After this week, many NBA rosters look quite different then they did at the start of the season. With the trade deadline looming, every team around the league had to evaluate their roster to see if they had the pieces that they want to finish the year with. Cap space is at a premium this season, so the market was flooded with sellers, while buyers were scarce. The cap space conundrum that many teams found themselves in made for a very interesting trade deadline. Several stars that many would have considered untradeable hit the market, some of which were dealt while others did not garner a price that their respective franchises felt was worth their services. However these moves work out for the teams involved, this trade deadline sure transformed several different rosters and changed the landscape of the NBA.

The New Younger Cleveland

It has been apparent to all watching that the Cavaliers were a mess. The front office is in shambles, tensions in the locker room were at an all time high, Lebron James was believed to be leaving his hometown yet again, and worst of all, they were losing. The Cavaliers had a lot of talent on the roster, but a lack of youth and team chemistry led them to under perform and gave the Cavaliers organization a less then stellar looking future. The hometown hero King James was fed up and they knew that he would leave in free agency if nothing changed, which is still a possibility, but the moves they made both prepare them for the future and give James a reason to stay. The first of the three trades was trading the All Star point guard acquired in the Kyrie Irving trade, as well as stretch forward Channing Frye and their 2018 first round pick to the Lakers. In return they got two young pieces to build their future around in Jordan Clarkson and Larry Nance Jr. The second of their trades came when they took part in a three team deal to acquire Rodney Hood from the Utah Jazz and George Hill from the Sacramento Kings. Hill will be the starting point guard as Clarkson continues to develop and Rodney Hood gives the Cavs a great “three and D” wing player. Hood fills a massive need that Cleveland has needed for a long time and will be exciting to watch next to Lebron. To acquire both of these players, they gave Utah Jae Crowder and Derrick Rose and Sacramento Joe Johnson, Iman Shumpert, and a second round pick. The last of these trades was simply giving away a player that did not mesh well with their team. They virtually gave Dwayne Wade back to the Miami Heat for a second round pick. This move was great for all parties involved. The Cavaliers had to do something to prepare for the future. Whether Lebron resigns in free agency or not, they acquired some pieces for the future. The success of these trades for Cleveland will be measured by how well Clarkson, Nance Jr, and Hood develop.

IT to LA

The blockbuster deal that gave the Cavs Jordan Clarkson and Larry Nance Jr. also gave the Lakers some very valuable assets. Isaiah Thomas, a player who was in the MVP race with the Boston Celtics in 2016, had a short yet abysmal tenure with the Cavaliers and he now finds himself in a Lakers jersey. He  will be arguably the most talented sixth man this year as he is slated to be the backup of rookie Lonzo Ball and has a chance to get a new start with the Lakers. Also acquired in this trade was stretch power forward Channing Frye, who will give the second unit of the Lakers some much needed spacing. They were even able to acquire a first round pick in the deal. This deal was an incredible move by the Lakers front office to take advantage of an organization in peril. They were able to acquire a stellar point guard, and first round pick, and a valuable bench player for two young pieces that are talented, but did not fit in to the Lakers view for the future. Clarkson had been on the trade market for a while, but his contract was so large that most possible suitors were not willing to give up much to get him. The Lakers were able to get a first rounder and a former MVP candidate for a salary dump. The first rounder alone makes this a good deal for the Lakers, but if Thomas can return to the level of play that he had in Boston, this trade will be undoubtedly beneficial for them. With Lebron’s future in Cleveland uncertain, this move, along with the cap space that the Lakers have, could lure him as well as another star (maybe Paul George) in the 2018 free agency. If they fail to sign a star or two in free agency this year, the 2019 free agency is chalk-full of stars as well. Talents such as Kawhi Leonard, Jimmy Butler, or Klay Thompson could all be a part of the Lakers future. This trade, along with past moves, gives the Lakers arguably the brightest future in the NBA.

Wade Reunited with Miami

The NBA community mourned the ugly fallout of the Wade and Miami era. Many fans, myself included, resented Pat Reilly for not giving Wade the contract that he deserved after years of taking pay cuts. He brought the Heat 3 NBA championships and had been the face of the franchise for years, but they refused to reward him for his hard work. This caused Wade to go to his childhood team the Chicago Bulls for a season and then to play with his best friend Lebron James, but he did not look right in either place. Wade has always been meant to play in Miami. The Cavaliers opted to overhaul their roster and get younger, so Wade was not part of their future. They decided to do Wade a solid and trade him to the Miami Heat for next to nothing. Time heals. Wade and Reilly are back on good terms and both are excited about him being in a Heat jersey once again. Wade will bring a veteran presence to this young team and give them a boost in their playoff run. Miami finally has the face of their franchise back and frankly, it feels right. D-Wade is finally back home.

Jordan and Kemba Stay Put

There were several huge moves that shook up rosters this year, but some big time talents were expected to be moved and were not. One of these talents is DeAndre Jordan of the Los Angeles Clippers. Jordan is a defensive star that protects the paint as well as anyone in the league. His talent as a rebounder is also top-tier, but his lack of shooting limits his offensive abilities. Jordan drew interest from teams like the Cleveland Cavaliers, Boston Celtics, and Milwaukee Bucks but noting ever materialized. It will be interesting to watch the future of the Clippers, who traded star point guard Chris Paul last offseason and star forward Blake Griffin earlier in the year. (Read Blake Griffin Sent to Detroit in Shocking Trade by Chase Michaelsen for more information) They also signed Lou Williams to a contract extension, so they could so the same to Jordan and build around him. It is also likely that they will ship him somewhere next offseason. Another big name that hit the market but was not dealt was Kemba Walker of the Charlotte Hornets. The 2018 All Star point guard was shopped around in hopes of gaining other future stars of valuable draft assets, but the Hornets decided to hold on to him. They are taking a risk, as he could leave for nothing when his contract expires, so holding on to him shows that they are confident he will resign. The Cavaliers made a push to acquire him, but the Hornets asking price was too high for them to come to an agreement. Other teams that showed interest were the San Antonio Spurs, Indiana Pacers, and New Orleans Pelicans. A few more players that were heavily shopped and not dealt include Tyreke Evans of the Memphis Grizzlies, Jonas Valanciunas of the Toronto Raptors, and Julius Randle of the Los Angeles Lakers.

Other Moves

The trade deadline brought about many blockbuster trades, but some under the radar players changed teams too and could help some teams with a late playoff push. The Phoenix Suns acquired Elfrid Payton from the Orlando Magic. Payton will try to assume the role of Eric Bledsoe, who is currently a member of the Milwaukee Bucks. Noah Vonleh has been traded to the Chicago Bulls in hopes of reviving his career, seeing as his bench role had diminished immensely in Portland. Another notable trade was a three team trade between the Dallas Mavericks, Denver Nuggets, and New York Knicks. The Knicks received Emmanuel Mudiay, the Nuggets received Devin Harris, and the Mavs received Doug McDermott. All three of these players are solid role players who should fit into the future plans of their respective teams.

With big names such as Kemba Walker, Deandre Jordan being thrown around as well as trades involving Isaiah Thomas and Blake Griffin, the cap played an integral role in the actions of every NBA front office. Some teams, such as the Cavaliers, saw that they needed a change to be able to compete for an NBA championship while others decided to keep their roster intact, such as the Boston Celtics and the Golden State Warriors. The NBA landscape has changed and it will be interesting to watch how each of these trades impacts the course of the franchises involved.