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Everything That Happened at the NBA Trade Deadline

The Suns deal for Kevin Durant, the Lakers make more moves and the Warriors reunite with Gary Payton II.

Kyle Wood

The NBA’s trade deadline officially passed at 3 p.m. ET, marking the conclusion of a lively 24 hours that shook up both conferences.

All in all, 12 trades were agreed upon in the last 24 hours. Things were calm for a few days after Kyrie Irving was dealt over the weekend. Then the Lakers, Timberwolves and Jazz got things going Wednesday evening with a three-team deal involving Russell Westbrook, D’Angelo Russell and Mike Conley, among other players and picks.

The most shocking and impactful news of the trade period came out after midnight on the East coast when it was reported that Kevin Durant was headed to the Suns in exchange for a haul of draft capital and players. Phoenix heads into the home stretch of the season with newfound expectations as a possible favorite to come out of the West, as they did two seasons ago, while other teams, such as the Clippers, made upgrades along the margins.

The theme of the day was perhaps players getting sent back to their former teams, which happened about a half-dozen times, and five second-round picks seemingly became a commonplace inclusion in trade packages as the day went on.

Recount a wild, action-packed trade deadline below to see how the landscape of the league shifted.

GP2 Goes Back to Golden State

The Trail Blazers are sending Gary Payton II to the Warriors in exchange for five second-round picks, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Payton returns to Golden State after he signed with Portland in free agency last summer.

The Blazers will also reportedly receive Kevin Knox as part of the Warriors’ four-team deal with the Pistons and Hawks.

Collins Staying Put in ATL Past Deadline

The Hawks will hold on to John Collins, according to Bleacher Report’s Chris Haynes. The forward has reportedly been the subject of trade rumors in recent seasons, but he’ll remain with the team that drafted him in 2017.

Warriors Emerge as Landing Spot for Anunoby

The Athletic’s Shams Charania said Golden State could be making a run at O.G. Anunoby.

The Grizzlies and Pelicans are also interested in Anunoby, a talented wing well known for his defense. The Warriors added five second-round picks earlier today in the James Wiseman trade, which could be used in a deal to improve the roster of the defending champions.

Clippers Add Size Inside

Lakers Swap Beverley for Bamba

The Magic are trading Mo Bamba to the Lakers in exchange for Patrick Beverley and a second-round pick, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania.

Bamba, the No. 6 pick in 2018, is shooting close to 40% from three this season and joins a revamped frontcourt in Los Angeles alongside Anthony Davis and the recently acquired Jarred Vanderbilt.

Per Khobi Price of the Orlando Sentinel, it’s unlikely Beverley plays for the Magic.

Pelicans Add Richardson from Spurs, Send Graham, Picks in Exchange

Gordon Back with the Clippers, Wall Returns to Rockets

The Clippers landed Eric Gordon in a three-team trade involving the Rockets and Grizzlies, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. John Wall heads back to Houston as part of the deal along with Danny Green, Luke Kennard is going to Memphis and L.A. also gets three second-round picks.

The Rockets reportedly plan to waive Wall, according to Bleacher Report’s Chis Haynes, which they did in June 2022.

According to ESPN’s Tim MacMahon, Houston also receives the rights to swap the Bucks’ pick with the Clippers this year.

Gordon began his career in Los Angeles in 2008 and now returns 14 years later. The Grizzlies get one of the best shooters in the league in Kennard, who’s shot better than 44% from deep each of the last three seasons.

Atlanta Gets Involved in Pistons-Warriors Trade

The Warriors and Pistons were engaged in trade talks earlier in the day centered around James Wiseman and Saddiq Bey. The Hawks joined the fray and ended up getting Bey in a three-team deal that sent Wiseman to Detroit and netted Golden State five-second round picks from Atlanta, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

The Dubs add assets, the Hawks get another scorer on the wing to play with Trae Young and Dejounte Murray and the Pistons pick up another young big man who was highly drafted.

Suns and Thunder Swap Backup Big Men

The Thunder are sending Darius Bazley to the Suns in exchange for Dario Saric and a second-round pick, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania.

Bazley has been buried on the depth chart in Oklahoma City this season and played limited minutes after he averaged double-digit points each of the last two years.

Bones Hyland on his way to L.A.

The Clippers acquired Bones Hyland from the Nuggets in exchange for a pair of future second-round picks, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Hyland was a late first-round pick in the 2021 draft and has improved on his first season when he was named to the All-Rookie Second Team.

Los Angeles adds a ball handler and 37% three-point shooter.

Hill Running it Back with the Pacers

Yet another traded player is returning to their former team as George Hill and a second-round pick are headed to the Pacers, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

Hill played five seasons, arguably the best of his career, in Indiana in the early 2010s. He joins D’Angelo Russell, Jakob Poeltl and Spencer Dinwiddie among the group of players to be traded back to their previous teams.

Trail Blazers Improve Defense in Three-Way Trade

The Trail Blazers, 76ers and Hornets agreed on a three-team deal that will send Matisse Thybulle to Portland, Jalen McDaniels to Philadelphia and Svi Mykhailiuk and multiple second-round picks to Charlotte, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

Thybulle, an apt wing defender, is playing a career-low 12.1 minutes per game this season with the Sixers. Meanwhile, McDaniels is in the midst of a career year for the Hornets, averaging double-digit points for the first time.

Pistons in Talks with Warriors Regarding Former No. 2 Overall Pick

The Warriors and Pistons are in talks about a Saddiq Bey trade, according to Yahoo! Sports’ Jake Fischer. Golden State is reportedly more willing to part with 2020 No. 2 overall pick James Wiseman, who has played 60 games in his career, and Detroit is apparently interested in the third-year pro.

The Warriors can add another scorer on the wing if they indeed trade for Bey, which would be a boost to the offense that will be without Steph Curry for multiple weeks while he recovers from torn ligaments in his leg. The Pistons already have a host of highly drafted frontcourt players on their roster, including Jalen Duren, Isaiah Stewart, Nerlens Noel and Marvin Bagley III.

Fischer also reported that Golden State is weighing Detroit’s offer against other win-now players on the wing.

Nuggets Acquire Bryant from Lakers

The Lakers sent Thomas Bryant to the Nuggets for Davon Reed and three second-round picks, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Trading Bryant, who started 25 games for Los Angeles, opens up minutes for forwards Wenyen Gabriel and Jarred Vanderbilt, who was just acquired from the Jazz.

Reed has not played big minutes across any of his previous three NBA stops during his four-year career, but he is a 38% career three-point shooter.

Nets Flip Crowder to Bucks

Jae Crowder was not long for Brooklyn. The three-and-D wing was acquired by the Nets from the Suns in the Kevin Durant deal and was promptly sent to the Bucks in exchange for five second-round picks, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania.

Crowder played a part on the Heat and Suns on their Finals trips in back-to-back seasons but has yet to suit up so far this year. Milwaukee adds another piece to what is already a top-five defense.

The Pacers also acquired Jordan Nwora and two-second round picks in the three-team deal, per Charania.

Serge Ibaka is also headed to the Pacers as part of the trade, according to Charania.

Celtics Add Shooting with Muscala Deal

The Celtics traded Justin Jackson and two second-round picks to the Thunder for Mike Muscala, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania. The 6’10” forward is shooting just under 40% from three this season in Oklahoma City.

Boston signed the sharpshooting Danilo Gallinari in the offseason, but he’s yet to make his debut in green as he tore his ACL in September. In Muscala, Boston adds size and shooting at the deadline.

Jackson now returns to OKC, where he played 33 games in the 2020–21 season.

Trail Blazers Not Entertaining Offers for Lillard

The Trail Blazers have told teams asking about Damian Lillard that the All-Star is not available, according to Bleacher Report’s Chris Haynes.

Lillard has spent his entire career with Portland and has been steadfast in his commitment to winning with the team that drafted him more than a decade ago. He signed a two-year contract extension in July worth close to $122 million. The final year of his current deal has a player option for the 2026–27 season worth $63.3 million.

Grizzlies in Search of Wing Defender

Multiple teams have reached out to the Nets to inquire about the availability of Mikal Bridges, who the team just acquired in the Kevin Durant deal, according to HoopsHype. The Grizzlies are reportedly among the parties interested in the 2022 Defensive Player of the Year runner up. They are also in discussions with the Raptors about OG Anunoby, one of the hottest names on the market.

Memphis is still in second place in the West despite a 2–8 stretch. Dillon Brooks and Danny Green are both on expiring contracts and the Grizzlies have all of their future first-round picks to offer as well as a protected pick from Golden State.

Given the players Brooklyn has acquired in the last week in the Durant and Kyrie Irving trades, it has an overstock of wings and shooters who could potentially be moved before the deadline, per HoopsHype. In addition to Bridges, the Nets have added Cam Johnson from the Suns and Spencer Dinwiddie and Dorian Finney-Smith from the Mavericks to a roster that already has Seth Curry, Joe Harris and Royce O’Neale.

Irving, Bridges and Others React to Durant Trade

After scoring 24 points in a win in his Mavericks debut, Kyrie Irving spoke on the Kevin Durant trade, saying in part: “I’m just glad he got out of there.”

As for one of the players who got dealt, Mikal Bridges had this to say:

C.J. McCollum, whose Pelicans gave the Suns a fight in the first round last season, weighed in on the stacked Western Conference now that Durant and Irving, two All-Stars from the East, have been traded to teams in the West.

And Tyrese Haliburton joked about the “script” conspiracy that’s been rampant in the NFL for weeks.

Suns Land Durant in Surprise Blockbuster Trade with Brooklyn

Kevin Durant and Chris Paul
Brad Penner/USA TODAY Sports

Kevin Durant is headed to the Suns in exchange for a massive trade package that includes Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson and four first-round picks, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Phoenix is also sending Jae Crowder, who has not played for the team this season, in the deal and is getting back a 2028 pick swap and T.J. Warren.

This deal comes days after Kyrie Irving requested a trade out of Brooklyn and was subsequently dealt to Dallas. Durant’s exit officially marks the end of the team’s Big 3 of Durant, Irving and James Harden, a trio that ultimately won one playoff series together and rarely shared the floor.

Bleacher Report’s Chris Haynes reported Sunday that the Suns were prepared to pursue Durant if he became available and they were ultimately successful in acquiring the 13-time All-Star. Durant has not played since Jan. 8 due to an MCL sprain in his right knee and will miss the Feb. 19 All-Star Game.

Devin Booker returned from a month-long absence this week for Phoenix, which finds itself firmly in the playoff picture despite a sustained rough patch while he was sidelined. Coach Monty Williams can now trot out a starting five that includes Durant, Booker, Chris Paul and Deandre Ayton.

Wojnarowski reported that Durant wanted the move to Phoenix, which made the NBA Finals two seasons ago, and new owner Mat Ishbia pushed to get the deal done Wednesday night, which bled into Thursday morning on the East Coast. Ishbia officially gained control of the Suns this week and was quick to make a lasting mark on the franchise by dealing for one of the game’s top scorers.

Brooklyn recoups young talent and substantial draft capital in the trade and is still well within the playoff picture in the East with an entirely different roster set to play out the home stretch of the season.

The Nets will explore trade options for Crowder before the deadline, according to Wojnarowski.

Instant Takeaways on Kevin Durant Trade

Trade grades: Nets Deal Durant to the Suns in Stunning Blockbuster

Toronto Makes Its First Trade, Landing Poeltl from Spurs

All signs indicated the Raptors would be active at the trade deadline and their first deal was to acquire Jakob Poeltl from the Spurs, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Toronto sent Khem Birch, a protected 2024 first-round pick and two future first-round picks back to San Antonio.

Poeltl’s career began in Toronto when he was selected ninth overall in 2016. He was in the Kawhi Leonard trade in 2018 and now returns to the Raptors, who were in search of a center.

The Spurs have accumulated 13 first-round picks through 2029, and Wojnarowski indicated the front office expects to add to that count before the deadline.

Hart and Brunson are Reunited in New York

The Trail Blazers traded Josh Hart to the Knicks in exchange for Cam Reddish, Svi Mykhailiuk, Ryan Arcidiacono and a lottery-protected 2023 first-round pick, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. If that pick is not conveyed this year it turns into four future second-round picks.

New York is adding one of the top rebounding guards in the NBA and a capable defender to a team that is in seventh place in the Eastern Conference with designs on returning to the postseason. Hart played with Jalen Brunson in college and Brunson was at Villanova for his jersey retirement when news of the deal broke.

Portland offers a fresh start for Reddish, who is headed to his third team after being drafted 10th overall by the Hawks in 2019 following one year at Duke with R.J. Barrett and Zion Williamson. He played in just 20 games for the Knicks this season and had not touched the floor since early December. The Trail Blazers currently occupy 10th place in the West, the final play-in position.

Lakers Part Ways with Westbrook in Three-Team Deal

The Lakers, Jazz and Timberwolves agreed to a three-way trade that will send Russell Westbrook to Utah, D’Angelo Russell to Los Angeles and Mike Conley to Minnesota, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

The other players involved in the trade are Jarred Vanderbilt and Malik Beasley, both of whom are headed to the Lakers; Juan Toscano-Anderson and Damian Jones, who will join the Jazz; and Nickeil Alexander-Walker, who’s now a member of the Timberwolves. The draft compensation is as follows: Minnesota receives three second-round picks from Utah and the Jazz will get a top-four protected first-round pick from the Lakers in 2027.

This ends a long saga of trade rumors centered around Westbrook, whose tenure in L.A. was often rocky as he adjusted to new roles, most recently coming off the bench. This marks the fifth time the 2017 MVP has been traded since signing a five-year contract with the Thunder.

Westbrook is expected to be bought out by Utah, according to Bleacher Report’s Chris Haynes. The Clippers and Bulls are reportedly both interested in signing him if he does secure a buyout.

The framework of the deal leaked earlier Wednesday evening before it became official. Wojnarowski reported that Minnesota was “engaged elsewhere” on Russell before the terms were agreed upon. The one-time All-Star now returns to the team that drafted him second overall in 2015.

Los Angeles, one of the worst three-point shooting teams in the NBA, added much-needed outside shooting in Russell, who’s shooting a career-best 39% from deep this season, and Beasley is a career 38% three-point shooter.

As Wojnarowski pointed out, Utah now has 15 first-round picks through 2029 in addition to the young core it netted from the Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell trades: Lauri Markannen, Colin Sexton, Walker Kessler and Ochai Agbaji.

Heading into Thursday, the Timberwolves are in sixth place in the West, the Jazz are 11th and just a half game out of the final play-in spot and the Lakers are in 13th.

NBA Trade Grades Lakers Finally Move Russell Westbrook in Three-Team Deal

What’s the latest on the rumor mill?

  • The Wizards intend to hold on to Kyle Kuzma and are attempting to add to their rotation (Fred Katz, The Athletic).
  • The Raptors, Pelicans and Timberwolves are reportedly interested in Bones Hyland (Mike Singer, The Denver Post).
  • The Clippers and Suns are among the playoff contenders interested in former Sixth Man of the Year Eric Gordon. And Jae’Sean Tate has drawn interest from the Suns, Nuggets, Celtics and Wizards (Kelly Iko, The Athletic).
  • The Magic intend to keep Gary Harris, while Mo Bamba and Terrence Ross are available to be dealt (Marc Stein).
  • The Warriors are reportedly more willing to discuss moving some of their young players at the deadline, meaning James Wiseman, Moses Moody or Jonathan Kuminga could be available (Anthony Slater, The Athletic).
  • The Bulls are not expected to trade Zach LaVine, who’s in the first year of a five-year, $215 million contract extension (Brian Windhorst, ESPN). This corroborates a report from earlier in the week that Chicago does not intend to trade its core players, though it is listening to offers for Alex Caruso (Jamal Collier, ESPN).
  • The Trail Blazers intend to hold on to guard Anfernee Simons (Zach Lowe, ESPN). Portland also might be a buyer at the deadline (Windhorst, ESPN).
  • The Nets and Raptors are engaged in trade talks, though it does not seem that Pascal Siakam will be dealt despite interest from Brooklyn, among other teams. Toronto has shown interest in the past in Ben Simmons and Nic Claxton as well as the recently acquired Spencer Dinwiddie, whom the team does not intend to move (Jake Fischer, Yahoo Sports).
  • Fred VanVleet is the most likely Raptors player to be traded with the Clippers, Suns, Magic, Lakers and Timberwolves all potential landing spots (Fischer, Yahoo Sports).
  • Furkan Korkmaz has requested to be traded from the 76ers before the deadline, and Philadelphia general manager Daryl Morey will reportedly try to package him in a deal (Keith Pompey, The Philadelphia Inquirer).

Recapping the trades that happened before NBA trade deadline day

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Kyle Wood
KYLE WOOD

Kyle is based in Washington, D.C. He writes the Winners Club newsletter and is a fantasy and betting writer for SI. His work has appeared in the Tampa Bay Times, Orlando Sentinel, Miami Herald and Gainesville Sun.

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