NBA Trade Deadline Winners and Losers: Butler, Lakers, Mavs, Grizzlies

On By Littum

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Until the NBA trading deadline, it was a quiet period compared to previous seasons because teams were concerned about pay and luxury tax payments.

Well, that theory was dissolved when Luka Doncic and Anthony Davis were traded. It was the beginning of a flurry of trades that involved big names, All-Stars and NBA masters just before the trading deadline expired on Thursday at. 15.00 one.

These are some of the players who change teams besides Doncic and Davis: De’Aaron Fox, Jimmy Butler, Zach Lavine, Kyle Kuzma, Brandon Ingram and Khris Middleton.

How it pays off for the teams involved will play beyond the rest of this season and beyond, but it was a fantastic and exciting week for NBA transactions.

Let’s look at winners and losers of the trade deadline:

NBA Trade Deadline Winners and Losers

Winners

Los Angeles Lakers

Lakers acquired star guard Luka Doncic and Center Mark Williams, giving them the opportunity to win now and prepare for a future without LeBron James. They have an MVP candidate in Doncic, and when SUND, Williams, replacement for Anthony Davis, is a great man of high quality who will work nicely with Doncic and James in pick-and-roll set. It’s not often that a team can get a star like Doncic, and Lakers pulled it off in one of the most amazing trades in the NBA story.

Luka Doncic

Doncic ends up with a franchise that has an excellent reputation for caring for his stars, and the flood of support for Doncic has been overwhelming. Now Doncic has a responsibility to prove that he can give competent defense, be in great physical condition and limit his complaints about officating while still giving his elite offense. He gets it in the glare of these Hollywood lights and all that comes with it.

San Antonio Spurs/De’Aaron Fox

The spurs sought a long -term response to the Point Guard to bloom with the rising star Victor Wembanyama and Fox would play for Spurs. Both got what they wanted. Fox had 24 points, 13 assists, five rebounds and three steals in his debut and became the first player in the franchise story to register at least 20 points and 10 assists in a debut. Wembanyama had 24 points and 12 rebounds. Get used to the double-double combination and defensive pressure.

Jimmy Butler

Butler went toe to toe with Miami Heat President and Basketball Hall of Famer Pat Riley and forced out. It was not without pain, including financial losses due to three suspensions issued by the team in January, but Butler came to one of two teams he would play for. He gets the game with Steph Curry and for an organization that wants to win another championship while Curry is still an all-star. Plus, Butler should have an increased offensive role compared to his dwindling responsibility with the heat. Butler also accepted an extension with Warriors, paying him $ 121 million over two seasons in 2025-26 and 2026-27.

De’andre Hunter

De’andre Hunter goes from below .500 Atlanta Hawks to 41-10 Cleveland Cavaliers-go from nowhere to the best team in East and Title Exterior.

Losers

Dallas Mavericks

Trade Doncic has been a PR -Martial past for Mavericks who angry fans of the team and fans of Doncic. Even if this ends up being the right step for Dallas, it’s not the perception today. The vitriol is tangible. Getting Davis, Max Christie and a first -round choice for Doncic could end up training for Mavs. But it works poorly in the court of public opinion today. No matter how Mavs is trying to turn it, the answers have been unsatisfactory for fans.

Memphis Grizzlies

Memphis, in second place at the western conference of 35-16, tried to make a step that set it one step closer to first place Oklahoma City. Nothing of substance is materialized in spite of Grizzlies’ efforts. They tried to create some list of flexibility by trading Marcus Smart to Washington, but Grizzlies also had to include a first election from 2025 in this trade. Yes, it will be a late choice, but Grizzlies has shown an eye to find talent later in the draft (Desmond Bane, the 30th election in 2020, and the rookie Jaylen Wells, the 39th election).

Phoenix Suns

Suns wanted to make a larger trade and improve the schedule so they could rise in the position and try a deep race in the playoffs with Kevin Durant and Devin Booker. They ran into snags. Either Bradley Beal would not give up his clause without trade, or if he was willing to do so, teams hesitated to take on the remaining two years and $ 110.7 million on Beal’s contract. They ended up trading Jusuf Nurkic and another of their first round choices for Charlotte for Cody Martin, Vasilije Micic and another round. Don’t be surprised if Durant becomes restless and wants out of Phoenix.

New Orleans Pelicans

The Pelicans didn’t really do anything wrong with the deadline of trading with Brandon Ingram and Daniel Theis. Their goal was to avoid luxury tax and they did it with Theis Trade. The franchise decided it was not time to spend big money on a new contract for Ingram. Reasonable decisions. However, the pelicans have not been able to maximize Zion Williamson due to injuries, and injuries prevented New Orleans from seeing what it can do with Williamson, Ingram and Dejointe Murray. They did not share the court for a second this season.

Khris Middleton

This has nothing to do with the Middleton player or person. However, he is the opposite of de’handre Hunter. Middleton went from a team of championship potential (Milwaukee Bucks) to the worst team in NBA (Washington Wizards).

Follow NBA -Reporter Jeff Zillgitt on social media @Jeffzillgitt

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