Nearly one year ago, a flurry of unexpected and shocking trades went down just before the 2015 NBA trade deadline. With many household names on the move, the trajectory of many teams changed dramatically at last year’s deadline. Which players have had the greatest impact on their new teams? Which teams made trades that have come back to haunt them? Let’s examine the best and the worst of last year’s transactions.
The most intriguing storyline last year was how the Phoenix Suns would handle their three-headed monster at the point guard position, which at the time consisted of Eric Bledsoe, Goran Dragic, and Isaiah Thomas. Dragic, who was in the final year of his contract, consistently expressed his desire to leave Phoenix in free agency and pursue a max contract elsewhere. With no option other than to trade him, the Suns found a willing partner in Miami, completing a trade in which the return package for Phoenix featured two first round picks. For now, this trade still appears to be relatively beneficial for both sides. Neither team hit a home run, but neither struck out either. The Heat were able to re-sign Dragic in the offseason, and he is their starting point guard alongside Dwyane Wade for the foreseeable future. However, Dragic’s stats have dropped across the board, as he is averaging just 12.2 points and 5.3 assists per game this season. While Dragic has underperformed, he’s a key part to Miami’s current and future success, and the Heat should be optimistic his production will improve over time. As for the Suns, they are in as disastrous of a state as any franchise is in right now, but this trade has actually helped the cause far more than it has hurt it. The two first round picks from Miami remain a tremendous package for a player who openly admitted he would leave in free agency.
The second point guard that Phoenix dealt at the deadline last year was Isaiah Thomas, the 60th overall pick of the 2011 NBA Draft. The return for Thomas? Two months of Marcus Thornton and Cleveland’s 2016 first rounder. Considering that Thomas has blossomed into a consistent 20 point scorer and All-Star as the offensive leader of the playoff-bound Boston Celtics, this is a rough one for Suns fans to swallow. As for Boston, this is yet another masterful move by Danny Ainge. The Celtics were 20-31 before Isaiah Thomas landed in Beantown. Since the trade? 52-34, including this year. The 5’9” Thomas has been an electrifying offensive force for Boston. This will go down as one of the more lopsided moves of the deadline.
The third and final move that the Phoenix Suns made last February was a three-team trade with the Bucks and Sixers. Considering how well Brandon Knight was playing for Jason Kidd’s Bucks and the fact that Michael Carter-Williams was less than a year removed from being the Rookie of the Year, this trade was a real stunner. Also, the question that everyone asked when this trade went down: why the hell do the Suns want another point guard?? Weren’t they trying to get rid of point guards? Ugh.
This trade has been brutal for the Bucks and not so great for the Suns, while the Sixers should be very content with this move. By trading Knight, a pending free agent due for a huge pay day, the Bucks were basically acknowledging that they didn’t feel Knight would be worth the hefty contract he would demand, so they aggressively went ahead and found a cheaper point guard for the future. As it turns out, Brandon Knight probably is worth the 5 year $70 million contract that the Suns gave him this past summer, and Carter-Williams, the Bucks new point guard of the future, was mostly the product of inflated stats and high usage rates in Philadelphia. This year, Carter-Williams is averaging 11.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 5.1 assists per game while shooting a dreadful 29% from beyond the arc. His lack of shooting has been detrimental to the Bucks spacing, as Knight’s superior shooting and efficiency is sorely missed. The point guard swap for the Bucks has had nearly the exact opposite effect that Isaiah Thomas’ arrival in Boston has had. The Bucks were 30-23 prior to the trade, whereas they are 33-50 since. Yikes.
The return for the Sixers, in exchange for Carter-Williams, was the Lakers protected first round draft pick. In 2015, it was top five protected, so the Lakers held on to it and drafted D’Angelo Russell. For 2016, the pick is only protected if it falls in the top three, which gives Philadelphia a very realistic chance at adding another young player to build around. One can only hope they don’t draft another big man this time. The Lakers pick previously belonged to the Suns, dating back to the Steve Nash trade in 2012. Brandon Knight has been very good for Phoenix, but if they’re losing with Knight on the roster while paying him a lot of money, wouldn’t you rather lose without him and hold on to that prized Lakers pick?
Another three-team went down at last year’s deadline, this one between the Pistons, Thunder, and Jazz. Reggie Jackson and the Thunder were mutually displeased with each other, so it was almost certain that a trade would occur. Right up until the moment this trade was finalized, all signs pointed towards a Reggie Jackson swap for Brook Lopez with Brooklyn. Obviously, that trade never happened, and instead the Thunder walked away with a different center who provides a scoring threat in the post. Both Jackson and Kanter were pending restricted free agents, and both have remained with their respective teams on 5 year deals, $80 million for Jackson, and $70 million for Kanter. Many considered it a risky move for Stan Van Gundy when he re-signed Jackson in the offseason to make him Detroit’s point guard of the future, but so far, so good. Jackson is averaging 19.1 points and 6.2 assists per game, and he’s shooting a career best 37% from three. As for Kanter, his 11.9 points and 7.7 rebounds per game have been solid, but he ranks as one of the three worst defensive centers in the NBA, along with Jahlil Okafor and Andrea Bargnani. Oklahoma City probably would have been better off pulling the trigger on that Brook Lopez trade. As for Utah, they were able to acquire a future first rounder for a player they weren’t willing to pay for in the offseason. Also, this move opened up the door for Rudy Gobert to get more playing time. Solid move for the Jazz.
With all of the complex, multi-team trades involving a half dozen players and multiple draft picks that usually occur, last year’s Kevin Garnett for Thaddeus Young swap was pleasantly refreshing and beneficial for both sides. Young was a pending free agent and had no business being in Minnesota’s future plans, and the leadership and veteran presence of Kevin Garnett has served much more meaning in Minnesota, where he began his career, than in Brooklyn. The Nets re-signed Young to a 4 year $50 million contract in the offseason, and he has been one of the few positive signs for the franchise this year. If the Nets are able to flip him for a mid first round pick by tomorrow’s deadline, then that’s great. If not, that’s fine too; they’ll be happy to keep him in a Nets uniform. As for KG, his emotional attachment to the late Flip Saunders was undeniable, and that was and still is the driving force towards keeping Garnett in Minnesota. Whether it’s after this season or the next, all signs point towards Kevin Garnett retiring with the Timberwolves, a fitting end to a remarkable career. Aside from the feel-good story, KG’s ability to lead by example and act as a mentor for the Wolves young players, especially Karl-Anthony Towns, has been incredible, as well.
One last trade that holds significance was the deal that sent Arron Afflalo to Portland. The Blazers desperately needed a shooting guard after Wes Matthews was lost for the year, but one would think that they’d take this one back if they could. Denver traded the veteran Afflalo, a pending unrestricted free agent, for a protected first round pick and the emerging Will Barton, who I wrote about as a breakout star last month. Great trade for Denver, not so much for Portland.
Well, that about covers the most important trades from last year’s NBA trade deadline. What will this year’s deadline have in store? Are Dwight Howard and Kevin Love on the move? If and when trades go down, LWOS has you covered. Follow us on Twitter, @lastwordhoops, for immediate reactions. Stay tuned!
