A flurry of action at the trade deadline and injured stars all over the league, let’s take a look back at a busy week in the NBA.
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Thursday brought the 2014-15 trade deadline and a flurry of last second deals. In all, more than a dozen deals sent 41 players to new teams. That is far too many deals to cover in this space, so here are the highlights.
The most coveted asset reported to be on the table as the deadline approached was Goran Dragic. The Phoenix Suns found a way to ship Goran and his brother Zoran to Miami by bringing in New Orleans as part of a three-team deal.
The Suns got back Danny Granger along with the Heat’s 2017 and 2019 first-round picks. Phoenix also got John Salmons via the Pelicans while New Orleans received Norris Cole, Justin Hamilton and Shawne Williams from Miami.
After shipping off Isaiah Thomas to Boston for Marcus Thornton, the Suns completed their busy day on the phones by pulling off a deal to acquire Brandon Knight from Milwaukee by partnering with Philadelphia on another three-teamer.
In the deal, the Suns got Knight and Kendall Marshall from the Bucks while Milwaukee got last year’s Rookie of the Year, Michael Carter-Williams, and Tyler Ennis from Philadelphia.
Philly continues to stay in rebuilding mode by acquiring the Los Angeles Lakers' 2015 first-round (top five protected) pick from the Suns, who originally got it in the Steve Nash deal.
Also of note, Kevin Garnett returned to the Minnesota Timberwolves to finish what may be his final season. The Brooklyn Nets got Thaddeus Young in return.
Continuing the homecoming theme, Tayshaun Prince found his way back to Detroit when Boston traded him for Pistons' Jonas Jerebko and Gigi Datome.
In a three-team trade involving Detroit and Utah, the Thunder were able to spin Reggie Jackson, Kendrick Perkins and a future first round pick into D.J. Augustin, Enes Kanter, Kyle Singler and Steve Novak.
Jackson ended up in Detroit, and is now free of the yoke of backing up Russell Westbrook. Perkins was sent to Utah, where he was immediately bought out and waived before being signed by the Cleveland Cavaliers as a free agent on Sunday.
The biggest signing of the week may have not even been associated with the trade deadline.
After getting bought out of the final year of his five year $99 million dollar contract with the Knicks, Amar'e Stoudemire signed a veteran minimum contract with the Dallas Mavericks.
The addition of Stoudemire bolsters a frontcourt that has been struggled to regain the form it had prior to trading away Brandan Wright during their acquisition of Rajon Rondo.
The Mavs are hanging around the middle of the playoff race, and the services of the veteran big man could do wonders for their depth come playoff time.
Trade deadline day was more fun than it has been in years past because playoff-contending teams were looking to shore up their ranks for a playoff push.
More so than ever, organizations in mid-tier markets are trying to build their teams through the draft and trades now that the marquee free agents seem intent on joining forces in large, lucrative markets.
Miami’s effort to get Goran Dragic signified that they were looking to make a playoff push as the season heads into its final stretch. But then the unthinkable happened.
While on vacation with Dwyane Wade in Haiti, Chris Bosh was experiencing discomfort in his chest. After being looked at by team doctors, it was determined that Bosh had blood clots on his lungs.
Clots on the lungs is a very serious diagnosis. Former Portland Trail Blazers star Jerome Kersey died of the same condition earlier this week.
Bosh had surgery on Saturday and it was determined that he will miss the remainder of the season. Treatment for the condition means that Bosh will have very limited physical activity for up to six months.
The new was a massive blow to the Heat organization. Hopefully CB will return to the court healthy and ready to compete again next season.
Also facing the injury bug — and in a way that is not nearly as life-threatening — are the Oklahoma City Thunder and New Orleans Pelicans.
Both of these teams are scrambling to stay relevant in the hotly contested race for the playoffs in the Western Conference. They will now have to scramble without the help of their superstars.
On Saturday, Anthony Davis returned to action after missing the All-Star Game and two games prior with a shoulder strain. Against the Heat, he reaggravated the injury and is now expected to miss one or two weeks.
As if the loss of the league’s best young player wasn’t enough, the Pelicans will also be without the services of Ryan Anderson, who sprained his MCL in his right knee also on Saturday.
The Pelicans rely on Tyreke Evans and the rest of the supporting cast to keep their head above water until their stars return.
The Thunder will be without the services of Kevin Durant yet again this season. Durant was experiencing some soreness related to the screws placed in his foot during his last surgery.
KD had minor surgery on Sunday to relieve the pain and is now expected to miss at least a week while recovering.
On the bright side, this will give a chance for coach Scott Brooks to really see what he has in his newly acquired players. The bad news is, they can’t afford to lose more games lest their chance at the playoffs slip through their fingers while Durant sits on the bench.
