Rockets, Hawks, T Wolves and Nuggets mega trade
The Rockets get Bob Covington, a 2nd round pick and Jordan Bell (plus get under the luxury tax). They lose Clint Capela and Nene plus an injured Gerald Green. The Hawks get Capela and Nene (already waived him). They lose a 1st round pick, a 2nd round pick and Evan Turner (wasn’t playing much). The T Wolves get Turner, a first round pick, Jarred Vanderbilt, Juan Hernangomez and Malik Beasley. They lose Covington, Shabazz Napier, Bell, Noah Vonleh and Keita Bates-Diop. The Nuggets get Green (likely waive), Bates-Diop, Vonleh, Napier and a first round pick. The Nuggets lose Hernangomez, Beasley and Vanderbilt.
The Rockets are going all in on small ball (6 foot 7 inch Covington will likely be the tallest starter). Covington or 6 foot 5 inch PJ Tucker will guard centers. Apparently the Rockets were playing less pick and roll so Capela was less valuable to them. Covington was a coveted trade piece as a good shooting 3 and D wing. Rockets are still shopping for a center, for now Bell will likely be the second string center. Hawks get a nice pick and roll center to pair with Tre Young and can move John Collins to his more natural power forward spot. We like a Hawks lineup of: Young, Huerter, Hunter, Collins and Capela. Minnesota is trying to get younger shooters with Beasley and Hernangomez, who were not playing for the deep Nuggets and the T Wolves can potentially re-sign them this summer. Denver gets a first round pick, (they lost theirs in Jerami Grant deal), and may be able to groom Bates-Diop or Vonleh to be a backup big. I feel like the Rockets could still add Tristin Thompson to be the starting center if they do that then they would be in a great spot to compete in the West. Denver is very interesting to me because they could possibly add someone like a Jrue Holliday to elevate themselves in the West. The Lakers could do something the Clippers could do something (Marcus Morris?) The t wolves are still trying to get themselves D’angelo Russel to pair him with Kat while the Hawks have gotten someone that fits them very well in Capela.
Kings send disgruntled center Dewayne Dedmond and 2 second round picks to the Hawks for Jabari Parker and Alex Len
Dedmond wanted out of Sac as he was playing behind Holmes, Bagley and Giles. He will now be a nice backup to Capela for the Hawks who will still have close to $50MM to spend this summer. Parker is a good scorer (but defensive liability) who is currently injured (shoulder). We guess Len will be waived by the Kings. The Kings free up funds to re-sign coveted two guard Bogdonovic this summer. the Kings are trying to build around D’aron fox and Bogdonovic and get younger assets going forward while the Hawks get deeper/more experienced at center.
Warriors trade Alec Burks and Glenn Robinson to the Sixers for three future draft picks
The Warriors are now close to getting under the luxury tax which will allow them to avoid the penalizing repeater tax next season when Steph, Klay, Draymond and perhaps DeAngelo Russell are all back. Philly needs shooting and Burks (84 made threes) and Robinson (40% from 3, 6 foot 6 inches who can defend multiple positions) give them that. Philly needs to waive two players as a result of this deal. Warriors will probably add two of their G league guys to close out this “taking a year off due to injury” season. The Sixers are a mess right now they did not have enough shooting and if they don’t make it to the conference finals, which I don’t believe they will, they should trade either Embiid or Simmons in the offseason. The Warriors are trying to get assets to help them for next season when the Big 3 come back. I do not believe that Deangelo Russell will be back after this summer, he could be packaged with these picks for a legit small forward.
Memphis finally trades 36 year old Andre Iguodala, gets 23 year old Justice Winslow in return
This trade may be expanded to include Danilo Galinari, Jae Crowder, Soloman Hill and others/picks? but for now we can say for sure that Iggy is “taking his talents to South Beach” for the rest of this season and two more ($30MM over two years with last year not guaranteed). Iggy gives the Heat playoff experience, playmaking, good defense and shooting off the bench while Winslow (slowed by concussions and back issues this year) brings a team friendly $13MM contract next year, (with team option for the following year), to the Grizzlies. The Grizzlies, (13-3 in their last 16 games), need a younger small forward and Winslow should fit very well with Morant, Jackson, Brooks and Valancunis. Even without Galinari the addition of Iggy vaults the Heat to #2 in the East in our minds. I believe that if Miami is able to pull off a 3 team trade and get Galinari they would be a very tough opponent for Milwaukee in the eastern conference finals-the Heat would be very deep with a good mix of young guys and veterans-should be a nice locker room as well. Miami might end up being the winners of this trade deadline. Memphis is trying to assemble more assets to build off this surprisingly strong year. OKC, like Memphis trying to get more assets to help them going forward while trying to make the playoffs this season. Miami is really putting themselves in the conversation in the east.
