, especially considering they made the Conference Finals last year. Despite a bad record, it's smart for them to be gearing up for a playoff run. Everyone is 0-0 once the postseason starts.
Magic grade: A
Fournier was a $28 million expiring, so getting assets for him is huge. It's really that simple. The Magic going full rebuild has been due since Dwight Howard moved onto the Lakers in 2011. Asset acquisition is the entire name of the game.
76ers get George Hill and Ignas Brazdeikis, Thunder gets Tony Bradley, Austin Rivers, two second-round picks, Knicks get Terrance Ferguson
76ers grade: C
This means that they're out of the Kyle Lowry sweepstakes. That's fine, and George Hill makes them notably better. But they paid a lot for a half or 1 and a half year rental. I will eat all that crow if they end up making the Finals, or if they add to the roster somewhere else.
Thunder grade: A+
The Executive of the Year award is going to be renamed the Sam Presti award at this rate. George Hill was a nothing throw-in from the Bucks when they acquired Jrue Holiday. The Thunder get a promising role player in Tony Bradley, who has averaged 8 points and 7 rebounds on 81% shooting since taking over for an injured Joel Embiid (7 game stretch where Philly went 6-1). Austin Rivers will replace Hill's veteran presence just fine.
Knicks grade: C+
Austin Rivers isn't good. Terrance Ferguson isn't good. But at least he's young!
Hawks get Lou Williams, two second-round picks, Clippers get Rajon Rondo
Clippers grade: D+
Lou Williams has been worse this year; he has officially reached decline. But Rondo has been horrific this year for Atlanta, and he's older than Lou. Two picks, even far in the future or protected, seems like a ton for a swap of two expirings. Playoff Rondo couuuuld prove us all wrong, though. I guess it's an upside play. Clippers needed a point guard way more than scoring.
Hawks grade: A
Rondo has sucked. Lou Williams can create his own offense. The Hawks' largest problem by a lot is offense when Trae Young is off the floor. Bringing in the greatest sixth man active should help.
Trailblazers get Norman Powell, Raptors get Gary Trent, Jr. and Rodney Hood
Blazers grade: C
Powell is better than both of these guys on offense, and it basically combines them into one player. This is better for rotations and ceiling. But Powell is worse at defense than Gary Trent, though, and Portland needs defense badly. They were in on Aaron Gordon for his defense between wing and big. Still, this helps the offense, and I suppose Portland wants to lean into a strength over hedging. They likely have to re-sign Powell now. Don't know if that's a positive.
Raptors grade: B
Powell had to go or would have walked in free agency, so getting someone like Trent for is pretty solid return. Powell's value was a tough one to gauge, so it's hard to punish them for me being slightly, personally higher on him.
Nuggets get JaVale McGee, Cavaliers get Isaiah Hartenstein and two future protected second-round picks
Nuggets grade: B+
The points I made in the Aaron Gordon section ring just as true about McGee. He played for Denver from 2011-2015. He earned a Shaqtin a Fool lifetime achievement award there, and has since done a full 180 into one of the league's most reliable veterans. He has won 3 rings in the last 4 seasons, two with Golden State and one with Los Angeles. He will fit right in with the current Nuggets.
Cavs grade: A
McGee was a nothing acquisition, now flipped for notable assets. The Cavs only had him on a one-year deal, so this beats the hell out of getting nothing. That's a common practice in the NBA, and smart teams pull off these flips all the time. Plus, the Cavs have found their center of the future in Jarrett Allen, so it's especially hard to not feel good in Cleveland right now.
Mavericks get JJ Redick and Nicolo Melli, Pelicans get James Johnson, Wes Iwundu, second-round pick
Mavs grade: B
Redick has been scorching hot. After starting 29.8% from three over his first 16 games, he's hit 46.4% over the last 15. He's shooting 82% eFG on open threes. Melli is a salary match stretch big. Losing James Johnson could hurt them in the playoffs, because he's the type of large defender and enforcer that could help swing matchups.
Pelicans grade: A+
They get a pick for things that weren't helping them nor in their long term plans.
Bulls get Daniel Theis and Troy Brown, Jr., Celtics get Moe Wagner, Wizards get Daniel Gafford and Chandler Hutchison
Wizards grade: B
The Wizards's center/big man rotation is the worst in the NBA since Thomas Bryant tore his ACL. Gafford helps their 27th-rated defense. And since he's not old like Robin Lopez or Alex Len, he has decent upside. At 22 years old in his second year, this will be his biggest chance to date. Chandler Hutchison had COVID-19 and has been out for personal reasons. The 2018 22nd overall pick is just a flyer, but he has a decent bench wing ceiling.
Bulls grade: A+
Daniel Theis is a better complement to Vucevic, especially considering WCJ is gone and the team wants to compete in the playoffs right away. Theis is perfectly suited to a backup center role. Troy Brown is a modern large guard, who thrives mostly with the ball in his hands. He was dog housed by Scott Brooks for some reason, but he has the highest ceiling in this deal.
Celtics grade: C+
Wagner is probably worse right now than Theis, but he suits a different play style. With the acquisition of Fournier, it's clear the Celtics are going to pick up the pace, and this suggests more switchability on defense. Celtics fans will love Wagner, and he could end up making some big plays. He pairs well with Robert Williams. He can defend the perimeter, brings tremendous energy and draws charges, and can score against other backups extremely efficiently.
Heat gets Nemanja Bjelica, Kings get Mo Harkless and Carlos Silva
Heat grade: A-
Bjelica is a great shooter, terrible defender. But they've made other guys work, and they thrive with spacing.
Kings grade: C
Neither of these guys really do anything. Harkless plays defense, and the Kings defense is 30th in the NBA.
Kings get Delon Wright, Pistons get Cory Joseph and two second-round picks
Kings grade: B-
Wright can't be a lead creator, but he's a solid guard that can fill it up. He fits well next to De'Aaron Fox even though he can't shoot.
Pistons grade: A
Wright wasn't in their long term plans, so recouping assets is huge.
Spurs get Marquese Chriss, Warriors get Cady Lalanne
Spurs grade: A
Chriss gets a tryout. He's past the point of maybe living up to his draft slot (8th overall in 2016) but he still belongs on an NBA roster.
Warriors grade: F
Lalanne is a 28 year old who was drafted in 2015. He just made it to the NBA. Not sure what the Warriors plan to do with him, but Chriss was solid end of the bench material. He was an expiring either way, though, and Golden State isn't going to make any noise this season.
Kings get Terence Davis II, Raptors get a second-round pick
Kings grade: C
Probably a nothing player and they give up their third second-rounder of the deadline. TDII can score in small doses, and maybe that's what they decided they need. But a top 40 pick has better potential.
Raptors grade: B+
Asset for a player that isn't much to them.
Jazz get Matt Thomas, Raptors get future second-round pick
Jazz grade: B-
Not something to get excited about, but Matt Thomas is a tremendous pure shooter. All he really adds, though.
Raptors: A
Thomas was adding no value. At 26, he's a known commodity. Acquiring anything is big.
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