As is the case every year, the 2023 trade deadline was insane. NBA odds have shifted like crazy, and NBA player stats will be altered as a result of some of the moves occurring.
Things usually get far more competitive after the moves have been completed, as opposed to before. It did appear that the Denver Nuggets were clear favorites in the West, but now several superstars have joined the conference to make things more interesting,
As is usually the case, east coast fans woke up to the biggest news, while west coast ones we’re seeing it in real-time. When Phoenix pulled the trigger to get Kevin Durant from the Nets, it showed that they are serious about trying to get back to the finals.
And for the other side, it showed a willingness to move beyond the drama and try to start anew. There is a lot to discuss, so let’s look at the KD deal and a few others. The NBA trade update is below.
Kyrie and KD on the move
The Dallas Mavericks sent Spencer Dinwiddie and Dorian Finney-Smith, along with draft capital, to the Nets in exchange for Kyrie Irving and Markieff Morris. They finally have a star player to put next to Luka Doncic. And with a formidable back-court duo and Maxi Kleber on the mend, they will be in the race to contend once again.
They were only a few wins from the finals a season ago, but they got crushed by the Warriors in that final round.
NBA expert picks have Dallas as somewhat of a longshot, at +1600, to win the title. But, they will look to be active in the buyout market. If they can give enough minutes to Christian Wood, he can make a difference. His role has been a bit limited, so he hasn’t been able to impact the game we’ve seen him do in Houston over the prior couple of campaigns.
As for Phoenix, that Kevin Durant trade was a blockbuster, and it’s going to change a lot of NBA player stats. They sent Jae Crowder, Cam Johnson, Mikal Bridges, and four 1st-round picks to Brooklyn in exchange for KD and TJ Warren, who makes his Phoenix return.
The slim reaper is Phoenix’s newest star and their second big get in the past three years. Remember when they brought in Chris Paul a few years ago? He’s still here, along with Devin Booker. They can still compete.
The best part of it? The NBA schedule has these teams still yet to play all their matchups on the year. Irving vs. Durant is going to be keeping popcorn businesses active. Phoenix went from +1800 all the way up to +425 to win the title.
The Lakers Reload
Since Rob Pelinka took over for the Lakers, a lot of the moves he didn’t make (and made) have been heavily scrutinized by keyboard warriors. But with this NBA trade update, it shows that perhaps he came around.
After shipping out a number of underperforming players, he was able to bring in Malik Beasley, D’Angelo Russell, Jarred Vanderbilt, Mo Bamba, Davon Reed, and from a few weeks back, Rui Hachimura.
The NBA team stats for the Lakers are only going to get better. It has been tough at times, and they sit a few games out of the final play-in spot.
Things in the West have been extremely tight, so any game they win can go a long way. They have to actually implement their new players into the system, but they won their first game together, even with LeBron James on the sideline.
It does appear that the locker room chemistry is okay enough. It’s reminiscent of what the Cavs did when they re-tooled the whole roster at the 2018 trade deadline. As far as NBA matchups go, it’s still going to be a winnable game when teams see the Lakers. But, at least they’ll be more competitive.
Some Other Moves
The NBA trade update is far from finished. The Milwaukee Bucks made a splash by sending five second-round picks to the Nets in exchange for Jae Crowder, who they picked up in the KD trade.
It’s reminiscent of the Heat picking up Andre Iguodala from Memphis a few seasons back. He also hadn’t played a game with his team all season but was able to come in and make an impact. Crowder projects to play key bench minutes for a contender in Milwaukee.
The Knicks made only one trade, sending Cam Reddish and picks over to Portland in exchange for Josh Hart. He’s on his fourth team now and brings great rebounding ability from the guard position. He can play SG, SF, and also PF for his team.
If they feel like Obi Toppin isn’t getting it done, they simply plug Hart in, and things can run fine. And on the other side of it, Reddish started his first game for Portland, putting up 11-2-2 across 17 minutes. He will greatly improve their defense.
The Atlanta Hawks added Saddiq Bey in a four-team trade. The Warriors get Gary Payton II (though injured) back, Detroit adds James Wiseman, and Portland gets five second-round picks along with Kevin Knox.
The Pistons add another young big man they believe will have a big impact in the league. Atlanta gets another wing scorer. The Dubs get the key to their defense from a season ago back. Portland adds a fill-in scorer and more draft capital. It’s a win-win-win-win.
Utah Hands Sexton the Keys
By moving Mike Conley to the Timberwolves in the three-team D’Angelo Russell deal, the Jazz made the decision to have Collin Sexton become the starting point guard. He’s shown good things for them in a somewhat limited role this year, but he can finally join the first unit on a permanent basis.
Minnesota gets the veteran pass-first PG they long needed, while the Jazz opened up roster space. They also shipped Vanderbilt and Beasley out so that Ochai Agbaji could continue to make an impact.
The Utah Jazz, who were supposed to be ‘tanking’ to be in the Victor Wembenyama sweepstakes, are a play-in threat. And for their young core to get that chance, this season would be a huge opportunity.
It’s a team with an All-Star starter and a first-year center that has several games this season with at least seven blocks. They have an opportunity to be really good.
Because of trading Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert in the offseason, the Jazz are chock full of draft picks. It appears that hiring Danny Ainge to be their GM was a brilliant decision. He made magic happen in Boston, and it led to a title. The long game is the same for Utah. Ainge keeps them relevant for a long time by making the moves he did.
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