NBA Trade Deadline: Biggest Winners, Losers and Shocking Moves
The NBA trade deadline has come and gone.
While it started off quietly as teams waited for the Carmelo Anthony domino to fall, once it tumbled, teams started to get their trade on.
We got franchise players, 19-year-old lottery picks, point guards galore and draft picks all finding new homes.
What does it all mean? Has it radically changed the face of the NBA? It's hard to know, because its been hard to keep up with.
I'll try my best to break it all down.
New York Knicks
1 of 12
New Faces: Carmelo Anthony, Chauncey Billups, Shelden Williams, Renaldo Balkman, Anthony Carter, Corey Brewer, LaLa Vasquez
New Places: Wilson Chandler, Raymond Felton, Danilo Gallinari, Timofey Mozgov, Anthony Randolp, Eddy Curry, 2014 first-round draft pick
Anthony is obviously a huge upgrade over Chandler.
Billups is an instant upgrade over Felton. But maybe not next year. And forget about it in the years following that. The Knicks are not poised to make a title run as they're constructed now, and Billups will likely be long gone when they are.
Gallinari and Mozgov were logging some big front court minutes for the Knicks. They will have to replace those minutes with Williams and Balkman. The Knicks will lose a ton of size and production on that swap.
This is going to increase the load on Amar'e Stoudamire's suspect knees.
Stoudamire has already logged big minutes this season, and it shows in his declining production.
So the Knicks got Anthony, but it may lead to them being saddled with a contract (Stoudamire's) for a guy who is in and out of the lineup with knee problems.
And all of this for a guy they could have signed as a free agent at the end of the season.
Verdict: Losers
The Knicks will likely be in a position not too dissimilar from this past off season before the 2012-13 season. Only Stoudamire, Anthony and Balkman are under contract after the 2011-12 season.
Denver Nuggets
2 of 12
New Faces: Wilson Chandler, Raymond Felton, Danilo Gallinari, Timofey Mozgov, the Knicks 2014 first-round draft pick, the Warriors' 2012 second-round pick, the Warriors' 2013 second-round pick and $3 million in cash.
New Places: Carmelo Anthony, Chauncey Billups, Anthony Carter, Renaldo Balkman and Shelden Williams
The Nuggets were sitting ducks. The knew they were about to lose Melo for nothing.
Despite Melo's impending free agent status they were still able to pull in a nice return for him. They will miss Chauncey, but the Nuggets are now free to develop Ty Lawson and/or Felton.
They picked up some nice front court help in Gallinari and Mozgov. It remains to be seen if the Nuggets will hold onto both or either of those guys.
I wouldn't be surprised to see them make a move in the coming off-season.
The bottom line is the Nuggets were staring at a rebuilding process. They just gave themselves a lot more flexibility and youth in which to start that process.
Verdict: Winners
New Jersey Nets
3 of 12
New Faces: Deron Williams
New Places: Devin Harris, Derrick Favors, two first-round picks and 88 million rubles ($3 million)
This definitely gets the most shocking trade award.
"Mr. Prokhorov we didn't get Carmelo."
"What? Find me another All-Star!"
And they did—for less than they were going to give up for Melo.
Deron Williams is in the conversation for best point guard in the league. He is a stud and is only 26.
This deal was a no brainer. Favors may go onto to have a fine career, but he has done nothing in his young NBA career to not show he is a major project.
The only concern here is Williams is going to be a free agent after the 2011-2012 season.
The Nets will need to lock him up, and they will have a season of exclusive negotiations, and a deep pockets owner, to do so. There is also the possibility that the new CBA will contain a franchise tag.
Verdict: Winners
Utah Jazz
4 of 12
New Faces: Devin Harris, Derrick Favors and a burlap sack full of Rubles
New Places: Deron William...and many fans
When Jerry Sloan abruptly quit it was hard to see a scenario that did not involve him telling management that it would be Deron Williams or him.
Which makes the Deron Williams trade heavy on the surprise sauce.
Management cited their uncertainty regarding their prospects at signing Williams beyond the 2011-12 season as a reason to make the move now.
They went on to say that they wanted to avoid what the Nuggets had just gone through with Carmelo.
That's all well and good, except what the Nuggets just went through managed to net them a better return than what the Jazz received.
It certainly appears as if the Jazz could have leveraged for a better deal, not only for next season, but for this one.
Either way, the recent moves have left fans disenchanted. They have lost a Hall of Fame coach and then their franchise player.
While Derrick Favors may turn into a quality player, that is a big may, and he certainly isn't going to excite the fan base in the short-term.
Verdict: Losers
Houston Rockets
5 of 12
New Faces: Hasheem Thabeet, DaMarre Carroll, Gorin Dragic, Grizzlies first-round pick, Suns first-round pick
New Places: Aaron Brooks, Shane Battier, Ish Smith
The Rockets had a lineup built around Yao Ming. Ming may never play again, and this left the Rockets with a small front court and a mediocre team.
It was time for them to start over. They kicked off their re-shappping by dealing disgruntled point guard, Aaron Brooks, to Phoenix. Brooks was unhappy about almost everything in Houston.
Brooks was in search of the a contract extension, and the Rockets didn't want to give it to him. They now replace him with Dragic.
This is certainly an on court downgrade for this season, but the Rockets are fairly unconcerned with this season, and everything got a little more pleasant with Brooks gone.
The Rockets also decided that Shane Battier, while a valued member of the team, was not a part of their future. His contract was up at the end of the season.
They have turned Battier into Thabeet and his unfulfilled potential.
Thabeet has not been progressing in Memphis, and was only playing eight minutes a game. His contract runs for three more season, but the Rockets will have a team option after the next two.
Houston managed to give themselves lots of flexibility in the future.
They have three first round picks in the upcoming draft. They also will have some time to try and develop Thabeet, before deciding if they want to pick up his option.
Verdict: Winners
Memphis Grizzlies
6 of 12
New Faces: Shane Battier, Ish Smith
New Places: Hasheem Thabeet, DaMarre Carroll, 2011 first-round pick
The biggest news out of Memphis was the trade that fell through.
O.J. Mayo was reported to be on his way to Indiana for Josh McRoberts and a first-round selection, but the deal was not made official before the deadline.
And that is bad news for the Grizzlies.
Mayo's production has fallen off of the map this season. It is hard not to connect his disappearing production to his earlier suspension after testing positive for performance enhancers.
Given those factors, it is hard to imagine Mayo ever regaining his old form.
With that trade falling through, it means they are now loaded up on wing depth. Shane Battier is going to push for minutes and Mayo may end up being a bench warmer.
Battier is a Memphis fan favorite from his earlier stint with the club. He is going to provide solid leadership and outstanding defense for the Grizzlies as they prepare to make a run for the playoffs.
The Battier deal is ultimately going to be judged on Hasheem Thabeet's career.
If he ever develops, the Grizzlies will be kicking themselves. However, they had obviously passed the point of hoping for that outcome with Thabeet, and now they are free from that baggage.
Verdict: Winners
L.A. Clippers
7 of 12
New Faces: Mo Williams, Jamario Moon
New Places: Baron Davis, 2011 first-round draft pick
This move was all about the future for the Clippers. They have gained added cap flexibility, and they have also gotten younger at the point guard position.
They have severed the strong bond that had developed between Davis and rookie sensation Blake Griffin, but are now in a much better position to enhance Griffin's future.
While the Clippers draft pick is almost assuredly going to be a lottery pick, this is reported to be a down year for the draft.
This will also help the Clippers achieve more cap flexibility.
While they are saying good-bye to the man that was supposed to make the Clippers relevant in their own town, Davis, they have helped put themselves in a position to build around the man that is making them relevant, Griffin.
Verdict: Winners
Cleveland Cavaliers
8 of 12
New Faces: Baron Davis, Clippers 2011 first-round pick, Semih Erden, Luke Harangody
New Places: Mo Williams, Jamario Moon, 2013 second-round pick
The Cavaliers had to do something, and it's not like they had much to work with.
While they have been looking to get out from Mo Williams contract they managed to do it for an even more expensive contract in Davis.
Davis is a solid point guard, but he has failed to live up to his nearly $14 million a year salary. He is also aging and injury prone. He is under contract until the end of the 2012-13 season.
Davis should improve the Cavs now, but improve them to what level? It is also impossible to tell how Davis, who has struggled with self-motivation, will respond to his exile...I mean new home.
The likely reason the Cavs made this move is to grab a probable lottery pick from the Clippers.
That will leave the Cavs with two lottery picks in the upcoming draft.
The problem with this is it is a draft that most experts say is sub-par.
You can't fault them for the other move. They sent a second-round pick to take a flier on two young and inexpensive front court players.
I hate to say this, but....
Verdict: Losers
Boston Celtics
9 of 12
New Faces: Jeff Green, Nenad Krstic, Clippers 2012 1st round pick (top 10 protected) from the Clippers, a 2nd round pick from the Cavs, and cash from the Kings.
New Places: Kendrick Perkins, Nate Robinson, Marquis Daniels, Semih Erden, and Luke Harangody
It was an unexpectedly crazy day for the defending Eastern Conference champion Celtics.
The Celtics were battling balky knees in the front court. Perkins, Shaquille O'Neal and Jermaine O'Neal are all currently out with bum wheels.
This trade now places even more emphasis on the brothers O'Neal staying healthy for the playoffs.
While this move helps the Celtics future by adding youth and a first-round pick, the Celtics future is very clearly now.
Kristic will give the Celtics a healthier body for the middle, but little else. He is a fraction of a fraction of the defensive player that Perkins is.
Jeff Green is an awkward fit for the NBA. He rests between a three and four. He is a streaky shooter and an inefficient offensive player.
This move was clearly done with stopping the Miami Heat and San Antonio Spurs in mind. Green will give the Celtics needed wing defensive depth, but is that worth losing your starting center over?
Perkins is an elite one-on-one defensive center.
Both Shaq and Jermaine struggle on pick and rolls, and who knows if they will be healthy for the playoffs.
Verdict: Losers
Oklahoma City Thunder
10 of 12
New Faces: Kendrick Perkins, Nate Robinson, Nazr Mohammed
New Places: Jeff Green, Nenad Kristic, Morris Peterson, D.J. White
The Thunder have struggled at stopping opposing teams in the paint. That is Kendrick Perkins specialty. He is a defensive force.
He will instantly give the Thunder the inside presence on defense that they have never had.
They are losing Jeff Green's 15 points per game, but he was never an efficient player, and he didn't really have a home with the Thunder.
He can't guard power forwards, and the Thunder have some guy named Kevin Durant taking most of the minutes at the small forward position.
Between Green and Kristic the Thunder are losing some of their mid-range offense, but it opens up more shots for James Harden.
It will also allow Serge Ibaka a chance to slide into the starting line-up and develop along side a defensive minded center.
It is easy to argue that the Thunder have been a much better team with Ibaka on the floor instead of Green anyway.
Further solidifying the Thunder's interior defense is Nazr Mohammed. He will provide them some solid shot blocking off of the bench. He is also decent on the offensive boards.
Nate Robinson will also add spark, athleticism and a willing shooter. He will be on the books for $4 million through next season, however, and that is the lone negative from the Thunder's deadline dealings.
This is the most underrated move of the trade season. This reshapes the Thunder team.
This gives the Thunder a legitimate shot to make the finals, and it only cost them an out of place player that was not a part of their future anyway.
Verdict: Winners
Portland Trail Blazers
11 of 12
New Faces: Gerald Wallace
New Places: Joel Przybilla, Dante Cunningham, Sean Marks, 2011 conditional first round pick acquired from New Orleans and a conditional 2013 first
This was an on-again-off-again trade that finally happened, and it is a significant one.
Originally the Blazers were reportedly giving up Andre Miller and Marcus Camby—They ended giving up neither.
Now the team with the seventh best record in the Western Conference, and one of the hottest teams in the league, is gaining the services of Wallace just as Brandon Roy returns from knee surgery.
This will give the Blazers an imposing scoring trio.
Wallace will also help the Blazers on the boards while improving their interior and wing defense. He gives them flexibility, as he can play power or small forward.
In theory the Blazers will miss Przybilla, but given the fact that he has only played ten games this season and can't seem to stay healthy they are hardly going to miss him.
This is a big move for the Blazers, and if Brandon Roy can regain his All-Star form, they become contenders for the Western Conference crown.
Verdict: Winners
Charlotte Bobcats
12 of 12
New Faces: Joel Przybilla, Dante Cunningham, Sean Marks, D.J. White, Morris Peterson, 2011 conditional first round pick acquired from New Orleans and a conditional 2013 first
New Places: Gerald Wallace, Nazr Mohammed
Wallace was arguably the Bobcats best player. They picked up a bunch of bench warmers and a decent center who cannot stay healthy.
They also picked up a bunch of expiring contracts
However, Wallace's contract, at just over $10 million through the 2012-13, was hardly a bad one. He is 28, doesn't have a history of injuries, and is producing at a level near the amount of his contract.
They acquire two first round picks, but neither projects to be a lottery pick.
The Bobcats now have some financial flexibility to shape their team in the offseason, but they lost a fan favorite and a productive player to do it.
Verdict: Losers
