![Tobias Harris with the Clippers. [image source: Frenchieinportland- Wikimedia Commons]](https://staticr1.blastingcdn.com/media/photogallery/2019/2/7/660x290/b_502x220x82/tobias-harris-with-the-clippers-image-source-frenchieinportland-wikimedia-commons_2200817.jpg "Tobias Harris with the Clippers. [image source: Frenchieinportland- Wikimedia Commons]")
The NBA trade deadline is a time for contending teams to add to their roster in order to make a push for the playoffs, a push for a championship and to make their team better in general. It's also a time for rebuilding teams to make trades to improve their future outlook. Here are the winners and losers from the 2019 NBA trade deadline.
Winners
Philadelphia 76ers
The 76ers made a big move on early Tuesday morning by acquiring Tobias Harris from the Clippers. This season, Harris is averaging 20.9 points, 2.7 assists and 7.9 rebounds. The 76ers also got 7'3" center Boban Marjanovic who's averaging 6.7 points and 4.2 rebounds off the bench and will continue to serve as a bench piece for the 76ers.
The 76ers parted ways with Landry Shamet, Wilson Chandler, Mike Muscala and four picks with two of them being first rounders in 2020 and 2021. The 76ers added another strong player to their starting five which Harris makes a scary big four for the 76ers this season and possibly longer if Harris and Butler both re-sign with Philadelphia.
The 76ers were also able to get rid of Fultz who has been a disaster for them ever since they selected him first overall in 2017. In return, they got Jonathan Simmons, a first-round pick and a second round pick from the Magic. A productive deadline from the 76ers' front office.
Toronto Raptors
With the 76ers getting Harris and the Bucks adding Mirotic, the Raps felt a bit pressured to make a move to stay atop the standings.
The Raptors acquired 7'1" center Marc Gasol from the Grizzlies for Valanciunas, Delon Wright, C.J. Miles and a second round pick in 2024. The only significant piece going to Memphis is Wright who has shown that he could be a serviceable player at the NBA level while he was on the court.
Miles is simply a throw-in and has struggled with the Raptors this season and Valanciunas is Gasol's replacement for Memphis.
Gasol is averaging 15.7 points, 4.7 assists and 8.6 rebounds. Valanciunas is averaging 12.8 points, one assist and 7.2 rebounds but has also been out of action for about two months. Gasol improves the Raptors a ton and the Raptors didn't have to give up too much to get him.
Sacramento Kings
The Kings were winners of the trade deadline before they even made a move.
The Kings currently sit one and a half games out of a playoff spot with the eighth seed team being the Clippers who just traded away Harris to the Eastern Conference. With the Clippers now becoming a weaker team, this opens up the door for the Kings to reach the playoffs for the first time since 2006. To increase their playoff chances, they traded for Harrison Barnes who's averaging 17.7 points,1.3 assists and 4.2 rebounds.
Losers
Boston Celtics
While the biggest teams in the East all made moves to improve their team, the Celtics did nothing and stood pat. Instead, they decided to hold onto everybody so they could make whoever the Pelicans want in the summer available for Anthony Davis who the Celtics have long wanted to acquire.
What's even worse for the Celtics is the fact that Davis apparently doesn't even want to go there with his father publicly stating that he would not want to see his son in a Celtics uniform. The Celtics will most likely finish top four in their conference but not adding anyone while other strong teams in the East did damage their chances of going deep into the playoffs.
Los Angeles Lakers
The Lakers were deep into talks with the Pelicans for Davis but failed to land him due to the Pelicans wanting too much for Davis. The Lakers only made one trade with the Clippers which was Muscala for Beasley and Ivica Zubac. The fact that the Lakers traded Zubac in this deal is mind blowing as Zubac looked like he could be a promising player.
Zubac was also one of the players the Pelicans were targeting in return for Davis which makes it harder for the Lakers to get Davis with the Celtics coming into the fold in the offseason.
New York Knicks
The Knicks acquired Wesley Matthews as part of the Porzingis trade with the hopes of flipping him to another team before the deadline but failed to do so which led to his buyout and signing with the Pacers. The Knicks also failed to trade disgruntled player Enes Kanter, who they ended up releasing. Basically, they got rid of two players who can contribute to a contending team for nothing.
Atlanta Hawks
Like the Knicks, they had a player that could be a welcome addition on a contending teams' bench but failed to find a trade partner for him.
That player is Jeremy Lin who's averaging 10.8 points, 3.6 assists and 2.4 rebounds. He could have possibly been traded to a contender to be their backup guard for a future second-round pick but the Hawks failed to flip him.
Nik Stauskas
On February 3, Stauskas was traded from Trail Blazers to the Cavaliers. Just three days later, the Cavs flipped Stauskas to the Rockets and today, the Rockets traded Stauskas to the Pacers which resulted in the Pacers releasing him. What a rough week it has been for Stauskas. Here's hoping that he's picked up by a team in the buyout market.
