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NBA trade deadline
Picking up on the previous issue, this issue continues to explore a few trades made before last season's trade deadline. In the trade rating (out of 10), a lower score indicates more help to the team, and a higher score indicates that the team may just be on the trade list.
Suns trade Saric
Trade Deadline: Suns trade Sharic
Suns get: Darius Beazley
Thunder receive: Dario Sharic, 2029 second-round pick, $1 million
Our verdict at the time: The Suns' decision to drop Saric was an intriguing move because he would become a free agent in a few months. Beazley is a big man who is not so versatile and even worse. For the Thunder, Saric could provide some stretch up frontcourt. It feels like OKC is mostly accepting cash and future second-round picks because Sam Presti is obsessed with draft picks.
The status quo after a year: a bit like a bag of nothing. Sharic did well in his limited playing time last season before signing with the Warriors in the summer. Beazley barely played for the Suns and was signed by the Nets this fall before being fired.
Does that really help any team? Not really.
Trade Deadline Rating (1-10): 9 for the Suns and 8 for the Thunder.
Bamba
Trade Deadline: Four teams traded for role players for the Lakers and Nuggets
Lakers get: Mo Bamba, Devon Reed, 2024 second-round pick, 2025 second-round pick
Nuggets get: Thomas Bryant
Clippers get: Bunce Hyland Magic gets: Patrick Beverley, 2024 second-round pick, cash
Our opinion at the time: a bit of confusion. The Lakers tried to get a more versatile bench big man option by trading Bryant, who made a name for himself by calling for passes inside when James broke the all-time scoring record, in exchange for Bamba, who never really found his role in the NBA. The Denver team has dropped a promising young backup guard in the hope that Bryant can provide a more reliable backup big man option. The Clippers decided to try and develop Hyland to see if he could be a viable point guard off the bench. As for the Magic, they basically just grabbed a second-round pick and some cash.
A year later, the Lakers were disappointed because Bamba didn't do anything, and he wasn't on the team anymore. We'll see how they utilize those second-round picks. The Nuggets won the championship, but Bryant played less than a minute in the playoffs. Hyland was average with the Clippers. And the Magic cut Beverley.
Is this really going to help any team? I'm not sure this deal will help anyone except the Magic's bank account.
Trade Deadline Rating (1-10): 8 for the Lakers, 5 for the Nuggets, 5 for the Clippers, and 9 for the Magic.
Peyton II
Trade Deadline: A four-team trade returns GPII to the Warriors, with James Wiseman heading to Detroit
The Warriors receive: Gary Payton II, 2026 second-round pick, 2028 second-round pick
The Trail Blazers get: Kevin Knox, 2023 second-round pick, 2024 second-round pick, 2025 second-round pick, 2026 second-round pick, 2028 second-round pick
Pistons acquired: James Wiseman
The Eagles won: Sadiq Bey
Our opinion at the time: The Warriors gave up on Wiseman for a reunion with Payton, and almost threw in too many second-round picks to get the deal done. Despite Payton's injury, the Warriors reintroduced him to add some perimeter defense to the team. The Trail Blazers are just trying to ditch Payton to accumulate as many second-round picks as possible. The Pistons want to see if they can turn Wiseman into a contributing player like they did with Marvin Bagley III, who is also a big man who was also drafted with the second overall pick. The Hawks, on the other hand, have gained some small-forward/power-forward depth through Bey.
Sadiq Bay
Current state after a year: I think the Eagles did the best of the four. Payton hasn't actually done much, playing in just 23 regular-season games since the trade. Wiseman didn't contribute anything to the Pistons, and a parting of ways between them seemed imminent. Bey has been very good in Atlanta. Portland selected Ryan Rupert (43rd pick) with a 2023 second-round pick.
Does that really help any team? It helps the Eagles, I think that's it.
Trade Deadline Rating (1-10): 5 for the Warriors, 5 for the Trail Blazers, 4 for the Pistons, 3 for the Hawks.