Big names stay in place on busy NBA trade-deadline day
MIAMI — 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 noon Pacific deadline — but no last-minute blockbusters. All-star 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, even though the four-time all-star knew other teams sought his services. 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 notrade 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.”
The biggest moves of this trade season came long before deadline day. Toronto getting 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 contenders mostly stayed quiet Thursday. An earlier agreed-upon trade of note was officially completed, the one that sent Lou Williams to Houston from the Los Angeles Lakers and adds more serious scoring to the Rockets’ bench.
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.