The 2018 NBA Trade Deadline really kicked off when the Los Angeles Clippers traded superstar power forward Blake Griffin to the Detroit Pistons late in the night. The Clippers got a king’s random in return. Many thought DeAndre Jordan would be next to leave the Clippers, but he stayed put.

Other big trades that happened in-between the Griffin deal and today were Nikola Mirotic going to New Orleans for a mess of veteran and picks. I also think Charlotte’s acquisition of center Willy Hernangomez could be huge. He’s a talented guy, but was stuck behind some talented bigs on the Knicks.

Today’s trades didn’t disappoint as much as previous years’ trade deadlines. There were a couple really nice trades and a ton of depth trades.

Three-Team Deal
Cleveland receives George Hill, Rodney Hood and draft rights to Arturas Gudaitis
Utah receives Jae Crowder, Derrick Rose and right to swap 2nd Round picks with Cleveland in 2024
Sacramento receivers Iman Shumpert, Joe Johnson, Miami’s 2020 2nd Round Pick, draft rights to Dimitrios Agravanis & cash

This was a huge message to the rest of the league that the Cavs want to get younger and could possibly be trying to build for life without LeBron James. I know he said he’s in Cleveland for the long haul, but I feel like his attitude towards the Cavs is extremely fluid and changes often. I really like Hill and Hood and are both guys that can flourish without being ball-dominant. This trade is win for the Cavs, neutral for the Kings and the Jazz seems to be the loser.

Los Angeles Lakers receives Isaiah Thomas, Channing Frye and Cleveland’s 2018 1st Round Pick
Cleveland receives Jordan Clarkson & Larry Nance Jr.

I really like this trade for both teams. Cleveland gets younger and the Lakers get some veterans with playoff experience for their youth to learn under. Thomas could be a game-changer for the Lakers (if healthy). I think Cleveland got a possible future stud in Nance Jr. His dad was a star for the Cavs back in the day and he comes back to the area where he grew up. He should have every opportunity to make a difference in the rotation. Also, the Lakers also dumped enough future money that they could go after two max players this offseason.

Miami receives Dwyane Wade
Cleveland receives Miami’s protected 2024 2nd Round Pick

Cleveland was clearly dumping money and made a deal to appease Wade. He goes back to his old team and will be greeted with open arms. The Cavs were planning to reduce his role soon and he wanted out. He’s not the player he used to be, but he will sell tickets for the Heat. 

Three-Team Deal
Denver receives Devin Harris & LAC’s 2018 2nd Round Pick
New York receives Emmanuel Mudiay
Dallas receives Doug McDermott & Portland’s 2018 2nd Round Pick

Denver receives a veteran point guard with an expiring contract, so they will be getting very little out of this deal. The Knicks could be hoping they find lightning in a bottle by trying to shine up Mudiay again. He was a top-seven pick in 2015, so he has skills, but his shot is broken. He was reduced to a reserve role in Denver. I almost feel sorry for Dougie McBuckets. He will be on his fourth team in as many seasons. He’s a restricted free agent this Summer, so he could move on again. I would love to see the Pacers make a play for him.

Phoenix receives Elfrid Payton
Orlando receives Miami’s 2018 2nd Round Pick & right to swap 2nd Round picks with Charlotte

Orlando shed a player that was drafted by the previous front office regime. He hasn’t really lived up to being a Lottery pick. He’s not an accurate shooter and his defense isn’t tight. Phoenix doesn’t have much to lose. They lost point guard Isaiah Canaan to a broken ankle and needs someone to handle the ball. He’s a restricted free agent this Summer. The Suns also just gave up random 2nd Round picks they’ve acquired from other teams in other deals. Phoenix thinks Payton is worth kicking the tires on.

Memphis receives Brice Johnson, Detroit’s 2022 2nd Round Pick
Detroit receives James Ennis

Memphis just acquired Johnson last week and he never suited up once for them before they sent him to Detroit. Ennis was a rotation guy for Memphis and adds depth to Detroit. I think he’s mostly just seen as an expiring contract, but he’s an expiring contract that can help in meantime.

Sacramento receives Bruno Caboclo
Toronto receied Malachi Richardson

The Kings just moved Richardson to the Raptors to be able to receive a guy back they can just release. Caboclo was a surprise pick a few years ago (Kings also released Georgious Papagiannis today). Caboclo was seen by some scouts as a ‘Brazilian Kevin Durant’, but it hasn’t panned out. He hasn’t been able to add enough weight to his body, which would be necessary to make a difference in the NBA. I have no idea what Toronto will do with Richardson, who has been a bust since being drafted in the first-round in 2016.

Chicago receives Noah Vonleh & cash
Portland receives draft rights to Milovan Rakovic

Speaking of first-round busts, Vonleh finds himself on his third team since being drafted 9th overall in 2014. He’s a guy who just left college too early. You can’t blame him really since I doubt he would have improved his draft stock by staying, but he could have developed his game at Indiana. He’s a restricted free agent this Summer and the Bulls will have the right to match any offer. As far as Portland is concerned, this just frees up 3.5 million of cap space and puts them below the tax threshold.

Atlanta receives Sheldon Mac & cah
Washington receives Atlanta’s protected 2019 2nd Round pick

Mac tore his Achilles tendon and turned his non-guaranteed contract into a guaranteed one. This trade just dumps Mac’s contract and reduces Washington’s luxury-tax bill (for the time being). It also freed up a roster spot that could be used on a player who will be a free agent after ‘buyout season.’

Brooklyn receives Dante Cunningham
New Orleans receives Rashad Vaughn

Vaughn was only in Brooklyn for a day or so before being flipped to the Pelicans. New Orleans needed a perimeter shooter and Vaughn can fill that role. Cunningham has been wanting out of New Orleans for awhile. I think he landed in a really nice spot for a guy with Cunningham’s skills. The Nets will start him and will get every opportunity to fill up the boxscore.

Detroit receives Jameer Nelson
Chicago receives Willie Reed and right to swap Detroits’s 2022 2nd Round Pick

Nelson and Reed have both already been traded this month. Nelson was in the Nikola Mirotic trade and Reed was in the Blake Griffin trade. They were clearly both secondary pieces in their deals. Nelson will stablize Piston’s point guard position with Reggie Jackson injured. Ish Smith and Dwight Buycks will be more than adequate backups behind Nelson. He also had previous playing experience under head coach Stan Van Gundy when he was on the Magic many years ago. Both Reed and Nelson are unrestricted free agents this Summer.

Miami receives Luke Babbitt
Atlanta receives Okaro White

Babbitt goes back to Miami where he spent last season. He has a veteran minimum contract and Atlanta was looking to free up a roster spot. White is expected to be released. This was a garbage trade.

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About the Author…

Bobby Roberts (otherwise known as Sweetbob) is the creator of ‘America’s White Boy’ and contributor at Project Shanks. His writing has been featured on ESPN’s ‘SportsNation’, Sports Illustrated’s Hot Clicks, Guyspeed, and various other sites. You can follow him on Twitter at @Sweetbob