NBA trade grades: Lakers get a D-; Knicks surprise with an A
The Los Angeles Lakers did nothing at the trade deadline. Ouch.
The New York Knicks were not only active they were impressive.
The Boston Celtics, who have the best record in the NBA and the top seed in the Eastern Conference by five games, made a savvy deal, and the Toronto Raptors positioned themselves to execute future deals.
The Oklahoma City Thunder and Minnesota Timberwolves – both with sights set on the top seed in the Western Conference – added to their rosters with the Thunder finding the kind of player who could be perfect for them.
Now, teams need to make the most of the deals they made.
Here are USA TODAY Sports’ NBA trade deadline grades:
NBA trade deadline grades
Los Angeles Lakers: D-
The Lakers are 27-25, in ninth place in the West and headed for another play-in game situation just to reach the playoffs. They are closer to 11th place and not making the playoffs than they are sixth place and a guaranteed spot. The status quo isn’t good enough to compete for a title, yet the Lakers failed to make a move at the trade deadline to improve the roster. Yes, it was a combination of a potential trade partner not wanting to give up a player for what the Lakers were offering and the Lakers not wanting to give up what the other team wanted in a trade. Regardless, the Lakers – 20th offensively and 14th defensively – are stuck with the same roster with 30 games remaining in the season, save for anyone they pick up in the buyout market, which historically has not yielded the kind of difference-maker the Lakers need.
Detroit Pistons: C-
The Pistons made a bunch of moves, trading Bojan Bogdanovic and Alec Burks to New York and Monte Morris to Minnesota. They acquired a bunch of players. But they didn’t get a first-round draft pick, they plan to waive Killian Hayes, the No. 7 pick in the 2020 draft, and it’s hard to see a clear direction from the franchise.
Boston Celtics: A-
The Celtics have the best starting five in the NBA (Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Derrick White, Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis) and have had solid help from a short bench. But they added forward Xavier Tillman from Memphis. Giving up Lamar Stevens and two second-round picks is a small price to pay to get a player like Tillman. He is a no-nonsense, low-maintenance blue-collar player who will rebound, defend and score (without calling plays for him) and goes to Boston with playoff experience. The league’s best team (39-12) just got better. Tillman is a restricted free agent after this season.
Oklahoma City Thunder: B+
With young stars Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren and the criminally underrated Jalen Williams, the Thunder are on an upward swing and didn’t want to disrupt the roster with a major move that impacted the present and future. They were able to do that by acquiring veteran and former All-Star forward Gordon Hayward from Charlotte. The Thunder are 35-16 and tied for first place in the West. They have added someone with experience who knows his role and knows how to be a team player. Hayward, a free agent after this season, averages 14.5 points. 4.7 rebounds and 4.6 assists and shoots 46.8% from the field this season.
New York Knicks: A
The sly New York Knicks were active in trade talks and got things started by acquiring OG Anunoby from Toronto in late December. The front office kept working the market and brought in Bojan Bogdanovic and Alec Burks from Detroit while giving up Quentin Grimes, Evan Fournier, Malachi Flynn, Ryan Arcidiacono and two future second-round picks. Building around All-Stars Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle, the Knicks, who are 33-18 and in fourth place in the East, a game behind second-place Cleveland, sense an opportunity to rise in the standings with Milwaukee struggling and Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid injured. Bogdanovic (20.2 points per game) and Burks (12.6 ppg) give the Knicks scoring they lost in the Anunoby deal when they traded RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley to Toronto. New York is 16-4 since acquiring Anunoby and just got better.
Charlotte Hornets: B
In trading P.J. Washington and Gordon Hayward, the Hornets acquired a first-round pick and Tre Mann and Vasilije Micic, players whom the Hornets will try to develop with potentially more playing time.
Philadelphia 76ers: B
The Sixers are in a tough spot with Embiid’s injury, but they addressed shooting, acquiring Buddy Hield from the Indiana Pacers and wrangling Cam Payne and a second-round pick from Milwaukee for Patrick Beverley.
Milwaukee Bucks: B-
The Bucks didn’t have much to offer, especially in the name of first-round draft picks, so they weren’t able to swing a deal for Bruce Brown or Kris Dunn. However, they addressed the need for perimeter defense with agitator Beverley. Milwaukee is struggling – just 1-4 under new coach Doc Rivers which has dropped them to a tie for third place with New York behind Cleveland and Boston in the East.
Phoenix Suns: B-
The Suns put all their chips in on Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal. The offseason moves beyond the Beal deal didn’t yield the production they needed so they made a move at the deadline getting Royce O’Neale from Brooklyn. O’Neale will provide solid shooting off the bench and should have better opportunities when on the court with one of Phoenix’s top three players.
Toronto Raptors: B+
The Raptors are reshaping their roster big-time. Since December, they have traded Pascal Siakam, OG Anunoby, Otto Porter Jr., Kira Lewis Jr., Thad Young and Dennis Schroder and acquired Brown, first-round and second-round draft picks. They decided not to trade Brown at Thursday’s deadline, and his contract (one year, $23 million remaining after this season) should give the Raptors another opportunity to procure assets in an offseason deal. The three first-round picks from Indiana in the Siakam deal give Toronto more options.
Utah Jazz: B
The Jazz gave up players who were getting minutes (Kelly Olynyk, Simone Fontecchio and Ochai Agbaji) but it might help Utah coach Will Hardy settle on a tighter rotation. The Jazz also acquired another first-round pick.
Minnesota Timberwolves: B
Minnesota acquired backcourt depth in Morris in a trade with Detroit. The Timberwolves didn’t have to do much, and they didn’t have a lot of assets to work with, but this is a small move that provides insurance for a team that shares the best record in the West.
Memphis Grizzlies: C
The horrible start to the season with Ja Morant, who missed the first 25 game due to suspension and then suffered a season-ending injury, coupled with other injuries (Steven Adams, Brandon Clarke) forced Memphis to look ahead. As a result, they traded big men Steven Adams and Xavier Tillman. Both were solid contributors, although Adams is out for the season.
Dallas Mavericks: B+
Dallas is 22nd defensively, and as Washington plots its future, Daniel Gafford became available. The 6-10 center averages 10.9 points, 8.0 rebounds, 2.2 blocks and 1.0 steals and gives the Mavericks some defensive help and rim protection. P.J. Washington, who came to Dallas in a trade with Charlotte, will give a solid offense another option.
Indiana Pacers: B
The Pacers’ big move came last month when they acquired Siakam. While they are just 5-6 since trading for him, the two-time All-Star has made an impact offensively and defensively.
Los Angeles Clippers: A
The Clippers didn’t make a move at the deadline, but shortly after the season, they traded for James Harden who wanted out of Philadelphia. The Clippers are 31-14 with Harden and right there with Oklahoma City, Minnesota and Denver for the top seed in the West.
Follow NBA reporter Jeff Zillgitt on social media @JeffZillgitt