Welcome to the Basketball Hangover. I write about what’s happening in the NBA daily, even when COVID has ravaged the league.
A Raptor was traded but it’s not who you thought it was.
(PHOTO CREDIT: Scott Wachter/USA Today.)
So Thursday was busy. It’s been more than 26 hours since the trade deadline passed. A lot of deals happened but I really can’t say that the top contenders for the championship became better? Let’s run through these…
HEAT get VICTOR OLADIPO
ROCKETS get KELLY OLYNYK, AVERY BRADLEY, and the RIGHT TO SWAP PICKS
Remember when Victor Oladipo talked about not being wanted? Well, he turned down extensions from both Indiana AND Houston. I get betting on yourself and everything but it’s tough for teams to bet on you when you’re often hurt. Anyway, Miami has flirted with Oladipo for a few years and they finally got him. This would be game-changing if Oladipo returns to that first-year Pacers form where he made that leap to stardom.
We know Houston is rebuilding at this point. We just saw them lose 20 straight.
HAWKS get LOU WILLIAMS, TWO 2ND ROUND PICKS, and MONEY
CLIPPERS get RAJON RONDO
The immediate positive for the Clippers here is that they get a vocal locker room leader that Kawhi Leonard and Paul George don’t exactly provide. After wonderful years from the Clips, Lou Williams suddenly had this decline that made him expendable. He gets to go back home to Georgia to help out Trae Young.
Now the real hope for the Clippers here is that they get “Playoff Rondo.” That was a thing in like three postseasons but it definitely happened last year. We’ll see if this works out for the Clips.
BULLS get NIKOLA VUCEVIC and AL-FAROUQ AMINU
MAGIC get WENDELL CARTER JR., OTTO PORTER, and FUTURE 1ST ROUND PICKS
The jury is still out on Wendell Carter. Otto Porter does provide some outside three-point shooting. But the real story here is that Orlando blew it all up as they traded away their best player in Nikola Vucevic. This gives the Bulls a real chance at the postseason with TWO All-Stars on their squad.
CELTICS get EVAN FOURNIER
MAGIC get JEFF TEAGUE and TWO 2ND ROUND PICKS
Orlando just dealt Fournier for picks, really, as Teague, who has not been great this ear, is expected to be let go. Fournier does give Celtics another dimension to their offense. It’s not a mindblowing trade but Fournier’s a solid pick-up.
NUGGETS get AARON GORDON
MAGIC get GARY HARRIS, RJ HAMPTON, and 2025 1ST ROUND PICK
Aaron Gordon had wanted out and he got his wish. He might be maximized more in Denver with Nikola Jokic doing all the playmaking. Meanwhile, Gary Harris has had an injury-filled season. He gets a new start in Orlando when he gets healthy.
But the Magic have decided they’re going to build around Cole Anthony, Markelle Fultz, and Jonathan Isaac. Still, the latter two need to stay healthy for this to work out.
KINGS get DELON WRIGHT
PISTONS get CORY JOSEPH and TWO 2ND ROUND PICKS
The Kings get Wright and should be a better fit for the Kings. The Pistons are clearly rebuilding and it’s not like adding Cory Joseph, who is on the downside of his career, changes any sort of landscape for them. This is more for the picks and the cap space.
HEAT get NEMANJA BJELICA
KINGS get MOE HARKLESS AND CHRIS SILVA
Miami dealt players they really don’t use much for Bjelica, who is a floor-spacing big man. And the Heat can certainly use another spacer on their team.
BLAZERS get NORMAN POWELL
RAPTORS get GARY TRENT JR and RODNEY HOOD
Powell has had an awesome year thus far as he continued to be a consistent scorer. Portland has decided they’re just going to keep loading up on offense as they sacrificed Trent, who is a good defender, and Hood, who was oft-injured for them.
23 years ago, the Blazers traded GARY TRENT SENIOR to the Raptors. WHAT?.
SIXERS get GEORGE HILL and IGGY BRAZDEIKIS
KNICKS get TERRANCE FERGUSON and a 2ND ROUND PICK
THUNDER get AUSTIN RIVERS, TONY BRADLEY, and TWO 2NR ROUND PICKS
All about the playoff push for Philly. They bolster their backcourt depth with battle-tested George Hill. Not sure Ferguson will get time on the Knicks and Austin Rivers is on the move yet again.
KINGS get TERENCE DAVIS
RAPTORS get 2ND ROUND PICK
Sacramento gets another scoring guard to add their backcourt depth.
HORNETS get BRAD WANAMAKER
WARRIORS get CASH
The Hornets need somebody to fill in the huge hole LaMelo Ball. Brad Wanamaker is pretty much just a drop in a bucket, especially since he hasn’t had a good year in the office for G. State.
BULLS get DANIEL THEIS
CELTICS get MOE WAGNER, who was dealt earlier by WIZARDS
I don’t understand this deal at all. Theis has been a reliable player for the Celtics, especially in the playoffs last season. This is great for the Bulls, honestly.
SPURS get MARQUESE CHRISS
WARRIORS get CADY LALANNE and CASH
Marquese Chriss is out for the season but maybe in the future, Gregg Popovich can hone him into something.
MAVERICKS get J.J. REDICK and NICOLO MELLI
PELICANS get JAMES JOHNSON, WES IWUNDU, MONEY, and 2021 2ND ROUND PICK
James Johnson will kick someone’s head off if people try to touch Zion Williamson. In the meantime, the Mavs need outside shooters; they’ve really missed Seth Curry. Redick might be able to provide that once healthy. Maybe Melli can do the same thing, too.
BULLS get TROY BROWN and MO WAGNER (who went to CELTICS)
WIZARDS get DANIEL GAFFORD and CHANDLER HUTCHISON
Troy Brown provided some nice contributions for the Wizards last season (10.4 PPG and 5.6 RPG). Maybe the Bulls want that from him. The Wizards get players that the Bulls hardly use.
JAZZ get MATT THOMAS
RAPTORS get 2021 2ND ROUND PICK and TRADE EXCEPTION
This is really just for more perimeter shooting. Matt Thomas shot under 48 percent from 3 last season.
As you can see, Kyle Lowry stayed. LaMarcus Aldridge and Andre Drummond did not get traded and they were let go by their respective teams the past 24 hours. Like I said, nothing really jumps out on these deals. Maybe Chicago is more of a sure thing now to make the postseason. I feel like Portland has a chance to surprise with this Powell deal.
All we know is this: Orlando has decided to start all over again. I think I kind of clamored for that for the past few years.
Bullet Passes
De’Aaron Fox scored a career-best 44 points against the Warriors in a blowout. Sometimes, Fox can just surprise people.
The Lakers have lost four in a row as ex-Laker Danny Green made the clutch corner three to put them up 6 with 30 seconds left. Danny finished with 28 points and 8 threes.
Heartbreaking loss for the Heat as Damian Lillard got fouled by former teammate Trevor Ariza on a three-pointer. Really nothing controversial about it; Ariza did touch Lillard’s arm on the shot. Lillard would make all three foul shots for the win.
Alec Burks is not getting enough credit for the Knicks. He is having a STRONG season for them. Burks led New York in scoring with 27 points as they beat the Wizards.
What an ugly second half by the Spurs. They shot under 29 percent and only scored 30 points in their loss to the Clippers.
Candace Parker discussed about how DeMar DeRozan would thrive in the 90s. We’ve been deep into the 3-point revolution that people seem to forget that we were all about the midrange 20 or so years ago. That’s where DeRozan thrives.
NBA Scoreboard
Mar. 25, 2021
Watch This Play
Derrick Jones, Jr. dunks on his former teammate, Duncan Robinson.
(VIDEO CREDIT: Evangelion Hoops.)
Duncan getting Dunc’d on. I’m so clever!
Everyone, please take care of yourselves during this pandemic. And that goes for everyone involved with the NBA as well.
You can find Rey-Rey on Twitter at @TheNoLookPass.
You can also check out Rey-Rey’s podcast, Rey-Rey Is Fundamental, for more basketball content and, really, whatever else.
R.I.P. Nala.