Didn’t know what to expect from this year’s trade deadline, that includes the week(s) leading up to the actual day. When it was all said and done, some teams that needed to make moves did and others who should’ve made moves didn’t. By all means, teams can still add players via the waiver wire, once players get bought out (released) from their contracts. As long as a team claims/signs the player before March 1^st, they’re playoff eligible.

Here’s how the transactions went down and who won the deals…

Los Angeles Lakers get: Isiah Thomas (G); Fhanning Frye (F); Cleveland’s 2018 first-round pick (protected)
Cleveland Cavaliers get: Jordan Clarkson (G); Larry Nance Jr. (F)
Winner: Both! The Cavaliers needed to make moves in order to maintain their presence in the Eastern Conference. They remove Isaiah Thomas who clearly was not working in their system, on and off the court. In return they obtain a great young point guard in Clarkson, who’s having a wonderful season and also add Nance, a young and upcoming player. Both former Lakers add youth and size to the Cavs. The Lakers did well as they will clear cap space this off season as they will not resign Thomas, who becomes a free agent. Remember, they have their point guard of the future already in Lonzo Ball. They gain additional cap space with Frye, as he also becomes a free agent in the summer. Lakers will more than likely waive Frye to allow him to resign with a contender. These additional pieces coming off the Lakers book may gain them two max contract players this summer, or the summer of 2019, depending on how things play out. Also gaining a first-round pick is a bonus which adds more young talent and assets.

Cleveland Cavaliers get: Rodney Hood (G); George Hill (G)
Utah Jazz get: Derrick Rose (G); Jae Crowder (F)
Sacramento Kings get: Joe Johnson (G); Iman Shumpert (G); 2020 second-round pick (via Miami)
Winner: Cleveland! Again, the Cavs had to make moves. Hill adds size, scoring and defence.  Hood is a great young player, who’s a true scorer and sets them up for the future, regardless of what LeBron James decides this off season. Utah will more than likely waive Rose and get a good defensive player in Crowder. Not sure what Sacramento is doing as they will waive Johnson and get an average player in Shumpert. Seems like they really wanted to get rid of the George Hill contract.

Miami Heat get: Dwayne Wade (G)
Cleveland Cavaliers get: Second-round pick (protected)
Winner: Miami! DWade going home… never should’ve left in the first place! This gives the Heat another scorer, veteran leadership and someone who knows coach Spoelstra’s system.

New York Knicks get: Emmanuel Mudiay (G)
Denver Nuggets get: Devin Harris (G); 2018 second-round pick (worse of LA Clippers and Knicks)
Dallas Mavericks get: Doug McDermott (F); Future second-round pick from Denver (via Portland)
Winner: Slight edge to New York! They get a good young guard in Mudiay who needed a change of scenery and who wasn’t going to get minutes in Denver, with a lot of young talent ahead of him on the floor.

Phoenix Suns get: Elfrid Payton (G)
Orlando Magic get: 2018 second-round pick
Winner: Phoenix! Taking a gamble on what was supposed to be a good player. Trading a future second round pick for a former top 10 pick is a no brainer. Coach Triano is great with young talent. Maybe he turns it around with the young nucleus in the dessert.

Miami Heat get: Luke Babbitt (F)
Atlanta Hawks get: Okaro White (F)
Winner: Next.

Toronto Raptors get: Malachi Richardson (F)
Sacramento Kings get: Bruno Caboclo (F)
Winner: Toronto! For the only reason they gain slight cap flexibility this off season by not having to resign Caboclo to a qualifying offer of his rookie contract. Although don’t be surprised if Raptors President Masai Ujiri signs him in the off season to a G League contract, at a fraction of what he would’ve paid.

Brooklyn Nets get: Dante Cunningham (F)
New Orleans Pelicans get: Rashad Vaughn (G)
Winner: Next.

Chicago Bulls get: Noah Vonleh (F); cash considerations
Portland Trail Blazers get: Rights to Milovan Rakovic (C)
Winner: Portland! Gain slight cap flexibility.

Detroit Pistons get: James Ennis (F)
Memphis Grizzlies get: Brice Johnson (F)
Winner: Even!

Detroit Pistons get: Jameer Nelson (G); Chicago’s 2022 second-round pick
Chicago Bulls get: Willie Reed (C); Detroit’s 2022 second-round pick
Winner: Even!

Charlotte Hornets get: Willy Hernangomez (C)
New York Knicks get: Johnny O’Bryant (F); Two future second-round picks
Winner: Charlotte! Not sure why the Knicks would want to get rid of a good young player who up to last year was considered one of their young core pieces moving towards the future. Obviously, the Knicks always know better than anyone else.

Milwaukee Bucks get: Tyler Zeller (C)
Brooklyn Nets get: Rashad Vaughn (G); 2018 protected second-round pick
Winner: Milwaukee! They need size up front and Zeller’s a good young inexpensive piece coming off the bench.

New Orleans Pelicans get: Nikola Mirotic (F); 2018 second-round pick
Chicago Bulls get: Omer Asik (C); Tony Allen (G); Jameer Nelson (G); 2018 first-round pick (protected); Rights to swap second-round picks in 2021
Winner: New Orleans! Mirotic adds additional scoring to a hopeful playoff bound Pelicans team. He’s under contract for next season, so if they resign DeMarcus Cousins, they’ll have a good nucleus alongside Anthony Davis and Jrue Holiday.

Detroit Pistons get: Blake Griffin (F); Brice Johnson (F); Willie Reed (C)
Los Angeles Clippers get: Tobias Harris (F); Avery Bradley (G); Boban Marjanovic (C); 2018 first-round pick (protected); 2019 second-round pick
Winner: Slight edge to Detroit! Yes, the Pistons get the best player in the deal, however the Clippers dump salary and may allow them to rebuild, or re-tweak on the fly.

 

*Trade information from the Feb. 8th NBA deadline courtesy of espn.com (unless otherwise cited).