NBA Rumors: Latest Buzz and Post-2019 Trade Deadline Talk
The NBA trade deadline passed on Feb. 7, but the fallout from all of the trades and rumored deals is still affecting certain players and teams.
The top story of the trade deadline was the Los Angeles Lakers' pursuit of New Orleans Pelicans forward Anthony Davis, but Magic Johnson and the Lakers front office personnel were unable to get New Orleans to budge on a potential deal.
Los Angeles wasn't the only team linked with Davis, and because he remained in New Orleans, the Boston Celtics have a chance to acquire the superstar in the summer.
Davis' rumored move wasn't the only trade that didn't go through, and now that the deadline has passed, more light is being shed on deals that didn't get done.
Kuzma Admits Trade Noise Got to Lakers
Kyle Kuzma was one of many Lakers players mentioned in the Davis discussions before the Pelicans squashed any potential deal.
Before the Lakers downed the Boston Celtics Feb. 7, they suffered six losses in an eight-game span.
Kuzma admitted after the trade deadline that the rumors affected him and a few other young players on L.A.'s roster in an interview with Spectrum Sportsnet (h/t SB Nation's Harrison Faigen).
It's understandable that a collection of young players were affected by the constant rumors about their respective futures, especially if it was the first time dealing with the situation for some.
However, the dip in form hurt the Lakers' position in the Western Conference standings, and they are heading into the All-Star break in 10th place.
Once the All-Star break ends, the Lakers need to find a way to rally around each other in order to beat out the Sacramento Kings and the Los Angeles Clippers, among others, for the final playoff spot in the West.
Knicks Attempted to Engage Kings in Trade Talks
The New York Knicks' search for a trade partner stopped at Sacramento briefly before they shipped Kristaps Porzingis to the Dallas Mavericks.
According to Marc Stein of the New York Times, the Knicks tried to engage the Kings on a trade that included Marvin Bagley.
The tanking Eastern Conference side's advances were rejected by Kings, and the Knicks eventually sent Porzingis to Dallas.
Bagley would've been a nice young piece to build a trade around, but it's wise of the Kings to keep him on their roster, as he's been a double-digit point contributor in five of the six games he's played in February.
Instead of landing Bagley from the Kings, New York ended up with another budding star in Dennis Smith Jr. and also acquired DeAndre Jordan and a pair of first-round picks from the Mavericks.
Pistons Could Have Acquired Conley If Kennard Were Included in Deal
The Detroit Pistons were one of a few teams linked with acquiring Memphis Grizzlies guard Mike Conley, but a deal wasn't able to get done.
According to James L. Edwards III of The Athletic, the Pistons could have landed Conley if they added Luke Kennard to a deal that would have also included Reggie Jackson and a first-round pick.
The 22-year-old Kennard is averaging 8.4 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game, but he wasn't seen as a trade chip by a franchise that was active in other deals before the trade deadline.
Instead of shipping Kennard to Memphis as part of a package for Conley, the Pistons were involved in a few minor deals that reshaped their roster.
Detroit flipped Reggie Bullock to the Lakers in exchange for Svi Mykhailiuk, brought in Thon Maker in a three-way deal with the Milwaukee Bucks and New Orleans Pelicans in which they let go of Stanley Johnson and released Henry Ellenson after signing Wayne Ellington as a free agent.
All of the moves were made with a playoff spot in mind, as the Pistons enter the All-Star break in eighth place in the Eastern Conference.
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