The Spire

Jake Ruderman ’26 & Jack Faggiano ’28

Sports Editor & Staff Writer

With the craziest NBA trade deadline of all time now in the rearview, let’s collect ourselves, thank Shams for his work, and recap the biggest moves. A full breakdown of every single trade will be available online, but for the print edition, we’re gonna focus on the three biggest moves. 

As far as trades go, there are three that fall into the ‘Wow! Our franchise was just completely altered’ category, and one that stands above the rest: the crème de la crème–the Luka Dončić trade. The bombshell, headline of the deadline, saw the Slovenian maestro unceremoniously shipped off to the Lakers, along with Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris, in exchange for Anthony Davis, Max Christie, and the Lakers’ 2029 first round pick. The Jazz facilitated the trade through taking on Jalen Hood-Schifino, netting them two second round picks in the process. 

Jake: Without question, this is the most [insert superlative here] trade the NBA has ever seen. Shocking? Lopsided? Nonsensical? Franchise-destroying? Career-extending? Remember-where-you-were-when-it-happened? All of the above, and more. You name it. 

The Mavericks chose to end the Luka era in the midst of one of the greatest starts-to-a-career of all time. The 25-year-old phenom is averaging 28/8/8 on a streak of five consecutive first team All-NBA appearances, and has a surprise Western Conference finals appearance and an NBA finals appearance to his name. Though they ultimately came up short, the Mavs were still ahead of schedule—there was every indication that Luka and the Mavs were far from finished contending.

Well… Mavs’ General Manager Nico Harrison didn’t see it that way. Harrison felt that Luka’s off the court conditioning was a serious problem, and wouldn’t commit to the imminent 5-year, $345 million supermax extension. Defying common sense and GM tactics, Harrison opted to orchestrate the Luka deal in complete silence, instead of hosting the craziest bidding war the NBA has ever seen. Harrison traded away one of the league’s top five assets for an aging, past his prime big man, a solid rotation piece, and a now-meaningless first round pick… not to mention the slew of surprisingly absent young players and first round picks that Dallas simply didn’t get. 

For the Lakers, no singular move has ever changed the trajectory of a franchise this drastically. For the Mavs, the franchise is one Anthony Davis injury from the terrifying abyss. 

Jack: Like everybody, I was speechless when I saw the Twitter notification that Luka Doncic had been traded to the Lakers for Anthony Davis. Nico Harrison, general manager of the Dallas Mavericks, had just sent away their twenty-five year old superstar coming off an NBA finals appearance, to the Lakers  for a thirty-one year old injury-prone Anthony Davis, Max Christie, and one first round pick. What?!

Even with all the conspiracy theories floating around, such as Luka’s conditioning concerns, it does not make any sense. With all due respect to Anthony Davis, who is one of the game’s best rim protectors, it is the most baffling move in NBA history, for many reasons. First off, trading a top three player in the game who hasn’t even hit his prime yet for somebody six years older – that’s fishy as is. But add on the fact that the Mavs kept this secret, and didn’t shop around Luka, which would’ve most definitely given them a better package in return. Nico Harrison only called Rob Pelinka. Something’s not adding up here. 

And as for the Lakers, a team who was “born on third base” as Holy Cross legend Bill Simmons put it, got bailed out again. Their future after LeBron’s retirement was so screwed by poor roster construction and their decision to trade almost all of their draft picks, but then, out of nowhere, the Mavs called and just gifted the Lakers Luka Doncic. Again, I just don’t get it – and I’m not sure anybody does.

Jake: Lost in the shadow of the Luka trade, De’Aaron fox getting paired up with Victor Wembanyama might end up being almost as impactful in the long run. The full three-teamer saw the Spurs netting franchise point guard De’Aaron Fox and Jordan McLaughlin, the Kings gaining Zach LaVine, Sidy Cissoko, three first round picks and three second round picks, and the Bulls getting Zach Collins, Tre Jones, Kevin Huerter and their own 2025 first round pick back. Essentially, the Spurs pick up the 27-year-old all-star point guard they’ve been waiting for, while still holding on to all of their foundational young players. The Fox-Wemby duo should undoubtedly be one of the league’s best, on both sides of the ball, with lethal pick-and-roll potential, and downright unfair speed and athleticism. 

The Kings were faced with the tough reality that their franchise player wasn’t going to re-sign with them, swallowed their pride, and cashed in Fox for a solid return. While LaVine doesn’t help them in the short term, he’s not that much of a drop-off, and could always be moved for more assets during the offseason. 

The Bulls continue their quest for being the most painfully below-average team in the league. After deciding to cash in LaVine, who’s in the midst of his best season in years, the Bulls received a horrifically lackluster return. To add insult to injury, the rest of their aging players, like Nikola Vucevic, were confusingly not traded away. Shame on the Bulls ten times over–this is exactly the kind of move a floundering franchise makes.

Jack: While the Doncic trade possessed the most shock value, De’Aaron Fox being shipped out to San Antonio to play with Wemby not even twenty-four hours later was massive. With the Kings having a mediocre season, they decided not to risk letting Fox hit free agency in 2026, but rather get value in return for him. In a three-team deal, the Bulls finally got rid of Zach Lavine’s monster contract by sending him to Sacramento to team up with former teammate DeMar DeRozan and Domantas Sabonis. In the deal, Chicago was also able to regain its first round pick this year, which presumably will be a lottery pick.

As for Sacramento, the most attractive factor in this deal was that they added three first-rounders to their stash, including what could be a very valuable Hornets lottery pick this season. Additionally, they replaced Fox with another elite scorer in Lavine. The Kings have their eyes set on the future with this deal, but also made sure to remain competitive as they look to make a playoff push.

And for the Spurs, landing Fox without having to give up Stephon Castle or Devin Vassell deserves an A+. With Fox in his prime, he gives San Antonio a chance to be elite sooner rather than later in the Wembanyama era. His exceptional playmaking will be the perfect complement to Wemby’s all-around freakishly dominant style of play. The Spurs have found their championship duo with this deal, and will likely be viewed as a contender as early as next season.

Jake: The third franchise-altering move was, of course, the Jimmy Butler trade to Golden State, which ended the months-long saga of Jimmy’s fallout with the Miami Heat. The Warriors received Butler, the six-time all-star, along with two second round picks, in exchange for Andrew Wiggins, Kyle Anderson, and a first round pick. Golden State also routed Dennis Schroder, Lindy Waters III, and a second round pick to the Detroit Pistons, who sent KJ Martin and a second round pick to the Utah Jazz. Utah sent P.J. Tucker to the Toronto Raptors, and gained Josh Richardson, and another second round pick, for their role in the matter, while Toronto moved Davion Mitchell down to Miami. Ultimately, it’s a lot of moving parts, but really boils down to Butler teaming up with Curry and Draymond in the Bay, and Wiggins slotting into Jimmy’s minutes down in South Beach. 

While definitely a wait-and-see kind of trade, the move has the potential to benefit both sides. For Miami, Jimmy’s toxicity had clouded the team for months on end. Getting off his dead weight is a win of itself, and adding Wiggins, a solid role-player with size, into his role should do nicely. For Golden State, Jimmy answers their prayers for a star-caliber player to pair alongside Curry. It’s entirely possible that on a new team, Jimmy is rejuvenated and is able to fulfill the secondary-initiator role that Golden State desperately needs. 

Jack: With Stephen Curry aging and the Warriors struggling, general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. decided to roll the dice and trade 2022 all-star Andrew Wiggins, Kyle Anderson, Dennis Schroder, and a protected 2025 first-round pick in exchange for the notably unhappy Jimmy Butler. Given where the Warriors are sitting in the playoff chase, it wasn’t surprising to see them go after another star. Butler is a perfect low-risk move for Golden State. Not long after the trade, the Warriors agreed to extend Butler to a 2 year, $112 million deal, which will make him the fourth highest paid player in the league next season. Certainly an ambitious decision by Golden State, but giving the greatest point guard of all time one last shot at winning a title is worth it.

As for Miami, Jimmy and Pat Riley’s relationship began to take a toll last year when Riley called him out for claiming the Heat would’ve beaten Boston if he played. From there on, Butler wasn’t thrilled about playing in a Miami uniform. Pat Riley’s refusal to give Butler an extension was the last straw. So Jimmy, like many other stars before him, made things uncomfortable for Miami with a brutal interview in which he claimed he “wants his joy back” and that that was probably not going to happen in Miami. They got what they could out of their disgruntled star as they look to make a playoff push.

Jake: The second tier of trades is the ‘this guy moves the needle’ category. With a mix of different skill sets and contracts, all the guys in this group make a serious impact on their new teams in some way or another. Starting with the biggest name of the bunch, The Toronto Raptors landed Brandon Ingram from the New Orleans Pelicans, in exchange for Bruce Brown, Kelly Olynyk, a first round pick and a second round pick. Ingram had simply outstayed his welcome in New Orleans, and was able to net the Pelicans some mediocre veterans and picks in return. For Toronto, Ingram is a definite increase, but will be somewhat of a project. Should they be able to tap into his potential, the move will end up paying dividends. If not, they’ll have pigeon-holed themselves yet again, taking on another expensive, inconsistent player.

The NBA’s best team, the Cleveland Cavaliers, traded for De’Andre Hunter, sending Caris LeVert, Georges Niang, three second round picks and two picks swaps to the Atlanta Hawks. It’s fairly rare for such a successful team to make a substantive deadline move, though the addition of Hunter, a high level ‘three-and-d’ player, is a low-risk, high-reward move. For Atlanta, the move frees up playing time for their other young wings, Dyson Daniels and Zaccharrie Risacher. 

Staying with Atlanta, the Hawks shipped Bogdan Bogdanovic out to the Los Angeles Clippers in exchange for Bones Hyland, Terance Mann, and three second round picks. Bogdanovic is in the midst of his worst season to date, and is looking for some west coast rejuvenation on a playoff-contending Clips team. Hyland and Mann are both solid players, but found themselves with diminished roles since Norman Powell took a major leap. Atlanta continues mixing their roster up, while LA consolidates some talent ahead of their playoff push.

The other big move in this category is the Bucks-Wizards trade which saw Milwaukee get Kyle Kuzma and two second round picks in exchange for Khris Middleton, AJ Johnson, and a first round pick swap. The Bucks also sent Delon Wright to the Knicks for Jericho Sims, while the Wizards sent Patrick Baldwin Jr. to the Spurs. This one is a bit of a head scratcher… Both Middleton and Kuzma have looked like shells of their former selves this season, and hopefully, both will benefit from a change of scenery. Kuzma gives the Bucks some younger athleticism and versatility, though they’ll have to break all of the terrible habits he picked up from this abysmal Wizards team. For Middleton, it was simply time to move on. The former NBA champ will have a few months to audition for trades this upcoming offseason. 

The final category is the ‘inconsequential’ group, consisting of the moves that, no disrespect meant, simply don’t matter. 

The Mavs traded Quentin Grimes and a second round pick to the 76ers for Caleb Martin. This one could end up having some impact, should the Mavs make a playoff run, but truthfully, Martin feels more like a bench piece anyway.

The Wizards traded away Jonas Valančiūnas to the Kings for Sidy Cissoko and two second round picks. Washington also moved Jared Butler and four second round picks to Philadelphia for Reggie Jackson and a first round pick.

The Celtics moved Jaden Springer and two second round picks to Houston for a second round pick. Houston also acquired Cody Zeller and a second round pick from Atlanta for the draft rights to Alpha Kaba.

The Pacers traded James Wiseman to Toronto for a second round pick. 

The Sixers moved KJ Martin and two second round picks to Detroit for cash.

The Suns sent Jusuf Nurkić and a first round pick to Charlotte for Cody Martin, Vasilije Micić and a second round pick.

The Bucks and Clippers swapped Marjon Beauchamp for Kevin Porter Jr. 

And, the final move of the deadline was Memphis sending Marcus Smart and a first round pick to the Wizards in exchange for Marvin Bagley, Johnny Davis, and a second round pick. Memphis also sent Jake LaRavia to Sacramento, with the Kings sending Alex Len and Colby Jones to Washington.

Jack: Winners and Losers of the Trade Deadline:

Winner: Los Angeles Lakers 

This one’s obvious, and really doesn’t warrant much explanation. Acquiring Luka Doncic before he hits his prime makes you a winner in any situation, but getting him for the price that Rob Pelinka managed to get him for is an otherworldly level of winning. With Anthony Davis nearing the end of his prime, the Lakers were able to pair him alongside just one first-round pick and role-player Max Christie in exchange for one of the best players in the world. They got their franchise player for the next 10+ years.

Loser: Dallas Mavericks

And, of course, Dallas loses this deadline. Trading the guy who just led your team to the NBA Finals at age twenty-five makes no sense. Not getting the best possible package in return for that guy also makes no sense. The Dallas Mavericks are the biggest losers not just of this deadline, but in any trade deadline in NBA history.

Winner: Cleveland Cavaliers

The Cavs, sitting comfortably atop the Eastern Conference with a stunning 43-10 record, were big winners this deadline. Adding one of the best bench pieces in the league, Deandre Hunter, to this stacked Cleveland roster hasn’t been talked about enough. Hunter brings size and scoring to the Cavs, creating a dominant frontcourt when playing alongside Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen. Additionally, the Cavs, who already lead the league in three-point percentage, add yet another 40% shooter from beyond the arc. As they look to dethrone the Boston Celtics and win the Eastern Conference, Hunter significantly improves this team’s spacing and perimeter defense.

Loser: Phoenix Suns

While they did a good job acquiring Nick Richards and offloading Jusuf Nurkic’s atrocious contract, the discussions Phoenix had with other teams regarding deals revolving around Durant and Beal is the knockout punch on this abysmal “big three” experiment. First off, they dangled Beal’s name to practically everyone in the league – and hardly anybody wanted him. For the teams that were interested, Beal would have had to waive his no-trade clause, which everyone knew was unlikely. So why would Phoenix even bother? They killed the team’s chemistry with those discussions. And then, as if things weren’t bad enough, it was reported that the Suns were listening to offers on Kevin Durant, who didn’t end up getting traded. So now, as you’re just looking to make a playoff push with a team that was expected to contend for a title, Durant and Beal are disgruntled and the chemistry in that locker room has been described as “toxic” by ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne. 

Featured image courtesy of AP News