Part 2: Hawks, Thunder, Wizards, Pelicans, Raptors, Magic
Part 3: Timberwolves, Kings, Mavericks, Spurs, Clippers
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MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES: A-
🤔🤔🤔... I guess it makes sense? Trading for a role player is not doing anything for them now; I don't think they're advancing the first round even with a trade, especially if they're just trading for rentals like Thad Young/Kyle Anderson who I could guarantee won't re-sign with Minnesota but at the same time they really don't have any players that they need to ship off that can give them better value back. I don't think Malik Beasley is generating any interest from other front offices and neither do Patrick Beverley and Taurean Prince. They might have value, probably 2 second round picks at best, but picks shouldn't be valued as the bench is kind of thin, they need to get a player back. They're also less than a million away from the tax line so that might be another factor as to why they couldn't make any significant swing at the deadline. Maybe Jerami Grant was already on their target list but when they saw those reports of him wanting to be the 1st option, they already gave up. Ben Simmons was obviously an option but as we know Brooklyn had a better offer. Harrison Barnes was unavailable. Other than that, nobody will be significant enough to bring the Wolves a chance at seeing the 2nd round this season. I'll give the Timberwolves a pass. Just draft the role player you need (Keegan Murray probably) and move on. Wait for a big name when it comes (via free agency) rather than force to make a trade for a big name that probably doesn't even want to be there and waste the picks.
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SACRAMENTO KINGS: A*
Sabonis Trade: An asterisk
DiVincenzo Trade: A+
Before I share any of my thoughts on the Sabonis trade itself, I just want to say that The Kings are NOT DONE! This is just the start of many offseason moves that will happen. The grade for this trade will depend on how they build around the supporting cast and that's why I graded it with an asterisk. Acquiring Donte is one of the first trades they’re making to help aid the team’s defense that was not solved with the Sabonis deal.
I want to emphasize the problems first -- and there's a lot of them that needs to be addressed in order for this Fox-Sabonis pairing to work. First and foremost, the shooting. They traded their two best shooters for a non-shooter who needs shooters around him to get the best out of him. Right now, it's only Harrison Barnes who is the more consistent. Second, the overall defense -- again, something both Fox & Sabonis are not known for. The defense on the perimeter lacks, the rim protection with Sabonis instead of Holmes lacks, and the PnR defense with Fox and Sabonis guarding would stink. Third, there should be more shot creation outside of Fox and Sabonis, as of right now, it's not enough. Yes, I get it that they won't win a lot of games without those BUT I honestly don't think that matters for now. What matters is that there is a direction for this Kings team, a direction they weren't having with the Fox-Haliburton duo.
Let's focus on what the Kings are building for now -- Fox & Sabonis, just them two and nobody else. With Fox & Sabonis, you've got a very good pick and roll game you could build around. Fox, as very well known for his speed, has the power to collapse defenses on the pick and roll and Sabonis on the roll who can, very well score inside the paint and find open shooters + cutters in which most NBA centers won't find could open a ton of ways to score for the Kings on offense. We don't have the shooters yet but we have the blueprint for what will be the Kings offense next season, a blueprint which I didn't see with Fox and Haliburton -- they just don't fit, they aren't reaching each others ceiling if they play with each other, what do you want them to do? A big man who could pass isn't something you see everyday and those teams who don't have one create offenses that are much more limited than the ones that do have one -- I'm sure we can all agree on this one. A big man that has a solid post game with playmaking abilities is a big man that would draw more defenders and open up more varieties of plays than a big man who could just catch lobs. I expect Sabonis to be used to his strengths a lot more on offense in Sacramento than in Indiana, they wouldn't trade for him if they won't, same goes as to trying to compensate for his slight disadvantage on defense. Which means we're in to see Sabonis peak in Sacramento -- probably another reason they traded for Sabonis, timeline. Sabonis is only 25 & we could be seeing Fox and Sabonis appear on the same all-star game around the next 3 years, which is another thing I don't see happening with Fox and Haliburton -- 'cause they DO NOT FIT and won't be the best versions of themselves by playing for each other. Haliburton's best games happened without Fox. Fox's best games happened without Haliburton. Since the Haliburton-Sabonis trade, Fox has been having his best scoring stretch of the season while Haliburton has been having more freedom as the facilitator of his own team.
Another possible factor I saw with the Kings making the decision to trade Haliburton was the emergence of Davion Mitchell. I think ever since the summer league and the preseason, nobody was talking about him anymore and that they [the Kings front office] think that he should be getting more touches with the ball. Davion might grow into something, we never know. People have been forgetting that the Sabonis team does not only bring the Kings Sabonis himself, it also brings a better Fox, better Davion and better supporting cast. With the flaws they need to be solved ACTUALLY SOLVED, look out, this Kings team could be deadly. The Kings absolutely won this deal, if not both teams. The Kings are now BUILDING SOMETHING. The Kings are now a basketball team, not just a collection of NBA players, if you know what I mean. This was a trade to change the style of basketball, identity and culture of this team that was not working for a decent sample size of games. The Kings have already reached the rock bottom, why not just shake things up rather than just not fixing something that is clearly broken.
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DALLAS MAVERICKS: D
Like JJ Redick said, the Porzingis trade was an absolute headscratcher of a trade. Porzingis looked like the best version of himself ever since he has put on a Mavs jersey, I don't understand why they allowed the Wizards to take him for that little. Dinwiddie is NOT FITTING with Luka as he REALLY NEEDS THE BALL to be an effective player and they need Bertans to go back to his 40% 3-pt shooting self to even be a rotational player next season as he wouldn't bring anything else to the table. It's definitely worse fits and absolutely worst conracts, but I guess they've already given up on Porzingis' knee and that Porzingis is more of a distraction now than an actual winning player. They definitely could've asked for more from Washington as what they got were their two most heavily shopped players.
Dallas is too good to tank and too small of a market to gain free agency attraction from big names. It’s unsure how they could land a second star alongside Luka. The roster could as well be pretty much the same next season with the exception of a possible Brunson departure due to the fact that Hardaway, Dinwiddie, Bertans and Powell are virtually untradeable. This team will need a clear cut MVP version of Luka to go for a deep playoff run.
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SAN ANTONIO SPURS: A+
Forbes Trade: A+
Satoransky Trade: A+
White Trade: A+
Dragic Trade: A+
With the Spurs already having an all-star on their team sooner than expected in Dejounte Murray, they could be trying to build around him as fast as possible. The Spurs should search for as much cap flexibility and draft picks (in 2022, if possible) as much as they can to acquire competent role players and higher shot at getting a second star and that is exactly what they did.
Acquiring two second-round picks for a bench piece they signed for a rental [Bryn Forbes] was an A+ move they did way before the deadline as the Spurs don’t seem to have the interest in re-signing him after this season. It is the same thing they did with Thaddeus Young, who they were misusing the whole season and would probably not agree to a new contract with the team, but this time getting a mid-first-round pick in 2022 for him, which is quite clear cut the best offer available. Nothing for something moves by San Antonio in these.
Nobody is sure if that Derrick White contract will still be a positive value contract in years down the line with his poor shooting dip this season and turning that to a shorter JRich contract while getting a first-round pick to acquire a role player next draft certainly gives them more wiggle room to acquire a second star next to Dejounte Murray via the 2023 free agency, with only a $90.4M payroll for 2022-23 and $55.4M guaranteed payroll for 2023-24. This also gives more playing time for their young assets like Vassell, Primo and Jones who need it to further develop.
POTENTIAL 2022-23 SPURS LINEUP:
Dejounte Murray - Devin Vassell - Keldon Johnson - (Their Lottery Pick) - Jakob Poeltl
(TOR/BOS pick) - Josh Primo - Doug McDermott - (TOR/BOS pick)
That’s not even including the possible free agents they could sign. Assuming they draft right, this lineup could be enough to be a playoff team AND attract more big names in order to bulk up for deeper playoff runs in years to come. It would definitely be interesting to see what the Spurs could do next, as it could literally be anything with their unlimited cap space, even LeBron.
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LA CLIPPERS: A
Powell Trade: A
Ibaka Trade: A+
A for Absolute robbery. I think we can all agree that Bledsoe can be a straight up liability at times and that Winslow and Johnson are not going to see any significant minutes for the Clippers for the next season considering that the wings who are a major part of Ty Lue's rotation (Kennard, Morris, Batum) are very dangerous threats from 3-point range and that they don't have the abilities to buy a three at all. It does seem like a straight up nothing for something move for LA. It's never bad to have more playable versatile defenders on your team. Covington could be a good switchable defender and weak side rim protector off-the-bench while being an OK shooter and Powell should be able to bring more defensive versatility to the team while also having the capability to spot-up for three and become a secondary/tertiary scorer on the floor with one of Kawhi/PG/Reggie on the bench. They did this while also saving over $10M in taxes by trading Ibaka, who has a massive expiring contract and is too unhappy to re-sign with the Clippers, to the Bucks without using any draft picks to do so. The only caveat out of all that could happen is for Powell to be injured for a long period of time with that long-term contract.... and that is what exactly happened... Damn. It better not continue the next season or the consensus reaction to this trade will not age well, just extremely bad luck if it will.
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Part 4: Hornets, Suns, Pistons, Warriors, Heat, Grizzlies, Bulls