Last Thursday's trade deadline was anti-climactic to say the least. Rumors swirled around Blake Griffin, Al Horford, Kevin Love and, even, Carmelo Anthony in weeks prior, but not one of those superstars was moved. That's not to say there weren't deals aplenty, but the biggest deal of the week is hard to single out. Before we take a look at the winners and losers of trade deadline week in the NBA, here is a brief list of teams who did not make a trade at the deadline:
Top dogs in the Golden State Warriors, who likely detered teams from making blockbuster deals, and the San Antonio Spurs. And developing teams with young cores including the Boston Celtics, Utah Jazz, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Milwaukee Bucks.
Winners
Detroit Pistons
The Pistons and Magic kicked things off on Thursday in a trade that sent Tobias Harris to Detroit in exchange for Brandon Jennings and Ersan Ilyasova. It had been speculated that Jennings was on the block after returning from an ACL injury midway through the season and the seventh year point guard was indeed dealt by the deadline. Reggie Jackson has taken the point guard position by storm this season for the Pistons, averaging a career-high 19.4 points-per-game to go along with 6.1 assists-per-game. Steve Blake and Spencer Dinwiddie will serve as the primary backups to Jackson with Jennings now in Orlando.
Ilyasova has played well this season, but the Pistons get a young forward in Harris, who is a solid scorer and capable rebounder. He averaged 13 points and seven rebounds in Orlando before being dealt and is excpected to have a bright future in the league.
The Pistons also agreed on a trade that would have sent forward Joel Anthony to the Houston Rockets in return for Marcus Thornton and Donatas Motiejunas, but a failed physical by the injured Motiejunas voided the exchange. Nonetheless, Harris is their big prize.
Orlando Magic
The Magic shipped off one of their many young players in Tobias Harris (23), for a solid backup point guard and a veteran power forward. Ilyasova will be an adequate replacement for Harris, while Brandon Jennings will be a viable backup for young point guard Elfrid Payton. Ilyasova will also be a factor in creating more opportunities to a budding center in Nikola Vucevic.
The Magic are one of the youngest teams in the NBA and got even younger by trading Channing Frye to the Cleveland Cavaliers in a three-team deal that brought Jared Cunningham to Orlando. While the loss of Harris cannot be overlooked, the Magic were able to strengthen their roster without ridding themselves of the young assets that are key building blocks for their future.
Charlotte Hornets
The Hornets opened up the mayhem last Wednesday with a three-team trade. They sent P.J. Hairston to the Memphis Grizzlies and Brian Roberts to the Miami Heat and were able to acquire Courtney Lee from the Grizzlies. Hairston has played well at times, but the 23 year-old has a career average of just 5.7 points-per-game over a span of a season and a half in the league.
The Hornets gained a veteran shooting guard in Lee, who is a great two-way player. Having played for the defensively-stout Grizzlies for just over two seasons, Lee will be a great help to defending opposing backcourts. The eighth-seeded Hornets did not give up much to pry Lee away from the Griz and could a key factor in booking a return trip to the postseason. This deal was a steal.
Miami Heat
The Heat did not acquire any players at the deadline, but were able to acquire a draft pick and free up much-needed space in the salary cap. They sent Chris Anderson and two second-round picks to the Grizzlies in exchange for Brian Roberts, who was then sent to the Blazers for cash considerations. That second move was their final move at the deadline and the most crucial, as it allowed them to get under the luxury tax line.
The Heat also traded Jarnell Stokes and cash to the New Orleans Pelicans for a protected second-round pick. Pat Riley gave up close to nothing at the deadline, but freed up space to re-sign a bevy of players who will be free agents in the summer of 2016. Dwyane Wade, Hassan Whiteside, Gerald Green, and Luol Deng make up half of the eight free agents-to-be for the Heat.
Pau Gasol
The Chicago Bulls center was another big name player around which rumors swirled at the deadline. The Bulls were reportedly in talks with several teams about a deal for Gasol, none of which came to fruition. Lucky for Gasol, he will remain in Chicago for the rest of the season until he becomes a free agent this summer.
The 35 year-old continues to out-perform expectations and is averaging a double double in his 15th year in the league. A critical part of the Bulls' lineup, Gasol remaining in Chicago is a win-win for both he and the team.
Losers
Memphis Grizzlies
The Grizzlies have been a middle-of-the-pack team in the Western Conference this season and were looking at a potentially devastating offseason if they were unable to trade several of their soon-to-be free agents. Although they were able to ship off several players, they severely lacked significant return.
In the first trade, the Griz sent Courtney Lee to the Hornets in a three team trade that brought P.J. Hairston and Chris Anderson to Memphis. All three players will be free agents this summer and, if the Griz do not re-sign Hairston or Anderson, this trade will be nullified. Next up, the Grizzlies traded Jeff Green to the Los Angeles Clippers in exchange for another 2016 free agent in Lance Stephenson.
Green had been having a solid year, whereas Stephenson was suffocating in L.A. While the ear-blowing small forward could have a resurgence in Memphis, the idea of him on the same roster as Matt Barnes and The Birdman is a scary thought. With Marc Gasol now out for the season, the Grizzlies' chemistry will almost certainly be altered and their lineup may take another turn for the worse this summer when free agency hits.
Oklahoma City Thunder
For the second consecutive year, the Thunder made a minor deal at the deadline in attempt to find their next bench piece. Ever since the departure of James Harden, there has been a hole in the second unit for the Thunder, who are in need of a bench player who can shoot the three. Last season, it was D.J. Augustin who the Thunder acquired alongside Kyle Singler. At this year's deadline, it was Augustin who was shipped out with Steve Novak and a pair of second-round draft picks.
In return, the third-best team in the Western Conference received 32 year-old shooting guard, Randy Foye, from the Denver Nuggets. Foye is a career 37 percent three-point shooter, but is averaging a career-low six points-per-game this season. The Thunder did not surrender much in terms of players, but those two draft picks may not have been worth the price of Foye, who will become a free agent after the 2015-2016 season.
Phoenix Suns
Active for the second straight season at the trade deadline, the Suns concocted another questionable deal, sending Markieff Morris to the Washington Wizards in exchange for Kris Humphries, DeJuan Blair and a protected first-round draft pick. Morris' twin brother, Marcus Morris, was traded to the Pistons in July of 2015 and is having a career year as a full-time starter in Detroit.
Markieff, whose recent outburst with teammate, Archie Goodwin, likely decreased his trade value, may not be so lucky behind Nene and Jared Dudley on the Wizards' depth chart. Regardless, the Suns may have waited too long to deal Morris and would have been better off trading for draft picks rather than two power forwards who will struggle to find time on the court.
Kris Humphries
Humphries has bounced around this league and is now on his seventh NBA team. He played in just 28 games for the Wizards this season prior to being traded and is now joining one of the worst organizations in the sport.
The Suns have been a disaster from top to bottom this season and the 31 year-old forward is now part of the traveling circus. It is a good thing Arizona is warm because it could be a bitter end to Humphries' career. Hopefully, for him, he has a spot reserved for a return to The Kardashians.