Grading NBA Trade Deadline Moves

The NBA Trade Deadline has passed and some teams made big moves for that playoff push, some continued their rebuild, and others stayed silent.

New York Knicks and Detroit Pistons

Knicks Receive: Bojan Bogdanovic and Alec Burks

Pistons Receive: Quentin Grimes, Evan Fournier, Malachi Flynn, and two second-round picks

The Knicks are currently the third seed in the East and have built a solid squad around All-Star Jalen Brunson. After acquiring OG Anunoby last month, the team continued to make fireworks at the deadline as they added a guy who can shoot from all over the court. The Pistons, who are at the bottom of the league, add some young potential to their team.

Knicks B+ Pistons B-

76ers Pacers Spurs

76ers Receive: Buddy Hield

Pacers Receive: Marcus Morris (gets traded again), Furkan Korkmaz, Doug McDermott, 2024 second-rounder from Toronto, 2029 second-rounder from the Trail Blazers, 2029 second-rounder from LAC, and cash

Spurs Receive: Marcus Morris and second-rounder from Pacers

Interesting move by the Pacers. They currently sit in the sixth spot in the East and only 4.5 back of second. Good find for the 76ers. Hield may only be averaging 12 points per game, but he will compliment Maxey and Embiid when Embiid is back from injury. Hield being a three-point threat can take some double teams off Embiid.

76ers A- Pacers C+ Spurs B

Charlotte Hornets and Oklahoma City Thunder

Hornets Receive: Tre Mann, Vasilije Micic, and Davis Bertans

Thunder Receive: Gordon Hayward

Good trade for both teams. The Hornets are rebuilding and Hayward’s contract is up after this season so although they may not have gotten anyone special for him, you might as well ship him away for something. The Thunder add a veteran to a young squad who is ready for a playoff run. Hayward brings 14 PPG over to OKC and will expand the Thunder’s depth.

Thunder A- Hornets B+

Obviously, there were a lot more trades made, these are just a few of them. Some teams made multiple deals like the 76ers and Pacers, but some made no deals…like the Lakers. For a team that is barely hanging on to a play-in game spot, you would think they would have picked up the phones are started making some moves. You have talent, you have leadership, but you lack the one piece that could have put the team on a higher level, one that would help them build up to that 6-ish seed. Maybe they asked around and nobody wanted to offer anything up…who knows, but making a deep run with the squad they have seems unrealistic.