As the dust settled at 3 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 6, the landscape of the NBA changed forever. An unprecedented eight different All-Stars were traded, the most in NBA history.
To start things off, on Feb. 1, ESPN’s senior basketball insider Shams Charania revealed the shocking news. Guard Luka Dončić, the Dallas Mavericks perennial All-Star and multi-time All-NBA recipient was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers along with Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris. The Dallas Mavericks received superstar Anthony Davis, in addition to Max Christie and the Lakers 2029 first-round pick.
Nico Harrison, the general manager of the Mavericks, cited issues with Dončić’s conditioning and defense as reasons for the trade. The difference with Dončić is that he is a generational talent. It checks out that when Harrison brought the trade up to the Mavericks, Patrick Dumont, the owner of the team, laughed at him.
A player of Dončić’s caliber has the ability to turn a franchise from contending for a lottery pick to a championship. For the Lakers, this trade is a clear win, they now have a future franchise player after Lebron James retires.
Before the trade went through, the Lakers roster was getting old and it was questionable whether or not they were going to be able to contend for a championship. Now, this trade could allow the Lakers to build around Dončić and compete for another decade.
This trade seems like a bad long-term move for the Mavericks. Instead, short-term success is what the franchise has its eyes on. Davis adds great defense to the Mavericks and the pick-and-roll threat increases as he can work with point guard Kyrie Irving. He can score at will — it doesn’t matter if he needs to shoot a three or drive in the paint. Davis is a reliable player when the Mavericks need a bucket.
Taking our focus down to Miami, Florida, the Miami Heat and Jimmy Butler have been going at it all season with Heat’s President Pat Riley. Butler was suspended three different times in the matter of a month for a plethora of different things.
The relationship between the Heat and Butler was damaged beyond repair, and Butler wanted out. This is not how this relationship was supposed to end between Miami and Butler since he led this team to the finals twice.
Finally, the Golden State Warriors and the Heat settled on the five-team deal. This would send Andrew Wiggins, Kyle Anderson and Davion Mitchell from the Toronto Raptors along with a 2025 protected first-round pick. Butler got what he wanted as he is now back to playing with Stephen Curry on the court.
For the Warriors, this trade was a must for them to remain competitive in a Western conference that is now stronger than ever. Butler is an amazing two-way player who can do it on both sides of the floor. He brings a level of competitiveness and intensity to the Warriors, who are getting an A- for this trade.
The Heat got a haul back Wiggins could fit right in with the Heat. He plays lockdown defense and this season averaged 17.5 points per game while being an All-Star last season. He is going to help fill the scoring gap that was left behind with Butler gone.
The additions of Mitchell and Anderson are also nothing to sneeze at. Anderson, an eleven-year NBA veteran and a great locker room presence, in addition to shooting 45% from the field, will add a kick off the bench. Mitchell is young and scrappy, is a great point defender and is going to be a great fit on the Heat.
Finally, in a three-team deal which included the Chicago Bulls, Sacramento Kings and San Antonio Spurs, De’Aaron Fox was sent to the Spurs after contract negotiations with the Kings did not pan out upon voicing his desire to join the Spurs in the off-season.
Fox now joins phenom Victor Wembanyama as the Spurs point guard of the future. The league has to watch out for the pick-and-roll lob threat that Fox now brings to the table with Wembanyama. The Spurs get an A+ for this trade with an aggressive off-season this team could become a contender.
The Kings’ trade is tough, as they gain Zach Collins, Tre Jones and Kevin Huerter along with their own 2025 1st-round pick. While the players acquired are solid, the Bulls traded an All-Star fan favorite, Zach LaVine, and a significant amount of draft capital, seemingly for less in return.
The biggest loser in this deal is the Bulls, with their grade at a D, while the Kings and Spurs fare much better.
These trades have shifted the tides for many NBA teams. Some have solidified their status as contenders and others have committed to the rebuild.
