The 2023 version of the NBA trade deadline was one to remember, with the competitive landscape dramatically shifting with this week’s moves. If there was a script written for how the day would unfold, someone clearly burned it up because the action presented all sorts of surprises, especially with the Brooklyn Nets, Phoenix Suns, and Los Angeles Lakers.
Monday’s Kyrie Irving trade from the Brooklyn Nets to the Dallas Mavericks kickstarted a flurry of activity. With mega stars moving from market to market, the National Basketball Association proved once again that teams can move on from bad players and bad contracts.
Deals were aplenty, but the following five look to shape this year’s playoff run and beyond:
#5 Wiseman Saves The Warriors Mega Money
- Detroit Pistons receive: James Wiseman
- Golden State Warriors receive: Gary Payton II, two future second-round picks from Atlanta
- Atlanta Hawks receive: Saddiq Bey
- Portland Trail Blazers receive: Kevin Knox, five future second-round picks
This deal is mostly impactful from a financial perspective. By Golden State sending out Wiseman, the Warriors will save over $37 million in luxury tax payments over the next two seasons. That would be a big chunk of change to pay a former #2 pick who is barely seeing the floor.
Gary Payton II is a familiar face in San Francisco and gives the Warriors depth in the backcourt.
#4 Eric Gordon Rockets Out Of Houston
- L.A. Clippers receive: Eric Gordon, three second-round picks from Memphis
- Houston Rockets receive: John Wall, Danny Green, protected pick swap with the Clippers
- Memphis Grizzlies receive: Luke Kennard
The Clippers are in win-now mode, as they need to maximize the Kawhi Leonard / Paul George timeline. Getting Gordon — who has been sitting on the sidelines all season — gives the team someone who can get to the hoop, shoot from outside, and offer a passable defense. John Wall was really good at taking the ball to the rack, but was not a threat from outside and took too many chances on D.
Plus, Wall is back in Houston after trashing the organization not even a month ago. It’s absolutely delicious Twitter fodder. The jokes will die out soon as he will most likely get waived.
#3 Westbrook Heads Out Of Hollywood
- Utah Jazz receive: Russell Westbrook, Juan Toscano-Anderson, Damian Jones, the Lakers’ 2027 1st-round pick
- Los Angeles Lakers receive: D’Angelo Russell, Malik Beasley, Jarred Vanderbilt
- Minnesota Timberwolves receive: Mike Conley, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, 2024 2nd-round pick swap with LA, Utah’s 2025 2nd-round pick, Utah’s 2026 2nd-round pick
The awkward Westbrook / Lakers marriage is finally over. From Day One, the fit felt awkward, as both the player and club never truly embraced each other. Russell will now get a fresh start (it’s expected Utah will buy out the deal), and Westbrook to latch on with another club this season.
This trade, along with other moves made in recent days, has given the Lakers more depth, meaning they won’t have to give so many minutes to players making the veteran’s minimum.
And Minnesota? Another lateral move. This deal did nothing to fix the horrific Rudy Gobert deal made in the off-season.
#2 Irving Lands In The Lone Star State
- Dallas Mavericks receive: Kyrie Irving, Markeiff Morris
- Brooklyn Nets receive: Spencer Dinwiddie, Dorian Finney-Smith, a 2029 Dallas first-round pick, two future second-round picks
Kyrie’s trade demand last week essentially forced Brooklyn’s hand, as Irving stated he would not re-sign with the team in free agency. Several teams were in the mix (hello, Lakers) but the Nets ultimately decided Dallas was the place to ship the eight-time All-Star.
The question is: Will Irving be a POSITIVE or NEGATIVE impact on the Mavericks? Kyrie is an all-world talent but a universal headache. If off-the-court distractions qualified a player for Hall-Of-Fame status, he would be a unanimous first-ballot vote. Why Mark Cuban would expose his franchise player to this level of crazy is beyond reason. Let’s hope this doesn’t poison Luka Doncic’s career.
#1 Kevin Durant Arrives in Phoenix
- Phoenix Suns receive: Kevin Durant and T.J. Warren
- Brooklyn Nets receive: Mikal Bridges, Cameron Johnson, the Suns’ 2023 first-round pick (unprotected), 2025 first-round pick (unprotected), 2027 first-round pick (unprotected), 2029 first-round pick (unprotected), the right to swap first-round picks with the Suns in 2028, the Bucks’ 2028 second-round pick, the Bucks’ 2029 second-round pick, and the draft rights to Juan Pablo Vaulet (Pacers)
- Milwaukee Bucks receive: Jae Crowder
- Pacers receive: Jordan Nwora, George Hill, Serge Ibaka, two Bucks’ 2023 second-round picks, the Bucks’ 2024 second-round pick, their own 2025 second-round pick (traded back from Milwaukee in a prior deal), cash (Nets)
Kevin Durant looked to make a move to the Valley in the offseason. Now, with the Nets deciding they are done with their various Big 3 experiments, the Slim Reaper is back in the Western Conference. Phoenix becomes an instant favorite to make the Finals.
Sometimes it’s not about the size of the puzzle piece, but rather the fit. And Jae Crowder may be the final piece to Milwaukee winning its 2nd NBA title in three seasons. The loss of P.J. Tucker left a 3-and-D void that Crowder slides into perfectly. The Bucks are currently 2nd in the East but have to be the favorites to win the conference.
After all the dust has settled, we could see a repeat of the 2021 Finals matchup of Milwaukee vs. Phoenix, albeit with two-time Finals MVP added to the intrigue.
