5 underrated acquisitions from the 2023 NBA Trade Deadline

The 2023 NBA Trade Deadline was undoubtedly the most exciting deadline in recent memory.

Teams across the association made plenty of blockbuster moves, most notably the Brooklyn Nets trading Kevin Durant to the Phoenix Suns and Kyrie Irving to the Dallas Mavericks. Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Lakers got a handful of complementary pieces to help them in their title chase. While adding players like Durant would obviously help, not every team had that luxury. Other franchises made moves that fit their plans, and there were several underrated deals that came out of it. With that said, let us look at five trades that fit the description.

1. Mike Muscala, Boston Celtics

Sitting atop the Eastern Conference, the Boston Celtics were not expected to make too many big moves before the deadline. They opted to trade Justin Jackson and a pair of second round picks for veteran big man Mike Muscala. The Celtics could have used another big man to bolster their depth, and Muscala fit the profile, so this was a solid pickup.

The appeal with Musala was easy to see for the Celtics. Not only is the veteran another big body at 6-foot-10, but he’s one of the most reliable shooters in the league for a player of that size. For his career, Muscala has knocked down 38 percent of his triples on 2.6 attempts per game. Adding him would add another strong 3-point shooter to this Boston offense. Since the move, the results are already paying off for the Celtics. In two games, he is averaging 11 points while shooting a red-hot 46.2 percent from behind the arc.

Considering they traded a player who was not featured heavily in the rotation and a pair of second rounders, this deal was a major win for the Celtics.