Welcome to the NBA Hangover. We jot down NBA stuff mostly from last night that we want to talk about. Check it out.
Andrew Wiggins gets a fresh start and D’Angelo Russell, as expected, gets dealt.
(PHOTO CREDIT: NBA.)
There is so much to go over. Let’s go over all the trades, big and little.
SIXERS get Alec Burks and Glenn Robinson III
WARRIORS get three second round picks (2020, 2021, 2022)
Sixers need some help from the bench badly. So I feel like the Sixers still have a bunch of second round picks for the next 20 years because of their old mad GM, Sam Hinkie.
The Warriors have a lost season. So in a way, they have a firesale of everyone not named Steph, Klay, and Draymond.
HEAT get Andre Iguodala, Jae Crowder, and Solomon Hill
GRIZZLIES get Justise Winslow, Dion Waiters (supposedly will be released), Gorgui Dieng
WOLVES get James Johnson
We talked about how the Heat/Grizzlies trade wasn’t complete yet. Now it is but it wasn’t the expected result. Danilo Gallinari was sought out by the Heat but he ended up staying with OKC.
The Heat pretty much have their rotation going. Justise Winslow was often hurt. James Johnson was not playing. Dion Waiters had been suspended many times. So they all had to go. They get the guy they want in Iguodala, who was not playing in Memphis. Iguodala will bring leadership, defense, and championship experience to a team that is surprisingly competing for a title. They won’t need him for the regular season; they’ll need him for the postseason. Crowder is a bruiser; he’ll fit RIGHT in with the Heat. Solomon Hill will add depth.
As for the Grizzlies, Winslow is a young guy that has a lot of potential. He’ll add some defense to this young squad. Gorgui Dieng adds depth in the middle. As for Waiters, we’ll see where he ends up. There’s no official confirmation of his release.
James Johnson offers toughness to the Wolves, who are currently spiraling down the standings.
HAWKS get Derrick Walton, Jr.
CLIPPERS get cash
The Clippers did this small move to open up a roster spot. The Hawks get a little deeper on the point guard side; they have Trae Young and Jeff Teague in that position.
ROCKETS get Bruno Caboclo
GRIZZLIES get Jordan Bell
The Rockets got Jordan Bell in that Robert Covington deal. He goes to Memphis for Caboclo. Probably emergency big men for both teams.
HAWKS get Skal Labissiere
BLAZERS get cash
Hawks get another big man as they add Labissiere to go along with their acquisitions of Clint Capela and Nene. Blazers open up a roster spot.
MAGIC get James Ennis
SIXERS get a second round pick
Sixers needed to get rid of a rotation player to add Burks and Robinson III. The Magic have been a good trade partner for the Sixers. They add a defensive wing to their team.
NUGGETS get Jordan McRae
WIZARDS get Shabazz Napier
Nuggets didn’t have room for a fourth point guard that they acquired in that 4-team, 12-player deal so they dealt him for a nice wing in McRae. Wizards got Napier, who LeBron James coaxed the Heat into acquiring before he left for Cleveland.
Just wanted a reminder.
WARRIORS get Andrew Wiggins, 2021 protected first round pick, and 2021 second round pick
WOLVES get D’Angelo Russell, Jacob Evans, and Omari Spellman
It was only a matter of time for Russell. Karl-Anthony Towns gets his close friend on the team and now the Wolves have the #1 and #2 picks from the 2015 NBA Draft. Evans didn’t play much with the Dubs and Spellman was getting a bit of run with them this season.
Wiggins becomes the Warriors’ project. He scored a lot of points with the Wolves but he never did become the next big thing like many pundits expected. Wiggins won’t have as much pressure as the third or even fourth option once Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green are all healthy. And if he flourishes and comes close to what those so-called experts thought he was going to be, this could be something for the Warriors.
For now, he’s just expected to be Canadian Harrison Barnes.
CLIPPERS get Marcus Morris and Isaiah Thomas (expected to be waived)
WIZARDS get Jerome Robinson
KNICKS get Moe Harkless, 2020 first round pick from Clippers, and Issuf Sanon
Clippers upgraded in scoring and toughness with one of the Morris twins (Morrii?) joining them. The Wizards will get a look at Jerome Robinson at shooting guard.
Harkless provides defense and the Knicks pretty much need everything. That draft pick will be late in the first round. Right now, Issuf Sanon is playing in Ukraine; the Wizards drafted him in the second round of the 2018 Draft.
As for Isaiah Thomas? Three seasons ago, he averaged 28.9 points per game, was known as the King of the Fourth (Quarter, that is), was an MVP candidate, and was helping Boston get to the Eastern Conference Finals. He could be without a team soon. Life, man.
CAVS get Andre Drummond
PISTONS get John Henson, Brandon Knight, and 2023 second round pick
Don’t the Cavs have enough big men that need time? They have Tristan Thompson, Kevin Love, and Larry Nance, Jr. Why do they need Drummond again?
The Pistons might as well have received a Super Nintendo. John Henson hasn’t been the same since he got a couple of years ago when he was with the Bucks. Brandon Knight was annihilated the last time he was a Piston. And a second round pick? I just felt the Pistons could’ve gotten more.
Yes, the market was pretty dry for a big man like Drummond, who could opt in on his deal next year at nearly $29 million. But I just felt like the leading rebounder in the league could’ve been worth more than whatever couch change the Pistons got.
I guess the Pistons will build around the beat-up Blake Griffin and Derrick Rose (yeah, I know).
The trade deadline was busier than anticipated. There was no real shake-up on the main core of the top teams (Kyle Kuzma was in rumors all year long). Now we’ll see what happens in the second half of the season.
Bullet Passes
Well, LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo did their all-star game draft. You can watch it here:
(VIDEO CREDIT: TNT.)
BUT if you don’t want to watch (you should; Giannis is a funny dude), here are the picks that they made:
A little surprised that the conference starters stayed the same (LeBron picking all West starters and Giannis picking all East). Giannis did pick a lot of the first-time all-stars. It seemed like he wanted toughness and defensive intensity with guys such as Gobert, Bam, Butler, and Lowry. LeBron’s team has a lot of offensive wizardry in Luka, Harden, Dame, and Westbrook. It’s like the old East/West stereotypes from back then!
Speaking of Dame in the all-star game, he is going to be performing his music under his Dame D.O.L.L.A. identity. I lived in the Portland area; his music got a LOT OF PLAY there.
On to basketball, the Bucks took care of business against the Sixers. It’s almost like we’re still waiting on the Sixers to get consistent and the team that we saw that plastered the Deer on Christmas Day.
Al Horford hinted on more locker room drama but he said they’ll keep it in-house. Remember that Horford had talked about being lost in his role on that team. Also, why would you even reveal there’s more drama going on? Now they’re going to get unneeded speculation.
Will the Rockets be able to sustain going all in on “small ball”? They were able to win against the Lakers but, to be fair, the Lakers needed to play better defense.
Let’s not forget that the Rockets still have Tyson Chandler on the team. They MIGHT be saving him for the playoffs. They only need him for probably 10-15 minutes.
The Scoreboard
ORL 103 (22-30) @ NY 105 (16-36)
NO 125 (21-31) @ CHI 119 (19-34)
PHI 101 (31-21) @ MIL 112 (44-7)
SA 117 (22-29) @ POR 125 (24-28)
HOU 121 (32-19) @ LAL 111 (38-12)
Watch This Play
Good grief, LeBron James. He busted out the reverse windmill. And he’s 35 years old.
(VIDEO CREDIT: NBA.)
That wins dunk contests, man.
GG.
Rey-Rey is on Twitter at @TheNoLookPass.
TNLP on FaceBook.
For the rest of the season, I will sign off with GG, which usually means “Good Game.” But we also know “Gigi” is Gianna Bryant’s nickname. This will be my tribute to her.