NBA contenders reloaded before Thursday’s trade deadline, while several big-name stars stayed put.
Deadline day saw the Mavericks make much-needed front-court renovations, the slumping 76ers add sharpshooter Buddy Hield to their ailing offense and the Thunder take a chance on oft-injured Gordon Hayward as they push for the Western Conference’s top seed.
Among the busiest teams Thursday were the red-hot Knicks, who bolstered a banged-up roster by acquiring Bojan Bogdanovic and Alec Burks from Detroit, and the ice-cold Nets, who sent Spencer Dinwiddie to Toronto for Dennis Shroder and old friend Thaddeus Young. Brooklyn later shipped Royce O’Neale to the Suns as well.
Here’s what happened around the rest of the NBA before Thursday’s 3 p.m. deadline.
76ERS ADD HIELD, SEND BEVERLY TO BUCKS
Injury-plagued Philadelphia added the 3-point specialist they badly needed in Hield, sending forward Marcus Morris, guard Furkan Korkmaz and three second-round picks to the Pacers to make it happen, according to ESPN.
Hield, a career 40.1% 3-point shooter averaging 12.0 points per game this season, joins a Sixers squad that entered Thursday ranked 27th in the NBA with only 11.4 made 3-pointers per game.
The 31-year-old Hield offers another scoring option for free-falling Philadelphia, which will be without superstar center Joel Embiid for at least four weeks after a knee procedure.
In a separate deal, the Sixers sent veteran point Patrick Beverly to the Bucks for guard Cam Payne and a second-round pick.
Knicks acquire Alec Burks, Bojan Bogdanovic from Pistons in NBA Trade Deadline move: reports
THUNDER RETOOL WITH GORDON HAYWARD
Oklahoma City, which began Thursday in a three-way tie atop the Western Conference, added a veteran reinforcement in Hayward, who still averages a respectable 14.5 points, 4.7 rebounds and 4.6 assists when he’s able to suit up.
The Thunder shipped little-used backup point guard Tre Mann, even-littler-used shooter Davis Bertans, guard Vasilije Micic and draft compensation to the 10-40 Hornets, ESPN reported.
Hayward, who hasn’t played in over a month due to multiple leg injuries, is in the final year of a four-year, $120 million deal.
MILES BRIDGES STAYING IN CHARLOTTE
Despite receiving interest from contenders including the Suns, Bridges decided to veto any trades and play out the rest of the season with lowly Charlotte, his agent told ESPN.
Doing so lets Bridges become an unrestricted free agent this summer and keeps his Bird Rights with the Hornets, who can exceed the salary cap and offer him a max deal in the offseason.
Bridges, who is averaging a career-high 21.9 points per game, did not play last season and was suspended the first 10 games of this one amid allegations of domestic violence.
DEROZAN, MURRAY ALSO STAY PUT
Other widely rumored trade targets who ended up not moving were Bulls star DeMar DeRozen, high-scoring Atlanta guard Dejounte Murray and versatile Toronto guard Bruce Brown.
Trade rumors involving Murray, who signed a four-year extension last summer, and Brown, who has an upcoming $23 million team option, figure to resume this offseason. DeRozen, meanwhile, is set to become a free agent.
MAVS BULK UP WITH DANIEL GAFFORD
Badly in need of center help, the Mavericks acquired Daniel Gafford from the Wizards in exchange for Richaun Holmes and draft compensation, ESPN reported.
The 6-10 Gafford started all 45 of his games with Washington this season, averaging 10.9 points and 8.0 rebounds. His 2.2 blocks per game rank seventh in the NBA.
Gafford joins a Mavericks front court that includes promising rookie center Dereck Lively, who was ruled out of his fifth consecutive game Thursday against the Knicks with a broken nose.
Despite the Mavericks’ depth issues, the center Holmes averaged only 3.4 points in 10.3 minutes over 23 appearances this season, his first with Dallas.
DALLAS ADDS PERIMETER PUNCH, TOO
The Mavericks continued to make moves after getting Gafford, agreeing to acquire forward PJ Washington and two second-round picks from the Hornets for forward Grant Williams, guard Seth Curry and a 2027 first-rounder, according to The Athletic.
Washington is averaging 13.6 points per game on 44.6% shooting. He shot better than 36% on 3-pointers in three separate seasons but is making only 32.4% of his attempts from deep this year.
Like Holmes, the Mavericks acquired Williams and Curry last offseason. Also like Holmes, both disappointed. The first-round pick in Thursday’s deal is top-two protected.
RAPTORS STAY BUSY, ADD KELLY OLYNYK
Trading for Dinwiddie wasn’t Toronto’s only move Thursday.
The Raptors also acquired center Kelly Olynyk and 23-year-old guard Ochai Agbaji from the Jazz for forward Otto Porter Jr., 22-year-old guard Kira Lewis Jr. and a 2024 first-round pick, according to The Athletic.
The first-rounder going back to Utah will reportedly be whichever of the Thunder, Clippers, Rockets or Jazz picks currently owned by Toronto ends up being the least desirable.
Thursday’s deals follow the Raptors trading OG Anunoby and Precious Achiuwa to the Knicks and Pascal Siakim to the Pacers in recent weeks.
LAKERS STAND PAT
Unlike last February, when the LeBron James-led Lakers overhauled their roster at the deadline, Los Angeles stood pat this year.
It remains to be seen how that inactivity sits with James, who sent social media into a tizzy last week when he posted an hourglass emoji on X. Many interpreted the post as a not-so-subtle nudge for Lakers management to make a deal.
The Lakers entered Thursday at 27-25, good for ninth in the Western Conference.
OTHER DEALS
Smaller deadline deals, as reported by ESPN, include Doug McDermott to the Pacers … Danuel House to the Pistons … Jaden Springer to the Celtics … Dalano Banton to the Trail Blazers … and Robin Lopez to the Kings, who are expected to waive him.
