1 Trade Every NBA Team Already Wishes It Made at the Deadline
1 Trade Every NBA Team Already Wishes It Made at the Deadline0 of 30
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The 2024 NBA trade deadline is barely in the rearview mirror, yet you may find a sea of regrets from front offices across the Association.
And, no, we aren’t talking about buyer’s remorse.
Rather, the focus here is on deals that teams didn’t make but absolutely should have. Since payrolls and draft-pick collections changed considerably at the deadline, we’ll focus on trade concepts rather than full-fledged, dollar-for-dollar deals.
Atlanta Hawks1 of 30
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Trade idea: Dealing Dejounte Murray for multiple long-term assets
Based on the volume of pre-deadline chatter around this club, Atlanta’s inactivity at the deadline was surprising. Some could have also construed it as a vote of confidence in this core.
If that angle had any legs, though, those were quickly lopped off upon a post-deadline report from The Ringer’s Howard Beck that All-Star guard Trae Young is “available.” If the Hawks remain ready and willing to dismantle the roster, it should’ve got that ball rolling at the deadline.
Dejounte Murray was the best player on the trade market. When is that ever happening again? This was the Hawks’ chance to capitalize on his value, and they let it slip away, all to simply hold together a group of players that feels like it could fracture in a matter of months. Atlanta appears on a fast track to nowhere; swapping out Murray for multiple assetsāwhich he would have commanded in this marketāwould have at least given this franchise some direction.
Boston Celtics2 of 30
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Trade idea: Parting with a first-round pick for wing depth
Back in January, Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens said his front office was on the hunt for a “big wing.” So, forgive us for scratching our heads when Boston’s two deadline pickups wound up being a backup big man (Xavier Tillman) and a 6’4″ combo guard (Jaden Springer).
Granted, there were reasons to like the price tags on both players, as it cost just three second-round picks to bring them aboard. A rotation-caliber wing would’ve certainly required more.
If anyone could justify that cost, though, it was the Celtics, who comfortably sit atop the rankings in both win percentage and net rating. Increasing their championship chances by finding a wing with more defense than Sam Hauser and more offense than Oshae Brissett should’ve meant more to this win-now club than holding onto a first-round pick.
Brooklyn Nets3 of 30
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Trade idea: Flipping Dorian Finney-Smith for a first-round pick and more
As an all-purpose defender with 37.6 percent accuracy on his outside shot, Dorian Finney-Smith had plenty to offer a contender. So, it came as no surprise to hear the veteran swingman was drawing “significant interest” ahead of the deadline, per HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto.
What was surprising (to put it politely), then, was Brooklyn’s decision to keep Finney-Smith on its non-contending roster. The Nets apparently decided they couldn’t live without a 30-year-old player, even though they’re currently on a 6-18 skid that just cost coach Jacque Vaughn his job.
You could make the argument that had Finney-Smith been moved, he would’ve been the best player (certainly the top two-way contributor) dealt at the deadline. In that case, you have to think the Nets could’ve found at least a first-round pick for him and probably more. Given the state of this franchise, those draft assets should’ve been deemed more valuable than DFS.
Charlotte Hornets4 of 30
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Trade idea: Capitalize on Nick Richards’ trade market
The Hornets were clearly open for business this trade season, as they wound up moving Terry Rozier, Gordon Hayward and P.J. Washington in separate swaps. They should’ve taken things even further and found a new home for 26-year-old center Nick Richards, who could’ve garnered interest from “half the league,” per Yahoo Sports’ Jake Fischer.
Richards is a fine player with a great contract (three years, $15 million with the final season non-guaranteed), but he’s obviously not a building block. Considering how far Charlotte is away from championship contention, its sole focus should be on developing the few cornerstone pieces it has and paving paths to potentially acquiring more.
While Richards likely wouldn’t have commanded a first-round pick, there were enough win-now shoppers in the big-man market to think the Hornets could’ve at least collected multiple second-rounders. Charlotte needs those extra throws at the dart board more than it needs Richards, who’s second on the big-man depth chart when Mark Williams, the No. 15 pick in 2022, is healthy.
Chicago Bulls5 of 30
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Trade idea: Turn Andre Drummond into multiple second-round picks
Honestly, there are a wide array of options here, as Chicago’s decision to let a third consecutive deadline pass by without a deal feels chock full of regrets and entirely unforgivable.
If you want to take the glass-overflowing optimistic view, though, maybe the Bulls can turn things around quickly enough to justify keeping a win-now connector like Alex Caruso. And maybe it does make some sense to pay what it costs to keep DeMar DeRozan in free agency. We don’t share those views, but at least you can see the thought process.
What, exactly, was the reason for holding onto Andre Drummond, a 30-year-old reserve on an expiring contract? The Bulls wanted “three second-round picks for Drummond,” per HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto, and the Philadelphia 76ers “believed they had a trade done” to get Drummond. Dealing the big fella, who’s been allotted just 16.7 minutes per night, wouldn’t have torpedoed the team’s play-in tournament plans and would have brightened their future. This should have been a no-brainer.
Cleveland Cavaliers6 of 30
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Trade idea: Move Isaac Okoro for a better shooting wing
The Cavaliers carried an 18-14 record into the new year and have since sprinted to an 18-3 mark while posting a league-leadingāand absurdly dominantāplus-14.5 net rating. Through that lens, it isn’t hard to see why this front office felt it was OK to snooze through the deadline.
And yet, this apparent ascension is perhaps the biggest reason Cleveland could have acted aggressively instead. The Cavs have a non-zero chance of reaching at least the conference finalsāthey clearly have no obvious reason to fear the Milwaukee Bucks or Philadelphia 76ers right nowāso they should have put this roster in the best position possible for playoff success.
Can they actually envision a postseason role for Isaac Okoro? If defenses completely ignore him on the perimeter (yes, he’s making a career-best 39.3 percent of his threes, but he’s shooting less than three a night), he might be unplayable with non-shooting bigs Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley. Swapping out Okoro (and a sweetener or two) for a wing with better range could’ve made this rotation better prepared for its playoff tests ahead.
Dallas Mavericks7 of 30
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Trade idea: Paying up for a premium three-and-D forward
The Mavericks undoubtedly helped themselves at the deadline. P.J. Washington gives them more offensive value and defensive versatility than Grant Williams had. Acquiring Daniel Gafford ensured this group could have a bouncy rim protector on the floor at all times.
And yet, you could argue that an impact forward was the top item on Dallas’ pre-deadline wish list, and Washington doesn’t quite fit that label. You could also fairly reasonably conclude that the Mavericks could’ve afforded a pretty good one given their willingness to part with a pair of first-round picks.
In a dream world, Dallas would have left the deadline with a starting forward who can serve as the third option on offense while routinely checking the opposing team’s top wing player on defense. That feels like too much to ask from Washington, but it’s a job description potential targets like Andrew Wiggins and Jerami Grant are equipped to handle.
Denver Nuggets8 of 30
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Trade idea: Bring in an experienced wing
The Nuggets effectively stood pat at the deadline, moving only 2022 second-round pick Ismael Kamagate for cash considerations. It always felt like the defending champs wouldn’t do much, if anything, to adjust the roster.
Is Denver fully convinced that its young wings can handle rotation minutes come playoff time, though? Peyton Watson has taken a step, but the energizer still doesn’t bring much to the offensive end. Christian Braun has battled injuries and disappointed to this point of his second NBA go-round. Rookie Julian Strawther is a shot-maker who hasn’t made a ton of shots (37.8 percent shooting overall, 30.9 from range).
Is this really all the protection the Nuggets need behind Michael Porter Jr. and Aaron Gordon? Porter’s numbers are down from last season, and it’s not like he was a model of consistency back then. Gordon will have plenty on his plate when he presumably assumes backup big-man duties come playoff time. Denver, in other words, will need to lean on its reserve wings at least a little in the postseason. The Nuggets could’ve sacrificed something to find a more reliable option than their young players and Justin Holiday.
Detroit Pistons9 of 30
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Trade idea: Finding a first-round pick for Isaiah Stewart
The Pistons were as busy as anyone at the deadline, brokering four trades that added six new players to the roster. They didn’t find a first-round pick, though.
Could an Isaiah Stewart swap have delivered one? Well, we know the pick-rich New Orleans Pelicans had eyes on him. We also know Stewart wasn’t among the players identified by The Athletic’s James L. Edwards III as their “blue-chip pieces moving forward,” a quartet comprised of Cade Cunningham, Ausar Thompson, Jaden Ivey and Jalen Duren.
If Stewart is a non-essential piece of this core, then shouldn’t he have been moved for a long-term asset that may have eventually delivered one? If he had enough value to fetch a first-round pick, the Pistons should’ve pounced.
Golden State Warriors10 of 30
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Trade idea: Cobbling together their top assets (not including Jonathan Kuminga) for an Alex Caruso deal
While the Warriors were perhaps rounding into form ahead of the breakāthey won eight of their last 10 gamesāyou’ll have to forgive us for not immediately granting them contender status. Even with that surge, they’re a single game above .500, seeded 10th in the Western Conference and holding down the 12th spot in net rating rankings.
If they wanted to do something special down the stretch, they probably needed to add another piece at the deadline. They took a massive swing at LeBron James, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Ramona Shelburne, but that report noted they also had “substantive talks” on players like Alex Caruso and Kelly Olynyk.
Caruso feels like the preferred target thereāOlynyk would’ve been an upgrade over Dario Å ariÄ but not a massive oneāand it’s fair to wonder if Golden State could’ve pried him loose. It wouldn’t have been worth losing Jonathan Kuminga, but a package built around Moses Moody, a future first and an extra sweetener or two feels right for both sides.
Houston Rockets11 of 30
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Trade idea: Swap out Jae’Sean Tate for a better shooter
The Rockets face an uphill climb if they want to get back in the playoff race, but even amid their quest for better competitiveness, talent development should still be their primary focus. As the front office sorts out the puzzle pieces for Phase 2 of the post-James Harden rebuild, it might notice that Jae’Sean Tate is a less than perfect complement for this core.
Yes, he’s a tireless defender, but Houston has made a concerted effort to upgrade its defensive personnel, and the results say it’s working (up from 29th to sixth in defensive efficiency). The Rockets don’t need Tate’s defense as much as they did before, but they could sure use better spacing from that spot to clear up attack lanes for Fred VanVleet, Jalen Green and Alperen ÅengĆ¼n.
Not to mention, things are getting a little crowded on the wings as rookies Amen Thompson and Cam Whitmore have pushed for more playing time. Houston could have used a Tate trade to help clear a path for them while also addressing its shooting shortage (20th in made threes, 26th in three-point percentage).
Indiana Pacers12 of 30
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Trade idea: Sacrifice point guard depth for draft assets
The Pacers traded away three first-round picks in the Pascal Siakam deal and didn’t fetch a first for sharpshooter Buddy Hield. Despite their win-now intentions, it could’ve made sense to try recouping some draft assets, if for no other reason than to help grease the gears for a different win-now deal.
Indiana had the point guard depth to do it, too. You won’t find many (if any) three-headed monsters at the position more ferocious than Indy’s collection of Tyrese Haliburton, Andrew Nembhard and T.J. McConnell. But how badly do the Pacers actually need three capable-or-better contributors at that spot?
While three-point-guard lineups aren’t entirely unheard of in the Association, they may as well be in the Circle City. The Haliburton-Nembhard-McConnell trio has spent all of six possessionsāyes, possessions, not minutesātogether this season. Barring injuries, Indiana would’ve been just as good at point guard with Haliburton and one of his backups, using the other to bring back a draft pick or two.
Los Angeles Clippers13 of 30
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Trade idea: Turn Bones Hyland into a playoff-ready wing
As much as P.J. Tucker might want a new homeāhe has literally paid for his willingness to discuss that desireāa trade involving the veteran forward always seemed unlikely. The 38-year-old hasn’t even handled rotation minutes this season, and he’s still holding an $11.5 million player option for 2024-25. The Clippers would’ve had to incentivize someone to take that contract off their hands.
Bones Hyland could’ve been a different story, though. He isn’t getting minutes either, but maybe that wouldn’t be the case if he was relocated somewhere without the same win-now intentions or elite isolation scoring options that exist in L.A.
And while Tucker is declining in everything but cost, Hyland still has room for upward mobility as a 23-year-old recent first-round pick (No. 26 in 2021). He even has another year left on his rookie contract. He should’ve had enough trade value that the Clippers could’ve been able to move him (plus a second-round pick or two) to address the wing depth they sacrificed in the James Harden deal.
Los Angeles Lakers14 of 30
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Trade idea: Turn a first-round pick (and maybe more) into a two-way wing
The Lakers’ oft-discussed deal for Dejounte Murray never made it to the finish line. As The Athletic’s Jovan Buha noted, that trade “ultimately fell apart once the Hawks repeatedly insisted on (Austin) Reaves being a part of the deal.”
If a Murray deal was going to come at Reaves’ expense, the Lakers were wise to walk away. What they should have done, though, is push harder to upgrade a wing rotation that is woefully short on two-way players. Taurean Prince fits the description of a three-and-D wing, but he isn’t a standout in either area. None of their other role players even check both boxes.
While delaying a deal granted L.A. a chance to dream bigger this offseason, there is obviously risk in waiting to beef up a roster led by 39-year-old LeBron James and oft-injured Anthony Davis. For one, there’s no guarantee that the Lakers’ big plans will come to fruition. Second, it’s entirely possible that absences would get in the way of this hypothetical third star logging significant minutes alongside the other two.
The Lakers should have invested more into their current playoff push, even if their imaginations couldn’t have run quite as wild down the road.
Memphis Grizzlies15 of 30
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Trade idea: Find an asset or two for Luke Kennard
With the injury bug dashing whatever dreams Memphis initially had for this season, the Grizzlies made the smart move of selectively selling some players around the deadline. Converting Steven Adams, Xavier Tillman and David Roddy into draft assets made sense given the Grizzlies’ place in the standings and salary-cap situation.
Why not go a step forward, though, and also find a new home for Luke Kennard? Sure, his trade value wouldn’t have been overwhelming, but it couldn’t have been too hard trying to convince win-now shoppers to take interest in a 6’5″ shooter with a career 43.9 percent splash rate.
While his stroke is theoretically helpful for next season’s squad, there may not be a ton of minutes to go around in a guard group already featuring Ja Morant, Marcus Smart and Desmond Bane. Flipping Kennard for a draft pick or two could’ve helped Memphis seek out similar shooting at a more helpful spot.
Miami Heat16 of 30
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Trade idea: Find more size up front
Given what was available on the market, the Heat probably did well to get Terry Rozier to help inject some offensive oomph. If the knee sprain he suffered before the break doesn’t linger too long, he’ll help scratch itches for additional creation and shot-making in the backcourt.
What the 6’1″, 190-pounder can’t do, though, is help with this squad’s lack of size. Just three players on the roster stand above 6’9″ and none of themāNikola JoviÄ, Orlando Robinson and Thomas Bryantācan be called a rotation regular.
The Heat, who average the league’s fewest blocks and rank 18th in rebounding percentage, should’ve given more interior assistance to 6’9″ All-Star center Bam Adebayo. It’s hard to imagine adding a backup big would’ve been cost prohibitive.
Milwaukee Bucks17 of 30
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Trade idea: Add a point-of-attack defender with more offense than Patrick Beverley
Milwaukee’s defense has been a mess for much of this season, which is perhaps the best explanation for why the Bucks fired first-year coach Adrian Griffin despite a 30-13 start. So, it wasn’t exactly shocking to see Milwaukee base its lone deadline addition around the defensive end, when it flipped Cameron Payne and a future second-round pick for Patrick Beverley.
The Bucks clearly needed to improve their point-of-attack defense, and Beverley has long been a pest in that department. Still, there are legitimate questions over whether the veteran point guard brings enough on offense to warrant playoff minutes. Remember, the Bucks already had some capable stoppers on the roster in MarJon Beauchamp and Andre Jackson Jr., but both have barely seen the floor due to their offensive limitations.
Couldn’t the same fate await Beverley? He is nominally listed as a point guard, but he’s a secondary playmaker at best who functions more like a three-and-D contributor. Even that could work in theory since the Bucks have other ball-handlers, but Beverley keeps coming up short in the three portion of that label. He’s shooting just 32.8 percent outside this season and last topped 35 percent in 2020-21.
Minnesota Timberwolves18 of 30
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Trade idea: Sending out Kyle Anderson and a sweetener for a volume shooter
Credit the top-seeded Timberwolves for not using their prominent place atop the Western Conference standings as a reason to sit out trade season. They had a pressing need for a backup point guard, and they added a player in Monte Morris who, when healthy, has routinely ranked among the best backup point guards in the league.
Still, you wonder whether Minnesota may come to regret not doing more to increase its three-point volume. There are different factors behind the Wolves’ 17th ranking in offensive efficiency, but a lack of shooting is clearly one of them. Despite sitting third in three-point percentage, Minnesota slots in just 15th in made threes because it is only 24th in attempts.
Kyle Anderson may check a number of boxes for this bunch, but shooting isn’t one of them. Swapping out him (and probably a sweetener or two) for a better spacer would’ve given Anthony Edwards, Karl-Anthony Towns and Mike Conley more room to attack while also granting Rudy Gobert more breathing room on his rim runs.
New Orleans Pelicans19 of 30
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Trade idea: Dip into the draft pick collection for an upgrade at center
Jonas ValanÄiÅ«nas is one of the more productive centers around, but he isn’t an optimal frontcourt fit with Zion Williamson. The dream big to pair with Williamson would offer more shooting and shot-blocking or at least be more of a standout in either area.
“They’re going to have to be pretty good to be better than Jonas,” Pelicans executive vice president of basketball operations David Griffin told reporters of a potential pickup at center. “That’s one of the things that people lose. (People say), ‘Oh, well, I think they need this kind of center.’ Well, that kind of center might not be a radically better basketball player or even as good a basketball player (as ValanÄiÅ«nas).”
That’s seemingly New Orleans’ rationale for not making a move, which feels a little off. Even if the Pelicans found a center who wasn’t “a radically better” player but was a much better fit, that could’ve had a profound impact on this club. Instead, the Pels are pushing forward with a less than perfect fit at the 5 and will soon have to decide if he’s someone they want to keep around as ValanÄiÅ«nas needs a new deal this summer.
New York Knicks20 of 30
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Trade idea: Add a second-team shot-creator
The Knicks have arguably improved their roster as much as anyone this season. Over the course of two trades, they added four players to their rotationāOG Anunoby, Precious Achiuwa, Bojan BogdanoviÄ and Alec Burksāwithout giving up a single first-round pick in the process.
That’s masterful work by the front office, but it also shows there were enough assets to do even more. And you could argue that this roster, as deep as it is, still needed one more trade to come completely together.
Remember, the Knicks have been short a second-team shot-creator ever since sending out sixth man Immanuel Quickley in the Anunoby trade. Burks and BogdanoviÄ might give this group more scoring options, but neither is exactly a top-shelf table-setter. For that matter, neither is Miles McBride, who has posted multiple assists in just eight of his 42 games this season.
Oklahoma City Thunder21 of 30
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Trade idea: Adding a stretch big to play with and behind Chet Holmgren
The Thunder were a popular selection among deadline winners as they made a potentially significant addition in Gordon Hayward (a high-end support player if he can stay healthy) without dipping deep into their rich pool of assets. Since the 33-year-old swingman is unsigned past this season, it’s the kind of trade that can give this group a jolt now without limiting what the franchise can do down the road.
Oklahoma City clearly had the chance to do more, though, and one can argue it should have pushed harder given its prominent place in the championship race. The Thunder have a need for more size up front, as 7’1″, 195-pound rookie center Chet Holmgren lacks the bulk needed to handle some of the jumbo-sized obstacles that could await this team.
Adding size of any kind wouldn’t cut it, though, as Oklahoma City’s perimeter players have grown accustomed to all of the attack room they have in this five-out offense. So, an incoming big needed to have both the size that Holmgren lacks and a usable outside shot. Kelly Olynyk, who was traded from the Utah Jazz to the Toronto Raptors, could have provided what the Thunder needed.
Orlando Magic22 of 30
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Trade idea: Use depth at guard or center to add more shooting
The Magic almost certainly have at least a play-in tournament invitation awaiting them after this season and hopefully even more. They better hope, then, their decision not to address their shooting limitations doesn’t come back to bite them.
This three-point attack might be the least threatening in the league. No one averages fewer than Orlando’s 10.9 triples per game and only the rebuilding San Antonio Spurs have a worse connection rate than the Magic’s 34.8 three-point percentage.
Orlando could have done something to address this void. It may not have even cost manyāor anyādraft picks, since the team had depth in the backcourt and at center to offer to teams with shooting to spare.
Philadelphia 76ers23 of 30
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Trade idea: Adding emergency depth for the injured Joel Embiid
About a week before the deadline arrived, the 76ers lost reigning MVP big man Joel Embiid to a meniscus injury. And yet, they let the deadline pass without expanding their healthy center rotation beyond incumbents Paul Reed and Mo Bamba, though Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey said that wasn’t for a lack of trying.
“There really were no bigs traded,” Morey told reporters. “I was shocked by that. We were aggressive to do that, but they just weren’t available, so it didn’t happen.”
Take Morey’s words at face value, and you might conclude there was nothing he and this front office could do. That is, until you realize there were, in fact, multiple bigs traded, including Daniel Gafford, Kelly Olynyk and Xavier Tillman, not to mention players like Robin Lopez and Thaddeus Young, who were dealt and subsequently bought out. There were centers up for grabs, and the Sixers should’ve grabbed one.
Phoenix Suns24 of 30
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Trade idea: Scrounging up the remaining assets for a backup big
The Suns are scorching hot, as they entered the break having won 14 of their last 18 outings. This is really starting to look like the contender this front office hoped it had put together, which is why it continues pouring resources into strengthening this roster. At the deadline, Phoenix didn’t let its limited asset collection stand in the way of adding both Royce O’Neale and David Roddy.
Couldn’t the Suns have managed to add a backup big to the deadline haul, though?
Phoenix obviously didn’t have much to offer, but that’s different than having nothing. A team with a longer runway than the Suns, for instance, could have considered taking on a developmental project like Nassir Little or Bol Bol, both of whom are under 25.
Portland Trail Blazers25 of 30
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Trade idea: Flipping the veterans for multiple draft picks
While the Trail Blazers traded away Damian Lillard in September, the franchise faced a massive top-to-bottom rebuilding project that could take years to get rolling. That’s how things appeared from the outside, at least. Internally, there is (for some reason) hope for a rapid turnaround, which is why Portland kept quiet at the deadline.
“I actually think the Blazers are hoping, dare say, for a Rockets-like rebound, and I think they are hoping that next year they are competing for the playoffs,” ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said on The Hoop Collective podcast (h/t All Trail Blazers). “I think that’s one of the reasons why you didn’t see Jerami Grant or Malcolm Brogdon (traded). Jerami Grant’s name wasn’t out there for an iota, that I heard, and Brogdon’s name never got serious.”
That is, frankly, a baffling stance to take. Nothing about this roster suggests it’s remotely ready to compete, and it’s tough to see that changing during whatever remains of the primes of Brogdon (31) and Grant (29). This market may have valued either one as a legitimate difference-maker. To not trade them for the long-shot hope of being almost good enough for next season’s play-in tournament could prove a colossal mistake.
Sacramento Kings26 of 30
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Trade idea: Upgrading at backup point guard
As eager as the Kings appeared to make a splash this trade season, their deadline activity wound up being almost bone-dry. And that’s OK. Not making a move is better than doing something you later regret, and Sacramento could’ve really put itself in a tight spot had it guessed wrong on someone like Zach LaVine.
Still, if the Kings were poking around for major moves, they should’ve been on the hunt for marginal upgrades, too. The backup point guard spot seemed in particular need of attention. Davion Mitchell’s offensive game isn’t developing (statistically, it’s actually worsening), and having Malik Monk cover the position goes against his score-first tendencies.
Had Sacramento added a stand-in floor general, it could’ve lightened De’Aaron Fox’s workload (career-high 35.6 minutes) and put scoring subs like Monk and Sasha Vezenkov in better position to do what they do best.
San Antonio Spurs27 of 30
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Trade idea: Adding an impact point guard
Give Victor Wembanyama a halfway-competent point guard, and he can make something happen. When the Spurs have paired him with Tre Jones, whose player efficiency rating is almost perfectly average (15.1), they’ve outscored clubs by 2.7 points per 100 possessions. When Wemby hasn’t played alongside the only natural point guard on San Antonio’s roster, this team has been trounced by 15.5 points per 100 possessions.
If a serviceable lead guard like Jones can make that kind of impact, imagine what Wembanyama could do with a high-end option. The Spurs are already entertaining those very thoughts and even “discussed” a Trae Young trade with the Hawks ahead of the deadline, per The Ringer’s Howard Beck.
San Antonio, of course, has time to find its offensive initiator, but if the Spurs had been able to add one at the deadline, they could’ve used the stretch run to see what this group could do and what it still needs to eventually get on a championship track. Instead, they won’t find their floor general until this offseason at the earliest, meaning it might be a while before San Antonio even starts building a blueprint for constructing a contender around its young star.
Toronto Raptors28 of 30
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Trade idea: Moving Bruce Brown for the best offer available
When the Raptors sent Pascal Siakam to the Pacers in January, it was almost tempting to put an asterisk around their return. While they walked away from that deal with three first-round picks in hand, they potentially had a path to more by flipping Bruce Brown for even more assets. So, the deadline coming and going without a Brown deal feels like a missed opportunity.
“Had we gotten the offers we wanted for Bruce, if it hit our threshold, we would have done something,” Raptors general manager Bobby Webster told reporters.
Toronto, of course, could get another crack at this over the offseason, as Brown holds a $23 million team option for next season. Considering the caliber of players available at this deadline, though, Brown almost assuredly ranked significantly higher among trade targets this trade season than he will over the summer. In other words, the best offer Toronto received for Brown at the deadline could easily trump whatever comes across the table this offseason.
Utah Jazz29 of 30
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Trade idea: Turning Jordan Clarkson into a future first-round pick and more
For the second consecutive season, the Jazz hurt their postseason chances to improve their collection of long-term assets. For a non-contending team, it was absolutely the right way to handle it.
But why not go even bigger? Utah subtracted three rotation regulars to get a first-round pick and a second-round selection in a 2024 draft that no one seems thrilled about. If the Jazz really wanted a significant return, they could’ve shopped around quick-strike scoring guard Jordan Clarkson, who was reportedly on the market.
The 31-year-old might be out of his prime whenever this young core is ready to contend, so Utah could’ve flipped him for long-term assets who would ascend alongside its up-and-comers. Subtracting Clarkson, the team leader in assists and second-ranked player in minutes and shots, would have also cleared up more developmental touches and floor time for young guards Collin Sexton and Keyonte George.
Washington Wizards30 of 30
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Trade idea: Turning Tyus Jones into multiple draft picks
Of all the rebuilding teams, the Wizards have the least amount of young talent. They should have used the deadline, then, to load up on draft picks in hopes of eventually finding it.
Instead, they brokered a single swap that delivered a 2024 first-round pick at Daniel Gafford’s expense. That’s fine value for the bouncy big man, but Washington should have been on the hunt for more assets. Especially when steady-as-a-rock lead guard Tyus Jones, a 27-year-old on an expiring contract, loomed as an obvious trade candidate capable of bringing back a not insignificant return.
Even if seeking a first-round pick proved too ambitious, Washington could have pivoted toward all the second-round picks Jones could command. That would have been quite a few, given his deft ball control (6.8 assists against 0.9 turnovers) and career-high shooting rates (50 percent overall, 42.6 percent from distance).
Zach Buckley covers the NBA for Bleacher Report. Follow him on X, @ZachBuckleyNBA.
