Seven top NBA players traded at the deadline

The National Basketball Association had its trade deadline on Thursday. Here were the top seven players moved.

7)  George Hill–In one of the more complex deals at the deadline, point guard George Hill of Indianapolis, Indiana was moved from the Oklahoma City Thunder to the Philadelphia 76ers. The Thunder received Tony Bradley in return from Philadelphia. The New York Knicks were also involved in the trade as they picked up Terrance Ferguson from Oklahoma City and Vincent Poirier from Philadelphia, and sent Austin Rivers to the Thunder, and Iggy Brazdeikis to the 76ers. There were also three draft picks involved. The Thunder will receive the 76ers second-round picks in 2025 and 2026, and the Knicks will receive the 76ers second-round pick in 2021. The only player of substance in this deal is Hill, who averaged 11.8 points per game with the Thunder. He has previously played with the San Antonio Spurs, Indiana Pacers, Utah Jazz, Sacramento Kings, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Milwaukee Bucks. Hill is expected to join the 76ers in a week after having thumb surgery earlier this year. He is expected to back up Australian Ben Simmons in Philadelphia. The 76ers had been trying to acquire point guard Kyle Lowry from the Raptors, but Toronto’s asking price was too high.

6) Lou Williams–In a swap of guards, the Atlanta Hawks acquired guard Lou Williams from the Los Angeles Clippers for Rajon Rondo. Williams was averaging 12.1 points per game with the Clippers this season. He returns to Atlanta, after being with them from 2012 to 2014. Williams has experience coming off the bench, as he won the sixth-man player of the year three times (once with the Toronto Raptors and twice with the Clippers). He will be expected to do the same in Atlanta, in backing up the electrifying Trae Young at point guard, and Kevin Huerter at shooting guard. Williams has also played with the Los Angeles Lakers, 76ers, and Houston Rockets. Rondo, a four-time All-Star earlier in his career with the Boston Celtics, only averaged 3.9 points per game this season. He has won two NBA Finals–in his rookie season with the Celtics in 2008, and last season, in 2020, with the Lakers.

5) Aaron Gordon–The veteran power forward from San Jose was traded from the Orlando Magic to the Denver Nuggets with Gary Clark for Gary Harris, R.J. Hampton, and a first-round pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. Gordon was averaging 14.6 points per game with the Magic this season, and will provide Denver muscle at the forward position as Gordon is 6’8”, 235 pounds.

4) Norman Powell–One of the purest shooting players traded at the deadline, Norman Powell was traded from the Toronto Raptors to the Portland Trail Blazers for Gary Trent Jr. and Rodney Hood. Powell had spent his entire career with the Raptors and was enjoying a personal best season in Toronto in 2020-21, as he was averaging 19.6 points per game. Two years ago, Powell was part of the Raptors team that won the 2019 NBA Finals, and averaged 6.5 points per game in the postseason. In Portland, Powell will be the starting small forward, and play alongside stars Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum.

3) Evan Fournier–The small forward from France was traded from the Orlando Magic to the Boston Celtics for guard Jeff Teague and two future second-round draft picks. The Celtics were underachieving this season with their existing group, at 21 wins and 23 losses, and get a big-time boost with Fournier, who was averaging 19.7 points this season in Orlando, a career-high. The Celtics become Fournier’s third team as he also played two years with the Denver Nuggets. Even though Fournier has played mostly as a small forward this season, it is more likely he will move to shooting guard with the Celtics, where he will share the workload with Marcus Smart.

2) Victor Oladipo–There is no question that Victor Oladipo has been disgruntled over the last year with the Indiana Pacers and Houston Rockets. This season he is averaging 21.2 points per game in Houston after being involved in the James Harden blockbuster deal on January 16. The Heat become Oladipo’s fifth NBA team as he has also played with the Orlando Magic and Oklahoma City Thunder. On Thursday, he was traded from Houston to Miami for Kelly Olynyk and Avery Bradley. In the deal, 2022 NBA draft picks will also be swapped. Oladipo, who is averaging 20.8 points per game with the Pacers and Rockets this season, is known for his defense, as well as his offense at the shooting guard position. In 2017-18, he averaged a NBA-high 2.4 steals per game. If Oladipo is in the right space mentally, he could be a key component for the Heat in their quest to return to the NBA Finals.

1)Nikola Vucevic–A third Orlando Magic starter was traded on Thursday, as the Magic dealt their star center Nikola Vucevic to the Chicago Bulls with Al-Farouq Aminu for Wendell Carter Jr., Otto Porter, and two first-round draft picks. Vucevic who was averaging 24.5 points per game and 11.8 rebounds per game was the only player traded at the deadline, who was averaging a double-double. The Bulls become Vucevic’s third team as he has also played with the 76ers. He instantly becomes the face of a Bulls franchise hungry to make the postseason and do damage once they get there. Vucevic joins an intimidating Bulls repertoire that includes shooting guard Zach Levine and power forward Lauri Markkanen.

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