Updated - 3:25pm ET 3/25

Teams - Houston Rockets & Miami Heat

Trade - Rockets acquire Kelly Olynyk , Avery Bradley and a draft pick swap. Heat acquire Victor Oladipo

Analysis

Not quite the return many expected for the Rockets here when it came to trading Victor Oladipo . Sure, the Heat were always rumored but so were names like Tyler Herro , Duncan Robinson or Kendrick Nunn . Instead they land Kelly Olynyk and Avery Bradley who are nice role players but not the value of an all-star caliber talent that Oladipo is. For Miami, we should expect Oladipo to move into the starting lineup at shooting guard which is going to shift Duncan Robinson to the bench. This move is going to be a value killer for Tyler Herro , Duncan Robinson and likely Kendrick Nunn as well given the high usage rate that Oladipo commands and his ability to play both guard spots. On the season Oladipo is averaging 20.8 points, 5.0 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game.

For Houston, Kevin Porter will get a bump in value with Oladipo gone and should Avery Bradley stick around and be healthy he can be a nice fantasy add as well. Olynyk would be a solid add if he moves into the starting power forward spot. Christian Wood does not stretch the floor which would leave Olynyk plenty of room to sit on the arc and shoot threes. He also gives Houston more size for when Wood comes off the floor as he can play the center position as well. On the season Olynyk is averaging 10.0 points, 6.1 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.8 three-pointers per game. It's worth noting Olynyk is shooting a career low 31.7% from three-point range.

 

3:00pm ET 3/25

Teams - Dallas Mavericks and New Orleans Pelicans

Trade - Mavericks acquire JJ Redick and Nicolo Melli . Pelicans get James Johnson , Wes Iwundu and a second-round pick.

Analysis

A trade largely made of bench players that won't play many minutes for either team with the lone exception of Redick who could be a nice part of the Mavs bench rotation once he gets healthy. Redick has struggled this season with the Pelicans and had largely fallen out of the rotation for New Orelans. That said, in 31 games he still shot 36.7% from three-point range which is all that Dallas will ask of him when on the floor as the offense still focuses around Luka Doncic , Kristaps Porzingis and Tim Hardaway Jr.

2:55pm ET 3/25

Teams - Boston Celtics and Chicago Bulls

Trade - Celtics trade center Daniel Theis to the Bulls for center Moritz Wagner

Analysis

Celtics are opening up playing time for Robert Williams to play full minutes with Wagner not commanding the same type of rotational minutes as Daniel Theis would have while on the roster. The Celtics were also cleaing some salary cap space here by moving on from Theis while acquiring a younger bench big in Wagner that likely won't see more than 20-minutes a night off the bench. Theis is a nice add for the Bulls as big off the bench and can play both center and power forward when needed. That said, his minutes and role will be much smaller than it was while with the Celtics.

2:55pm ET 3/25

Teams - Los Angeles Clippers & Atlanta Hawks

Trade - Clippers acquire guard Rajon Rondo for guard Lou Williams

Analysis

No question Williams has struggled this season playing off the bench for the Clippers and now he gets to return back home to the Hawks to join a pretty crowded back court situation. It will be interesting to see where he fits into a rotation that already includes Kevin Huerter and Cam Reddish . Atlanta certainly isn't acquiring Williams to let him flounder on the bench and Huerter can play both guard and forward positions. I fully expect Williams to continue playing a sixth-man role but on a team that may allow him to actually shoot and handle the ball a bit more than he did with the Clippers.

For the Clippers, they get a veteran guard in Rajon Rondo that has championship experience. The point guard position for the Clippers this season hasn't been great with Reggie Jackson being a disappointment and Patrick Beverley being injured. Rondo could easily move into the starting lineup and becomes a fantasy asset worth adding if he starts to see 25 minutes a game as a facilitator for Kawhi Leonard and Paul George .

2:50pm ET 3/25

Teams - Philadelphia 76ers, Oklahoma City Thunder & New York Knicks

Trade - 76ers receive point guard George Hill , Thunder receiver center Tony Bradley , guard Austin Rivers and two second-round picks, Knicks receive forward Terrance Ferguson

Analysis

Small trade here with the 76ers receiving maybe the most impactful player for their roster in George Hill . Hill is going to be the backup point guard for the 76ers and could very well be part of their closing unit at times as well. The 76ers had been rumored to being in the hunt for Kyle Lowry but that deal is seemingly no longer on the table. Hill was good for the Thunder but has been out of the lineup since January due to a thumb injury. 

The Thunder acquire center Tony Bradley as he joins an already crowded front court that includes Al Horford , Isaiah Roby , Moses Brown, Mike Muscala and Darius Bazley . Short term, Dwight Howard gets a nice bump with Bradley out of the lineup while Joel Embiid is out with an injury. Austin Rivers could find some minutes or be a buy-out candidate as a backup guard but offers no real fantasy value. 

Terrance Ferguson had averaged over 20 minutes a night for the Thunder over the past two seasons but saw just 3.8 minutes a night for the 76ers this season. He goes to the Knicks where it is unlikely he makes any impact.

 12:55pm ET 3/25

Teams - Portland Trail Blazers & Toronto Raptors

Trade - Trail Blazers trade guard Gary Trent Jr. & forward Rodney Hood to the Raptors for guard Norman Powell

Analysis

We expect the Raptors to be sellers today and they kicked it off by dealing sixth-man Norman Powell to Portland for Gary Trent and Rodney Hood . Powell has emerged as one of the leagues best wings and thrived when covid hit the Raptors which left them without Pascal Siakam , OG Anunoby and Fred VanVleet . Powell's career year sees him averaging 19.6 points, 3.0 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.1 steals per game while shooting 49.8-percent from the floor and 43.9-percent from three-point range. He is going to replace Gary Trent as the Blazers sixth-man but offers much greater offensive upside and will very likely be part of their closing group with Lillard and McCollum. Playing with Lillard and McCollum however could be an issue for Powell as his usage is likely taking a hit.

For Toronto, Trent is going to slide into the role vacated by Powell which means somewhere in the range of 30-minutes a night. He flashed solid offensive potential while starting for the injured CJ McCollum . Trent is averaging 15.0 points, 2.2 rebounds and 1.4  assists per game this season while shooting 41.1% from the floor and 39.7% from three-point range. Trent could also find him in the starting lineup when Toronto plays their small lineup like we had seen from them over recent games. Hood offers a solid veteran off the bench and is an upgrade at the wing over the likes of DeAndre Bembry who was seeing time off the bench as well. The oft-injured Hood is shooting a career low 29.8-percent from three-point range. 

 

12:33 pm ET 3/25

Teams - Orlando Magic and Denver Nuggets

Trade - Magic trade forward Aaron Gordon & Gary Clark to the Nuggets for Gary Harris , RJ Hampton and a first-round pick.

Analysis

Well the trades are happening fast now with Orlando making their THIRD trade of the day. Aaron Gordon was the expected player to move today but I don't think many had Denver as the landing spot. This is actually NOT a good landing spot for Gordon from a fantasy perspective as he lands on a team with usage monsters in Nikola Jokic , Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. Gordon will move into the starting power forward spot but still find competition with veteran Paul Millsap and possibly JaMychal Green . With Orlando this season Gordon averaged 14.6 points, 6.6 rebounds, 4.2 assists while shooting 43.7% from the floor and 37.5% from three-point range. When on the floor this season for the Magic he had a 24.2% usage rage but I expect that number to drop.

For the Magic, this is a super interesting trade as they aqcuire two players that should play right away. We now know who will fill the void for Evan Fournier with Gary Harris likely to start but RJ Hampton is the really the interesting prospect here. Hampton was taken with the 24th overall pick in this past season's draft. He saw very limited playing time, avearging just 9.3 minutes over 25 games this season however he should see increased playing time with the Magic short on guard depth right now with Markelle Fultz and Cole Anthony injured. Hampton should play the back up guard behind Michael Carter-Williams , assuming MCW remains with the Magic and is not moved. 

 

12:23 pm ET 3/25

Teams - Orlando Magic and Boston Celtics

Trade - Magic trade guard/forward Evan Fournier to the Celtics for two second-round picks

Analysis

The Magic aren't done as they trade their second leading scorer in Evan Fournier to Boston for a pair of second-round picks as of now. Boston has been in need of an extra scorer, especially off the bench where it is possible that Fournier moves to pending additional deals today by the Celtics. Boston could also move Marcus Smart back to the bench with Fournier moving to the starting guard spot however we should look at Fournier's role in Boston to mirror that of Gordon Hayward 's role in Boston as the team's third or fourth scorer with the ability to have the offense run throuhg him at times like we saw in Orlando. With the Magic this season Fournier had a 26.7% usage rate when on the floor and averaged 19.7 points, 2.9 rebounds and 3.7 assists while shooting 40.7% from three-point range and 49.3% from the floor.

Orlando got two secod-round picks and they are not yet done with making moves. Otto Porter could very easily fill the minutes vacated by Fournier here at least for now. Orlando still has Terrence Ross and James Ennis on their roster that could also fill in for Fournier however both players have been mentioned in trade rumors as well. Another name to look for would be Dwayne Bacon who saw increased playing time when Fournier was out of the lineup this season.

Updated - 11:48 am ET 3/25

Teams - Orlando Magic and Chicago Bulls

Trade - Magic trade center Nikola Vucevic and Forward Al-Farouq Aminu to the Bulls for Wendell Carter Jr., Otto Porter Jr. two first-round picks.

Analysis

First blockbuster trade of the day comes out of Orlando but it wasn't the player any of us thought it would be when we woke up this morning. All-star center Nikola Vucevic heads to Chicago who continues to make a push towards the playoffs under head coach Billy Donovan. The center position has been an area of inconsistency for the Bulls this season with Wendell Carter Jr., Lauri Markkanen and Thaddeus Young all rotating the position at times this year but that ends now with is aquisiton of Vucevic, one of the leagues premier offensive big men. From a fantasy perspect, I don't think playing with Zach LaVine will be a hinder to Vuc as he already plays with a high usage player in Evan Fournier . I see Vucevic however impacting the likes of Lauri Markkanen and the front court rotation. Markkanen himself has been rumored to be in trade talks so Chicago may not be done yet. Aminu in my eyes is a buy-out candidate but he also offers some veteran presence that Billy Donovan could be looking to have in the locker room should Chicago make it to the playoffs this season. To me, he clashes with Thaddeus Young from a play style stand-point but he does offer solid defense off the bench. Otto Porter 's exit should only solidfy minutes for Patrick Williams and even Garrett Temple , assuming he too ins't traded at some point today. Denzel Valentine may also benefit a bit. 

For the Magic, Wendell Carter is an interesting prospect. At just 21-years old, the former 7th overall pick is in his third year in the league. Injury issues have hampered WCJ during his early tenure in the league but he flashes some solid talent as a big with further development and maturation in the league. He is very athletic and offers double-double upside with block and steal upside from a fantasy perspective. On the season he was averaging 10.9 points, 7.8 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 0.6 steals and 0.8 blocks over 24.8 minutes a game. Those numbers should rise with the expectation that he starts to play 30+ minutes a night for this rebuilding Magic roster.

 

10:25 am ET 3/25

Teams - Cleveland Cavaliers & Denver Nuggets

Trade - Cavs trade center JaVale McGee to the Nuggets for center Isaiah Hartenstein and two future second-round picks

Analysis

Well the Cavaliers traded a center it just was not the big name center everybody was waiting on in Andre Drummond . Instead they swapped back up centers with the Nuggets. McGee is a huge upgrade at the backup center spot for the Nuggets with Hartenstein rarely even seeing the floor as Denver runs Nikola Jokic out there for 35 minutes a game and will go small at the position when need be. McGee gives them a legitemate presence off the bench and while we often times laugh at McGee, this season he is averaging a respectable 8.0 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game over 15.2 minutes. He is unlikely to see much more than that for Denver so there is no real fantasy upside with this move but the get is still good for Denver here.

The trade of McGee only further solidifies the minutes for Jarrett Allen as Hartenstein is not going to be a threat for much more playing time than we saw McGee get and I would venture to guess he may even see less floor time. With Denver, Harenstein was only averaging 9.1 minutes per contest over 30 games this season while putting up 3.5 points, 2.8 rebounds and 0.7 blocks per game. 

12:35 am ET 3/25

Teams - Sacramento Kings & Detriot Pistons

Trade - Kings trade guard Cory Joseph and two second-round picks to the Pistons for guard Delon Wright

Analysis

The NBA trade deadline is off and running with the first reported deal of the day which sees a swap of guards. Wright was having a solid season for the Pistons, averaging 10.5 points with 4.6 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 1.5 steals per game while shooting 35.6% from three-point range. He has been the team's starting guard for most of the year following the injury to rookie Killian Hayes. With the Kings we can expect Wright to fill the void vacated by Cory Joseph while providing a better scoring punch off the bench than Joseph offered for Sacramento. There is also a good chance that Wright finds himself also moved in another deal later in the day as the Kings are rumored to be in on a few possible deals and a player like Wright is far more appealing than Cory Joseph would likely be to a contending team looking to fill out their bench. 

For the Pistons, Joseph is added to a group that already includes Dennis Smith Jr, Saben Lee, Frank Jackson and injured rookie Killian Hayes. From a fantasy perspective, Joseph does not offer much but the trade of Wright could very well re-open starters minutes for Dennis Smith Jr or Saben Lee, both of whom have impressed at times this season from a fantasy standpoint when given the additional minutes. In tonight's loss to the Pacers we saw Frank Jackson start but play just 13 minutes with Dennis Smith Jr playing 15 and Saben Lee seeing just seven. The starting guard spot is likely to return to Killian Hayes when he eventually returns from his hip injury but that is not going to be until mid-April at the earliest. Gut feeling says to add Dennis Smith Jr if you need a guard on your fantasy roster.