From a player who is one season removed from being the number one pick in the draft to an aging veteran who is still uber productive at his position and has an elite skillset, there were players to be had at Thursday’s NBA trade deadline. Trade deadline day lacked the ultimate move fans were wondering if we would see in an Anthony Davis trade but did comprise of multiple other trades.
Markelle Fultz was the number one pick for the Philadelphia 76ers in the 2017 NBA draft. After suiting up for just 33 games for the team, he was traded to the Magic for Jonathon Simmons, a Thunder first round pick, and a Cavaliers second round pick. The Sixers have lost a good amount of assets this season in their trades for Jimmy Butler and Tobias Harris; this trade helps restore their draft capital and brings in a decent scorer who is good at getting to the rim and the free throw line. I don’t think Simmons would be a starter in Brett Brown’s rotation, but he should become a quality part of it. He is most effective with the ball in his hands which would lead me to believe he is best suited for an instant offense type role where he comes in off the bench and he can handle the ball and get his shots up. For the Magic, they are banking on fixing Fultz. They have needed help at point guard for years and I think this is a necessary risk for them to make.
The Lakers and Clippers made a deal Thursday as well. The Lakers sent Michael Beasley and Ivica Zubac to the Clippers for Mike Muscala. Woj reported for ESPN that the Clippers planned to waive Beasley as soon as the trade became official. So, umm yeah, we are just going to talk about the Lakers instead. Zubac has really shined this year playing for the Lakers and it is definitely tough for fans to see him go to their rival. Mike Muscala is a nice player, but he is what he is; I don’t think he has much more potential than he has shown. It is a win now move for the Lakers in the smallest way possible for two reasons. Muscala has grown into a good three-point shooter in his career, especially for a big man, shooting 36.5%. The Lakers are near the bottom in the NBA in three-point shooting percentage, so he will have an impact in that category. Additionally, trading Beasley and Zubac opens up a roster spot for the Lakers to fill in the buyout market or maybe Lebron will get his good friend Carmelo Anthony. I’m sure Laker fans would love that!
There was a time where you could argue that Marc Gasol was the best center the NBA had to offer. He is now a member of the Toronto Raptors after being traded by the Grizzlies for Jonas Valanciunas, CJ Miles, Delon Wright, and a 2024 second round draft pick. This trade is probably two years too late for the Grizzlies as they could have gotten much more in the past. The Raptors get a phenomenal player in Gasol who is a great fit in the Raptors system. Gasol has a player option at the end of this year for about $25 million. I’m not sure Gasol would get that anymore on the open market, so the Raptors could very well have Gasol next year as well. Despite being in win now mode right now, next year could be a different story for the Raptors so to have a productive player on an expiring contract wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world for them next season. To stay on this season, this deal feels like a response to what the Sixers did in acquiring Tobias Harris. The East could very well come down to the Raptors and Sixers and having Gasol gives the Raptors a better answer to Joel Embiid than they had.
I’ll get my obligatory Knicks mention in as well. Despite it being deadline day, the Knicks made some noise with waiving a couple of players that you may remember from my article on the KP trade. Wesley Matthews was waived and intends on signing with the Pacers. I’m a little surprised Matthews is intending to go the Pacers as I thought the Sixers and Rockets would have been more appealing. Enes Kanter was finally waived from the Knicks. Kanter has had a roller coaster year with the Knicks coaching staff and front office with regards to tanking. Kanter is a good offensive center and is in the prime of his career. Personality issues aside, he should have suitors on the buyout market.
By the way, that team in Golden State is just sitting on the couch laughing at every team making moves thinking it will make a difference.
