Post Deadline Grading The Top 5 Trades of NBN Season
Jul 24, 2019 23:55:53 GMT
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Post by zheld32 on Jul 24, 2019 23:55:53 GMT
Now that the trade deadline has passed I wanted to look back at the 5 biggest trades that helped shape the NBN this season. I gave grades to each team that participated in these trades and I welcome feedback on them. Overall, I think most of these trades actually worked out well for all of the teams involved.
Trade 1: The Jazz Trade An All-Timer
Jazz Trade
Wilt Chamberlain C 24 7'1'' 260 A+ D+ B- A- A+ A
John Isaacs PG 31 6'1'' 190 B- A- B- A C- C
Spurs Trade
RJ Hampton PG 23 6'4'' 190 B- A A+ A C- B
Dragan Kiconavic SG 20 6'4'' 240 B+ A B+ A- B- B
Andrew Bogut Jr. C 18 7'0'' 260 C+ D+ B- A- A- A
Jack Parr C 25 6'9'' 220 B- C D C+ C+ C
Grade for Spurs B
It is always tough to grade your own trades and maybe it is a copout to give us both the same grade but I would say this trade probably hasn’t worked out the way the Spurs or Jazz would have liked it to. Wilt has been great for them especially with rebounding and blocked shots (top 10 in both) but he has not been the dominant offensive force that I am sure the spurs were hoping for when they traded for him. Given that he is Wilt Chamberlain and he still has A potential I am sure he will be a lot better next year especially after TC but for now he has not been able to power the Spurs to be the dominant team I am sure they were expecting to be with all their moves this year.
Grade for Jazz: B
For the Jazz I think the disappointment lies in Bogut. He is still very young (only 18) and will get better but it is clear that he is not ready for a starting role right now. His offense is nowhere near where it needs to be to be a quality started and he is probably at least 1 or 2 TC away from being a difference maker on that side of the ball. Hampton has been great for the Jazz and is currently averaging 24/5/9. The key to this deal for them will be Dragan. He has been super-camped this year and his handling has gotten better (averaging about 2.5TOPG since the camps) but if he can continue to improve and have one more good TC this trade would be a big win for the Jazz. He is still young (only 20), but especially since he is signed long-term for them they are betting big that he will become one of the best SGs in the league
I think overall a B for both teams accurately represents how things have not worked out probably how either team envisioned it and yet there is still the chance that each team could come out of training camp next year feeling like they won this deal.
Trade 2: Celtics Trade an NBN Legend
Celtics Trade
Bob Cousy PG 33 6'1'' 165 B A A+ A+ C C
Chuck Share C 33 6'11'' 250 B C C A- A- C
Ed Mikan PF 35 6'8'' 250 C+ C D A- A- D
Phil Jordan C 27 6'10'' 205 B C F+ B+ A- B
Nets Trade
Gus Johnson PF 20 6'7'' 245 A- C C A A- B
Dino Meneghin C 30 6'9'' 265 A- C C+ A+ A C
Cumberland Posey PG 31 5'6'' 180 C- A A+ A- D C
Clippers 2044 1st
Nets 2045 1st
Nets 2046 1st
Grade for Nets A+
Full disclosure this is my favorite trade of the year. I love this deal for both teams but the Nets get an A+ because of what Cousy has meant to them. With Coust and Belov in the back-court and Qu now injured for the Knicks I think the Nets have to be the clear favorite in the east. Since arriving Cousy has been lights out for them. The Nets have won 15/16 and Cousy is averaging 30ppg for them during that stretch. The Nets were not afraid to go for it and I think they have positioned themselves to be the favorite to come out of the east which is why they get an A+. Also just another aside for the Nets they basically traded Mikan and Jordan with cash who they got from the Celtics in this deal to the Pacers for Posey who they traded away in the same deal they got Mikan and Jordan in.
Grade for Celtics A
For the Celtics I give them an A because I actually really like Gus Johnson and I think with camping he could be really good. On top of that Meneghin is one of the best big men in the game and 3 1st rounders can be very helpful when/if the Celtics decide to rebuild…or they can be used for other things like what the Celtics did when hey got Mcguire from the Pacers. I think this trade looks even better for Celtics if you lump it together with Pacers trade and you realized he traded Cousy, Share, Mikan, Jordan and Cash for Gus Johnson, Dino, Dick Mcguire and the Nets 2044 and 2045 1st. I think the Celtics can still compete this year and have the flexibility to rebuild in the off-season if they choose. I would have liked to see them deal off some of their expirings if they are going full-scale rebuild but I feel like I can make an argument that Mcguire-Simons-Schmidt-Johnson-Dino starting lineup is better than the Cousy-Simons-Schmidt and 2 scrubs lineup they were trotting out before. Overall a good trade between 2 veteran GM’s that I think benefited both teams.
Trades 3 & 4: Spurs Continue Cashing In The Best Young Assets In The NBN
*Note I have combined trades 3 & 4 into an artificial 3-team trade and done one comprehensive analysis because essentially the same package was traded twice (In trade 3 & 4)
3. Spurs Trade
Rafael Rullan PF 22 6'10'' 235 B B B- B+ B- B
Don Kojils SF 22 6'5'' 225 B A- C- B- B B
Joe Fulks PF 37 6'5'' 220 A- B F+ B A- F
Al Bianchi PG 28 6'3'' 185 B- A- B+ C+ D D
Spurs 2044 1st
Spurs 2045 1st
Suns Trade
Jalen Johnson SF 24 6'7'' 200 A- A B A+ C+ B
DJ Carlton PG 27 6'1'' 190 C+ A- A+ C+ C- C
4. Suns Trade
Don Kojils SF 22 6'5'' 225 B A- C- B- B B
Joe Fulks PF 37 6'5'' 220 A- B F+ B A- F
Rafael Rullan PF 22 6'10'' 235 B B B- B+ B- B
Spurs 2044 1st
Pacers Trade
Modestas Paulaskas SF 25 6'4'' 235 B+ A+ B B+ B+ C
Walker Kessler C 22 6'11'' 230 B+ C D+ B- B C
Grade for Suns B+
The Suns essentially traded Jalen Johnson, and DJ Carlton for Paulaskas, Kessler, Al Bianchi and the Spurs 2045 1st. I guess if you were to put a gun to my head I would prefer Paulaskas to Johnson but not by much and maybe I wouldn’t when you consider how Johnson is signed long term but even if we suppose they are even which they are at the very least very close that would mean that the suns somehow conjured the Spurs 2045 1st rounder out of his asshole for nothing. The fact that the Suns could get a comparable player to Johnson and still keep one of the firsts they got is impressive to me. That being said I do knock them a bit for the rationale of the deals as a whole. Not sure why you make the move for young players and picks only to turn it around and deal almost the exact same package for a comparable player on a shorter term deal but like I said he got a pick out of it so his grade is still pretty high in my book.
Grade for Spurs C
The Spurs traded Rafael Rullan, Don Kojils, Joe Fulks, Al Bianchi, Spurs 2044 1st Spurs 2045 1st for Jalen Johnson and DJ Carlton. I think when we look at the totality of the deal the spurs are hurt the most. They could have easily offered the same package minus their 2045 1st and gotten Paulaskas. Maybe they like Johnson a lot but I think they are comparable and there is no guarantee the Spurs wont be a lottery team next year. They are barely the 8 seed right now and they wont have enough room to make a huge splash in free agency. They are going to have to count on some top teams losing players in FA and some internal development to avoid a potential lottery trip. Personally I think between Wilt and DD development they will be a lot better next year but again they could have gotten Paulaskas without the 2045 1st which would have been worth it for me.
Grade for Pacers A-
The Pacers Traded Paulaskas and Kessler for Rafael Rullan, Don Kojils, Joe Fulks, Spurs 2044 1st. I like these sequences of trades the most for them. It seems like the Pacers are just trying to free up as much cap-space as possible for next year and this trade helped them do that while also getting a potential stud prospect in Kojils. Paulaskas could be up for a big extension next year especially under the new rules so if they were going to deal him now was the time to do it. Since the Pacers dealt Rullan to the Jazz and Fulks is most likely gone as a free agent their grade for this trade mostly lies on Kojils development and who they can get with the spurs pick which should be in the middle of the 1st round this year. This was a good rebuilding trade for them though.
Trade 5: Mavs Decide To Go All In
Mavs Trade
Gus Johnson PF 20 6'7'' 245 A- C C A A- B
Hosana Kitenge PF 25 6'7'' 265 B D+ D B- A- B
Tom Hawkins SF 24 6'5'' 210 C+ C D+ A C+ C
Clippers 2044 1st
Nets Trade
Skinny Johnson PF 33 6'5'' 225 A B+ C+ B+ A- D
Grade for Mavs A-
So I think when you look at this trade for the Mavericks in the context of all their other deals it looks pretty bad. However in a vacuum for this specific trade (and I know I am in the minority) I don’t mind it for them. I would have liked to see what Johnson can become with some camping but Skinny has been awesome for them as a legit 24/11 guy. The rest of the players are just fillers and the Clippers pick was late in the 1st round. With Skinny being on a great deal for the next 3 years I think this trade makes some sense for the Mavericks and I think if their other moves had worked out this would be viewed differently. Overall I think this is about right for a PF who is very good and signed for 2 more years at a great contract. Also weirdly enough much like the Nets getting Posey back the Mavs eventually got Kitenge back in a separate deal after trading him in this one.
Grade for Nets B+
Much like for the Mavericks I am looking at this deal from the Nets perspective just based on this one move. Now if you told me that the Nets used the key components of this deal in Johnson and the Clippers 1st to get Bob Cousy I would give them an A+ and slow clap them. But at the time I wasn’t quite sure what the Nets were doing. They seemed like they had a good team and maybe weren’t championship contenders but this to me was teetering on rebuild. Especially when you consider that Johnson is not that effective of a player right now. I didn’t understand it from the Nets perspective and if they had never made that move for Cousy I think we would be talking about this Nets team differently and wondering when they were going to move Belov. Overall it worked out for them and I applaud them because if I was trying to contend I probably would not have had the guts to make this move for a serious downgrade at PF and a late 1st.
Overall it was a pretty active trade year in the last year that you will have to match salaries in trades. One thing that stuck out to me in these deals is that a lot of these players were traded numerous times throughout the year. Not so much the core players but they salary fillers in this deal were almost always dealt again and oftentimes more than once.
Trade 1: The Jazz Trade An All-Timer
Jazz Trade
Wilt Chamberlain C 24 7'1'' 260 A+ D+ B- A- A+ A
John Isaacs PG 31 6'1'' 190 B- A- B- A C- C
Spurs Trade
RJ Hampton PG 23 6'4'' 190 B- A A+ A C- B
Dragan Kiconavic SG 20 6'4'' 240 B+ A B+ A- B- B
Andrew Bogut Jr. C 18 7'0'' 260 C+ D+ B- A- A- A
Jack Parr C 25 6'9'' 220 B- C D C+ C+ C
Grade for Spurs B
It is always tough to grade your own trades and maybe it is a copout to give us both the same grade but I would say this trade probably hasn’t worked out the way the Spurs or Jazz would have liked it to. Wilt has been great for them especially with rebounding and blocked shots (top 10 in both) but he has not been the dominant offensive force that I am sure the spurs were hoping for when they traded for him. Given that he is Wilt Chamberlain and he still has A potential I am sure he will be a lot better next year especially after TC but for now he has not been able to power the Spurs to be the dominant team I am sure they were expecting to be with all their moves this year.
Grade for Jazz: B
For the Jazz I think the disappointment lies in Bogut. He is still very young (only 18) and will get better but it is clear that he is not ready for a starting role right now. His offense is nowhere near where it needs to be to be a quality started and he is probably at least 1 or 2 TC away from being a difference maker on that side of the ball. Hampton has been great for the Jazz and is currently averaging 24/5/9. The key to this deal for them will be Dragan. He has been super-camped this year and his handling has gotten better (averaging about 2.5TOPG since the camps) but if he can continue to improve and have one more good TC this trade would be a big win for the Jazz. He is still young (only 20), but especially since he is signed long-term for them they are betting big that he will become one of the best SGs in the league
I think overall a B for both teams accurately represents how things have not worked out probably how either team envisioned it and yet there is still the chance that each team could come out of training camp next year feeling like they won this deal.
Trade 2: Celtics Trade an NBN Legend
Celtics Trade
Bob Cousy PG 33 6'1'' 165 B A A+ A+ C C
Chuck Share C 33 6'11'' 250 B C C A- A- C
Ed Mikan PF 35 6'8'' 250 C+ C D A- A- D
Phil Jordan C 27 6'10'' 205 B C F+ B+ A- B
Nets Trade
Gus Johnson PF 20 6'7'' 245 A- C C A A- B
Dino Meneghin C 30 6'9'' 265 A- C C+ A+ A C
Cumberland Posey PG 31 5'6'' 180 C- A A+ A- D C
Clippers 2044 1st
Nets 2045 1st
Nets 2046 1st
Grade for Nets A+
Full disclosure this is my favorite trade of the year. I love this deal for both teams but the Nets get an A+ because of what Cousy has meant to them. With Coust and Belov in the back-court and Qu now injured for the Knicks I think the Nets have to be the clear favorite in the east. Since arriving Cousy has been lights out for them. The Nets have won 15/16 and Cousy is averaging 30ppg for them during that stretch. The Nets were not afraid to go for it and I think they have positioned themselves to be the favorite to come out of the east which is why they get an A+. Also just another aside for the Nets they basically traded Mikan and Jordan with cash who they got from the Celtics in this deal to the Pacers for Posey who they traded away in the same deal they got Mikan and Jordan in.
Grade for Celtics A
For the Celtics I give them an A because I actually really like Gus Johnson and I think with camping he could be really good. On top of that Meneghin is one of the best big men in the game and 3 1st rounders can be very helpful when/if the Celtics decide to rebuild…or they can be used for other things like what the Celtics did when hey got Mcguire from the Pacers. I think this trade looks even better for Celtics if you lump it together with Pacers trade and you realized he traded Cousy, Share, Mikan, Jordan and Cash for Gus Johnson, Dino, Dick Mcguire and the Nets 2044 and 2045 1st. I think the Celtics can still compete this year and have the flexibility to rebuild in the off-season if they choose. I would have liked to see them deal off some of their expirings if they are going full-scale rebuild but I feel like I can make an argument that Mcguire-Simons-Schmidt-Johnson-Dino starting lineup is better than the Cousy-Simons-Schmidt and 2 scrubs lineup they were trotting out before. Overall a good trade between 2 veteran GM’s that I think benefited both teams.
Trades 3 & 4: Spurs Continue Cashing In The Best Young Assets In The NBN
*Note I have combined trades 3 & 4 into an artificial 3-team trade and done one comprehensive analysis because essentially the same package was traded twice (In trade 3 & 4)
3. Spurs Trade
Rafael Rullan PF 22 6'10'' 235 B B B- B+ B- B
Don Kojils SF 22 6'5'' 225 B A- C- B- B B
Joe Fulks PF 37 6'5'' 220 A- B F+ B A- F
Al Bianchi PG 28 6'3'' 185 B- A- B+ C+ D D
Spurs 2044 1st
Spurs 2045 1st
Suns Trade
Jalen Johnson SF 24 6'7'' 200 A- A B A+ C+ B
DJ Carlton PG 27 6'1'' 190 C+ A- A+ C+ C- C
4. Suns Trade
Don Kojils SF 22 6'5'' 225 B A- C- B- B B
Joe Fulks PF 37 6'5'' 220 A- B F+ B A- F
Rafael Rullan PF 22 6'10'' 235 B B B- B+ B- B
Spurs 2044 1st
Pacers Trade
Modestas Paulaskas SF 25 6'4'' 235 B+ A+ B B+ B+ C
Walker Kessler C 22 6'11'' 230 B+ C D+ B- B C
Grade for Suns B+
The Suns essentially traded Jalen Johnson, and DJ Carlton for Paulaskas, Kessler, Al Bianchi and the Spurs 2045 1st. I guess if you were to put a gun to my head I would prefer Paulaskas to Johnson but not by much and maybe I wouldn’t when you consider how Johnson is signed long term but even if we suppose they are even which they are at the very least very close that would mean that the suns somehow conjured the Spurs 2045 1st rounder out of his asshole for nothing. The fact that the Suns could get a comparable player to Johnson and still keep one of the firsts they got is impressive to me. That being said I do knock them a bit for the rationale of the deals as a whole. Not sure why you make the move for young players and picks only to turn it around and deal almost the exact same package for a comparable player on a shorter term deal but like I said he got a pick out of it so his grade is still pretty high in my book.
Grade for Spurs C
The Spurs traded Rafael Rullan, Don Kojils, Joe Fulks, Al Bianchi, Spurs 2044 1st Spurs 2045 1st for Jalen Johnson and DJ Carlton. I think when we look at the totality of the deal the spurs are hurt the most. They could have easily offered the same package minus their 2045 1st and gotten Paulaskas. Maybe they like Johnson a lot but I think they are comparable and there is no guarantee the Spurs wont be a lottery team next year. They are barely the 8 seed right now and they wont have enough room to make a huge splash in free agency. They are going to have to count on some top teams losing players in FA and some internal development to avoid a potential lottery trip. Personally I think between Wilt and DD development they will be a lot better next year but again they could have gotten Paulaskas without the 2045 1st which would have been worth it for me.
Grade for Pacers A-
The Pacers Traded Paulaskas and Kessler for Rafael Rullan, Don Kojils, Joe Fulks, Spurs 2044 1st. I like these sequences of trades the most for them. It seems like the Pacers are just trying to free up as much cap-space as possible for next year and this trade helped them do that while also getting a potential stud prospect in Kojils. Paulaskas could be up for a big extension next year especially under the new rules so if they were going to deal him now was the time to do it. Since the Pacers dealt Rullan to the Jazz and Fulks is most likely gone as a free agent their grade for this trade mostly lies on Kojils development and who they can get with the spurs pick which should be in the middle of the 1st round this year. This was a good rebuilding trade for them though.
Trade 5: Mavs Decide To Go All In
Mavs Trade
Gus Johnson PF 20 6'7'' 245 A- C C A A- B
Hosana Kitenge PF 25 6'7'' 265 B D+ D B- A- B
Tom Hawkins SF 24 6'5'' 210 C+ C D+ A C+ C
Clippers 2044 1st
Nets Trade
Skinny Johnson PF 33 6'5'' 225 A B+ C+ B+ A- D
Grade for Mavs A-
So I think when you look at this trade for the Mavericks in the context of all their other deals it looks pretty bad. However in a vacuum for this specific trade (and I know I am in the minority) I don’t mind it for them. I would have liked to see what Johnson can become with some camping but Skinny has been awesome for them as a legit 24/11 guy. The rest of the players are just fillers and the Clippers pick was late in the 1st round. With Skinny being on a great deal for the next 3 years I think this trade makes some sense for the Mavericks and I think if their other moves had worked out this would be viewed differently. Overall I think this is about right for a PF who is very good and signed for 2 more years at a great contract. Also weirdly enough much like the Nets getting Posey back the Mavs eventually got Kitenge back in a separate deal after trading him in this one.
Grade for Nets B+
Much like for the Mavericks I am looking at this deal from the Nets perspective just based on this one move. Now if you told me that the Nets used the key components of this deal in Johnson and the Clippers 1st to get Bob Cousy I would give them an A+ and slow clap them. But at the time I wasn’t quite sure what the Nets were doing. They seemed like they had a good team and maybe weren’t championship contenders but this to me was teetering on rebuild. Especially when you consider that Johnson is not that effective of a player right now. I didn’t understand it from the Nets perspective and if they had never made that move for Cousy I think we would be talking about this Nets team differently and wondering when they were going to move Belov. Overall it worked out for them and I applaud them because if I was trying to contend I probably would not have had the guts to make this move for a serious downgrade at PF and a late 1st.
Overall it was a pretty active trade year in the last year that you will have to match salaries in trades. One thing that stuck out to me in these deals is that a lot of these players were traded numerous times throughout the year. Not so much the core players but they salary fillers in this deal were almost always dealt again and oftentimes more than once.
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