Thunder has no playoffs. Nuggets have no depth. And the Clippers have James Harden.
Three strikes and they are out … by the Western Conference title.
Or the trade death line from Lakers, Mavericks, Warriors and Kings would make you believe.
Knowing an opening on the railway in their efforts to get from the pace of the Western Playoff Chase, four teams that had basically played in subsequent stole the headlines this week.
Exactly what the erroneous frontunkers didn’t have to see.
Standing Pat – or basically so – at the trade deadline can be a smart move … when you are as stacked as Celtics.
But for Thunder, Nuggets and Clippers … did they really want to give LeBron and Stephen Curry Hope?
In a buzzing week on the NBA transaction thread, let’s focus three lenses on what didn’t happen.
Oklahoma City Thunder
Thunder is an amazing story. They have stored drafts of elections, made wise choices and put smart in free agency. They are the essence of future.
Slow and steady can eventually win the race, and Sam Presti seems completely satisfied with playing the role of Turtle Jockey. After making the western semi -final last season Thunder’s Dream manus has them to experience the western final this year before they went for everything in 2026.
Presti had a chance to flush forward the process at the trade deadline. After all, he had no doubt the biggest asset in the league-11 first election in the next five drafts.
They cannot possibly use them all. But it’s ok, because the thunder is just a superstar sidekick and a complementary piece or two from winning everything.
Seems very reasonable when dangling 11 quality choices.
Well, the deadline passed, and priest still has all 11 choices in their back pocket. Maybe he thinks: If we offer five or six to the team that wins the next lottery … seven or eight? All 11?
Does Cooper flag have a price tag?
Unfortunately, if it is the plan, it is a stupid. You don’t shop Duke for Duquesne. There is no way that the thunderstorm gets a flag.
So they are stuck with a large bag of pickings that do nothing that can besides weighing them down.
They may have stolen Jimmy Butler. Who would have guessed that Luka Doncic could get? Instead, thunder Daniel acquired and-get this-one other picking (a second round). And then they abstained. Eventually they will refrain from the choice.
Perhaps the thunder should be congratulated to hold the course. There is a card in the mail. It says: Wait until next year.
Denver Nuggets
October 14, 2022; San Francisco, California, USA; Denver Nugget’s head coach Mike Malone reacts after he is called a foul during the first half of the game against the Golden State Warriors at the Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: John Hefti-Imagn Pictures When three teams that have won a total sum of seven playoffs in the last eight seasons stand between you and the top of the conference, you must feel pretty good about your chances of past them.
So it is not surprising that the nuggers, for a completely different reason than Thunder, would think that they did not have to do anything at the deadline to improve their chances for a second trip to the NBA final in the past three seasons.
Apart from the same thing that held Nuggets back a year ago, the biggest reason is that Thunder, Grizzlies and Rockets have surpassed them this season: they do not have a championship depth.
Yes, the nuggets rode their backs on their big four – Nikola Jokic, Aaron Gordon, Michael Porter Jr. And Jamal Murray – to the 2023 title. But that team had a veteran’s fifth starter-Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and reliable contributors on Bänken-Bruce Brown, Jeff Green, Reggie Jackson and Deandre Jordan.
This year’s squad has replaced Caldwell-Pope with Russell Westbrook, and they still have Jordan. But they will count on children – Christian Braun, Peyton Watson and Julian moments – in May, and that is not a comforting feeling.
And if Gordon, who has already missed two large pieces of the season with calf issues, needs a compensation in April … Yes, Zeke Nnaji made his first 3-point of the season this week.
The best thing to say about Watson and Migiders is that they have played well enough to catch the eye on the many rebuilding law. You know, like Trail Blazers, who had Jerami Grant to offer, or Nets, whose Cam Johnson had his bags packed.
Instead, the nuggets made even smaller than the thunderstorm. Which can now only be the case after the season.
Los Angeles Clippers
25 Jan 2025; Ingrlewood, California, USA; La Clippers -Guard James Harden (1) reacts to Milwaukee Bucks during the second half on Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Do you remember when the Pacific Division was AFC north of the NBA? It still is. And if you looked at Baltimore Ravens, Pittsburgh Steelers, Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns this past season, you know that it is no longer a compliment.
There is a reason why the NBA is considering changing the name of the Western Play-in tournament “The left coast Invitational.” Heck, the league probably even thought about offering a fifth Pacific a village.
These are so mediocre the superstar -led Lakers, Clippers, Suns, Kings and Warriors have become.
But stubborn teams with stubborn fans are not rebuilt, so the five stretched over the playoffs and lottery futures until four of the five looked around this week and ended: if all we have to do is hit a team with almost no playoffs to get a New shot at a title we have to go after that.
So Lakers acquired Doncic, the kings got Zach Lavine and Warriors who were admitted to Butler. And just like they have a heartbeat.
Suns tried to follow, but found that no one wanted Bradley Beal. Imagine it. So they get a pass.
Who leaves the Clippers, which was among the busiest teams at the deadline. They shared five players and acquired four.
All has-beens and non-factors. Talk about a waste of paperwork.
Bad Kawhi Leonard. He and Kevin Durant become champions with a front place in May. Again.
Maybe Thunder or Rockets would have taken the hard back for seven first choices. You would think that Clippers would have at least asked.
