Trade Deadline Review

Both Tyreke Evans (left) and the DeAndre Jordan (right) were both high on the trading block. But were they moved?

This trade deadline was looking to be a very quiet one since the biggest trade might have happened before the deadline, the Blake Griffin trade. Nikola Mirotic was also a notable trade that occurred before the trade deadline day. But NBA fans and media were in for a doozy of a trade deadline. The Cleveland Cavaliers blew up social media in a 30-minute stretch of what seemed like a million trades taking place. The Cleveland Cavaliers traded away 6 players and received 4 new players. The powerhouses in the NBA stayed put and liked what they already had on the roster. Some teams were looking for trades but failed to accomplish anything *cough* Memphis Grizzlies *cough* LA Clippers.

My good feeling move of the day:

- Dwayne Wade returning back to the Miami Heat where he should have been from the beginning. A small stint in Chicago where it looked enticing before Rondo goes down and the Bulls management deciding to break it up. Cavaliers pick up Dwayne and see an opportunity to make a run at the title, but the team chemistry was dysfunctional at best. He gets a fresh start on the 2018 season and can provide great leadership and impact for this young Miami Heat team who are fighting to stay in the playoffs. Cleveland Cavaliers don’t receive much and are content with a 2024 2nd Round Draft Pick.

Dwayne Wade back to Miami. George Hill to Cleveland. Isaiah Thomas to the Los Angeles Lakers.

My best move of the trade deadline:

- Cavaliers trading Isaiah Thomas, Channing Frye, and the Cavaliers’ 2018 First Round Draft Pick. It is not the Brooklyn 2018 First Round Pick so; Dan Gilbert still has his future intact. But moving Isaiah Thomas and his ego/drama from the Cavaliers was the best move possible. This team was as Cavaliers GM, Koby Altman, said “heading towards a slow death march”. Change was necessary and receiving young players in Jordan Clarkson and Larry Nance Jr. was a great upside. Clarkson will lead the second unit and Nance will provide excellent defense. Both players will bring their athleticism and energy to the Cavaliers roster.

My worst move of the trade deadline:

- The Utah Jazz traded away Rodney Hood and Joe Johnson in a 3-way trade which they received Derrick Rose and Jae Crowder!?! Joe Johnson and Iman Shumpert are heading to Sacramento. Rodney Hood and George Hill are heading to Cleveland. This didn’t make any sense to me. Derrick Rose has been damaged goods for a long time. He is not anywhere close to his MVP years and he still can’t shoot from the outside. Jae Crowder is having his worst season and Rodney Hood was much better of an outside threat. There was no benefit from getting these two players. The only hope is that Jae Crowder somehow re-ignites his potential from a year ago when he was in Boston.

Derrick Rose and Jae Crowder on their way to Utah. Derrick Rose likely to be bought out by the Jazz.

My biggest winner of the Day:

- Cavaliers by far. They changed their entire roster and cleaned up most of the mess that was on the team. JR Smith and Tristan were not moved which may still be a problem, but they didn’t have to trade both Kevin Love and the Brooklyn Pick. Win-win situation.

My biggest loser of the day:

- Isaiah Thomas. This is the definition of the brutal NBA business. He went being top 5 in the MVP race a year ago in Boston to being traded for Kyrie Irving and joining a perennial NBA Finals roster. Then has everything possibly that could go wrong, go wrong. And gets traded to the Los Angeles Lakers out of all teams who happened to draft a point guard of the future this year. Not only will Isaiah Thomas get sent to the bench, but also he will never get that pay day that he deserves. There are tons of players in the league who are overpaid and have not accomplished the type of achievements he has. The Lakers might even buy him out which will leave Isaiah Thomas, whose flaws and drama were in the spotlight for the first half of the season, without a NBA roster in the near future.

The Isaiah Thomas experiment failed miserably with LeBron and co. as he was shipped off to Los Angeles.

Other Notable Moves:

- Phoenix Suns receive Elfrid Payton and Orlando Magic receive Phoenix 2018 2nd Round Pick

- New York Knicks receive Emmanuel Mudiay and Future 2nd Round Draft Pick from Denver, Denver Nuggets receive Devin

Harris and 2018 2nd Round Draft Pick from New York, Dallas Mavericks receive Doug McDermott

- Brooklyn receive Dante Cunningham and New Orleans receive Rashad Vaughn

- Chicago Bulls receive Noah Vonleh and Portland Trail Blazers get draft rights for Milovan Rakovic

- Miami Heat receive Luke Babbitt and Atlanta Hawks receive Okaro White

- Atlanta Hawks receive Sheldon Mac and Washington Wizards receive Future 2nd Round Draft Pick

- Detroit Pistons receive James Ennis and Memphis Grizzlies receive Brice Johnson and 2022 2nd Round Draft Pick

- Detroit Pistons receive Jameer Nelson and 2022 2nd Round Draft Pick and Chicago Bulls receive Willie Reed and 2022 2nd Round Draft Pick

- Toronto Raptors receive Malachi Richardson and Sacramento Kings receive Bruno Cabocolo

Pictures courtesy of:

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