2015 NBA Power Rankings: Post-Trade Deadline Standings for All 30 Teams
Before we dive into this week's NBA power rankings, let's take a moment to breathe deeply, relax and set aside the madness that ensued in the lead-up to Thursday's trade deadline.
For the second year in a row, Danny Granger was dealt just prior to the buzzer. This time, though, he was far from the biggest name moved. Kevin Garnett took that title and ran with it.
But as far as immediate consequences are concerned, The Big Ticket's return to the Minnesota Timberwolves was small potatoes compared to some of the deals, 11 in all, that went down on deadline day. According to ESPN's Brian Windhorst, the 37 players traded were the most ever on deadline day.
For a tidy summary of who went where and how, check out Bleacher Report's trade tracker.
And if you're still confused after that, don't worry: You're not alone. As CBS Sports' Ken Berger tweeted, with regard to the three-team deal that landed Goran Dragic in Miami: "Some executives as confused as I am about all moving parts in this deal. To correct, [John] Salmons goes to Phoenix. ... I mean, if teams are still unsure where they've traded their players 2 1-2 hours after the deadline, that tells you what kind of day it was."
It'll be some time before the dust truly settles from all this mayhem. Hopefully, the present picture will be a bit clearer after we're done ranking all 30 teams from bottom to top, based on what they've done on the court to date and who they'll have on hand going forward.
30. Philadelphia 76ers
1 of 30
IN: JaVale McGee, Isaiah Canaan, Chu Chu Maduabum
OUT: Michael Carter-Williams, K.J. McDaniels, Cenk Akyol
The Philadelphia 76ers seemed to have taken a couple of intriguing steps forward during a 4-4 stretch prior to All-Star break. General manager Sam Hinkie did his darndest to drag them quite a ways back at the trade deadline.
Michael Carter-Williams, the reigning Rookie of the Year, is now in Milwaukee. K.J. McDaniels, a second-round steal (and restricted free agent-to-be) who had emerged as one of the NBA's most effective defenders by opponent field-goal percentage (h/t Cowbell Kingdom's Aaron Fischman), is in Houston.
As for those coming in, Isaiah Canaan, a scoring guard who's probably better suited to a reserve role long-term, will play plenty of minutes at the point in Philly. Chu Chu Maduabum, a 2011 second-round pick of the Lakers, has played in the D-League and Estonia so far, but with the way the Sixers have shuffled no-names into and out of Brett Brown's rotation, the dude might get a cup of coffee yet.
So what does Philly get out of all of this, aside from two more years of McGee? Two first-round picks—one from the Denver Nuggets, as payment for taking McGee off their hands, and one from the Phoenix Suns (i.e., the Lakers' top-five protected pick in 2015, which turns into a top-three protected pick in 2016).
"That's the man upstairs, Sam Hinkie, working," Nerlens Noel told Calkins Media's Tom Moore.
Added head coach Brett Brown: "I have faith in Sam. This is his time."
Which means it's not time for the Sixers to start winning...yet.
29. New York Knicks
2 of 30
IN: Alexey Shved
OUT: Pablo Prigioni
The pomp and pageantry of All-Star Weekend in New York City proved to be but a brief respite from the misery of the 2014-15 campaign for the Knicks.
As expected, Carmelo Anthony used the All-Star Game as the discordant swan song for his season. The Big Apple native shot 6-of-20 from the field on his bad knee in the East's 163-158 loss to the West before going under the knife.
Sadly for Knicks fans, Pablo Prigioni, a favorite of the Madison Square Garden faithful, won't be around to soothe their concerns. Instead, he'll be backing up Patrick Beverley in Houston, with Alexey Shved and a pair of second-round picks standing in for him.
These developments all figure to brighten New York's future. Now that 'Melo is done for the year, the Knicks have all but secured one of the top few spots in the 2015 draft and the shot at a young star. Those second-rounders from the Rockets could come in handy too, though a healthy Anthony in 2015-16 will be the biggest difference-maker of all.
Still, there's no ignoring just how miserable things could get for these Knicks over the next two months.
Which is crazy to think, since this squad has already suffered through a franchise-record 16-game slide this season.
28. Los Angeles Lakers
3 of 30
IN: Nobody
OUT: Not a soul
The Los Angeles Lakers looked like they might actually have a part to play in the deadline insanity when word first broke that Goran Dragic wanted out of Phoenix and had the purple and gold on his short list.
As it turns out, the closest the Lakers came to a trade was pranking Jordan Hill on Wednesday into thinking he'd been dealt, per the Orange County Register's Bill Oram.
"I truly believe that [everything will be OK]," head coach Byron Scott said on Thursday, via ESPN Los Angeles' Baxter Holmes. "I believe in Jim [Buss], I believe in Mitch [Kupchak]. The game plan that they showed me months ago, I believe in that, and we knew it was going to take us some time; we knew it was going to be a process. Just got to stick to your guns."
For now, that means making the most of the guys who are still in uniform for the Lakers. Chief among them is rookie point guard Jordan Clarkson, who (finally) got to work with Steve Nash, who had stayed away from the team for most of this season, over the All-Star break.
27. Orlando Magic
4 of 30
IN: Nada
OUT: Not a one
There were some rumblings in recent days about Andrew Nicholson, Maurice Harkless, Ben Gordon and Luke Ridnour being available in some capacity. Like so many mid-February rumors, these ones turned out to be duds.
In Nicholson's case, at least, the Orlando Magic took a wait-and-see approach, per Yahoo Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski:
"Orlando Magic management remains reluctant to unload forward Andrew Nicholson for a marginal return, still wondering how a new coach next season would better utilize him offensively, sources tell Yahoo Sports. Jacque Vaughn and his interim successor, James Borrego, have been unable and unwilling to incorporate his inside-outside scoring abilities into their simplistic offensive systems.
"
Not that the Magic's fate ever rested anywhere near Nicholson's shoulders. They have Nikola Vucevic and Tobias Harris to fill their frontcourt, with the future likely belonging to the defensive-minded duo of Victor Oladipo and Elfrid Payton.
26. Denver Nuggets
5 of 30
IN: Thomas Robinson, Will Barton, Victor Claver, Cenk Akyol, Joffrey Lauvergne (signed)
OUT: Arron Afflalo, Alonzo Gee, JaVale McGee, Chu Chu Maduabum
The Denver Nuggets avoided a full-on fire sale at this year's trade deadline. Instead of throwing their young, talented but underperforming (in some cases) core to the wind, they merely trimmed some of the proverbial fat off their roster.
Arron Afflalo, a sturdy two-way veteran, was all but destined to opt out of his contract this summer. JaVale McGee had fallen way behind the times in the Mile High City amid injuries and poor play. Alonzo Gee was...Alonzo Gee.
Salary dumping McGee at the expense of one of the picks from the Timofey Mozgov trade isn't a great look, but Denver did well to snag a lottery-protected 2016 first-rounder for Afflalo.
The Nuggets may be pleased to still have Ty Lawson, Kenneth Faried, Wilson Chandler and rookie Jusuf Nurkic on hand, but in the eyes of CBS 4 Denver's Vic Lombardi, they might not all feel the same way: "I'm wondering how many Nuggets actually wanted to be traded today. Get the feeling Lawson and Faried are disappointed."
25. Utah Jazz
6 of 30
IN: Kendrick Perkins, Grant Jerrett, Tibor Pleiss
OUT: Enes Kanter, Steve Novak
Pay no mind to Kendrick Perkins, who's all but guaranteed to be back on the market once the Utah Jazz buy him out. Don't worry too much about Grant Jerrett, an off-and-on D-Leaguer. As for Tibor Pleiss, a 2010 second-round pick of the then-New Jersey Nets, he doesn't deserve much concern unless/until he matriculates over from Spain, which The Salt Lake Tribune's Tony Jones says is now a distinct possibility.
Truth be told, the real benefit of Thursday's Enes Kanter trade for the Utah Jazz can't be tied to any new names. Rather, the Jazz did well to wring a first-round pick and a second-rounder out of Kanter, whose representatives pushed for their client's exit from Salt Lake City.
"This trade allowed us to add assets while helping to maintain flexibility for the future," Jazz general manager Dennis Lindsey said in an official statement.
That flexibility probably includes more immediate playing time for second-year center Rudy Gobert, who flashed some of his tantalizing ability during the Rising Stars Challenge on Friday of All-Star Weekend.
24. Minnesota Timberwolves
7 of 30
IN: Kevin Garnett
OUT: Thaddeus Young
The Minnesota Timberwolves' decision to swap Thaddeus Young for Kevin Garnett is about much more than bringing warmth to the sad, chilly basketball fans in the Land of 10,000 Lakes or giving The Big Ticket a poetic sendoff this spring. According to The Associated Press' Jon Krawczynski, the Wolves intend to extend Garnett's Hall of Fame career for at least two more seasons once this one is through, with the idea of having him mentor Minnesota's promising pack of youngsters.
By the sound of things, the news of KG's impending return is already having an impact in Minnesota.
"I'm going to be with my notebook and see whatever he does," Ricky Rubio told Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune. "Whatever he says, we'll listen and do it; he's going to have a voice in the locker room, and we'll learn a lot from him. It's great. Not just because he did great things here, he's been one of the greatest ever in this sport. I'm happy to be his teammate."
Added Andrew Wiggins, the Wolves' next hope for salvation: "He's one of the all-time greats. The best player to ever come to this franchise, the Timberwolves. So it will be great. He'll teach me a lot. Practices will be intense. I'm looking forward to it."
23. Sacramento Kings
8 of 30
IN: Andre Miller
OUT: Ramon Sessions
You had to figure that George Karl wasn't going to step into the pit of vipers known to most as the Sacramento Kings without at least one of his deputies by his side.
There was some talk of Arron Afflalo being the choice, but the Portland Trail Blazers moved swiftly enough to stop that reunion. Instead, it'll be Professor Andre Miller, 38, who comes to Karl's aid, with Ramon Sessions going to Washington.
"Adding Andre bolsters our backcourt with one of the most prolific ball distributors in the game," said Kings GM Pete D'Alessandro in an official statement. "He'll also provide veteran leadership to the locker room and a wealth of experience at the point guard position. We're excited to have him join the team."
So, too, should any King eager for a peek up Miller's trick-filled sleeve.
22. Brooklyn Nets
9 of 30
IN: Thaddeus Young
OUT: Kevin Garnett
The trade deadline wasn't quite as eventful as it could have been for the Brooklyn Nets. Brook Lopez, Deron Williams, Joe Johnson and their massive salaries are still on the books in Brooklyn.
That being said, the one move the Nets did make, sending Kevin Garnett back to Minnesota for Thaddeus Young, was significant—particularly as it pertains to the team's defense.
The Brooklyn Game's Devin Kharpertian explained: "No one yells on defense like Kevin Garnett, who probably screams out defensive coverages during catnaps, and the Nets know they won't replace that impact. Nonetheless, Young's been known throughout his career as a plus defender, both by the metrics and the eye test."
That shift could prove crucial, considering both Brooklyn's 20th-ranked defense and its place just outside the Eastern Conference playoff picture.
21. Boston Celtics
10 of 30
IN: Isaiah Thomas, Jonas Jerebko, Luigi Datome
OUT: Marcus Thornton, Tayshaun Prince
At first glance, the Boston Celtics' decision to snag Isaiah Thomas from the Phoenix Suns looks like a head-scratcher. After all, the C's had already dispatched one productive point guard (Rajon Rondo) in part to clear a more prominent spot for promising rookie Marcus Smart.
Dig a little deeper, though, and the deal makes a ton of sense. For one, according to Sheridan Hoops' Michael Scotto, Boston has had its eyes on Thomas for a while, dating back to last summer's free-agent period.
As it happens, Thomas goes back a long way with incumbent Celtics guard Avery Bradley, per Grantland's Bill Simmons: "Isaiah Thomas and Avery Bradley grew up in Tacoma together. They're best friends. You finally have teammates who like you, Isaiah Thomas!"
Throw in the prior relationship between C's GM Danny Ainge and his protege, current Suns executive Ryan McDonough, and Thomas' arrival in Beantown looks much more like an inevitability than a happy accident.
And with the Celtics so close to the playoff race in the East, Thomas could have a real impact on Boston's immediate fortunes.
20. Detroit Pistons
11 of 30
IN: Reggie Jackson, Tayshaun Prince
OUT: Jonas Jerebko, Luigi Datome, D.J. Augustin, Kyle Singler
Deadline day was at once a blast from the past and a vision of the future for the Detroit Pistons.
On the one hand, the Pistons brought back Tayshaun Prince to fortify their wing rotation and, presumably, remind this franchise of its glorious past. Prince spent the first 10-and-a-half seasons of his pro career in Motown, where he won a title and appeared in six straight Eastern Conference Finals.
On the other hand, Detroit fortified its future at point guard by acquiring the disgruntled Reggie Jackson from the Thunder. As steady as D.J. Augustin has been in Brandon Jennings' stead, he's better suited to the sort of backup duty he'll be doing in Oklahoma City.
Jackson has the talent and the potential to be a long-term solution at the point in Detroit, assuming the Pistons re-sign him in restricted free agency this summer. In the meantime, he should be a boon to Detroit's lagging pick-and-roll game, as ESPN Stats and Info tweeted: "Reggie Jackson: 4th in NBA with 47.2 FG pct as pick-and-roll ball handler (min. 150 plays). Pistons as a team shoot 37.8 pct (25th in NBA)."
19. Charlotte Hornets
12 of 30
IN: Zip
OUT: Zilch
For weeks, the Charlotte Hornets tried with all of their might to move Lance Stephenson only to see the trade deadline come and go with their big summer signing still on the roster.
According to Yahoo Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski, the Hornets had a least one serious suitor for Stephenson's services out West: "The Clippers need a wing player so badly, they even took a hard look at Charlotte's Lance Stephenson in recent weeks, sending a scout to observe him for two games, league sources said. The Clippers moved on, without pursuing serious discussions."
Charlotte's postseason hopes could be in serious jeopardy now that its chief competitors (i.e., Detroit, Brooklyn, Boston) have all improved their rosters to some degree. Fortunately for the Hornets, they have some in-house reinforcements of their own on the way, with Michael Kidd-Gilchrist due back in action this weekend.
18. Phoenix Suns
13 of 30
IN: Brandon Knight, Danny Granger, Marcus Thornton, John Salmons
OUT: Goran Dragic, Zoran Dragic, Isaiah Thomas, Tyler Ennis, Miles Plumlee
No team had a more insane day on Thursday than the Phoenix Suns. Goran Dragic's trade demand morphed into a massive, midseason roster overhaul for a team that's now in a virtual tie for the eighth seed out West.
In the long term, the Suns are in a much better position now than they were coming into the day. They essentially cashed in Dragic for two first-round picks and got another in exchange for Thomas, who came to Phoenix via free agency last summer. Moreover, Brandon Knight, the Suns' big get, probably fits more snugly within the team's developmental timeframe and could form a fierce backcourt combination with Eric Bledsoe.
But as Grantland's Bill Simmons pointed out, Phoenix is losing a really good player as penance for GM Ryan McDonough's guard-heavy experiment—one that also resulted in Thomas' departure on Thursday: "Dragic was the fourth-best guard in basketball last season. I voted him second-team All-NBA. There were legitimate reasons why his numbers dropped this year that had nothing to do with him and everything to do with the bizarre but lovable roster that Phoenix slapped together."
That roster, by the way, figures to have an even tougher time hanging onto a playoff spot out West, especially now that OKC bolstered its bench (more on that later).
17. New Orleans Pelicans
14 of 30
IN: Norris Cole, Justin Hamilton, Shawne Williams, Ish Smith, Latavious Williams
OUT: John Salmons
The New Orleans Pelicans played the part of facilitator on deadline day.
First, they helped the Suns and Heat make the Goran Dragic trade happen by sending John Salmons to Phoenix and taking on Norris Cole, Justin Hamilton and Shawne Williams from Miami. Then, they took Ish Smith off OKC's hands to afford the Thunder enough roster spots to bolster their own bench.
Of course, the Pelicans didn't assist their chief competition for the West's eighth playoff spot out of the kindness of their front-office hearts. With Jrue Holiday out another three weeks after re-aggravating the stress reaction in his right leg, New Orleans needed a boost to its injury-prone backcourt.
Cole should be of service in that regard. Smith, on the other hand, has already been waived.
16. Indiana Pacers
15 of 30
IN: Nobody
OUT: No one
The Indiana Pacers didn't get a deal done on Thursday, but it was not for a lack of effort. Multiple reports during the days and hours leading up to the deadline linked the Pacers to a passel of potentially available point guards, including Ty Lawson, Goran Dragic and Reggie Jackson.
In the end, Indy's efforts were for naught, though that doesn't mean the Pacers will simply stand pat from here on out. If Paul George's return to practice in March proceeds as planned, the Pacers could find themselves with a midseason addition (of sorts) to trump all the others.
15. Miami Heat
16 of 30
IN: Goran Dragic, Zoran Dragic
OUT: Danny Granger, Norris Cole, Shawne Williams, Justin Hamilton
Thursday was a rough day for the Miami Heat. They had to bid farewell to two-time champion Norris Cole, who's on his way to New Orleans...
Just kidding! The Heat made out like gangbusters, jettisoning four marginal role players for Goran Dragic and his younger brother Zoran. ESPN's Kevin Pelton pegged the addition of the elder Dragic to Miami's core of Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Luol Deng and Hassan Whiteside as a snug fit all around:
"Put Dragic with the other four players and the Heat have a starting lineup as talented as any in the East outside of Cleveland. It's also a relatively cohesive one. Miami already went through the hard work of learning how to utilize Wade off the ball next to James, meaning Dragic can step into a primary playmaking role in which he'll run the pick-and-roll with Whiteside and the pick-and-pop with Bosh -- similar to the conditions in which he thrived last season in Phoenix.
"
Granted, it's not all sunshine and rainbows in Miami. The Heat's bench, already thin, now looks like it's spent six months on the South Beach Diet, and not necessarily in a good way. The deal also cost the Heat a pair of first-round picks, one of which will be conveyed without protections in 2021.
And, of course, there's the distinct possibility that Dragic bolts this summer.
For now, Miami's biggest concern is the health of Bosh, who was in a local hospital on Thursday night having his chest examined, per Bleacher Report's Ethan Skolnick.
14. Dallas Mavericks
17 of 30
IN: None
OUT: Not a soul
Unless you count signing a bought-out (and burned-out) Amar'e Stoudemire as a deadline deal, the Dallas Mavericks stood pat this year, and understandably so. They just about shot their wad earlier this season when they snagged Rajon Rondo from the Boston Celtics.
With the way the Mavs played Thursday in a 104-89 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder, it sure seems like they could use some more help. Yet, according to Mavs.com's Earl Sneed, Dallas has no intention of perusing the buyout market for another contributor.
The Mavs will have to hope, then, that their latest loss was merely the product of All-Star break rust rather than the first sign of a slide to come.
13. Washington Wizards
18 of 30
IN: Ramon Sessions
OUT: Andre Miller
In one fell swoop, the Washington Wizards shaved nearly a decade off the age of John Wall's backup at point guard. Whether swapping Andre Miller for Ramon Sessions will make a difference on the court is another story.
Sessions had performed poorly in Sacramento this season with a career-low workload. The same was true of Miller in D.C.
Chances are, the Wizards will miss the craftiness that Miller brings, both during games and as a tutor for Washington's young guards. But there's no teaching the caliber of quickness with which Sessions moves, and that figures to make him a more reasonable facsimile of Wall than Miller could have ever dreamed to be.
12. Milwaukee Bucks
19 of 30
IN: Michael Carter-Williams, Miles Plumlee, Tyler Ennis
OUT: Brandon Knight, Kendall Marshall, Kenyon Martin (waiver)
No team is going to improve right away by giving up its best player. Just ask the Suns, who sent theirs (Dragic) to Miami...and in a separate deal, snagged Milwaukee's best.
And no, not this Milwaukee's Best, unless Brandon Knight is bringing a 30-rack with him to Phoenix.
Losing Knight will hurt the Bucks, but this team is already well-positioned for a playoff push and brought back a solid collection of young talent in exchange for a player who's ticketed for restricted free agency.
Miles Plumlee will help Milwaukee in the middle, especially now that Larry Sanders is done as a Buck—and, maybe, as an NBA player. Tyler Ennis, a rookie out of Syracuse, could develop into a decent rotation player.
The real get here, though, is Michael Carter-Williams, the reigning Rookie of the Year. He shot poorly and proved turnover-prone in Philly, and he is still dealing with a toe injury. But the move from a tanktastic bottom feeder to a playoff contender could be just what the doctor ordered.
And, as Bleacher Report's Kelly Scaletta so astutely pointed out, MCW's pro production so far bears a striking resemblance to the numbers put up by a certain future Hall of Famer who just so happens to be the 23-year-old's new coach.
11. Houston Rockets
20 of 30
IN: K.J. McDaniels, Pablo Prigioni
OUT: Isaiah Canaan, Alexey Shved
Houston Rockets GM Daryl Morey pulled a Reverse Sam Hinkie on Thursday. Rather than rack up second-round picks like his protege, Morey doled out three of them to bring in another defensive-minded wing (K.J. McDaniels) and a veteran guard (Pablo Prigioni).
Of course, Morey doesn't need to hoard draft picks nowadays. His team, unlike Hinkie's, has the pieces in place to contend for a title...and the expectations to match.
More than anything, what the Rockets need now is a healthy Dwight Howard to protect the rim on defense, support James Harden on offense and ensure Houston doesn't lose any ground down the stretch in the ultra-competitive West.
10. Los Angeles Clippers
21 of 30
IN: Nothing
OUT: Nada
Who says the Los Angeles Clippers needed to shake up their roster in order to hang with the best in the West? Heck, who says they even need Blake Griffin to do it? Their 119-115 win over the San Antonio Spurs on Thursday was their third in a row, all against members of the Texas triangle.
Of course, the Clippers aren't better off without Griffin by any means, and they must be pleased with his relatively rapid recovery from a staph infection.
In the meantime, L.A. can thank its lucky stars that it has, well, so many other stars who can step up in a pinch.
Like DeAndre Jordan, who fell just two rebounds shy of his third straight 20-20 game. Like Chris Paul, who burned the Spurs for 22 points and 16 assists.
And like Jamal Crawford, who took out his revenge on the rampant trade rumors by dropping 26 points off the bench.
9. Toronto Raptors
22 of 30
IN: Nada
OUT: No one
The Toronto Raptors have been nothing if not consistent in their approach to team building. All along, general manager Masai Ujiri has stuck with the message that he didn't expect his team to be this good this quickly, and that he's not going to mortgage Toronto's future potential to accelerate its already-rapid rise.
"We feel confident in this team in terms of growth, in terms of growing," Ujiri said on Thursday, via TSN's Josh Lewenberg. "We're still a long ways away, we understand that, but a lot of things that were put in front of us were things that maybe...makes you slightly better now, but it also takes away from younger guys continuing to grow."
Just because Ujiri took a patient approach during the season doesn't mean he's going to simply sit on his hands once it's done.
"We're a summer team, I think," Ujiri went on. "In [the] summer you can do more due diligence. You can study more and you have a little bit of space. You have guys to re-sign, you have the draft, we have future picks, so I understand the moves a lot of teams make, depending on the situation, but for now we're second in the East. I know it could go up and down, but I think we have good placement for now. In the summer we'll evaluate again."
Until then, the Raptors are well-positioned to make some significant noise in the Eastern Conference come spring.
8. Portland Trail Blazers
23 of 30
IN: Arron Afflalo, Alonzo Gee
OUT: Thomas Robinson, Will Barton, Victor Claver
Portland Trail Blazers general manager Neil Olshey had it right. "We're in a win now mode," Olshey told The Oregonian's Mike Tokito. "We've got a window here."
That's what motivated the Blazers to give up a trio of young players and a lottery-protected first-round pick for one player (Gee) who will be a free agent this summer and another (Afflalo) who figures to be.
To that end, Afflalo and Gee will fit right in with the Blazers. Three of Portland's incumbent starters—LaMarcus Aldridge, Wesley Matthews and Robin Lopez—will be back on the market this summer.
As such, it was imperative that Portland, tied for third in the Western Conference heading into the stretch run, moved to improve its roster. Afflalo and Gee should both bolster the Blazers' anemic bench and provide insurance on the wing behind Nicolas Batum, whose season thus far has been submarined by injuries, personal problems and poor play.
7. Chicago Bulls
24 of 30
IN: Nothing
OUT: Also nothing
All was quiet in the Windy City on deadline day. The Chicago Bulls stood pat, moving only enough to kick the tires on the likes of Arron Afflalo and Kevin Martin without actually doing anything.
That doesn't mean the Bulls, winners of four in a row heading into the break, won't adjust their roster in the coming weeks. Adrian Wojnarowksi of Yahoo has linked Chicago to the soon-to-be-bought-out Kendrick Perkins, whose connection to Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau dates back to their championship days with the Boston Celtics.
6. San Antonio Spurs
25 of 30
IN: Zippo
OUT: Nothing more than some Texas tumbleweeds
The San Antonio Spurs didn't need to make any moves prior to the deadline—nor do they need to now—with only fringe free agents to choose from.
What they do need, if they're to defend their title with the proper vim and vigor, is a healthy and effective Kawhi Leonard. The reigning Finals MVP turned in his fourth straight subpar performance on Thursday, missing 10 of his 11 shots (including all six of his threes) and turning the ball over three times.
If not for Tim Duncan's 30-point, 11-rebound throwback, the Spurs might not have had any chance to beat the Clippers on L.A. Kudos for Duncan for turning back the hands of time, Luther Vandross style, but San Antonio can't count on its aging legend to carry it—not without more help from the future of the franchise.
5. Oklahoma City Thunder
26 of 30
IN: Enes Kanter, D.J. Augustin, Kyle Singler, Steve Novak
OUT: Kendrick Perkins, Reggie Jackson, Grant Jerrett, Ish Smith, Tibor Pleiss
Outside of Miami, the Oklahoma City Thunder probably made the best use of the trade deadline. With one three-team trade, the Thunder turned their aging center (Perkins) and disgruntled guard (Jackson) into a gifted, young big (Kanter), a steady backup point guard (Augustin), a glue guy on the wing (Singler) and a sharpshooter (Novak).
More importantly, they did all that without disrupting the effective core of their club. That core cold-cocked the Mavs on Thursday, 104-89, despite missing Steven Adams on account of a hand injury and getting just 12 points from Kevin Durant.
Of course, it helps when Russell Westbrook explodes for 34 points and 10 assists and Serge Ibaka chips in a 20-20 game of his own.
All of which is to say, watch out world: OKC is officially back in the playoff picture and coming for your lunch money.
4. Memphis Grizzlies
27 of 30
IN: Nay
OUT: [Insert another way to say "nobody" here]
The Memphis Grizzlies were one of several teams whose early-season trade activity led to speculation that this year's deadline would be a dud. Memphis shored up its situation on the wing more than a month ago, when it pried Jeff Green from the Celtics in a three-team deal.
So, with all of this free time to not think about Grizzlies-related trades, I encourage everyone to check out Howard Beck's masterpiece on Marc Gasol's inextricable ties to Memphis.
(Really, though, it's an awesome read.)
3. Cleveland Cavaliers
28 of 30
IN: Zip
OUT: Zilch
At least one member of the Cleveland Cavaliers enjoyed a deadline day that didn't see a single player come to or leave northeast Ohio.
"The trades made today were dope for some teams," tweeted Iman Shumpert, "basketball is a great game!"
Touche, Shump.
Of course, he was one of the reasons the Cavs didn't do any wheeling and dealing on Thursday. Cleveland acted early to shore up its roster, trading for Shumpert, J.R. Smith and Timofey Mozgov in early January.
And while the final trades made were, indeed, dope for some teams, only one (Sessions to D.C.) concerned a team that's considered to be in direct competition with the Cavs for the Eastern Conference crown.
2. Atlanta Hawks
29 of 30
IN: No one
OUT: Nada
Paul Millsap had a perfect answer to the question of whether the Atlanta Hawks needed to make any changes at the trade deadline.
"43-11," Millsap told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Chris Vivlamore, referring to the team's East-leading record.
As impressive as Atlanta's mark is, and as much as this team deserved to have four representatives (five, if you include head coach Mike Budenholzer) at the All-Star Game, the Hawks are far from a flawless squad.
Their biggest weakness? Rebounding. The Hawks rank 25th in rebounding percentage, per NBA.com.
Another big body may have helped Atlanta, but it's tough to argue for a roster shake-up of any sort when the results speak so loudly and clearly for themselves.
1. Golden State Warriors
30 of 30
IN: No one
OUT: Nooobooody
Klay Thompson took a page out of Paul Millsap's playbook when addressing the Golden State Warriors' lack of activity on Thursday.
"Why would we make moves? We've only got nine losses," Thompson told Bay Area News Group's Diamond Leung.
Thompson has a point. Golden State's shiny rankings on offense (second) and defense (first), per NBA.com, might be even stronger exhibits in the Warriors' favor.
And it's not like the Dubs are going to rest on their laurels internally. As head coach Steve Kerr told NBA.com's John Schuhmann: "That's a constant process, because you're always getting a little better, getting a little worse from one game to the next. There are things to clean up, things to highlight. And it's a never-ending process."
That is, until the season ends, with or without a title.
Josh Martin covers the NBA for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter.
