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NBA Trade Deadline: Grading all 30 teams on their trades

By Josh Cornelissen

SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 09: Ben Simmons #25 of the Philadelphia 76ers dribbles the ball against the Sacramento Kings during the first half of an NBA basketball game at Golden 1 Center on February 09, 2021 in Sacramento, California. 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 Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 09: Ben Simmons #25 of the Philadelphia 76ers dribbles the ball against the Sacramento Kings during the first half of an NBA basketball game at Golden 1 Center on February 09, 2021 in Sacramento, California. 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 Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /
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NBA Trade Deadline
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA – DECEMBER 31: Domantas Sabonis #11 of the Indiana Pacers on the court in the game against the Chicago Bulls at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on December 31, 2021 in Indianapolis, Indiana, NBA Trade Deadline: Grading all 30 teams on their trades. 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 Justin Casterline/Getty Images) /

NBA Trade Deadline Grades: Sellers

San Antonio Spurs

The San Antonio Spurs never get involved at the NBA Trade Deadline, and this year was no….wait, what was that? The Spurs pulled off more deadline trades this season than in the last 25 years combined? Surely that isn’t true!

But it is, as the Spurs embraced the reality of their timetable and flipped veteran players for assets. Bryn Forbes became a second-rounder and Juancho Hernangomez, who in turn became another second and Tomas Satoransky.

Thaddeus Young and Drew Eubanks were flipped for Goran Dragic (who they intend to buy out) and a first from Toronto. Finally, they freed up space in the league’s most crowded two-guard room, trading Derrick White to the Boston Celtics for Josh Richardson, Romeo Langford, a 2022 first, and a 2028 first-round pick swap.

Ignoring the fact that Richardson and Langford are both twos (seriously, the Spurs horde them like the Apocalypse is coming and will wipe out shooting guards), the Spurs got back a stout amount of draft capital and are around the same level of team they were before. That’s a nice bit of work and deserves a strong grade.

Grade: A-

Portland Trail Blazers

Portland was one of the deadline’s most active teams, even if they didn’t actually do a deal on deadline day. A collection of veterans in Norman Powell, Robert Covington, CJ McCollum, and Larry Nance became a first-round pick, a collection of seconds, Josh Hart, and Keon Johnson (plus some other smaller pieces and matching salary).

The Portland Trail Blazers are outwardly maintaining that they are simply retooling the roster around Damian Lillard, but it’s obvious that they are tanking and preparing for some sort of a rebuild.

If Lillard commits to staying long-term, perhaps they flip their draft picks and young pieces for veterans, but this looks like it might be a slow-motion teardown. This time next year, Lillard could be elsewhere, and Portland could have a solid mound of assets with which to rebuild.

Grade: B+

Indiana Pacers

The Pacers have walked the treadmill of mediocrity for years; they haven’t picked in the top 10 in a draft since 1989. That will almost certainly change this season, as they lean into another injury-riddled season and tank for a top pick.

In the process, they moved a number of veterans at a high rate of return, sending out Caris LeVert and Domantas Sabonis (plus other veteran role players) in deals to bring back Tyrese Haliburton, an elite building block, plus a first and some lucrative seconds.

The Pacers can build around Haliburton and Myles Turner now, plus Chris Duarte and a couple of rookies come this June’s NBA Draft. They may finally have the high-end prospects to build a real young core, giving teams like Cleveland and Charlotte a run for their money down the road. No team outside the title picture had as good of a deadline as the Pacers.

Grade: A