experiment… was always going to be a one-year rental, but it still stings to see them break it up without even making it out of the second round. Brooklyn has a lot of draft capital and cap space to rebuild, but it’s going to take some time. 2. Portland Trail Blazers The Blazers were the first team to be eliminated from the playoffs this year, and it’s not hard to see why. Portland’s defense has been historically bad, and it was clear that the team needed an injection of defense and toughness to make a playoff run. The Blazers traded away Gary Payton II, their best defender, and added Norman Powell, who is a great scorer but not a great defender. Portland also gave up a first round pick to get Powell, and they’ll have to wait until 2023 to get it back. The Blazers are still a good team, but they needed a lot more help than they got at the trade deadline to make the playoffs. 3. New York Knicks The Knicks were rumored to be in on every big name that was available at the deadline, but they ended up standing pat. New York was reportedly in the mix for Kyle Lowry, but they were reportedly unwilling to give up a first round pick in the deal. That’s a mistake in my opinion: the Knicks were already in the playoffs and adding Lowry would have given them a real chance to get out of the first round. Instead, they’ll have to hope that their young core can take a step forward down the stretch to make up for the lack of a star addition. 4. Toronto Raptors The Raptors were reportedly interested in Kyle Lowry, but they reportedly weren’t willing to give up a first round pick to get him. That’s a mistake in my opinion: the Raptors were already in the playoffs and adding Lowry would have given them a real chance to get out of the first round. Instead, they’ll have to hope that their young core can take a step forward down the stretch to make up for the lack of a star addition. Toronto also traded away Norman Powell, who was their best scorer, and didn’t get a lot in return. It’s not a great look for the Raptors, who are now in a fight for the playoffs. 5. Boston Celtics The Celtics were reportedly in the mix for Kyle Lowry, but they were reportedly unwilling to give up a first round pick in the deal. That’s a mistake in my opinion: the Celtics were already in the playoffs and adding Lowry would have given them a real chance to get out of the first round. Instead, they’ll have to hope that their young core can take a step forward down the stretch to make up for the lack of a star addition. Boston also traded away Daniel Theis, who was their best big man, and didn’t get a lot in return. It’s not a great look for the Celtics, who are now in a fight for the playoffs.
The 2023 NBA trade deadline was a wild ride, and it changed the championship picture for the rest of the season. Kyrie Irving went from requesting a trade to being traded to the Mavericks in just 48 hours, Kevin Durant was dealt to a new super team in the middle of the night, and the Los Angeles Lakers somehow completed their season long mission to rebuild the rotation around LeBron James and Anthony Davis just before the buzzer. While every team may not have gotten exactly what they wanted, there are still some clear winners and losers.
The Phoenix Suns are the biggest winners of the trade deadline. They finally got their man in Kevin Durant, and they now have a core of KD, Chris Paul, Devin Booker, and Deandre Ayton that has championship potential. The Suns will have to figure out their depth and injury concerns, but they are now the favorites in the West.
The Los Angeles Lakers also deserve a lot of credit for what they accomplished. They added three key rotation players in D’Angelo Russell, Jarred Vanderbilt, and Malik Beasley without giving up any of their core pieces. Russell adds a dash of needed playmaking after exiling Russell Westbrook, and Beasley is an elite bench volume three-point shooter. LeBron and AD now have a chance to make a deep playoff run, and there can’t be any more excuses.
The Golden State Warriors also made a great move in bringing back Gary Payton II. He was a key member of the Warriors’ championship run last season, and he adds volume three-point shooting and some tough defense to the front court. The Warriors needed a jolt if they were going to go on another postseason run, and getting last season’s breakout role player could be just what they needed.
The Dallas Mavericks also made a great move in trading for Kyrie Irving. He’s a brilliant offensive talent that can take some of the creation burden off Luka Doncic’s plate while also spacing the floor for him when Doncic has the ball. Of course, nothing with Kyrie is ever this simple, and trading for him is an extremely risky move.
The Milwaukee Bucks also made a great move in trading for Jae Crowder. If Crowder is in shape and ready to go, he feels like a perfect fit for Milwaukee ahead of the stretch run. He adds volume three-point shooting and some tough defense to the front court, and he’s been part of successful teams in recent years.
The Los Angeles Clippers also made a great move in trading for Mason Plumlee, Eric Gordon, and Bones Hyland. Gordon is a better defender than Luke Kennard while still being able to space the floor as a shooter, and Hyland is a young shot creator with real upside. Ty Lue now has some added versatility on the roster to put the right pieces around his two stars depending on the matchup.
On the other side, the Brooklyn Nets are the biggest losers of the trade deadline. They lost Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, and their Durant-Irving-James Harden experiment was always going to be a one-year rental, but it still stings to see them break it up without even making it out of the second round.
The Portland Trail Blazers also got worse at the trade deadline. They traded away Gary Payton II, their best defender, and added Norman Powell, who is a great scorer but not a great defender. The Blazers are still a good team, but they needed a lot more help than they got at the trade deadline to make the playoffs.
The New York Knicks and Toronto Raptors also got worse at the trade deadline. The Knicks were reportedly in the mix for Kyle Lowry, but they were reportedly unwilling to give up a first round pick in the deal. The Raptors were reportedly interested in Lowry, but they reportedly weren’t willing to give up a first round pick to get him. Both teams needed a star addition to make a playoff run, but they ended up standing pat.
The Boston Celtics also got worse at the trade deadline. They were reportedly in the mix for Lowry, but they were reportedly unwilling to give up a first round pick in the deal. They also traded away Daniel Theis, who was their best big man, and didn’t get a lot in return. It’s not a great look for the Celtics, who are now in a fight for the playoffs.
Overall, the 2023 NBA trade deadline was one of the most active we’ve ever seen, and it changed the championship picture for the rest of the season. The Phoenix Suns are the big winners of the trade deadline, while the Brooklyn Nets are the biggest losers. The Los Angeles Lakers, Golden State Warriors, Dallas Mavericks, Milwaukee Bucks, and Los Angeles Clippers all made great moves and improved their chances at a deep playoff run. The New York Knicks, Toronto Raptors, and Boston Celtics all got worse at the trade deadline and will have to hope that their young cores can take a step forward down the stretch to make up for the lack of a star addition.
