Levon Campbell III
Staff Writer
The NBA trade deadline has come and gone, and in its aftermath, many teams have been significantly altered. Teams like the New York Knicks and Indiana Pacers have significantly overhauled their rosters, while teams like the Los Angeles Lakers and Phoenix Suns stood pat. While the drama’s over, anticipation remains high for what’s to come, with the playoffs looming in the not-too-distant future.
The dust has finally settled on an exciting and eventful period for the league. We have seen several major trades and teams across the league who have made final adjustments to their rosters with an eye toward the playoff push. Let’s look back at what happened during the trade deadline.
Following the acquisition of O.G. Anunoby, the New York Knicks have added a valuable piece to their roster. With the addition of Bojan Bogdanovic and Alec Burks from the Detroit Pistons, New York appears to have upgraded its perimeter shooting and size.
The Knicks gave up Quentin Grimes, Evan Fournier, Malachi Flynn, Ryan Arcidiacono, and two future second-round picks in the deal. While they had to let go of some valuable players, their acquisitions will undoubtedly help New York in the long run.
The Indiana Pacers made headlines by initially acquiring Pascal Siakam to create a potent trio along with Tyrese Haliburton and Myles Turner. However, they kept making waves with additional transactions.
In a trade with the Philadelphia 76ers, they dealt Buddy Hield for Marcus Morris, Sr., Furkan Korkmaz, and three second-round picks. But they reportedly waived Korkmaz and later sent Morris to the San Antonio Spurs in exchange for sharp-shooting Doug McDermott.
When point guard Tyrese Haliburton is fully back from injury, the Indiana Pacers will be positioned to make a strong push for a spot among the top four teams in the Eastern Conference. Their offense is already capable of overwhelming opponents, but if they can establish a respectable defense, they will be a force to be reckoned with. With their versatile and deep roster of potent scorers and defenders, the Pacers are poised to do some damage in the East.
The Los Angeles Lakers’ decision not to make a major move at the trade deadline could lead to another unsuccessful season for the team, even with LeBron James and Anthony Davis on their roster. Instead of making a significant move, the Lakers will be armed with three first-round picks as they enter the summer. However, James will have a $51 million player option to decide on and turn 40, while Davis will be turning 31 and awaiting his lucrative extension.
Some tough decisions lie ahead for the front office as Spencer Dinwiddie could help, but not significantly.
According to CBS Sports, the Golden State Warriors tried to trade for James ahead of this year’s trade deadline, but the veteran star expressed his desire to remain in Los Angeles for the time being.
NBA players like Russell Westbrook have spoken out about their feelings surrounding the trade deadline, ranging from nervousness and restlessness to excitement and anticipation. Westbrook expressed excitement for his new team and a hunger to play with his new teammates, while others might find a sense of unease and uncertainty.
“I was so ready to play [for a new team] based on the situation I was in and how it ended,” Westbrook told ESPN about that deal on Feb. 9, 2023, the third time he had been traded in his 15-year career. After agreeing to the buyout with the Utah Jazz, Westbrook found himself on a new team with the Los Angeles Clippers on Feb. 22, 2023.
Jackson State students believe that this year’s NBA trade deadline was interesting and provided their thoughts about how their favorite NBA teams performed during the deadline.
Traven Moore, a sophomore industrial technology major from Chandler, Ariz., said that the trade deadline was good for his favorite team, the Phoenix Suns.
“The NBA had a good trade deadline this year and I feel that because of the moves that the Suns made we’re going win the championship,” Moore said.
O’zarrion Dent, a sophomore healthcare administration major from Jackson, Miss., was shocked to hear that his favorite team, the Golden State Warriors, was about to make a move to trade for Lebron James.
“I heard that we tried to trade for Lebron, and I think that would’ve been amazing and a good conclusion to the rivalry,” Dent said.
The NBA trade deadline ended on Feb. 8.
