Jaren Jackson Jr. #8 of the Memphis Grizzlies was dealt to Utah at the NBA trade deadline.
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Jaren Jackson Jr. #8 of the Memphis Grizzlies was dealt to Utah at the NBA trade deadline.
In some corners of the NBA, there was a concern that the whole league and the entire NBA trade deadline would wind up waiting on the will-they/won’t-they dynamic in Milwaukee, but by Tuesday, it was clear that more than a few teams had run out of patience.
Already, there have been blockbusters, starting with the Jazz’s acquisition of Jaren Jackson Jr., the former Grizzlies big man who was quietly shopped this season and Memphis seeks a full-blown reboot. The addition of Jackson to a mix that already includes center Walker Kessler and forward Lauri Markkanen raised the possibility that either Kessler or Markkanen could be put on the trade block, as teams have been hoping.
But that is a no-go, at least not here at the deadline. The Jazz want to keep Markkanen (7-foot-1) and Jackson (6-foot-10) for sure, and while they’re not going to trade Kessler (7-foot-2) now, it is expected that several teams (the Wizards rumored among them) will make a run at him in restricted free agency this summer. He’ll either stick in Utah long-term, or be a sign-and-trade chip this summer.
NBA Trade Deadline Has High Giannis Antetokounmpo Drama
The drama has built on Giannis Antetkounmpo as well, amid reports that he might shy away from sticking with the aging Warriors on a long-term extension. Golden State was considered a frontrunner for the Bucks star, but unless Stephen Curry gets on the phone and persuades Antetokounmpo to head to the Bay, the Warriors will scramble to find another deal.
There was talk that the Cavaliers could get involved, but that was always going to be a complicated deal to piece together, and with Cleveland now eyeing James Harden, that NBA trade deadline rumor has fizzled.
Now, it appears that Antetokounmpo’s fascination with teaming up with Anthony Edwards in Minnesota is catching more attention. The Timberwolves cleared out Mike Conley in a trade with the Bulls and Pistons, but Minnesota still needs to ramp up its potential outgoing package to Milwaukee, which is thin at best–a package of Naz Reid, Jaden McDaniels and Donte DiVincenzo with no first-round picks on hand.
Minnesota would need to draw in a third team (or more) to accumulate first-round picks, but while McDaniels will draw a first-rounder, and maybe even two, it will be tougher to find homes for Reid and DiVincenzo that will yield the picks the Bucks need and still allow Milwaukee to acquire players, too. The Wolves just don’t seem to have enough to get a deal over the finish line.
Miami remains the strongest bet, with young players, draft picks and expiring contracts–if Antetokounmpo is dealt by Thursday. Remember, the Bucks could easily wait.
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GettyGiannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks is still the king of the NBA trade deadline.
Celtics Make Surprise Move, Bulls Ready for More
The Celtics‘ deal for Nikola Vucevic was seen as a surprise to many because the team’s starting center, Neemias Queta, had seemed to show enough to warrant keeping his job, and Boston appeared to like the contributions from Anfernee Simons, who was sent to Chicago.
But the Celtics ultimately valued roster balance, and Vucevic brings that. He’s 35, in the final year of his contract, and averages 16.9 points, 9.0 rebounds and is shooting 37.6% from the 3-point line. He is averaging 30.8 minutes, but that is expected to come down as Boston still wants Queta on the floor.
The Bulls have an embarrassment of guards after acquiring Simons, Conley and Jaden Ivey on Tuesday. Expect Conley to be waived, and the Bulls could seek to stick Simons into a re-trade before the deadline. But the expectation is that guard Ayo Dosunmu will be on the move, and perhaps Coby White, too.
White remains a fallback for the Timberwolves. Dosunmu has drawn interest from multiple teams, including the Warriors and Knicks.
No Bridges at NBA Trade Deadline
The Hornets do not appear ready to trade Miles Bridges, and teams that showed interest in him were never going to give up real assets–in part because of the baggage Bridges carries going back to the four-year-old charges that were brought against him for domestic violence, charges that yielded a 30-game suspension even though the legal case was later dropped.
Bridges has a manageable contract, at $25 million this season and $22.8 million for next. But he comes with potential PR damage that scared off the Warriors, among other teams, or at least pushed them to get the Hornets to give a discount.
“You can decide if you want him as a player, but there are places where it is just not going to be pretty if you trade him there,” the executive said. “He is still too toxic for a lot of places. Your owner is probably going to need to be convinced there won’t be backlash and that he has fully apologized, all of that. You’ve got to be ready for a lot of negative PR, and that is a factor in anyone making a trade for him.”