In one of the craziest days in NBA history, the 2015 trade deadline featured plenty of trades that both hurt and help…
Davis Rich | Co-News Editor
Last Thursday was a wild day in the NBA, as a flurry of trades appeared out of left field just prior to the trade deadline. The present and future of several NBA teams were altered at the deadline. Here’s a look at a couple big winners and losers after Thursday’s deals.
The Big Winner: Oklahoma City Thunder
I loved what OKC did on deadline day. They rid themselves of a useless player (Kendrick Perkins) and a player who wanted out so was essentially useless (Reggie Jackson) and obtained three ancillary players, all filling voids for the Thunder. D.J. Augustin replaces Jackson as Russell Westbrook’s backup (my MVP prediction isn’t that crazy!). Jackson has more offensive firepower, but Augustin is a better ball distributor, more important for a OKC team loaded with scoring talent, even in the second unit. Kyle Singler will provide three-point scoring, which could be a difference maker in the playoffs. Finally, Enes Kanter is the offensive post presence the Thunder need while Steven Adams recovers from injury. Kanter should take the offensive pressure off the less talented combo of Mitch McGary and Nick Collison, and his defensive deficiencies can be masked by pairing him in the front court with Serge Ibaka. Early returns have been positive for the Thunder, and Kanter has put up double-doubles in both his games for OKC, scoring 20 points in only 26 minutes Sunday versus the Nuggets. All three acquisitions will be vital during the Thunder’s playoff push over the next two months and beyond.
The Losers (kind of): Phoenix Suns and Philadelphia Sixers
The more I think about the deals that the Suns and the Sixers made, the more they make sense to me. Initially, I disliked the trades, writing them off as conciliatory in a way (if the Sixers could get more conciliatory). The Suns gave up Isiah Thomas, Goran Dragic and the Lakers’ top-five protected first round pick on the same day, getting essentially Brandon Knight and a slew of draft picks in return. I saw the move as the Suns conceding the playoff race to the Thunder. But Dragic and Thomas both wanted out of town, as they are ball-first point guards who were losing touches in the Suns’ unique three point guard system. GM Ryan McDonough got great value for two disgruntled players that the rest of the league knew they could underpay for. The Suns might not make the playoffs this year, but they are set up well for the future, thanks to the three picks they obtained at the deadline.
The Sixers accelerated their tanking process further than previously imaginable by shipping out former Rookie of the Year Michael Carter-Williams to Milwaukee for a first round pick. They also obtained Javale McGee, renowned for his basketball IQ and mentorship (never thought you’d hear Javale McGee and basketball IQ in the same sentence, huh?). To complete the “rebuilding” process, GM Sam Hinkie sent KJ McDaniels, one of the few exciting and competent Sixer players, to Houston for Isaiah Canaan and a second round pick (which Hinkie hoards like roasted turkey at Christmas dinner). While it may seem like Hinkie is flushing his teams’ future down the toilet for the umpteenth time, he made smart choices at the deadline. Carter-Williams can’t shoot at all, which severely limits his offensive potential and thus his ability to be “the guy” for Philadelphia in the future. And McDaniels signed a one-year non-guaranteed contract, meaning that Hinkie would have to use valuable cap space this summer on a second-year player, something virtually unknown in the NBA.
Both teams here might be selling their present for a brighter future, but you can’t fault the front office for selling valuable assets for a good price at the last minute.
