Thoughts on the NBA kicking off trade szn right
The first two trades of deadline season brought three teams quality returns but left me struggling to figure out where the fourth is going
With the February 10 trade deadline fast approaching, trade rumors were bound to heat up. Except, they didn’t just heat up. They actually materialized in the form of two fairly notable deals over the weekend.
First, on Friday, the LA Clippers traded Eric Bledsoe, Justise Winslow, Keon Johnson, and a future 2nd-round pick to the Portland Trail Blazers for Norman Powell and Robert Covington. Two days later, the Cleveland Cavaliers acquired Caris LeVert from the Indiana Pacers in exchange for Ricky Rubio, a lottery-protected 2022 1st-round pick, and two future 2nd-rounders.
As you can imagine, I have what to say about each of these deals. And rather than split it into two posts, I figured I’d just get it all out here. So, let’s start with the first deal.
LA loads up while Portland strips down
You can’t see it right now, but I’m currently giving the Clippers’ front office a standing ovation.
Nobody exactly knew what the Clippers would do at the deadline. Would they capitalize on a wasted year by clearing some space with an eye towards next season? Or try and load up even more for when Kawhi and PG eventually returned to the court?
That they went with the latter isn’t all that surprising. The ultimate goal of this team is to win a championship, even if the timeline was pushed back a year. But even then, trades require some give and take. You gotta give up something to get something. I figured any deal involving LA would include some of the names that have been floating around, including Serge Ibaka, Nicolas Batum, or maybe even Marcus Morris. I figured they’d have to stomach some sacrifice on their end. But they didn’t.
Johnson is a 19-year-old rookie who wasn’t going to move the needle. Winslow was a flier worth taking who had some flashes but was ultimately expendable. Bledsoe has been a solid backup point guard, but you can’t convince me he was brought in for his abilities more than his $3.9 million partially guaranteed contract next season.
What I’m saying is that the Clippers didn’t trade anyone they weren’t happy to give up. But it wasn’t just a move to open roster spots or clear some cap space. They brought back two players who could very realistically close out a playoff game.
Norman Powell is a capable on-ball scorer and off-ball shooter who averaged north of 18 points on more than 40 percent shooting from three both this year and last. He was miscast as a small forward/wing in Portland because the Blazers had no choice if they wanted to play him alongside Lillard and McCollum. Now, the 6’3’’ Powell can be better utilized and will torture opposing bench units.
Covington might not have been the answer to all of Portland’s defensive woes. He remains a quality help defender on account of his length and timing who will fit right into LA’s small-ball lineup. Plus, he shoots it well enough to command respect from beyond the arc.
The Clippers didn’t even have a 1st-round pick to trade and still got this deal done, which boosts an already deep team. That’s a great look for them. But given that the Blazers gave up two 1st-rounders to acquire Covington and parted with Gary Trent Jr. to bring in Powell, it makes you wonder what the hell is going on up in Portland.
Nothing about this return aligns with the goal of building a championship team around Lillard. I don’t care that it puts the Blazers below the luxury tax line. Owner Jody Allen is worth more than $20 billion. Plus, it’s not like that money will be used to lure in any free agents who can make the kind of impact Portland needs at the moment.
This was a deal meant to undo the mistakes Portland realized it made with bad asset management used to do it. They need to be building things up, not tearing them down, which is why I’m curious to see what happens between now and the deadline.
Cavs and Pacers make a fair deal
LeVert has always been heralded as a talented scorer who can average 20 points a night. Questions still persisted about the efficiency of such scoring and whether it was coming to the detriment of the entire offense.
With plenty of other options to turn to and after a 75-game trial, that was an experiment the Pacers were no longer interested in partaking in. Especially not when LeVert will be looking for a new deal in the summer of 2023. Maybe this is the first step in a much-needed full rebuild. If nothing else, it simplifies Indy’s rotations while refilling their asset cupboard in the process.
The Cavs are in a bit of a different spot. They’re ahead of schedule and trying to capitalize on it. Their 3rd-ranked defense isn’t the problem. It’s the 18th-ranked offense that’s suffered following the injuries to Collin Sexton and Ricky Rubio and is what’s hamstringing their chances of seizing the No. 1 spot in the East (They’re just 1 game out).
Draft picks mean less for a team that already has plenty of talent and has clearly transitioned into win-now mode. So that wasn’t much of a sacrifice for the Cavs. In return, they get a legitimate off-the-dribble scoring option on the wing, which is something they’ve desperately lacked.
Maybe LeVert fails to mesh in Cleveland and his ball-stopping isolation habits run against the incredible chemistry this team has built as a unit. If so, the Cavs can simply let him sign elsewhere next summer.
It would sting just a bit to let LeVert walk considering what was given up to acquire him. But with the East up for grabs and draft picks not doing much for this Cavs team now or moving forward, his sheer talent is a risk worth taking to try and capitalize on the opportunity in front of them while also potentially acquiring another piece for the bright future that lies ahead.