Last-minute deals make no big waves
Drama ended when Cousins went from Kings to Pelicans.
Paul George stayed put. So did Jimmy Butler, Carmelo Anthony and Derrick Rose.
And as the trade deadline passed Thursday, the NBA landscape seemed remarkably unchanged. In all, seven deadline-day trades were put together by the 3 p.m. Eastern deadline — but no last-minute blockbusters. AllStar DeMarcus Cousins was traded to New Orleans by Sacramento a few days earlier, yet every trade that followed paled in comparison.
“You know where all those big dominoes are? They’re still home, with the exception of one,” Miami President Pat Riley said. “I’m sure there were people that probably made some pretty significant offers. When you have that kind of player, it takes a lot to say, ‘OK, we’re going to let this guy go.’ You stay with the sure thing there.”
George remained with the Indiana Pacers, despite widespread speculation that the Boston Celtics were pursuing the four-time All-Star. Jimmy Butler stayed with the Chicago Bulls, and the New York Knicks held onto Rose and Anthony — the latter of whom would have had to waive his no-trade clause to make any deal occur anyway.
“I wasn’t concerned,” George said. “At the end of the day, I’m in a good situation. I heard the rumors, different rumors, but I can’t control what was going to happen one way or another.”
The biggest moves of this trade season came long before deadline day.
Toronto’s acquisition of forward Serge Ibaka from Orlando last week for Terrence Ross figures to improve the Raptors’ chances in the Eastern Conference, and Thursday’s move to land P.J. Tucker from Phoenix gives them another outstanding on-the-ball defender. And the deal for Cousins that went down on All-Star Sunday — in New Orleans, no less — gives the Pelicans a frontline like no other in the NBA with him now alongside Anthony Davis. Plus, Cleveland snagged Kyle Korver last month.
But for the most part, favorites and contenders stayed quiet Thursday.
“It is a delicate balance of short-term goals and longterm goals,” Celtics general manager Danny Ainge said. Boston has the chance to swap picks with Brooklyn in this year’s draft, and the Nets right now would be favored to win the lottery and hold the No. 1 pick — something the Celtics would grab, and any big addition made Thursday almost certainly would have cost them that chance.
Perhaps the most interesting moves Thursday were not trades at all. Dallas put five-time All-Star point guard Deron Williams on waivers, and when Williams clears he reportedly plans to sign with the Cleveland Cavaliers, which would give LeBron James the extra playmaker he covets.
Another notable player who may get to choose his next spot is Andrew Bogut, who was traded by Dallas to Philadelphia — and figures to be a buyout candidate. Golden State wasted its 3-1 lead in last season’s NBA Finals after Bogut was injured, and he’s still considered an elite rim protector.
Of the players traded Thursday, only Roy Hibbert — traded for the second time this month, this time from Milwaukee to Denver — has been an All-Star in the past.
The Oklahoma City Thunder added some help for Russell Westbrook, acquiring Chicago Bulls forwards Taj Gibson and Doug McDermott for Cameron Payne, Joffrey Lauvergne, Anthony Morrow and a 2018 second-round pick.
Philadelphia kept Jahlil Okafor, instead moving Nerlens Noel to Dallas as part of the deal that sent Bogut to the 76ers.