2022 NBA trade deadline: Mavs trade Kristaps Porzingis to Wizards; Nets, 76ers swap Harden, Simmons
The 2021-22 NBA trade deadline has come and gone. A blockbuster deal between the Brooklyn Nets and Philadelphia 76ers, who respectively received James Harden and Ben Simmons, headlined an eventful day in which six former All-Stars changed teams. Keep reading for a rundown of every transaction on Thursday.
Mavericks trade Porzingis to Wizards for Dinwiddie, Bertans
The Washington Wizards acquired one-time All-Star center Kristaps Porzingis and a second-round draft pick from the Dallas Mavericks for Spencer Dinwiddie and Davis Bertans, according to multiple reports.
Porzingis, 26, has never recaptured the promise he held with the New York Knicks in early 2018, when he was voted an All-Star shortly before tearing his left ACL. The Mavericks traded two first-round picks for Porzingis in January 2019 and signed him to a five-year, $158 million maximum contract six months later.
In his first season since the injury, the 7-foot-3 Porzingis tore his right meniscus during the 2020 playoffs. He managed to play all seven games in last season's first-round playoff loss to the Los Angeles Clippers, but he battled injuries to his right knee, lower back and left ankle throughout the 2020-21 campaign. He missed his last five games with the Mavericks this season with a sore right knee. You can see the pattern.
Porzingis will get another chance in Washington, where he will be paired with three-time All-Star guard Bradley Beal — next season. Beal underwent season-ending surgery on his left wrist earlier this week. After a promising start, the 11th-place Wizards have fallen outside the Eastern Conference playoff picture. Porzingis is signed through the 2023-24 campaign, when he will be playing on a $36 million player option.
More on this trade: Mavericks trade Kristaps Porzingis to Wizards
Sources: 76ers, Nets swap Ben Simmons, James Harden
It took 16 months, but Daryl Morey finally traded Ben Simmons for James Harden.
The Philadelphia 76ers executive traded Simmons, along with sharpshooter Seth Curry, to the Brooklyn Nets for Harden, according to Yahoo Sports' Chris Haynes. Harden will reportedly opt into his $47.3 million player option in a commitment to the Sixers through next season. Brooklyn also receives Andre Drummond and two first-round picks, and Paul Millsap is headed to Philadelphia, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported.
The Nets will have their choice of Philadelphia's first-round pick this year (currently No. 22) or next, per Wojnarowski. Brooklyn also receives a top-eight protected first-round pick from the Sixers in 2027. If it does not convey, the pick is also top-eight protected in 2028 before converting to two second-rounders in 2029.
More on this trade: Nets trade James Harden to 76ers for Ben Simmons, Seth Curry
Mavericks reach 4-year extension with Dorian Finney-Smith
Shortly after the Mavericks dealt Porzingis to Washington, the team locked down Dorian Finney-Smith for another four years.
The Mavericks are finalizing a four-year extension with Finney-Smith in the $55-million range, according to ESPN’s Tim MacMahon.
Dorian Finney-Smith’s new deal will be four years in $55 million range, the most the Mavs could give him on an extension. Dallas did not want to risk losing a valuable role player and great locker room guy in free agency. https://t.co/dAThSUv7ya
— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) February 10, 2022
Specific details about the extension are not yet known.
Finney-Smith has averaged a career-high 10.1 points and 4.8 rebounds for the Mavericks so far this season, his sixth with the team. The 28-year-old was in the final year of a three-year, $12 million deal with the team this season.
More on the Mavs trade: Mavericks trade Kristaps Porzingis to Wizards
Sources: Celtics reshuffle roster around Tatum, Brown
The Boston Celtics traded Josh Richardson and their top-four protected first-round pick this season to the San Antonio Spurs for guard Derrick White, according to Yahoo Sports' Chris Haynes. San Antonio also gets Romeo Langford and a 2028 first-round pick swap, per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski and Zach Lowe.
In a separate deal, the Celtics dealt Dennis Schroder, Enes Freedom and Bruno Fernando to the Houston Rockets for Daniel Theis, according to Wojanrowski. The Rockets will reportedly waive Freedom's contract.
The Celtics needed a facilitator for All-Star wings Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown and found one in White, a 27-year-old in the first season of a four-year, $70 million contract. White averaged 14.4 points (43/31/87 shooting splits), 5.6 assists and 3.5 rebounds in 30.3 minutes over 49 games in San Antonio this season.
Theis, 29, previously played for the Celtics from 2017 until last year's trade deadline, starting at center for the team's 2020 Eastern Conference finals run. He has averaged 7.5 points and five rebounds in his career. Theis signed a four-year, $36 million contract in Houston this past summer. The final year is a team option.
Schroder, 28, who finished second in Sixth Man of the Year voting two seasons ago, signed a one-year, $5.9 million deal with the Celtics in hopes of securing a bigger contract this coming summer. He averaged 14.4 points (44/35/85 splits), 4.2 assists and 3.3 rebounds in 29.2 points over 49 games in Boston. He could be a coveted target on the buyout market, should the last-place Rockets waive him by season's end.
Richardson, 28, is under contract for $11.6 million next season. He was enjoying a solid season for the Celtics, averaging 9.7 points (44/40/86 splits) in 24.7 minutes per game off the bench. Outside of a few bright spots, Langford has largely been limited by injury, opportunity and production in three seasons.
The Celtics also made a move to avoid the luxury tax, sending Bol Bol and PJ Dozier to the Orlando Magic. The two teams swapped future conditional second-round picks, and the Celtics will send the Magic cash. Orlando will waive veteran guard E'Twaun Moore in the process, Yahoo Sports' Chris Haynes reported.
Boston acquired Bol and Dozier for Juancho Hernangomez in another cost-cutting move last month. When all the dealing was done Thursday, the Celtics opened five roster spots, so their reshuffling will continue.
Report: Pacers trade Torrey Craig to Suns for Jalen Smith
Torrey Craig is reportedly headed back to Phoenix. According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, the Indiana Pacers are trading the defensive stalwart to the Suns for Jalen Smith and a future second-round pick.
Craig spent the the second half of the 2020-2021 season with the Suns, serving as a reserve during their playoff run. He signed a two-year, $10 million contract with the Pacers in the offseason and this season has averaged 6.5 points and 3.8 rebounds. Smith was the 10th overall pick in the 2020 draft, and has appeared in only 56 games over two seasons with the Suns. He's averaging 4.1 points and 3.1 rebounds per game.
Sources: Wizards send Montrezl Harrell to Hornets, Aaron Holiday to Suns
The Washington Wizards were busy. According to Yahoo Sports' Chris Haynes, Washington traded Montrezl Harrell to the Charlotte Hornets for Ish Smith, Vernon Carey and a future second-round pick. The Wizards also traded Aaron Holiday to the Phoenix Suns for cash, per The Athletic's Shams Charania.
Harrell, the 2020 Sixth Man of the Year, averaged 14.1 points and 6.7 minutes in 24.3 minutes off the bench for the Wizards this season. He joins a .500 Hornets team in need of size and hunting a playoff berth.
Sources: Mavericks emerge as favorite for Goran Dragic in buyout market
The Dallas Mavericks are the frontrunners to sign one-time All-Star Goran Dragic once he secures a contract buyout from the San Antonio Spurs, according to Yahoo Sports' Chris Haynes.
The Toronto Raptors traded Dragic's $19.4 million expiring contract to the Spurs for veteran forward Thaddeus Young and this year's lottery-protected first-round pick, per The Athletic's Shams Charania.
The full details of the deal:
Sources: Full Spurs-Raptors deal:
Raptors: Thad Young, Drew Eubanks, 2022 Pistons second-rounder
Spurs: Goran Dragic, Toronto 2022 first-rounder (protected 1-14, protected 1-13 in 2023, turning into future seconds)— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 10, 2022
Dragic played just five games for the Raptors after he was traded over the summer in the deal that sent Kyle Lowry to the Miami Heat. He left Toronto for personal reasons in mid-November. The 35-year-old has long been linked to the Mavericks because of his ties to Slovenian national teammate Luka Doncic. Veteran NBA writer Marc Stein cautioned that a buyout "may not be immediate" and Dragic will have other suitors.
The Raptors added another versatile forward to a lineup full of them. The 33-year-old Young, who made his desire to play for a competitive team clear to San Antonio, will join Pascal Siakam, OG Anunoby and Scottie Barnes in the frontcourt for a Toronto team that has won seven straight games and moved into sixth place.
For their troubles, the Spurs receive a first-round pick from Toronto currently slotted in the No. 20 spot.
Bagley, DiVincenzo and Ibaka part of four-team trade
A four-team trade involving the Los Angeles Clippers will send Serge Ibaka to the Milwaukee Bucks, Donte DiVincenzo to the Sacramento Kings and Marvin Bagley III to the Detroit Pistons, per multiple reports.
The full details, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski:
ESPN Sources:
Full trade participants:
Kings: Donte DiVincenzo, Trey Lyles and Josh Jackson.
Bucks: Serge Ibaka, two future second-round picks, cash.
Clippers: Rodney Hood, Semi Ojele.
Pistons: Marvin Bagley Jr.— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 10, 2022
Ibaka was working on a $9.7 million expiring salary for the Clippers. He gives the defending champion Bucks some frontcourt depth in the absence of starting center Brook Lopez, who has not played since the season opener and undergoing back surgery in early December. Ibaka also missed the second half of last season and the start of this season with a back injury. He has averaged 7.7 points (on 53/38/71 shooting splits) and 4.8 rebounds in 16 minutes per game for the Clippers since returning just before Christmas.
Bagley, the second overall pick in the 2018 draft ahead of All-Stars Luka Doncic and Trae Young, has been dissatisfied with the Kings almost from the moment he arrived. Injuries have limited Bagley to 148 games in three-plus seasons in Sacramento, and his performance in those games has further limited his minutes. He has averaged 9.3 points and 7.2 rebounds in 21.9 minutes over 30 games for the Kings this season.
Bagley's father, a vocal advocate for his son against the Kings on Twitter, was apparently a fan of the deal:
@DetroitPistons 💥💥💥🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾 pic.twitter.com/g283POMnA7
— Team Bagley™ (@TeamBagley) February 10, 2022
Bagley, who turns 23 years old next month, is still an intriguing prospect and will get a fresh slate with a developing Detroit core that includes Cade Cunningham, Saddiq Bey, Isaiah Stewart and Killian Hayes.
DiVincenzo, Villanova's hero in the 2018 NCAA national championship game, has been a productive role player for the Bucks when healthy. He missed most of Milwaukee's title run last season with a severe left ankle injury suffered in Game 3 of a first-round series against the Miami Heat. The 25-year-old did not return until this past Christmas and has struggled to consistently find his footing in 17 appearances since.
Jazz add Nickeil Alexander-Walker in three-team trade
The Utah Jazz added guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker and forward Juancho Hernangómez to the roster as part of a three-team deal, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported on Wednesday.
The Trail Blazers will send Tomáš Satoranský to the San Antonio Spurs for Hernangomez. Portland acquired Alexander-Walker and Satoranský on Tuesday in the trade of CJ McCollum to the New Orleans Pelicans.
The Jazz will send forwards Joe Ingles and Elijah Hughes to the Blazers, per the report.
Both the Spurs and Blazers will receive second-round picks from the Jazz.
Pacers trade Domantas Sabonis to Kings for Tyrese Haliburton, Buddy Hield
The Indiana Pacers are trading two-time All-Star big man Domantas Sabonis to the Sacramento Kings for a package that will include second-year guard Tyrese Haliburton, the teams announced Tuesday.
Sacramento also sent sharpshooter Buddy Hield and Tristan Thompson's expiring contract to Indiana, while the Kings return Justin Holiday, Jeremy Lamb and a 2023 second-round pick from the Pacers.
More on this trade: Kings trade Tyrese Haliburton, Buddy Hield for Pacers star Domantas Sabonis
Trail Blazers reportedly send CJ McCollum to Pelicans
The Portland Trail Blazers' fire sale is in full swing. They are reportedly finalizing a deal to trade guard CJ McCollum to the New Orleans Pelicans, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic.
According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, seven players are involved with the deal. In addition to McCollum, the Blazers are sending Larry Nance and Tony Snell to the Pelicans. The Pelicans are sending Josh Hart, Tomas Satoransky, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, and Didi Louzada to the Blazers, along with a protected first-round draft pick and two second-round picks.
More on this trade: Blazers bet big on interim GM's ability to rebuild around Damian Lillard
Cavaliers acquire Caris LeVert, send Ricky Rubio to Pacers
The Cleveland Cavaliers didn’t wait until the deadline to make a move to bolster their surprising run.
On Sunday, hours before the Cavaliers faced the Indiana Pacers, Cleveland acquired guard Caris LeVert and a 2022 second-round pick. The Pacers received Ricky Rubio’s expiring contract, a 2022 first-round draft pick and two second-round picks.
Rubio suffered a torn ACL in December and will miss the rest of the season. Rubio will be a free agent this offseason and could choose to re-sign with the Cavaliers or another team.
More on this trade: Cavaliers acquire Caris LeVert from Pacers for Ricky Rubio, picks
Clippers add to supporting cast with Kawhi Leonard’s status this season in doubt
The Los Angeles Clippers are still without their two biggest stars — Kawhi Leonard (ACL) and Paul George (UCL) — but bolstered their bench by acquiring Norman Powell and Robert Covington from the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday.
The Trail Blazers received Eric Bledsoe, Justise Winslow, Keon Johnson and a 2025 second-round pick in the deal.
Powell and Covington each played 24 minutes in the Clippers’ loss Sunday. Powell was the team’s leading scorer with 28 points, while Covington added 13.
More on this trade: Clippers acquire Norman Powell, Robert Covington from Blazers