In one of the craziest trade deadlines in recent memory, the NBA playoff push is fully on.
The Cleveland Cavaliers were the main culprit in the craziness, revamping their entire roster. Isaiah Thomas, Dwyane Wade, Jae Crowder, and Derrick Rose were all brought in this season to help LeBron James reach the NBA Finals and overcome the heavy-favorite Golden State Warriors, but from the start, something wasn’t working and all four were shipped off to different teams.
Thomas was supposed to be the second option to LeBron after the Cavs shipped Kyrie Irving to Boston, but Thomas didn’t look like anything from his 2017 all-star self.
Coming off a hip injury that sidelined him half of the season, Thomas looked much slower from the player we are used to seeing. He wasn’t driving to the basket as much and his jump shot has been bad, shooting 37% from the field and 27% from the 3-point line.
Rumors swirled that Cavs teammates were not all keen on Thomas. After only 15 games with the Cavs, Thomas was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers for guard Jordan Clarkson and forward Larry Nance Jr.
Clarkson will give the Cavs a scorer off the bench, averaging 14.6 points per game, while Nance Jr. gives them a big man known for his flashy dunks.
Many basketball critics said the Cavs looked old and slow, watching Wade play this year, it is hard to argue the fact. Wade’s best years are far behind him. His season in Chicago was always an awkward fit. Wade looked disinterested and isolated from his teammates. The only thing worth remembering from his time on the Bulls was how Wade managed to get a contract worth two years and $47.5 million.
Even though his best days were behind him, many imagined playing with long-time friend LeBron James would ignite something in Wade, but the match never fit and Wade was rightfully traded back the Miami Heat for a protected second round pick.
Wade going back to Miami, the place he built his legacy, to finish off his career is a good story because Wade in any other uniform just didn’t look right.
The best move the Cavs made was shipping off Jae Crowder, a player they received in the Irving deal, and Derrick Rose to the Utah Jazz for guards George Hill and Rodney Hood. Hill will bring defense to Cavs backcourt, an area they struggled with all season, and Hood gives them a capable scorer and a good 3-point shooter to compliment LeBron.
Utah quickly released Rose, which one has to question how much longer does the former MVP have left in the league. Gone is the player who captivated the hearts of many people in Chicago. Rose is now an aging, injury prone guard who plays little to no defense and doesn’t shoot the ball well.
The Cavs got younger and quicker, but they weren’t the only teams that had themselves a good deadline.
By trading away Nance Jr. and Clarkson, the Lakers cleared salary for next season,which now allows them to sign two max salary players and with the rumors of LeBron and Thunder forward Paul George testing free agency this following season, the Lakers might be in for something big come next season.
Lakers were not the only LA team to make a splash. Prior to the trade deadline, The Clippers traded former No.1 pick Blake Griffin to the Detroit Pistons. The Griffin trade signals the end of the era for the Clippers, who just resigned Griffin to a five year deal last July. The Clippers freed up salary space and are looking to rebuild. The Pistons are hoping Griffin, alongside all-star Andre Drummond, pushes the team to a playoff spot. The Pistons are two games back of the Philadelphia 76ers for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
Another shocking move was the Orlando Magic trading former lottery pick Elfrid Payton to the Phoenix Suns for a 2018 second round pick. Payton wasn’t stellar in Orlando but he shown signs of being a decent NBA player. Payton is 23 years old and is worth the risk for a team like the Suns, who are in a rebuild stage.
Time will tell how these moves play out for each team, but in my opinion, the Cavs won the deadline and now reclaimed their role as the favorites in the Eastern Conference.
Dominic Pellegrini