NBA Trades: Power Ranking the 10 Best Under the Radar Deals
The NBA trade Deadline has now come and gone, and it ended up being one of the most exciting trade deadlines in some time. There were many trades that were expected and were a big deal, especially the Carmelo Anthony trade.
There were others that seemed to come out of nowhere yet made headlines, in particular the Deron Williams trade. Some of the best trades, however, are those that fly under the radar and go unnoticed, especially in this trade deadline, which had the most activity we've seen in a while.
While we know of the major ones, here are the best trades that were made under the radar, not the Melodrama, Deron Williams, Kendrick Perkins, and Baron Davis deals, as they were the main ones discussed throughout the day.
10. O.J. Mayo to Indiana Pacers
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This one ranks at the bottom for one very obvious reason: it was thrown out by the NBA after originally being considered a deadline deal.
For that matter, maybe it's better that this trade got tossed for being after the deadline, because it was not a very good deal to begin with. The Grizzlies were sending O.J. Mayo to the Pacers for Josh McRoberts and a draft pick. Yes, O.J. Mayo needs a change of scenery, but McRoberts is a step down.
A draft pick would be nice, but the Grizzlies seem built to do well now, so even if this did happen, it would be at the bottom, as I don't really see how it would have helped either team.
9. James Johnson to Toronto Raptors
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The Toronto Raptors are a team that needed to do something to help rebuild at the deadline. Instead, they traded with the Chicago Bulls. The Bulls gave up James Johnson in exchange for the Heat's 2011 first-round pick, owned by Toronto.
James Johnson is a work-in-progress, averaging about four points a game in his career so far. He played 26 minutes in his first start for the Raptors and seemed to hold his own, so this trade may look a lot better a year from now than it does now. Right now, it just looks like they gave up a first-round pick for someone of second-round talent.
8. Troy Murphy to Golden State Warriors
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Another small trade that could actually work out decently is the acquisition of Troy Murphy from the Nets. He is actually a decent fit on the Golden State Warriors, a team that really needs a big man who can work with the guards. It's a shame that a buyout is likely with him.
The trade brought Murphy and a second-round pick back to his old team, and in exchange, the Nets got Brendan Wright and Dan Gadzuric. Murphy should go back to his old ways at Golden State, and the Nets are hoping that Brendan Wright can realize his potential.
It's a decent trade if only because none of the players were meshing with their current teams.
7. Semih Erden to Cleveland Cavaliers
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Like the Raptors, the Cavaliers needed to rebuild for the future, and they did that with the Baron Davis trade. They also needed size badly, which they got with this deal.
The Celtics traded Semih Erden and Luke Harangody to the Cleveland Cavaliers for a second-round pick. For essentially nothing, the Cavs got a big man they could actually use. Can't be worse than Ryan Hollins at least. They also got Luke Harangody, who might turn into something.
Needless to say, it's obvious why this trade was under-the-radar; there's not much to talk about either way here.
6. Nazr Mohammed to Oklahoma City Thunder
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We all know about the trade the Thunder made, bringing in Kendrick Perkins in exchange for Jeff Green. The second trade, however, could mean a lot as well.
The Thunder traded D.J. White and Morris Peterson to the Charlotte Bobcats in exchange for Mohammed. Peterson and White have hardly played at all this year, and in exchange, the Thunder gain a big man who can at least keep up with the other players and also has a good amount of playoff experience from his time on the Spurs.
5. Carl Landry to New Orleans Hornets
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Carl Landry was not going to be on the Sacramento Kings for long, so a trade was going to happen. Luckily, the Kings were actually able to get a solid piece for him that could be good in the future.
The Kings traded Landry to the New Orleans Hornets in exchange for Marcus Thornton. Landry has been a good shooting option for the Kings and provides solid depth in New Orleans behind David West. Thornton had a great rookie season but has struggled this year; being on a team where he could start could help both him and Sacramento.
4. Aaron Brooks to Phoenix Suns
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The Houston Rockets were very active on the trade market and show up on here twice. Aaron Brooks looked like the next big thing last season but regressed greatly this year and was practically given away.
The Rockets acquired Goran Dragic and a first-round pick from the Phoenix Suns in exchange for Brooks. The Suns get someone who can be a productive scorer and could signify a change in direction when Nash is done at Phoenix. It also gives Houston a Steve Nash of the future in Dragic, who is still a work-in-progress, but would be better with more playing time.
3. Kirk Hinrich to Atlanta Hawks
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The Hawks have been in need of a solid point guard, as Mike Bibby has shown to be past his prime. The Washington Wizards are also looking for pieces to build around John Wall.
In this trade, the Atlanta Hawks got Hinrich and Hilton Armstrong, and the Wizards got in exchange Jordan Crawford, Maurice Evans, Bibby, and a first-round pick. It's a good pickup for the Hawks, who should have a solid starting five now.
I don't get why the Wizards received three guards, though. How do they split the time between John Wall, Nick Young, and the other three? Not really sure what Washington was trying to do here, unless they wanted Hinrich gone that badly.
2.Shane Battier to Memphis Grizzlies
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This is actually a huge pickup for the Memphis Grizzlies. They need someone who can fill in for Rudy Gay and be productive when he returns, and they needed to ditch Thabeet.
Both have occurred, as the Rockets sent Shane Battier and Ishmael Smith to Memphis for Hasheem Thabeet and a first-round pick. This is a great move for Memphis, as they now look like a complete team now, especially when Gay returns.
As for the Rockets, yes they needed a big man to replace Yao, but Thabeet? To each their own, I guess. They much have really wanted that draft pick.
1. Gerald Wallace to Portland Trail Blazers
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I'm actually shocked that the Baron David and Celtics trades seemed to get so much more airtime than this one, when this was the steal of the deadline.
Gerald Wallace was sent to the Portland Trail Blazers, and in exchange, the Charlotte Bobcats got Joel Przybilla, Dante Cunningham, and two first-round picks. This is a big move for Portland, and it clearly shows that despite injury problems, they are ready to fight deep into the playoffs.
As for the Bobcats, I'm not exactly sure what their plans are. I guess they're going to run with Stephen Jackson. Huge win for Portland, and with a core of Aldridge, Roy, and Wallace, they could be ones to watch come playoff time, just as long as they are all healthy.
