The trail leading to Thursday’s NBA trading deadline was decorated with intrigue and big names, lots of big names. Dwight Howard, Pau Gasol, Jeff Teague, Kevin Love, Ryan Anderson, Al Horford. All were rumored to be parts of talks.
And when the clock inexorably moved past 3 p.m., the big names stayed put. Now there was a long name, Chukwudiebere Maduabum, that moved. Long, not big.
There was quality in some trades. Detroit went after a playoff spot with two separate deals that landed upside forward Tobias Harris from Orlando on Wednesday and then the injury-scarred Donatas Montiejunas plus perimeter threat Marcus Thornton from Houston on Thursday. Washington got a good player in forward Markieff Morris from Phoenix for not much. The Clippers rid themselves of Lance Stephenson while importing Jeff Green from Memphis.
But overall, the biggest story of the 2016 NBA trade deadline day was the Nets naming a general manager.
“It was not as dramatic a trade deadline as past years,” said one team executive. “I liked what Detroit did. They really helped themselves to make a run for the playoffs.”
Reports of the trades came from numerous outlets and must be league-approved before finalized.
The Pistons stand a half-game out of the eighth and final playoff spot in the East. To get Harris, who is under contract for this and three more years — and the numbers decrease in the last three seasons — the Pistons gave up Brandon Jennings, whom they likely were not going to re-sign, and Ersan Ilyasova — two ex-Bucks Orlando coach Scott Skiles had in Milwaukee. Their veteran presence will help the young Magic.
Where Detroit rolled the dice was with Montiejunas, a good offensive big whose problem has been health. Back issues have plagued him and limited him to 14 games this season. But if healthy — big if — he is a plus for the bench and a good piece for the future. The Pistons surrendered a protected first-round pick and Joel Anthony, whom the Rockets sent on to the 76ers for Maduabum, a second-round pick last June.
Locally, the Nets and Knicks were trade-silent. One league source maintained that though Jennings was known to be on the block for a while, the Knicks did not inquire. Sources also claimed the Nets were trying to land a second-rounder for Andrea Bargnani, a buyout candidate. That proposal was met with the same disdain, sources said, as Sacramento’s offer of Kosta Koufos and Ben McLemore to the Bulls for Gasol.
Another underlying story to the trade deadline involved expiring contracts. They used to cause a frenzy of activity. Not any more.
“Expiring contracts used to be so desirable. They could clear cap space and then if you wanted to, re-sign a guy at a decent number,” one personnel evaluator said. “With all the money coming in [from TV deals], it’s just not like that anymore.”
The Clippers did the Green trade just under the gun, and they continued their go-for-it-now philosophy. They also sent a protected 2019 first-rounder to Memphis along with Stephenson.
Of the top-tier teams, Oklahoma City acquired Randy Foye from Denver for D.J. Augustin, Steve Novak (likely will be bought out) and two second-rounders. Augustin helps the Nuggets at point with Jameer Nelson hurt, and the Thunder probably like Foye as a combo guard.
Another high-level team, the Cavaliers, acquired Channing Frye (had been rumored to the Clippers) from Orlando. When dust settled, Frye was a Cav, Anderson Varejao (likely to be waived) and a protected Cleveland first-rounder were in Portland while Jared Cunningham and a second-rounder (from the Cavs) went to Orlando. Frye is not the player he was, but the Cavs hope he can recapture some of his past. At worst, they get rid of Varejao’s contract.
The Warriors and Spurs stood pat. Why wouldn���t they? No one is catching them. Plus, there are likely buyouts coming by March. And one name everyone will watch is the Nets’ Joe Johnson, whose apparent preference is to stay a Net.
Elsewhere, the Hawks got Kirk Hinrich from Chicago for Justin Holiday and a second-rounder and sent Shelvin Mack to Utah for a second-rounder; Washington’s surrender for Morris was Kris Humphries and DeJuan Blair and a protected first-rounder; Brian Roberts, who went to Miami on Wednesday in a three-team trade that significantly put guard Courtney Lee in Charlotte, was moved onto to Portland on Thursday. And there were several other deals.
But none involving Howard. Or Gasol. Or Teague…