5 of the biggest losers of the NBA trade window

The trade deadline is over and the Cleveland Cavaliers might have come out of this as the biggest winners, trading their veterans with expiring contracts for a more youthful team.

The Los Angeles Lakers managed to get the cap space they wanted in order to get those maximum contract star players they want to sign in the summer by getting rid of Jordan Clarkson and sweetening it by pushing Larry Nance Jr. to the Cavaliers.

We can guess the winners of this trade window but now it's time to look at the 5 teams that did not come out looking good this trade window.

#5 Oklahoma City Thunder

Will Westbrook receive the defensive support he needs?

We all know that the Thunder's GM Sam Presti is a magician but even he can play around only so much with the salary cap restrictions he is facing right now. We still had hoped he would have been able to pull off another typical Presti miracle by signing the much-needed perimeter defender now that Andre Roberson is injured.

One player who has heavily linked with the Thunder was Avery Bradley who is at the LA Clippers but they were only open to letting him go if they received a first-round pick along with a fringe/bench player to make the deal happen.

However, the only pick the Thunder could part with is their own from 2022, which the Clippers were not really keen on and Bradley ended up staying.

#4 Milwaukee Bucks

Did the Bucks miss a golden opportunity?

The Bucks are a solid team but they still lack a really good, rim blocking center who could elevate their team to another level. Playing with Giannis Antetokounmpo would have been a good calling card and the fact they will most certainly make the playoffs again this season in a tumultuous Eastern Conference.

The Bucks were rumoured to be going all out to sign DeAndre Jordan this season so as to make up for their defensive frailties and to have an out and out rebounder to help out Giannis and make a legitimate push for the Eastern Conference finals.

However, they were unable to make the move as the LA Clippers wanted a first round pick along with Malcolm Brogdon and someone like Mathew Dellavedova, which was too much for the Bucks.

#3 Portland Trailblazers

Lillard is disappointed yet again

The Blazers have been in the same bracket of mediocrity for a long time; the cycle of just making the playoffs each season but never going moving past the 2nd round since 2000-01.

This season Damian Lillard, the franchise star, had a sit down with the owner of the Blazers, questioning him about the franchise's direction now that he was in his prime and could not afford to waste his years. He was assured of changes and there was some excitement.

Nothing of significance went down this trade window for them except the Noah Vonleh and Milovan Rakovic trade swap. Lillard was hoping for something more of a defensive force joining them in the power forward or center position.

Jusuf Nurkic is a good developing center but he doesn't have the defensive skillset that the Blazers need for success right now. These low key deals might see Lillard getting even more frustrated and leaving in the near future if the lack of success continues.

#2 Memphis Grizzlies

Evans now has to finish his season with the Grizzlies

For a team which was almost at rock bottom and had put up almost all their stars on the trading block except Marc Gasol, the lack of activity was a bad deadline day overall.

They had stopped Tyreke Evans from playing up until the deadline day was over so as to keep him fit for any potential suitors that wanted him.

Evans did not get traded since the Grizzlies' asking price was too steep to be met by any team. They wanted a first round pick along with a starter of a decent calibre.

Gasol was also asked about but his price was even steeper which was understandable considering he is the franchise's cornerstone.

However, the unwillingness to meet halfway to trade a player who has an injury history along with an expiring contract is a horrendous decision which might come to haunt them in the future during their rebuild.

#1 Orlando Magic

Gordon and the Magic had a bad window

The Magic were the team who had almost everyone on the block to be traded. They were linked with a lot of different teams as they were looking to hit the jackpot this draft. With Aaron Gordon and Mario Hezonja on expiring contracts, they had to clear out some players and reduce the wage bill to accommodate them.

Instead of trading for a few first round and second round picks and taking on expiring salary dumps and good fringe/bench players, they stayed quiet throughout the window, up until the deadline day, where they made a very weird deal involving Elfrid Payton moving to the Phoenix Suns for their 2nd round pick.

Granted, Payton hadn't developed and was on an expiring contract, but, he is only 23 and is having his best shooting season this year. He definitely could have become a better player but the fact that all Orlando got for him was a 2nd round pick from the Suns is very disappointing.

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