The NBA Trade Deadline is one of the most exciting times of the year and despite increasing speculation that this would be a “quiet” deadline, we certainly had a lot of noise around February 6th. Blockbusters were galore, All-Stars were shipped across teams, and ultimately, moves that could alter the playoff landscape were made. I’m not sure that a prohibitive favorite exists to win the NBA Finals this year and to be frank, I’m not sure that any move made puts a team over the edge. However, the flurry of transactions we witnessed each brought along their own intrigue, leading to a necessary deep-dive of the current state of the NBA.
The Houston Rockets’ Small-Ball Revolution
For those of you who have followed my sporting takes for the past few years, you know that I’m all for trying innovative ideas. I’m never a fan of teams trying to copy-and-paste a blueprint that works in one location and believing it’ll work everywhere. For example, the team that dethroned the Golden State Warriors didn’t beat them by running a similar system; rather, the Raptors beat them with size, perimeter defense, and the help of a stone-cold killer (Kawhi Leonard). It is a theory that rings true beyond the NBA as well, as certain NFL franchises have tried to cut and paste the New England Patriots model in their own organizations, only for it to flop miserably. Each situation is unique, meaning that simply replicating one successful formula doesn’t ensure a strong result.
With that being said, while I’m all for innovation and zigging while others are zagging, I’m not sold at all with what the Houston Rockets are doing. Daryl Morey set a bold direction for Houston at the trade deadline, pushing all his chips to the middle on small ball. The philosophy is simple; opening up the floor for James Harden and Russell Westbrook to attack should make Houston’s offense absolutely lethal, especially when surrounded by four highly-capable shooters. The Rockets hope that P.J. Tucker’s toughness and Houston’s constant switching on defense will allow them to stay afloat defensively. Essentially, the Rockets are betting that their new roster construction will be so difficult to stop that it doesn’t matter whether or not they’ll have rotation guys taller than 6’8; rather, they’ll force teams to stop them and when they cannot, teams will have to adjust and be forced to play Houston’s style, a recipe for disaster.
This last point I raise is an interesting one, as a common denominator for winning teams is making opponents play their style. Since teams aren’t constructed equally in the NBA, forcing to play your opponents’ style, a style they’re built to play, is a one-way ticket to a loss. This is what the Rockets are gambling on, that their offense will be so unguardable, that the only way for teams to combat it will be to go super small as well, playing right into Houston’s hand. My problem with this is I’m not sold on that working. I absolutely believe that the Rockets will be a nightmare to defend, as James Harden is the best isolation player in the NBA and giving him a wide-open floor is a worst-case scenario for any defense. However, am I convinced that Robert Covington is the right complementary piece to complete this small-ball revolution? No, I’m not, even though Covington is an ideal 3-and-D wing.
I think what makes me most concerned about Houston’s radical style is that it doesn’t mesh well with their likely playoff threats. The Clippers easily have the versatility to match Houston’s small lineups, the Lakers can bully Houston inside with Anthony Davis as the Nuggets can with Nikola Jokic, and the Jazz have the necessary perimeter depth and shooting to battle Houston tough. Morey’s trade of Capela and a pick for Covington was essentially this move; sacrificing any rim-protection defensively for what he hopes is no resistance at the rim offensively. I’m sure Morey envisions that a lineup of Russell Westbrook, James Harden, Eric Gordon, Robert Covington, and P.J. Tucker will be such a force at shooting the 3-PT ball that opponents will be unable to play defense around the rim, giving free reign to elite slashers like Westbrook and Harden to feast for high-percentage shots. If the defense caves and helps, then simply kick it out to shooters.
However, this is where the problem comes in; Houston isn’t a great 3-PT shooting team. Their reputation vastly outweighs their actual performance and come postseason time, it’s easy to see how teams can effectively scheme against Houston’s offense. One defensive adjustment to counter Houston will be to play zone. The Rockets are a dribble-heavy, isolation-reliant offense, something that would struggle against zone. The best way to beat a zone is with ball movement and 3-PT shooting, something Houston struggles with. The Rockets rank 28th in assists per game and 21st in 3-PT shooting. The Rockets, overall, average the 2nd fewest passes per game, ahead of only Portland by a slim margin and way behind the rest of the field. I’m fascinated to see what would happen if the Rockets face a zone defense, which would allow opponents to play a rim-protecting big without having to worry about their center having to guard a perimeter player.
In addition to zone defense, it’s imperative to talk about Houston’s 3-PT shooting. As mentioned, the Rockets are banking on the fact that teams will have to force between helping against Harden and Westbrook drives or leaving Gordon, Covington, Tucker, Ben McLemore, and Danuel House Jr. wide open for three. In theory, this makes sense, but in reality, it’s not as clean. Here’s an example why:
| Houston Rockets | 3-PT% | 3-PT% (Wide Open) |
| Russell Westbrook | 23.7% | 30.1% |
| James Harden | 35.8% | 38.2% |
| Eric Gordon | 33.5% | 36.9% |
| Robert Covington | 35.1% | 36.2% |
| P.J. Tucker | 36.7% | 39.9% |
| Ben McLemore | 38.2% | 39.4% |
| Danuel House Jr. | 38.0% | 44.7% |
While the 3-PT numbers are fine overall, the wide-open 3-PT numbers aren’t as high as you would imagine. I’m not saying that consistently giving James Harden, Eric Gordon, etc. wide-open looks is a winning formula, but imagine if these guys were hitting wide-open threes at a clip above 40%? The league-average for overall 3-PT% is 35.5%, yet for wide-open threes, Eric Gordon and Robert Covington are slightly above the overall average, while Russell Westbrook is still way below. For a team likely to field a lineup of Westbrook, Harden, Gordon, Covington, and Tucker in clutch time, would you rather take your chances of James Harden going one-on-one, or forcing Westbrook, Gordon, or Covington to hit a three, even if it’s a wide-open one? I’m not sure if this trade for Houston opens up the floor as much as they envision, or rather, if it further increases the importance of their players to hit their shots, something the franchise famously struggled with in their 2018 Game 7 loss to the Golden State Warriors.
That Minnesota/Golden State Trade
Speaking of the Golden State Warriors, when I first saw they traded D’Angelo Russell for Andrew Wiggins, I immediately thought, “Why would Golden State do that?”. After all, Wiggins has one of the worst contracts in the NBA and while Russell’s long-term fit in Golden State was certainly clunky, I didn’t expect the Warriors to move him simply to move him. Yet, as the trade settled, I slowly began to think that this might not be too bad for the Warriors.
I want to start this analysis with the Timberwolves and ultimately, I’m not sure how I feel about this. On the one hand, Minnesota had to move on from Andrew Wiggins; it just was never going to happen for him or the franchise in Minnesota. With Karl-Anthony Towns becoming more and more frustrated by the day, this was a move the Timberwolves had to make, even if it was a panic one. Giving up a very lightly-protected first-rounder is never ideal and for a player of D’Angelo Russell’s stature, it’s certainly questionable. Getting Wiggins off the books makes it much easier to swallow, but I have to question Minnesota’s ability to win. Karl-Anthony Towns and the Wolves haven’t won in years, and their only successful season in the post-Kevin Garnett era was when Jimmy Butler came to town. People loved to mock Butler for his fiery attitude and implosion in Minnesota, but one thing was evident; Butler’s competitiveness and sheer determination to win was essential in Minnesota’s success. Butler has gotten a ton of heat for being a locker room problem, but everywhere he’s gone, he’s won and made the team much better. That’s my little aside on my support for Butler, but I think it further illustrates how Minnesota hasn’t built a strong culture. Thinking D’Angelo Russell is the cure for that is a bit naïve, and I’m not sold that when it’s time for that pick to convey to Golden State, that it won’t be highly valuable.
This point ultimately begs the question as to whether or not D’Angelo Russell is a piece to push Minnesota to contention. A duo of Russell and Towns gives the Wolves two talented young building blocks and if Jarrett Culver develops as I expect (I compared him to Khris Middleton this summer), then Minnesota begins to look awfully interesting. Throw in Malik Beasley, Josh Okogie, Juancho Hernangomez, and a potential top-7 selection this summer, and there’s certainly some upside there. However, concerns still exist. The biggest issue for Minnesota, outside of their culture, is their defense. Russell is not a good defender and neither is Towns. Considering Towns is forced to be the quarterback of their defense, that’s a problem, especially since Minnesota doesn’t have a single player capable of forcing a consistent stop on the perimeter. Josh Okogie is a solid defender with a great motor and Culver has some potential, but the lack of defensive ability and versatility is horrific. Minnesota has no cap space to remedy this problem, making it imperative they find the right bargain-bin guys and hit on their high draft pick in order to build up their defensive equity.
In addition to defense, my next worry is whether or not Russell is the piece to push the Wolves to serious playoff hopes. Russell is a talented player, but his game has a lot of flaws besides his defense. For starters, Russell isn’t a terribly efficient player despite his improvements and he often settles for jumpers. This is fine if Russell continues to knock them down at a high clip; he’s shooting a career-high 37.4% from 3-PT range this season and has a career-high in EFG% at 52.4%. However, this is still a player who has roughly 80% of his shot attempts come from beyond 10 feet, making him incredibly reliant on shooting, a skill that comes and goes even for the very best players in the NBA. Russell is a good shooter, but he hasn’t proven he can be an elite one, something the Wolves will desperately need him to be. Outside of Towns and Russell, Minnesota doesn’t have a third player capable of creating their own offense. Maybe Malik Beasley becomes that guy, although he’s been incredibly poor this year on any shot that isn’t a 3-PT attempt. Russell’s continued growth as a shooter is incredibly important, or else, he’ll become yet another inefficient, volume scorer for Minnesota to pair with Towns.
Now, while I believe my concerns about D’Angelo Russell are validated, it is important to note that Russell has proven he can be an integral part of a winning team during his NBA career. Russell was the best player on the Brooklyn Nets last season who had an incredible season and finished as the 6th seed in the Eastern Conference. Russell is still a gifted passer who could run a lethal pick-and-pop combo with Karl-Anthony Towns and he’s still capable of erupting for 40+ points any given night. I think the Timberwolves have little margin for error in properly building a roster around Russell and KAT, but they have the bare bones in place to be competitive. However, with limited financial flexibility and important future draft capital owed to Golden State, the pressure is now on Gersson Rosas to build that title contender.
As for the Golden State Warriors, this is an organization that’s proven they can win titles, evident by their three championships in the past five seasons. When Kevin Durant departed for Brooklyn last summer, Golden State’s incredible front office excelled at asset management, somehow landing Russell in a sign-and-trade. The fit in Golden State alongside Steph Curry and Klay Thompson was always questionable at best, yet the Warriors somehow managed to add another All-Star; that’s important, evident by this trade. Not only did the Warriors skirt under the luxury tax by adding in Jacob Evans and Omari Spellman to this deal, but they’ll also save substantial money in the future by doing so. Golden State also added a better positional fit for their roster in Wiggins, as their wing depth was razor thin and there weren’t many future opportunities to bolster that weakness. Lastly, accumulating a lightly-protected first-round pick that could be very valuable and potentially a top-40 second round pick makes this trade a solid move for Golden State.
I wouldn’t say I’ve done a complete 180 since my initial bewilderment of Golden State’s decision to acquire Wiggins, but I have slowly come around on the move to the point that I can see why the Warriors made the move. When fully healthy, Golden State is starting Steph Curry and Klay Thompson; having to start Curry and D’Angelo Russell greatly compromises their perimeter defense. Considering the Warriors have to face backcourts like Damian Lillard/C.J. McCollum, Mike Conley/Donovan Mitchell, Russell Westbrook/James Harden, and other elite guards like Luka Doncic, Paul George, Ja Morant, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, etc. it’s very tough to have a defensive backcourt that offers the resistance of Curry/Russell. Not only was the defensive match a major concern, but Russell was likely to be forced more into a tertiary offensive role, something that didn’t make much sense considering his greatest strengths require him to control the ball. I never understood or liked Russell’s fit in Golden State, but the Warriors’ ability to acquire him was one of the smoothest moves of the summer.
Now, just because Golden State was able to turn Kevin Durant’s departure into a valuable draft asset and Andrew Wiggins doesn’t make the deal for Russell a success, but it does make it a good move. I’m not sure Andrew Wiggins gets close to becoming an above-average NBA player, but right now, I think he’s fine. He’ll be playing in a much more defined role for a perennial title contender that has built an elite culture. If Wiggins buys in, he’ll certainly improve. Will he ever live up to the billing as the “next great star”? Probably not, but I definitely think he can be an impactful player on the Warriors. Wiggins’ role in Golden State will likely be similar to the Harrison Barnes’ role; Wiggins will likely be relegated to primarily operating as a 3-PT shooter (mainly from the corner), and necessary defender. Here’s a comparison between Andrew Wiggins’ 2019-20 season numbers and Harrison Barnes’ 2015-16 season numbers, his last with the Warriors:
| Stats | PPG (per 36) | REB% | AST% | TS% | 3-PT% (corners) | DBPM |
| Andrew Wiggins (2019-20) | 23.3 | 7.9% | 18.5% | 53.5% | 27.0% (40.2% for career) | -1.3 |
| Harrison Barnes (2015-16) | 13.6 | 8.6% | 7.8% | 55.9% | 35.8% | -0.6 |
Ultimately, when running this comparison, it appears Wiggins is an overall upgrade over Harrison Barnes, who was an integral part of many Warriors’ teams. Wiggins isn’t the defender Barnes was, but he has the physical tools that if he’s engaged, can be an impact player on that end of the court. I’m also fascinated to see Wiggins play that role as a corner 3-PT shooter, as his career numbers indicate he’s elite from that area even if his percentage has plummeted this season.
Now, the major hamstring that Wiggins provides is his contract, as he’s owed approximately $95 million over the next three seasons. Even if Wiggins performs to Harrison Barnes’ standard in Golden State, that’s still a massive overpay. Was acquiring him worth adding a lightly-protected first? I’d probably say yes, as Golden State would’ve been tight against the cap regardless. However, was it also worth giving up D’Angelo Russell without getting much else in return? That’s where the debate comes in. I would’ve liked this trade much more for the Warriors if they were able to land an additional asset, whether it was another protected first-round pick or a player like Jaylen Nowell. However, at the end of the day, I think this deal currently works in both team’s favor, but has much more long-term risk/reward potential for the Timberwolves.
The Battle of L.A. Extends into the Trade Market
ESPN did a great job detailing the battle between the Los Angeles teams for forward Marcus Morris, something that’s slightly amusing since although I believe Marcus Morris is a very good player, I don’t believe he’s the difference between winning and losing a title. Yet, it appears the Clippers and Lakers may feel differently, as both teams were competing to land a talented 3-and-D forward, yet it was the Clippers who came out on top, shipping off Moe Harkless, Jerome Robinson, their 2020 first-round pick, and the right to a 2021 pick swap for Morris. Morris is a home-run addition for the Clippers, as he’s hitting a career-high 43.9% of his 3-PT attempts and has strong defensive skills, including a reputation for guarding LeBron James tough. With that being said, while I don’t dislike the actual acquisition, I do wonder whether the Clippers gave up too much. I understand their title window has been expediated by their Kawhi Leonard/Paul George heist, but giving up a first-round pick, a former lottery pick in Jerome Robinson (who hasn’t showed much) and Moe Harkless, who’s arguably a better defender than Morris, seems like a lot. Don’t get me wrong, I think Morris is a talented player and should elevate the Clippers, but was he worth the required ammunition? I guess we’ll see come June, but as of now, I have my doubts.
Adding Morris gives the Clippers even more lineup versatility, as Morris is capable of playing the five in short spurts. A unit that features Patrick Beverley, Lou Williams/Landry Shamet, Paul George, Kawhi Leonard, and Morris is absolutely terrifying and could wreak havoc on nearly any Western Conference team, especially Houston’s new small-ball lineup. With this deal, the Clippers maintain the flexibility to also play more traditionally (with Morris at the four and either Zubac or Harrell at center), or also really big, with Morris at the three, Patrick Patterson at the four, and Harrell at the five. Giving up only one rotation guy (Harkless) for that added versatility and shooting makes a lot of sense, but I’m just not sure if it was necessary. I thought the Clippers had the best roster in the NBA prior to the trade and even if the Lakers acquired Morris (for possibly Kyle Kuzma and Danny Green), I still wouldn’t be convinced that the Lakers were better than the Clippers. I get the premise for the move, I’m just not sure if I agree with the overall decision.
Pat Riley Makes a Move
It was rumored throughout the week that the Miami Heat were aiming to land both Andre Iguodala and Danilo Gallinari at the trade deadline, yet at the end of the day, Pat Riley came away with Iguodala, Jae Crowder, and Solomon Hill in exchange for Justise Winslow, Dion Waiters, and James Johnson. For starters, I love this trade for the Miami Heat. Miami has been a surprise this season, currently sitting 4th in the Eastern Conference. However, their biggest areas of weakness was their wing depth, specifically, their perimeter defense. Andre Iguodala certainly helps in that area and while so many people call him washed, I vehemently disagree with that. Iguodala was very effective for the Golden State Warriors in the postseason last year and while he took a step back, it was nowhere near as drastic as pundits or front office executives would have you believe. Adding Iguodala gives Miami additional flexibility and gives them an alternative to guarding wings outside of Duncan Robinson. Jae Crowder is an overrated player, but he fits the Miami Heat culture perfectly and has enough defensive and playmaking chops to be an impact guy for the team. His reputation as a shooter wildly outpaces his actual performance, but he could step in as a rotation regular.
The Memphis Grizzlies got a lot of early love for this trade and while their praise did cool considerably, I’m still a big fan of this move. It’s cool to see Tyus Jones, Grayson Allen, and Justise Winslow all reunited in the NBA (throw Jahlil Okafor and Quinn Cook out there and we have Duke 2.0), but Winslow is a talented player with a lot of untapped potential. Winslow is a solid playmaker and defender, but he’s been unable to consistently remain healthy in the NBA. If Winslow’s durability improves, then this is a steal for Memphis. I wasn’t a huge fan of taking on both Dion Waiters and James Johnson’s contracts, but I loved Memphis’ move to flip Johnson for Gorgui Dieng. Dieng’s contract is bad, but his performance this season has somewhat justified that $13M figure and he’s certainly better than James Johnson. This could be the rare win-win trade.
Post-Deadline: Biggest Takeaways
Andre Drummond’s Value: Seeing the Detroit Pistons give up Andre Drummond for a bag of peanuts and a juice box was stunning. Reports throughout the week indicated that Drummond was likely to stay with the Pistons, so to see the Woj bomb announcing he’d been traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers was a major shocker. Not only is Cleveland a rebuilding team with a plethora of expensive frontcourt players, but the Cavaliers gave up basically a second round pick for the best rebounder in the NBA. Apparently, Drummond was likely to opt into his $30M player option and Detroit didn’t want his contract on the books, so they essentially salary dumped him. That’s a bold move to make and a tough case to tell the fans.
I think perhaps the most appalling part about Detroit’s paltry return is the NBA’s overall evaluation of Andre Drummond. Casual fans seem to be enamored with his game; after all, he’s an incredible rebounder with a solid low-post game and underrated passing skills. The “modern-NBA” has shifted away from players like Drummond, but his value is evident because of his ability to control the glass and occasionally dominate inside. However, it appears the NBA doesn’t view him to be much of an asset and to be blunt, I’m not sure Drummond is that good either. Yes, his rebounding is valuable, but what of his inability to move defensively? Drummond is fine when he’s allowed to park around the rim, something that’s happening less and less as teams space the floor more and more. Drummond’s motor comes and goes too, particularly defensively, a major issue for a guy who doesn’t possess the most gifted physical tools. Additionally, Drummond adds zero versatility to lineups and is rarely dominant. He’s an overpaid center in a league moving away from playing traditional bigs.
Ultimately, I’m not sure either team “won” this trade. Cleveland gets essentially a three month rental with Drummond, but their hands are tied of he opts in. The Cavaliers were highly unlikely to be free agent players anyways and Drummond opting in could be beneficial if they aim to deal him next season. I don’t think the on court fit makes any sense as the Cavaliers figure to field the worst defense in the NBA next season if he returns, but for as little as Cleveland gave up, I don’t hate the trade. As for the Pistons, you obviously wish you could’ve gotten more (maybe Cedi Osman or one of Cleveland’s young guards), but this moves saves $30M in cap space next year and allows Detroit to race to the bottom. It’s a shame Blake Griffin had to get hurt as the Pistons were very impressive last season, but Detroit is embarking on what seems to be a long rebuild.
Teams Are Punting 2020 Free Agency: Perhaps my biggest deadline takeaway was the little concern NBA teams seem to have for free agency this summer. Last season was perhaps the wildest summer on record for the NBA and with the 2021 free agent class appearing to be loaded, it appears many teams are willing to sit 2020 out. Only five or six teams are projected to have cap space and a lot of teams are wary about dishing out big deals after the 2016 free agency bonanza. This year’s free agent class isn’t terribly exciting either. DeMar DeRozan, Gordon Hayward, Anthony Davis, and others could opt out and enter free agency, but I think DeRozan would be the only attainable player in that bunch. Hayward will likely opt in and Davis seems to be content on staying with the Lakers long-term. So many teams forfeited their 2020 cap space this week that I’m curious as to what the landscape looks like this summer. Atlanta committed a lot of future money to Clint Capela and Dewayne Dedmon, and Memphis absorbed Justise Winslow, Dion Waiters, Gorgui Dieng, and a Dillion Brooks extension. My early prediction for this summer will be that the trade market will be rocking, and my way too early guesses is that teams will look to offload future contracts and pair them with first-round picks in what appears to be a weaker draft.
Teams Failed to Make a Move: Out of all the NBA teams at the deadline, I think I was most disappointed with the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers. These are two teams aiming to be title contenders and they both have legitimate flaws. Boston doesn’t have that defensive anchor inside capable of matching up against the elite bigs of the Eastern Conference (and they lack proven depth), while the Lakers desperately need another shot creator. Yet, despite these needs and players available, neither team made a move. The Celtics could’ve made a move for Willie Cauley-Stein, Damian Jones, Kevon Looney, or Bismack Biyombo, while the Lakers could’ve pursued Derrick Rose or Alec Burks. It feels like both teams were too content this February, something that could come back to bite them come May. I still think Boston will make it out of the Eastern Conference, but their inability to add a center and/or proven depth could hurt them against Milwaukee or Philadelphia. The Lakers still have LeBron James and Anthony Davis, but they would be looking much better if Derrick Rose were on the roster. I think both teams have a title window that goes beyond this season, but the clock is ticking, especially for the Lakers.
Final Deadline Thoughts
Ultimately, I’m not sure we witnessed any trade deadline move that drastically increases a team’s chances to win the NBA Finals. Marvin Williams in Milwaukee boosts an already elite team, Marcus Morris with the Clippers gives Doc Rivers yet another two-way wing to deploy, and Andre Iguodala in Miami gives the Heat some much-needed perimeter defense. Despite these moves, I don’t think any team has emerged as the clear-cut favorite. The Clippers and Lakers still top the West, although I’ll continue to hype up my preseason title pick, the Denver Nuggets, as much as possible. In the East, while Milwaukee is utterly dominant, the Toronto Raptors have once again been an incredible story and seem to be a thorn in the Bucks’ side. I’m not sure any team gets a clear-cut “winning” grade, but if I had to deliver them, I’d award it to Miami.
As for the losers, my clearest loser is the Philadelphia 76ers. The 76ers bolstered their bench with Glenn Robinson III and Alec Burks, but this current roster construction simply doesn’t work. GRIII and Burks are definite bench upgrades, but for a team that needs a strong postseason showing for some validation, I thought they should’ve swung for the fences, either for D’Angelo Russell, Derrick Rose, or Bojan Bogdanovic. I have no idea if the Sixers pursued any of those players or if Bogdanovic was available, but an Al Horford for D’Angelo Russell swap made some sense for both teams. I said it preseason and I’ll say it again: I don’t like the Sixers’ roster construction and I don’t believe they can win a title with Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid both on the roster unless there’s an excess of shooting around them. I think Philly is heading towards a lost season and even the energy around the team has seemed weird as of late. This was a team that needed to make a bold move, but instead, they went for marginal upgrades. I don’t like that at all.
The other team I view as a loser is the San Antonio Spurs. Since July, I’ve talked about how the Spurs would be wise to explore the trade market for DeMar DeRozan, including a preseason proposal I had that would’ve sent DeRozan to Detroit for Luke Kennard, a lottery-protected 2020 first-round pick, and salary filler. However, the Spurs held on to DeRozan and while he’s been sensational this year, San Antonio is in no man’s land both with identity and playoff hopes. The Spurs need to either fully commit to a rebuild or commit towards going all-in for the postseason, yet they maintained the status quo of staying in limbo. DeRozan is set to hit free agency this summer and I’m not convinced he’s worth north of $27M per year, meaning that San Antonio can either lose him for nothing, or likely overpay him to return and stay mediocre. Cashing him in for some assets, even if it was a highly-protected pick and young prospect, would’ve been better than allowing this season to play out. I think a team like the Orlando Magic could’ve used DeRozan, and a possible DeRozan and a pick for Aaron Gordon + salary filler deal would’ve been incredible for both sides.
The Chirp 