NBA trade deadline: Breaking down Porzingis deal, Ibaka swap, and more
NBA teams had until 3 p.m. ET Thursday to wheel and deal after what's already been a wild trade deadline week. theScore's NBA feature writers, Joseph Casciaro and Joe Wolfond, break down every deal.
Sixers get their superstar
76ers receive: James Harden, Paul Millsap
Nets receive: Ben Simmons, Seth Curry, Andre Drummond, 2022 1st-round pick, 2027 protected 1st-rounder
Daryl Morey and the 76ers dragged it out as long as they possibly could this season, but in the end, Philadelphia landed the superstar-caliber talent Joel Embiid deserves.
It's a lot to give up for an aging, unpredictable, sometimes cantankerous star whose contract status was up in the air, but Harden's relationship with Morey surely played a part in The Beard reportedly already opting into the final year of his contract next season.
While Harden's floor has looked significantly lower this season than in past years, he still has the top gear of a bona fide superstar. The 32-year-old has recorded seven games of 30-plus points and 10-plus assists this season and is averaging 22.5 points, 10.2 assists, and eight rebounds in a "down" year.
Adding that kind of game-changing presence to a team with an MVP-level star playing some of the best big-man basketball the league has ever seen equals immediate championship contention.
Millsap fell out of Brooklyn's rotation after an underwhelming start to the season, an absence for personal reasons, and time in health and safety protocols, but he's a veteran big man with some defensive versatility, if nothing else.
As for the Nets, it's easy to mock the team for selling the farm for 16 games of Harden, Kevin Durant, and Kyrie Irving, but if Harden had one foot out the door anyway (as his lackluster recent effort indicated), this is a stellar return for Brooklyn.
Simmons' half-court creation issues and shooting woes are mitigated on a team with Durant and Irving (when Kyrie's available), and he'll give the Nets a defensive upside that this version of the team has never known. If Simmons has remained in something close to game shape and can wreak havoc on the defensive end - while getting the Nets out in transition - by the time the playoffs begin, Brooklyn still has the goods to compete for a title, just in a different manner than it had originally planned.
Curry, meanwhile, remains one of the game's elite shooters and is playing the best overall basketball of his career. The 31-year-old will play well off of Durant and Irving, can create for himself while making space for the team's stars to operate, and has improved as a playmaker.
And although it's obviously not the same haul of picks the Nets surrendered for Harden 13 months ago, acquiring two first-rounders in this blockbuster helps restock Brooklyn's bare draft-capital cupboards. - Casciaro
Mavs ship Porzingis to Wizards in baffling deal
Wizards acquire: Kristaps Porzingis
Mavericks acquire: Spencer Dinwiddie, Davis Bertans
The most stunning move of the day saw Dallas and Washington swap a trio of sketchy contracts, but this trade makes the least amount of sense for the Mavericks.
The only logical explanation from Dallas' perspective is that Porzingis' ailing right knee - which has kept him out of six straight games - remains a cause for concern after the big man had it surgically repaired in August. That possibility, plus Porzingis' $36-million player option two years from now, would make getting rid of his contract a worthwhile endeavor on the whole. But Porzingis was playing his best basketball in years when healthy this season, having regained some of the defensive mojo he lost after tearing his right ACL in 2018, and the Mavs already didn't have many ways to meaningfully improve around Luka Doncic. That makes this return an abomination.
Dinwiddie (and the ever-improving Jalen Brunson) should provide some sorely needed secondary creation and playmaking behind Doncic, and the veteran guard's contract is only fully guaranteed for one more season after this year, but Dinwiddie's individual offense has been a trainwreck since returning from a knee injury of his own that required surgery last season. Since breaking out to average 20.6 points two years ago, Dinwiddie has averaged 12.3 points while shooting 43.3% from 2-point range and 30.9% on five 3-point attempts per game.
Dinwiddie's also a poor defender, but he's nowhere near as bad on that end of the court as Bertans, whose contract has $49 million and three years remaining on it after this season (though not all of his 2024-25 salary is guaranteed). Bertans' shooting has torpedoed this season (31.9% from deep), but even if he reverts to the career 40% 3-point shooter we're used to seeing, his contract is still an albatross.
A defensively competent Mavs team can arguably afford to swap some defense for offense right now, but even so, you can't spin this particular trade as anything but a head-scratcher for Dallas. - Casciaro
Theis back to Boston, Schroder out
Celtics acquire: Daniel Theis
Rockets acquire: Dennis Schroder, Enes Freedom (waived), Bruno Fernando
Boston could afford to move Schroder after acquiring Derrick White earlier in the day, and in doing so managed to bring back Theis, who started at center for the 2019-20 Celtics team that came just two wins short of The Finals.
Theis is closer to fine than good at this point, but he knows the Celtics' system and personnel well, and he's an enormous defensive upgrade over what Boston was getting from Freedom as its backup center (or third-string center, depending on how you'd classify Al Horford and whether he stays in the starting lineup once White arrives).
For the Rockets, this was all about getting out from under Theis' contract, which has a guaranteed two years and $18 million left on it beyond this season. He never really fit in Houston, and the Rockets would surely love to give his minutes to their young frontcourt players. They've already waived Freedom and may well buy out Schroder as well; he's another player who doesn't seem to fit with a rebuilding team that needs to spread out ball-handling duties. - Wolfond
Trez goes to Charlotte
Hornets acquire: Montrezl Harrell
Wizards acquire: Vernon Carey, Ish Smith, 2nd-round pick
The Hornets have long been in the market for center help. At the same time, Harrell isn't exactly the type of center you expected them to go after considering their limitations. Charlotte ranks 24th in defense, and rim protection has been a huge part of the problem. There's a reason the Hornets popped up so often in Myles Turner and Jakob Poeltl rumors. Harrell does a lot of great things, but protecting the rim isn't one of them.
That said, if guys like Turner, Poeltl, and Richaun Holmes weren't available (or at least weren't available at a price Charlotte was comfortable with), Harrell was still worth acquiring at this minimal cost. He's been one of the two best bench bigs in the league this season, and he's an absolutely murderous pick-and-roll finisher who runs the floor like a madman. He should find himself on the receiving end of plenty of LaMelo Ball dimes both in the half court and in transition. If you can't address a weakness, you might as well double down on a strength, and that's what Charlotte did.
Carey, who the Hornets picked 32nd overall in 2020, has barely played and didn't seem to have a long-term role despite an intriguing tool set. Smith's departure leaves them with no backup point guard, but his minimal production in that spot means they should be able to replace him internally (or on the buyout market) without too much difficulty.
It's a little disappointing from the Wizards' end that they couldn't get more here, but maybe they see untapped upside in Carey (who's still only 20), and that second-rounder could prove to be decent. For a player on an expiring deal with well-known playoff limitations, it seems that was the best they could do. - Wolfond
Suns re-acquire Craig, land Holiday in separate deals
Suns acquire: Torrey Craig, Aaron Holiday
Pacers acquire: Jalen Smith, 2nd-round pick
Wizards acquire: Cash considerations
Given the Suns' league-best record and desire to finish what they started in a surprise run to the NBA Finals last season, a win-now move is understandable. Bringing back Craig, a solid role player whose defense was a nice component of their great bench lineups last season, also makes sense for Phoenix. But the team's asset management leaves a lot to be desired. After watching Craig sign a $10-million, two-year deal with the Pacers last summer, the Suns have surrendered 2020 top-10 pick Smith to re-acquire the veteran swingman.
Holiday's a solid defensive point guard who's a better shooter than he's shown this season, but he'll be hard-pressed to find much playing time in Phoenix. Although the 25-year-old is a fine depth piece, Holiday and Craig represent an underwhelming haul for a contender looking to put itself over the top. Then again, perhaps a team on pace for 66 wins doesn't need much more than additional depth.
It's a no-brainer for the Pacers, however, as rebuilding Indiana continues to maximize the value of veterans it didn't envision as part of its future. Smith hasn't gotten the opportunity to truly flourish, but a six-game stretch from late December through early January that saw him average more than 15 points, 10 rebounds, and a block likely piqued league-wide interest. The 21-year-old is also a great offensive rebounder. - Casciaro
Spurs send White to Boston
Celtics acquire: Derrick White
Spurs acquire: Josh Richardson, Romeo Langford, 2022 1st-round pick (top-4 protected), 2028 1st-round pick swap
This is a fantastic addition for the Celtics, who have been steamrolling everything in their path, own the best point differential in the East, and now look like a real threat in a bunched-up conference.
White is one of the league's best and most versatile perimeter defenders. He's capable of guarding 1 through 3, containing dribble penetration, chasing overtop of screens, stoning bigger players in the post, and blowing stuff up with alert help-side rotations. He's an elite charge-taker who'll be playing next to another elite charge-taker in Marcus Smart, and those two will form arguably the most formidable (and inarguably the most annoying) defensive backcourt in the NBA. All this for a team that already ranks third in defensive efficiency.
And while White makes his bones on defense, he brings plenty of pop on the other end as well. He's a capable ball-handler, a solid pick-and-roll playmaker, and a strong driver who gets to the basket regularly - something Boston's notoriously rim-averse offense can really use. The one thing that hasn't been there for him recently is his 3-point shot; he's connecting on just 31.4% of his long-range attempts this season after hitting close to 37% two seasons ago. If that jumper rebounds even a little bit, he can really swing the fortunes of a Celtics team that ranks 22nd in 3-point percentage and 18th in offense overall. White's also squarely in his prime at 27 and under contract at a reasonable price tag for three more years after this one. It's a perfect move to balance short- and long-term objectives.
Richardson has been a nice piece off of Boston's bench this season, but he's on an expiring contract and White is plainly better. The draft pick is likely to wind up in the 18-22 range, and Langford has been extremely underwhelming since the Celtics selected him 14th overall in 2019. The pick swap in 2028 could wind up being the most valuable chip here, but Boston is right not to worry about that while trying to build a contender around two 25-and-under stars. So, while it makes sense for the rebuilding Spurs to accumulate future assets (this is the second '22 first-rounder they've acquired today), the cost winds up feeling pretty light for the Celtics. - Wolfond
Thad goes north of the border
Raptors acquire: Thaddeus Young, Drew Eubanks, 2022 2nd-round pick (via Pistons)
Spurs acquire: Goran Dragic, 2022 1st-round pick (lottery protected)
The Raptors continue their quest to build their entire team out of defensively versatile playmaking power forwards, and they add two more bodies to their already outrageous stockpile of 6-foot-8-and-9 guys. By my count, this bumps them up to 11 such players. It's … pretty outrageous. Young is good, but he's 33 and on an expiring deal. Given the Raptors' continued lack of guard depth and complete absence of a traditional center, it's fair to wonder whether this was the best use of their big trade bullet (i.e. Dragic's expiring contract with draft-pick equity attached).
Young's passing and cutting should help grease the wheels for a Raptors bench that's been offensively calamitous. He should fit in nicely with the team's flexible defensive identity. Eubanks is fine, but it's easy to see him getting squeezed out of the team's frontcourt logjam, with at least three bench bigs - Chris Boucher, Precious Achiuwa, and Khem Birch - figuring to slot in ahead of him on the depth chart. Neither player addresses the team's need for shooting (they're a combined 1-for-13 on 3-pointers and 5-for-24 on non-paint twos this season), though they could help on the rebounding front. Young, especially, jives with Toronto's offensive-glass-crashing proclivities.
The pick swap is interesting here. The Pistons' second-rounder should come somewhere between 31st and 33rd, and the Raptors' first-rounder currently projects to land at 20th. That's a really nice piece of business for the Spurs and pretty reasonable (if unsexy) from Toronto's side of things. What the Raptors have really done here is trade down about 10-12 spots in the draft to turn Dragic's dormant roster spot into something useful while giving themselves a bit more wiggle room under the tax. And, y'know, adding more infantry to the 6-foot-9 army. - Wolfond
Ibaka, DiVincenzo, Bagley involved in 4-team trade
Bucks acquire: Serge Ibaka, two future 2nd-round picks, cash
Kings acquire: Donte DiVincenzo, Trey Lyles, Josh Jackson
Pistons acquire: Marvin Bagley
Clippers acquire: Rodney Hood, Semi Ojeleye
Ibaka's no longer the overall defender he once was, but he's a floor-spacing big who can score inside (74.3% within 3 feet) and out (38.7% from deep) and still provides decent rim protection. Considering how little Milwaukee was getting from DiVincenzo or Ojeleye this season, this is an upgrade in the short term for the defending champions, and Ibaka's expiring contract carries little risk. Selling low on DiVincenzo (to avoid his upcoming free agency) for whatever Ibaka has left in the tank could come back to bite the Bucks, however.
Given how desperate Bagley was for a fresh start, and how unsalvageable his situation in Sacramento appeared, the Kings turning him into DiVincenzo isn't terrible business. But that's contingent on the former Buck regaining his form and the Kings retaining him this summer. DiVincenzo has looked awful offensively since returning from a serious ankle injury, but he's a defensive menace who projects as an impact player for years to come if he can become a more consistent shooter.
Given how early it remains in Detroit's rebuilding effort, it's sensible for the Pistons to take a flier on Bagley without surrendering anyone involved in their future plans. The 22-year-old big man should get plenty of opportunity to prove he deserves Detroit's commitment in free agency this summer.
The Clippers' side of this deal is more about the financial details than what happens on the court. However, given what the team's playing for this season without Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, and the pieces L.A. already acquired over the last week, saving on its tax bill and creating a fair-sized trade exception makes a ton of sense. - Casciaro
Jazz get Alexander-Walker from Blazers in 3-team deal
Jazz acquire: Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Juancho Hernangomez
Trail Blazers acquire: Joe Ingles, Elijah Hughes, 2027 second-round pick
Spurs acquire: Tomas Satoransky, 2022 second-round pick (via Grizzlies)
This one's a bit of a head-scratcher for most of the parties involved. The Spurs get a pick that projects to land at No. 57 in this year's draft as payment for absorbing Satoransky's contract for the rest of the season, which, sure, why not. But for Utah and especially Portland, this deal feels a tad disappointing.
In a vacuum, getting Alexander-Walker for the injured Ingles and a pair of low-end draft assets - one being the aforementioned late second-round pick - is a solid move. The top-heavy Jazz needed bench help even before Ingles tore his ACL, and they're getting a 23-year-old combo guard with size who's flashed nifty change-of-pace craft and sporadic shot-making ability. But Alexander-Walker has struggled badly at both ends of the floor this season, plagued by questionable shot selection, poor at-rim finishing, and ball-watching on defense. He's currently shooting 43% from 2-point range and 31% from deep.
Alexander-Walker is worth investing in long-term, but it's unclear how much present-day help he can provide a team that's vying for a championship right now, especially given his stylistic overlap with Jordan Clarkson. He certainly won't do much to help Utah's leaky perimeter defense. Again, at the price the Jazz paid, it's a good acquisition that could pay dividends down the road. Plugging Alexander-Walker into their offensive system could be great for his development. But for this season, it seemed like they could've gotten a more impactful contributor in exchange for Ingles' expiring contract and picks (especially if they'd been willing to put their 2026 first-rounder on the table). Jerami Grant was never a realistic possibility, but someone like Nic Batum, Robert Covington, Eric Gordon, or Thaddeus Young could've helped this team a lot more.
The most vexing part of this deal is Portland's side. Contrary to the Jazz, the Blazers aren't playing for anything this season - in fact, they have a vested interest in losing games. In other words, they were in an ideal position to let Alexander-Walker play through his struggles and see what they had in him. Instead, they flipped one of the main pieces of their CJ McCollum return in exchange for a distant second and a fringe rotation player. It's possible they really see something in Hughes - a theoretical 3-and-D wing - that he hasn't gotten to showcase in his 176 career NBA minutes. But it also feels like they just used this as an opportunity to shed Satoransky's salary in continuation of what's been a massive cost-cutting endeavor at this deadline. - Wolfond