3 Wild Trades Took Place Days Before NBA Trade Deadline
The NBA trade deadline is on February 5, and on February 3, several teams engaged in substantial blockbuster moves. There was no Giannis Antetokounmpo trade, at least not yet, but a huge surprise went down in the Western Conference, and a couple of other interesting moves would've had you believe it was the actual deadline. It may or may not heat up from there, but there's a good chance the deadline ends up being pretty wild. Here's what went down.
Memphis Grizzlies part with Jaren Jackson Jr. in NBA trade
The most surprising trade of the day, and what may remain the most surprising deal of the deadline, was the Memphis Grizzlies trading Jaren Jackson Jr. Moving on from him, which essentially means the Grizzlies are tearing it down, is not a huge surprise. He has value and they're going nowhere. The Utah Jazz trading for him is what makes it so shocking.
The Jazz aren't very good, and while Jackson will make them better, they parted with three first-round picks and Walter Clayton Jr., who was a first-round pick last year. They essentially gave up four first-rounders for Jackson. He's a good player, but he's probably not quite that good. Plus, the Jazz aren't really one player away. Sure, they have a nice nucleus of Ace Bailey, Jackson, Keyonte George, and Lauri Markkannen, but that's not going to contend in the West.
They would've been better off waiting to make a deal like this. Right now, the West is dominated by the Oklahoma City Thunder. The San Antonio Spurs and a couple of other teams aren't far behind, but the Jazz still aren't in that region yet. They went for a big swing, but the timing of this trade is very curious.
James Harden is swapped for Darius Garland
James Harden was expected to be traded. The initial reports said that the frontrunners were the Cleveland Cavaliers, and that they'd send Darius Garland for Harden. That is essentially what transpired. The Cavs also attached a second-round pick. This is a solid deal for both sides. The Cavaliers get a better guard, while the Los Angeles Clippers land a younger centerpiece for their roster and a pick.
"I wanted them to actually have a chance to rebuild and get some draft capital," Harden said via ESPN, adding that he was excited to join the Cavaliers because "I see an opportunity to win in the East. They got a very good team, coaching staff, all of the above. So as much as I wanted to stay in L.A. and give it a go, I've never won one before. As a basketball mind, I think we have a bit better chance."
The East is more open, so Harden is probably right that the contention chance for him lies with Cleveland. The Clippers are surging right now, but they're still buried deep in the West, which, as mentioned, is the toughest conference. They weren't going anywhere, but Garland gives them a slight semblance of a future now.
Celtics add Nikola Vucevic
The Boston Celtics have been very active. They traded Kristaps Porzingis and brought in Anfernee Simons in the offseason. Now, while they remain competitive in the East without Jayson Tatum, they are flipping Simons for Nikola Vucevic. They needed more size, rebounding, and spacing, and they got one of the best big man three-point shooters available.
The Bulls probably could've done a little better than Simons and a pick, but they are set up well. They now have tons of expiring guard contracts, many of which can be flipped for more assets in the coming days. If nothing else, they are probably in the same boat competitively as they were before. Ultimately, they got some flexibility, a better pick, and are still in contention for the Play-In.
