2021 Trade Deadline

2021 NBA trade deadline buzz: March 25 edition

Recap all of the reported deals and rumblings from a wild NBA trade deadline.

From NBA.com News Services

Victor Oladipo is averaging 20.8 ppg this season.

The NBA trade deadline has officially passed!

Here’s a recap of all the reported deals and rumblings that occurred before the end of in-season trading. 

March 22 | March 23 | March 24 | March 25

Spurs complete buyout agreement with Aldridge

Seven-time All-Star LaMarcus Aldridge has completed his buyout process with the San Antonio Spurs and will enter free agency, the team announced. According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, the Miami Heat are the “frontrunner” to land Aldridge, but the veteran forward reportedly plans to “talk with several teams” before making his decision.

— 5:21 p.m.

Raptors decide to not trade Lowry

Toronto Raptors guard Kyle Lowry was perhaps the top potential prize on the trade market going into today’s 3 p.m. ET deadline. And while there were plenty of teams in pursuit of him throughout the day, he’ll ultimately finish the 2020-21 season right where he started: with the Raptors.

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reports that Raptors GM Masai Ujiri ultimately couldn’t find a trade package that compelled him to move Lowry. Additionally, Ujiri had — per Wojnarowski — been fine with finishing out the season with Lowry in the fold.

— 3:55 p.m.

Mavs get Redick; Ball won’t be dealt

The New Orleans Pelicans are apparently parting with one of their guards and keeping another one in the fold. ESPN’s Andrew Lopez reports the Pelicans are sending JJ Redick and big man Nicolo Melli to the Dallas Mavericks for forwards Wesley Iwundu, James Johnson and a 2021 second-round pick.

Additionally, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reports guard Lonzo Ball will not be dealt at today’s deadline.

A career 41.5% 3-point shooter, Redick is in the final year of his contract and is one of the most consistent shooters in NBA history. However, he has struggled with his 3-point shot this season (36.4%) and is averaging 8.7 ppg — his lowest mark since 2008-09.

Johnson is averaging 5.7 ppg and 3.0 rpg and is known for his defense and toughness, while Iwundu is averaging 2.1 ppg and 1.9 rpg but was known as a solid role player during his days with the Orlando Magic (2017-20).

Ball is in the midst of a career-best season (14.2 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 5.6 apg, 1.3 spg) and had his name bandied about in trade talks. However, he will not be dealt, per Wojnarowski, and is an unrestricted free agent this summer.

— 3:35 p.m.

Celtics trade Theis to Bulls

Fourth-year center Daniel Theis is reportedly moving on to the Chicago Bulls, per Adrian Wojnarowski. The Celtics center is averaging 9.5 ppg, 5.2 rpg and 1.6 apg and will be swapped for Mo Wagner, whom the Bulls reportedly acquired earlier today in a trade with Washington.

There could be more moves afoot for Boston, however, as Mark Murphy of the Boston Globe reports that guards Jeff Teague and Javonte Green could be on the move soon as well as a possible third team could get involved in the Celtics-Bulls trade.

— 3:29 p.m.

Warriors trade Wanamaker, Chriss

The Golden State Warriors have reportedly made a pair of trades, sending Brad Wanamaker to the Charlotte Hornets and forward Marquese Chriss to the San Antonio Spurs.

The complete details of both trades have yet to be reported.

The 31-year-old Wanamaker is averaging 4.7 ppg and 2.5 apg during his third season in the NBA, while Chriss played in just two games this season (6.5 ppg, 6.5 rpg) before a broken leg sidelined him.

— 3:25 p.m.

Heat get Oladipo from Rockets

Former All-Star swingman Victor Oladipo is headed back to the Eastern Conference. Per multiple reports, the Houston Rockets have dealt Oladipo to the Miami Heat for Avery Bradley, Kelly Olynyk and a 2022 pick swap.

Oladipo’s name was mentioned in trade chatter leading up to the deadline and the Heat were, at times, linked to such talks. This season, Oladipo is averaging 20.8 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 4.7 apg and 1.2 spg with Houston and turned down a reported two-year extension with the Rockets back in late February.

— 3:10 p.m.

Raptors deal Davis to Kings

The Toronto Raptors have dealt reserve guard Terence Davis to the Sacramento Kings for a future second-round pick, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reports. Davis is averaging 6.9 ppg and 1.9 rpg this season.

— 2:57 p.m.

Final countdown for a Lowry deal?

Guard Kyle Lowry is still a Raptor with less than 20 minutes to go on trade deadline day. It appears the Raptors have gotten an offer from the Miami Heat for him and are weighing it. Per ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, the Heat were unwilling to include Tyler Herro in the trade, but were willing to include Duncan Robinson and possibly rookie Precious Achiuwa as well.

— 2:44 p.m.

Clippers trade Williams to Hawks for Rondo

Veteran point guard Rajon Rondo is apparently on his way back to Los Angeles. Per Shams Charania of The Athletic and Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, the LA Clippers are trading for Rondo in exchange for Lou Williams, two second-round picks and cash.

A 14-year veteran, Rondo is averaging 3.9 ppg, 2.0 rpg and 3.5 apg for the Hawks this season as the backup to star guard Trae Young. Last season, Rondo played a backup role for the Los Angeles Lakers as they won the NBA title. He averaged 7.1 ppg, 3.0 rpg and 5.0 apg.

Williams, a three-time Kia Sixth Man of the Year award winner, is averaging 12.1 ppg, 2.1 rpg and 3.4 apg this season. He will bolster Atlanta’s bench as it looks to solidify its standing and make the playoffs for the first time since 2017. A native of Georgia, Williams played for the Hawks from 2012-2014.

— 2:24 p.m.

Jazz trade for Raptors’ Thomas

The Utah Jazz have the NBA’s best record and set roster continuity, so a major trade from them was not expected today. They lived up to that, but also did make a small deal with the Toronto Raptors, per Adrian Wojnarowski. The Raptors have dealt backup guard Matt Thomas to Utah for a Draft pick. Per Blake Murphy of The Athletic, the pick is Golden State’s second-round pick in 2021.

For Toronto, the deal opens up an additional roster spot should the team be able to trade star guard Kyle Lowry before the 3 p.m. deadline.

Thomas is a career 45.7% 3-point shooter and his long-range accuracy will surely be welcomed by the 3-point happy Jazz this season.

— 2:09 p.m.

Report: Heat, Lakers, Clippers still in mix for Lowry

The biggest fish in the trade deadline-day pond is Toronto Raptors guard and All-Star Kyle Lowry. The Philadelphia 76ers are likely out of the chase for him after they reportedly traded for Oklahoma City guard George Hill.

Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reports that while the 76ers are out of the mix for Lowry, the Miami Heat, Los Angeles Lakers and LA Clippers remain very much in the mix for him.

— 2:05 p.m.

Blazers acquire Raptors’ Powell

The Portland Trail Blazers have gotten one of the bigger fish at the trade deadline by working a trade for the Toronto Raptors’ Norman Powell. In a trade first reported by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Raptors are trading Powell to Portland for Gary Trent Jr. and Rodney Hood.

Powell, one of the top targets at the trade deadline, is averaging 19.6 ppg, 3.0 rpg and shooting a career-best 43.9% on 3-pointers. He is expected to decline the $11.6 million option on his deal this offseason and become an unrestricted free agent.

— 1:02 p.m.

Sixers get Hill in three-team trade

Whether or not the Philadelphia 76ers stay in the chase to land guard Kyle Lowry is yet to be seen. However, the Sixers will have a new guard in the backcourt as the Oklahoma City Thunder have reportedly agreed to trade George Hill there, per multiple reports.

The three-team trade encompasses the 76ers, New York Knicks and Oklahoma City Thunder, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. The 76ers get Hill and Knicks forward Ignas Brazdeikis, the Knicks get 76ers swingman Terrance Ferguson and the Thunder get Knicks guard Austin Rivers, 76ers center Tony Bradley and second-round picks in 2025 and 2025 from Philadelphia.

 

The veteran Hill averaged 11.8 ppg, 2.1 rpg and 3.1 apg for OKC this season and has been a vital contributor to several playoff teams throughout his career. Bradley, a backup center, is averaging 5.5 ppg and 5.2 rpg — both career highs — while Rivers is averaging 7.3 ppg, 2.2 rpg and 2.0 apg this season.

Ferguson (0.2 ppg, 13 games played) has seen his time severely diminish after figuring into the Thunder’s rotation the last three seasons.

— 12:58 p.m.

Heat add Kings’ Bjelica

Miami is reportedly adding another versatile player to its frontline, reportedly finalizing a trade with Sacramento to acquire Nemanja Bjelica. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reports Bjelica will go to the Heat while the Kings will get forward Moe Harkless and forward Chris Silva.

Nemanja Bjelica’s production and role have taken a step back this season in Sacramento as his 7.2 ppg and 16.9 mpg are his lowest marks since 2017-18. As the Kings have looked to give Marvin Bagley III a bigger role, Bjelica’s has shrunk. Per Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee, Bjelica seemed likely to get dealt and the timing of trading him was “trending toward deadline day” as of Wednesday.

— 12:43 p.m.

Nuggets agree to deal for Gordon

Orlando Magic forward Aaron Gordon has been on the trading block all week and the Boston Celtics were among the teams expected to vie for his services. But in a bit of a surprise, the Denver Nuggets have reportedly agreed to acquire Gordon, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

In the trade the Magic will send Gordon and forward Gary Clark to Denver for guards Gary Harris and RJ Hampton and a 2025 first-round pick.

The former No. 4 overall pick of the 2014 draft is averaging 14.6 ppg, 6.6 rpg and 4.2 apg for the Magic this season, but has been hampered by injuries in 2020-21. Overall, Gordon has played in 428 career NBA games, all of them with the Magic, and he ranks in the franchise’s top 10 in rebounds, blocks and games played.

— 12:32 p.m.

Bulls get Wagner, Brown from Wizards

After upgrading their frontcourt by reportedly trading for All-Star center Nikola Vucevic from Orlando, the Chicago Bulls are making more moves before the deadline. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reports the Bulls are sending forward Chandler Hutchison to the Wizards for center Mo Wagner and forward Troy Brown.

Hutchison has fallen out of the Bulls’ rotation after a solid sophomore campaign in 2019-20 (7.8 ppg, 3.9 rpg), averaging 1.9 ppg and 2.9 rpg in 9.1 mpg. Brown is averaging 4.3 ppg and 2.9 rpg this season as a reserve while Wagner is at 7.1 ppg and 2.9 rpg.

12:26 p.m.

Celtics land Fournier in trade with Magic

The Boston Celtics have reportedly added some backcourt depth in short order as they are finalizing a deal with the Orlando Magic for Evan Fournier. Shams Charania of The Athletic reports the deal is done, which was first reported by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. In the deal, the Celtics acquire Fournier from Orlando for two second-round picks.

Fournier is in his ninth NBA season and is averaging a career-best 19.7 ppg along with 2.9 rpg and 3.7 apg. He is shooting 45% overall and 38.8% on 3-pointers — both of which are down from last season’s marks of 46.7% and 39.9% respectively. Boston ranks 14th in the NBA in 3-pointers made and 11th in 3-point percentage, so Fournier’s shooting touch could help the Celtics improve in both areas.

The pending trade means Orlando has moved its top two scorers — Fournier to Boston and center Nikola Vucevic to Chicago — in the span of about 30 minutes. That fact wasn’t lost on Magic guard Terrence Ross, who tweeted a quick gif of his emotions regarding it all.

— 11:32 a.m.

Magic trade Vucevic to Bulls

The Chicago Bulls have reportedly swung the first blockbuster trade of 2021’s trade deadline day, acquiring All-Star center Nikola Vucevic from the Orlando Magic, per multiple reports. In the trade — which was first reported by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski — Orlando will send Vucevic and forward Al-Farouq Aminu to Chicago for Wendell Carter Jr., Otto Porter and two first-round picks.

Vucevic has been the Magic’s best player for several seasons, garnering All-Star nods in two of the last three seasons. While Magic forward Aaron Gordon has been in trade talks all week, Wojnarowski reported earlier Thursday that the Magic were open to trade offers for Vucevic. This season, Vucevic is averaging a career-best 24.5 ppg to go along with 11.8 rpg, 3.8 apg and 1.0 spg.

Carter Jr., the former No. 7 overall pick of the 2018 draft by Chicago, is averaging 10.9 ppg, 7.8 rpg and 2.2 apg but recently lost his starting job with the Bulls. Porter is a reserve for the Bulls averaging 9.9 ppg, 5.5 rpg and 2.0 apg and is known for his 3-point shooting (40.4% career from 3-point range) and defense. Porter is on the final year of his contract ($28.4 million) while Carter Jr. has a team option for 2021-22.

— 11:07 a.m.

Cavs sending McGee to Nuggets

The Denver Nuggets are getting JaVale McGee from the Cleveland Cavaliers for Isaiah Hartenstein and two future protected second-round picks, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Mike Singer of The Denver Post. Shams Charania of The Athletic was the first to report on the trade, and John Hollinger of The Athletic reports the second-round picks being traded are in 2023 and 2027.

McGee, who started his career with the Washington Wizards, played for the Nuggets from 2011-15 before stops with the Philadelphia 76ers, Dallas Mavericks, Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Lakers and Cleveland. He is averaging 8.0 ppg, 5.2 rpg and 1.2 bpg in 33 games as a reserve for the Cavs this season.

Hartenstein has appeared in 30 games for the Nuggets, averaging 3.5 ppg and 2.8 rpg in a reserve role. The Cavs are still trying to find a trade partner for former All-Star center Andre Drummond, who has not played since February.

— 10:13 a.m.

Report: Sixers, Heat leading chase for Lowry

Toronto Raptors guard Kyle Lowry is perhaps the top potential prize on the trade market going into today’s 3 p.m. ET deadline, which means Wednesday’s win against the Denver Nuggets might have been his last in a Toronto Raptors uniform.

Where he ends up remains unknown, but the list of suitors for him seems to be ever-growing. The Philadelphia 76ers and Miami Heat, per multiple reports, seem to be leading the pack of teams pursuing him — with the Los Angeles Lakers and LA Clippers also in that mix.

— 8:07 a.m.

 

Drummond’s fate still up in air as deadline looms

Andre Drummond has not played in a game for the Cleveland Cavaliers since Feb. 21, the date on which the team decided it would not be keeping him past this season. Since then, his name has come up in trade rumors regularly and that is only increasing as the 3 p.m. ET deadline today nears.

Last night, the New York Knicks emerged as a potential destination for Andre Drummond, according to Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer. But acquiring Drummond via trade may not be the only way he moves on.

— 7:21 a.m.

Will Spurs part with Aldridge or buy him out?

It has been nearly a month since LaMarcus Aldridge last played a game, a result of he and the San Antonio Spurs mutually agreeing to work on finding him a new home. The trade deadline is here and Aldridge is still technically a Spur, but his hefty remaining contract ($24 million) may make him more of a post-trade deadline buyout candidate than a traded player, writes Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News. If the Spurs can trade Aldridge, McDonald reports that any return they’d get for him would be a relief. Also worth noting: the Spurs haven’t made a trade deadline-day deal since 2014.

— 7 a.m.

Wolves reportedly reluctant to part with McDaniels

From Karl-Anthony Towns’ absence due to COVID-19 to a variety of injuries and other issues, the 2020-21 season for the Minnesota Timberwolves has been forgettable. Rookie Jaden McDaniels has been a bright spot from his stats (5.5 ppg, 3.4 rpg in 20.1 mpg) to his overall talent level. Chris Hine of the Star Tribune reports that Minnesota has kicked the tires on trades for Aaron Gordon and John Collins. However, Minnesota is not willing to part with McDaniels in potential trades, which may be hurting its ability to work a deal.

— 6:45 a.m.

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