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Just like the regular season so far, on deadline day, the Cleveland Cavaliers stole all the eyeballs as they traded away six players in exchange for four young players and a 2020 second-round pick. Other than the three trade deals made by the Cavaliers, the mid-season trade deadline day was quite disappointing, to say the least.
Almost every player, who was reportedly going to be shipped, stayed with their current teams with the biggest examples being - DeAndre Jordan (LA Clippers), Kemba Walker (Charlotte Hornets) and Tyreke Evans (Memphis Grizzlies).
Having said that, there was still a lot of activity. Some teams were winning with notable trades while others were the beneficiary from smaller, less talked about deals. We take all of those into consideration to pick the 5 biggest winners.
#5 Utah Jazz
The outstanding rookie Donovan Mitchell and his extraordinary play has really helped the Utah Jazz recover from the Gordon Hayward departure. Not just that, he's helped the team's front office make subsequent decisions for the present and future, both of which hugely benefit the franchise. Given the size, athleticism, wingspan for his height, he eats into the minutes of players like Joe Johnson and Rodney Hood, the latter of whom was a huge part of trade talks.
The duo were finally shipped as part of a three-team trade with the Cavaliers and the Sacramento Kings. Johnson was traded to the Kings while Hood was acquired by the reigning East Champions.In exchange, the Jazz received two-way wing Jae Crowder and Derrick Rose from Cleveland.
Plenty of benefits here for the Jazz. They save a lot of money through this trade by giving away the expiring contract of 36-year old Johnson, who was earning $10.5 million a year. They were also able to make sure they get something in return for Hood's expiring $2.3 million contract. The players they absorbed really helped make this a win-win for the team.
Rose is on a 1-year minimum deal, who reports suggest the franchise might release. Crowder is their jewel in this trade. He is a two-way versatile player, who could use the time away from the constant drama that was present in Cleveland. In addition, he comes at a quite a lucrative price after this season for the Jazz - 2-years and $15.1 million.
#4 LA Clippers
Through December and early January, reports suggested that Lou Williams and DeAndre Jordan were the top trade targets in the market. Fast forward a month and neither of the duo have to let go of their Clippers' jersey.
Instead, Williams has signed an extension with the team that keeps him in Los Angeles for another three years after this season. And by the looks of it, the Clippers are all set to lose Jordan for nothing this off-season unless he opts into the final year of his contract (worth - $24.1 million).
The reason why the Clippers are still winners is that they were able to deal away the enormous Blake Griffin contract, one they signed him to this past offseason. Although not an All-Star for his career (he could have been one this season), keeping Williams within the team allows them to remain somewhat competitive as they position themselves for a mini-rebuild.
The only argument against them would be losing Jordan for nothing. That's better than dealing him away for pieces that are not beneficial to the team's future plans, eg: the proposed deal with the Cavaliers for Tristan Thompson and maybe a first-round pick. Having two more years of Thompson's contract on their books doesn't their rebuild plans in any way.
#3 Detroit Pistons
Is showing the Detroit Pistons' record, since Griffin was traded for, enough to prove whether they are winners or losers?
They are 5-0 since the deal was made official and it's been a monstrous five games by All-Star Andre Drummond. From one point of view, this might have been a desperate move by the team and Stan Van Gundy, the team's President of Basketball Operations and Head Coach but it's all about the long-term gain.
They are winners right now but that could easily flip if the injury bug continues to follow Griffin and the team's medical staff like it has the past couple of seasons. I'm sure the owner wouldn't mind paying the hefty fees of his final two years on his contract if he is healthy and keeping the Pistons relevant in the relatively easier Playoff picture in the East.
Having said that, the short-term gains are undeniable.
The team has cut down on costs, with only their frontcourt demanding salaries in double figures. With Griffin sporting their jersey, their home court - the Little Caesar's Arena - could finally boast of few sellouts after a disappointing crowd presence in the first half of the season. That revenue combined with the recent team success, that majorly constitutes a young supporting cast, which is only going to keep getting better around Drummond and Griffin.
#2 Los Angeles Lakers
Ever since the new Lakers' front office of Magic Johnson (President of Basketball Operations) and Rob Pelinka (General Manager) took over last February, their biggest priority was letting go of the bad contracts signed by the previous regime and putting themselves in contention to sign free agents by making a ton of cap space.
Well, they did just that. Multiple reports suggested Jordan Clarkson, Julius Randle, and Larry Nance Jr. (as a sweetener) were on the trading block. Two of the three players got traded to the Cavaliers in exchange for Isaiah Thomas, Channing Frye, and Cleveland's 2018 first-round pick.
The trade was a huge exclamation mark on everything the management has done over the past year. It not only clears Clarkson's contract off the books but they also absorb Thomas and Frye, both of which are expiring contracts. In addition, they get a Draft pick, something they don't have, courtesy of the Steve Nash trade back in 2013.
That pick is going to pay huge dividends given the success the team has had over the past couple of season in the Draft.
#1 Cleveland Cavaliers
A majority of the Cavaliers' roster moves in the 2017 offseason haven't helped the team get better, instead, it's safe to say they have taken two steps back. Their biggest deal of the past summer involving Kyrie Irving and Thomas has hurt them the most.
While they were struggling since their Christmas Day loss to the Golden State Warriors, the locker room tension has seen highs like never before since Thomas returned from injury. His quotes to the media about every matter about the team and coaching staff have created a divide in the team, given that he wasn't part of any of their previous Finals runs and was sitting out the past seven months. Not to mention, his apparent relationship with team owner Dan Gilbert, that had reportedly infuriated LeBron James.
It's difficult to name the Cavaliers as the biggest winner when their efforts on deadline day were more to get themselves out of the hole they got themselves into.
Having said that, it's impressive what Cavs' GM Koby Altman has been able to pull. He is certainly impressed with the team's deals but even from the outside, the front office made a lot of moves that made sense - get younger and acquire players who are more sound defensively.
Now, it's too early to state whether this new Cavaliers' team with George Hill, Jordan Clarkson, Larry Nance Jr. and Rodney Hood can beat the Warriors in Finals but it definitely makes them much more of a force to repeat as Champions of their own Conference, something everybody was starting to question and rightfully so.
Guess the Lakers players!
