As the National Basketball Association (NBA) trade deadline approached Feb. 6, multiple teams stunned players and fans with a variety of unexpected trades that changed the face of the league.
One of the most shocking deals was a three-way trade between the Los Angeles Lakers, Dallas Mavericks and Utah Jazz. The Lakers acquired Maxi Kleber, Markieff Morris and star player Luka Dončić from the Mavericks.
The Mavericks received Max Christie, Anthony Davis and the 2029 first-round pick from the Lakers. The trade with Dončić and Davis sent many fans into spirals as it is predicted to leave huge impacts on the Western Conference. Many Maverick fans protested the trade and even sent Nico Harrison, the general manager of the Mavericks, death threats.
Despite the shock of the midseason swap, Davis and Dončić have had impressive performances, completely reshaping the precedence of the rest of the season. In Davis’ first debut game with the Mavericks against the Houston Rockets Feb. 8, he amassed 26 points, 16 rebounds and seven assists. However, during the third quarter of the game, Davis suffered from an adductor sprain, leaving him injured for the next few weeks. Dončić also had a successful debut game with the Lakers against the Utah Jazz Feb. 10, where he had scored 14 points on restricted minutes, even after just recovering from a calf injury.
Despite their strong start with Dončić, they faced a 12 point loss during a rematch with the Jazz two days later. Even though they lost, the game gave rookie Lebron James Jr., better known as Bronny, the opportunity to score his career-high of 9 points in the fourth quarter. Because these new changes have shaped a new future for the Lakers, many players, like James Jr., will develop their newfound chemistry for years to come.
Additionally, after trading Davis, the Lakers were also in need of a new center, so they attempted to trade with the Charlotte Hornets; however, the trade was rescinded. They wanted Mark Williams in exchange for Cam Reddish and rookie Dalton Knecht, along with future draft picks. Williams had failed a physical and was prone to injury, despite his young age, leading the Lakers to be concerned about his future on the team and cancelling the trade. The NBA trade deadline passed, and the trade was not amended.
Following the Lakers’ eventful trades, the Golden State Warriors went into immediate discussion with teams to acquire any big name player to play alongside franchise player, Stephen Curry. In the end, they closed a blockbuster trade with the Miami Heat to receive Jimmy Butler III for Andrew Wiggins and Kyle Anderson.
The Detroit Pistons, Toronto Raptors and Jazz were also involved in this trade, receiving players and draft picks. As the Warriors have been fixated at the 9-11th seed, they traded much of their team-depth for a single player in hopes of increasing their chances of playoff contention. With Butler’s debut game against the Chicago Bulls, Feb. 8, his chemistry with the team was evident as the team had a 45 point comeback for a blowout victory. Butler had 25 points, combining 59 total with Curry, marking the beginning of a new NBA duo and bright future for the team.
In addition to the Warriors trade, the Sacramento Kings, San Antonio Spurs and Chicago Bulls made a groundbreaking deal Feb. 2. The Bulls sent Zach Lavine, Sidy Cissoko and several draft picks to the Kings, and they received Zach Collins, Kevin Huerter, Tre Jones and a first-round pick.
Additionally, the Spurs acquired previous Kings franchise-player De’Aaron Fox along with Jordan Mclaughlin. This was a high profile move for the Spurs as Fox would play alongside sophomore Victor Wembanyama and Chris Paul for potential postseason action in the competitive Western Conference.
There were also numerous other trades just before the deadline, making this deadline one of the most eventful. Therefore, many fans are left wondering what the league will look like after the second-half of the regular season
