A couple of weeks ago I wrote an article about players who could possibly be moved by the NBA trade deadline, which can be found here. Now as we look back, let's take a look at some of the major deals that happened on or around the deadline.
The Knicks were dealing with the possibility of a disgruntled superstar who is about to enter restricted free agency this summer. There have been rumors of him wanting to sign the qualifying offer and becoming an unrestricted free agency the summer of 2020. This had the Knicks scared,buy mt so they decided it was easier to trade him and get cap relief in order to go after big-time free agents this summer. The Knicks now have room for two max spots this offseason and hope to land a combination of Kevin Durant, Jimmy Butler and Kyrie Irving.
On the court, the Knicks lose this trade (if you don not play with pre-existing injuries on). Replacing KP will be tough to do, but the Knicks are not trying to win right now. Dennis Smith is the only future piece of this deal as he provides the Knicks with an athletic guard who can finish above the rim. He will be given a chance to claim the job that Mudiay, Burke and Ntilikina could not.The Mavericks were able to find a future star to join forces with rookie Luka Doncic. It looks like the European connection will not end at Dirk in Dallas. The future is bright for the Mavericks with KP and Luka. Time will tell if this is a good move for the Mavericks, since KP is still unsure if he wants to be in Dallas long term ?a and we need to see if KP can stay healthy ?a but it's a worthwhile gamble.
The Chicago Bulls signed Jabari Parker this offseason to a one-year deal with an ample team option for year two. It never worked out because Jabari could not play SF (which should not have been a surprise, but hey, it's the Bulls). A lack of defense/effort forced him to the bench, which ultimately forced him out of town. Bobby Portis was having a decent year and was looking for a nice payday this offseason as he's a restricted free agent. The Bulls realized they had a ton of money to give players but it was looking like no stars wanted to take it. The Bulls decided to treat this trade like a free-agent signing as they took on the overpaid Otto Porter.
Otto Porter provides a true SF that the Bulls desperately needed. He is a good fit for the team as he plays solid defense and can make threes at an efficient rate. He should fit in nicely in between Lauri Markkanen and Zach LaVine. The Bulls hope to get a top pick in next year's draft and add to a young core that also includes Wendell Carter Jr. Click to Buy
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