NBA Trade Deadline: Nikola Vucevic, Victor Oladipo lead big moves

The NBA trade deadline has passed, with several teams making some big moves in a bid to be playoff-ready.

The likes of the Chicago Bulls, Denver Nuggets and Miami Heat have all swung major trades prior to the deadline, with Chicago's trade for Orlando Magic All-Star big man Nikola Vucevic headlining the deadline.

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The Magic were big sellers at the deadline, with veteran forward Evan Fournier also traded to the Boston Celtics.

Take a look as we break down every trade.

Orlando trades All-Star center Nikola Vucevic to Chicago

According to both ESPN and Stadium, the Magic are trading All-Star center Nikola Vucevic to the Chicago Bulls for Wendell Carter Jr., Otto Porter and two first-round picks.

The Bulls are attempting to make the playoffs this season while the Magic on Thursday traded Vucevic, Evan Fournier and Aaron Gordon after the franchise struggled to be competitive.

Vucevic, 30, is averaging 24.5 points and 11.8 rebounds per game in 2020-21. He’s averaged at least 19.6 points per game in each of the last three seasons and made the All-Star team for the first time in 2019. He was selected to the All-Star team again earlier this season.

He was considered the least likely member of the Magic to be traded before Thursday’s trade deadline behind Gordon and guard Evan Fournier.

Vucevic has two more years remaining on his contract for a combined $46 million. Al-Farouq Aminu is also being sent to Chicago in the trade.

Per Stadium, the first-round picks are in the 2021 and 2023 drafts. The pick in this summer's draft is top-four protected.

Chicago also acquired Boston's Daniel Theis, trading fellow big man Mo Wagner to the Celtics, who they had previously acquired from Washington.

Magic trade Aaron Gordon to Nuggets, Evan Fournier to Celtics

The Orlando Magic have reportedly traded Aaron Gordon to the Denver Nuggets for Gary Harris, RJ Hampton, and a first-round pick, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

According to Yahoo Sports’ Chris Haynes, Gordon was open to a change of scenery as the Denver Nuggets, Houston Rockets and Detroit Pistons inquired about a deal prior to the trade deadline.

The Magic valued Gordon, according to Haynes, and attached a substantial price tag to his availability.

After sending center Nikola Vucevic to the Chicago Bulls, the Magic have reportedly traded Evan Fournier to the Boston Celtics for two second-round picks, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

The 28-year-old forward will help provide the Celtics with scoring as Fournier is averaging a career-high 19.7 points this season on 46.1% shooting from the field. He's on the last year of a five-year, $85 million contract.

Victor Oladipo traded to Miami Heat

The Houston Rockets traded Oladipo to the Miami Heat right up against the trade deadline, according to multiple reports.

In exchange, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, the Heat sent Houston Avery Bradley and Kelly Olynyk and a 2022 pick swap.

The Rockets acquired Oladipo on Jan. 16 from Indiana in the four-team trade that sent James Harden to Brooklyn. Oladipo turned down a reported, two-year, $45.2 million extension from the Rockets, all but signalling his departure before hitting free agency this offseason.

Since Oladipo’s arrival in Houston, the Rockets are 8-24, and just snapped a 20-game losing streak on Monday.

Oladipo averaged 21.1 points, 4.9 assists and 4.7 rebounds per game for the Rockets. The 28-year-old is two years removed from a ruptured quad tendon that sidelined him for a little over a year.

Assuming the rest of the year goes well and Oladipo can successfully bolster the Heat's postseason run alongside Jimmy Butler, Miami is in a great position to sign Oladipo to a deal that keeps him with the team next season and beyond.

Pelicans deal JJ Redick to Mavericks, keep Lonzo Ball

The New Orleans Pelicans are trading shooting guard JJ Redick to the Dallas Mavericks, The Athletic's Shams Charania reports.

The trade will put the 36-year-old back on a playoff contender as the Pelicans continue to slide in the Western Conference. The Mavericks are also receiving Nicolo Melli in the deal while sending James Johnson, Wes Iwundu and a second-round pick to the Pelicans, per the report.

The Pelicans are also keeping point guard Lonzo Ball, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reports. Ball was reportedly a trade candidate ahead of Thursday's NBA trade deadline.

Redick was a part-time starter and key rotation player for New Orleans last season but was averaging less than 20 minutes a game this season while scoring 8.7 points on 40.7% shooting from the field. He's been out since March 3 with a heel injury.

When he returns, he'll provide scoring punch for a Mavericks teams surging in the Western Conference standings and hoping to improve on last year's postseason that saw a first-round exit.

Raptors send Norman Powell to Trail Blazers

The Toronto Raptors traded shooting guard Norman Powell to the Portland Trail Blazers for Gary Trent Jr. and Rodney Hood, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

Powell is having a career year, averaging close to 20 points per game while being one of the most efficient shooters in the league.

However, with Powell slated to become an unrestricted free agent this summer and in line to earn double his current salary of $11 million, the Raptors must have seen more value in swapping him out for a younger and cheaper shooting guard.

Lou Williams headed back to Atlanta

The Los Angeles Clippers have agreed to trade Lou Williams to the Atlanta Hawks for Rajon Rondo, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reports.

It's a homecoming for Williams, who also played for the Hawks from 2012-14. Rondo signed with the Hawks as a free agent last offseason after helping the Los Angeles Lakers to a championship in last season's NBA bubble.

Sixers acquire George Hill from Thunder

The Philadelphia 76ers may be indicating that they're out of the running for Kyle Lowry. According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, the Oklahoma City Thunder are trading point guard George Hill to the Sixers in a three-team deal also involving the New York Knicks.

The Thunder reportedly will receive Tony Bradley and two second-round picks from the Sixers. The picks are for 2025 and 2026, according to Wojnarowski, adding to their haul of stockpiled draft picks.

The Knicks reportedly are acquiring Terrance Ferguson, while sending Iggy Brazdeikis to the 76ers and Austin Rivers to the Thunder.

Cavaliers trade JaVale McGee to Nuggets

The Denver Nuggets are finalising a deal to acquire JaVale McGee from the Cleveland Cavaliers, according to The Athletic's Shams Charania.

The 33-year-old McGee will give the Nuggets an athletic backup center to MVP candidate Nikola Jokic. McGee started 68 games for the Los Angeles Lakers on their championship run last season before being dealt to the Cavs.

Cleveland has a wealth of centers since acquiring Jarrett Allen from the Brooklyn Nets earlier this season.

Allen assumed the starting job from two-time All-Star Andre Drummond, who could also be on the move at the deadline. Drummond has not played since Feb. 12, when he and the Cavs agreed to seek an alternative landing spot for him.

LaMarcus Aldridge, Andre Drummond headed for buyouts

The San Antonio Spurs are proceeding to buy out forward LaMarcus Aldridge, allowing him to become an unrestricted free agent, league sources tell Yahoo Sports.

Aldridge and the Spurs mutually agreed to part ways earlier this month, according to head coach Gregg Popovich.

The Cleveland Cavaliers and center Andre Drummond will work on a buyout, league sources tell Yahoo Sports.

Drummond last played on Feb. 12 before the Cavaliers announced the 27-year-old center would sit out while the team worked to find a trade partner before Thursday's deadline.

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