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NBA Power Rankings Week 14: Trade deadline recap

By Corey Rausch

ORLANDO, FL - MARCH 23: Nikola Vucevic #9 of the Orlando Magic shoots the ball against the Denver Nuggets at Amway Center on March 23, 2021 in Orlando, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Alex Menendez/Getty Images)
ORLANDO, FL - MARCH 23: Nikola Vucevic #9 of the Orlando Magic shoots the ball against the Denver Nuggets at Amway Center on March 23, 2021 in Orlando, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Alex Menendez/Getty Images) /
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NBA trade deadline (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
NBA trade deadline (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) /

Previous: 27th. Cleveland Cavaliers. 26. team. 156. . 17-29

Last Week: Beat Toronto Raptors 116-105, Lost to Sacramento Kings 119-105, Beat Chicago Bulls 103-94, Lost to Los Angeles Lakers 100-86, Lost to Sacramento Kings 100-98

This Week: 3/29 at Utah Jazz, 4/1 vs. Philadelphia 76ers, 4/3 at Miami Heat

The Cleveland Cavaliers have finally thinned out their center rotation, moving on from JaVale McGee and Andre Drummond in different ways on the same day. One of the moves was a good bit of business that shows how teams that are not competing can use their cap space to accrue assets. The other was a concession that they did not know more than the rest of the market from a year ago.

First with McGee, Cleveland got deadline day started early by sending the veteran center to the Denver Nuggets for Isaiah Hartenstein and two second-round picks. After getting a second-round selection to take on McGee in the first place during the offseason the Cavs netted three selections for a solid locker room veteran spending 33 games in Cleveland.

Less smart, the Cavaliers traded for Andre Drummond at last year’s deadline, giving up two expiring contracts and a future second-round pick for a former two-time All-Star. Cleveland believed they could get something more for him once he opted in to his contract, much like they thought they could get something more for Kevin Love by giving him a five-year max contract. Love is now immovable and Drummond was sent home and bought out. Sometimes things never change.