Typing, typing, typing something here. What I have to say is irrelevant... Who is going to fair the best after this highly active trade deadline? Memes are welcome. Analysis more so. Obnoxious retorts are the highest form of clutchfaning. You are what makes this place what it is: not special. Please post kindly. But for real: who out of these teams is worth while to pay attention to? LeBron and his last hoorah? CP3? DONchich? Clipland? Celtics (who shouldn't qualify due to inaction) , Warriors trying to run it back? Who made the best moves trade-wise?
Suns won. Lakers got better. Nets is still a solid team and got a good haul. Jazz ended up getting Lakers 2027 1st rd pick. And they don't have to put up with Russ very long. Picks that Rockets had eyes on but couldn't get. --+ As far as getting what they wanted, consolation goes to GSW. They came to their senses, got rid of Wiseman and saved money. In the meantime fleeced hawks for 2nd round picks and got Gary Payton II from the Blazers. Unless superstar trades, bulk 2nd rounds picks seems to be the new currency. Wiseman was reportedly really high on Troy Weaver's original draft board, so Troy thinks he can turn him around. Bey was also high on Weaver's board, and his ceiling didn't pan out and now shipped. Weaver is showing his misses as the "draft guy". Troy's athleticism bias over skills and bball IQ is not always good. Duren might be the most promising, but Troy's Wiseman bias might be their KPJ bias and delay their rebuild. Pistons / Casey has not dramatically increase the value and improve their bigs. Bagley, Stewart...and no-minutes-Noel. Instead of getting Wiseman, Pistons could have dealt Bey directly to Hawks for them 2nd Rd picks, which they can later trade with. Time will tell if they regret trying to rehab Wiseman.
While I think the Suns made the most significant addition, the Lakers started in a more pathetic position, and I think the Lakers could make a more substantive win % improvement with their changes. Lerbon will want to make a run now in the home stretch.
The team that gets the best player, no matter what they had to give up, is automatically the team that won. Suns were headed nowhere - CP3 and Booker are prone to injury (CP3 36/57 games played, Booker 30/57), Ayton is producing good numbers but seems to be coasting, and the Suns just seemed to be headed for good-but-not-great status. Kevin Durant changes the entire trajectory of the team. Although their bench could use a lot of work, CP3/Booker/KD/Ayton represents the 4-man group in the league. And as such, they should be near-favorites to contend. If the Mavs get non-erratic Kyrie, they could make a lot of noise. The Lakers got a lot of depth and frontcourt help. But even then, it's the Suns, hands down.
