Thursday’s trade deadline may have been the most normal part of the 2021 NBA season. Teams were wheeling and dealing like any other year, and as a result guys like Aaron Gordon, Victor Oladipo, and Nikola Vucevic are all headed to new teams. Some contenders (Clippers, Sixers) added pieces in the margins while others (Lakers, Jazz) remained steady. With only a few buyout options still on the market, the stage is now close to fully set for the sprint to July’s Finals. So let’s run through some winners and losers from a busy deadline.
Winner: Miami Heat Exceptionalism
After a couple lean years post-LeBron, Pat Riley hasn’t quite been able to recreate his past success in free agency, but the Heat have seemingly become quite adept at acquiring capable players out of thin air via trade.