Standout trades

The recent player trade stretch in the National Basketball Association proved to be an active one with reports putting it at 57 players changing uniforms by the deadline on Feb. 8 (Manila time). The number beat out significantly the 35 from last year and the previous high of 53 players in 2015.
While the movements did not include what supposedly was the headlining departure of New Orleans All-Star Anthony Davis from the Bayou, still there were noteworthy trades consummated by the deadline that should alter the landscape of the NBA-dom moving forward.
One of the standout trades that happened, for this space, was that between the Philadelphia 76ers and Los Angeles Clippers that saw the former get forwards Tobias Harris and Mike Scott and center Boban Marjanovic in exchange for Wilson Chandler, Mike Muscala, Landry Shamet and a couple of future first and second-round picks.
The arrival of Harris fortifies the starting crew of the Sixers as he joins forces with All-Stars Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons, and Jimmy Butler, along with shooter JJ Reddick.
Philadelphia gets a bona-fide 20-point scorer in Harris as well as an efficient three-point maker (62.5%) to give its attack more flexibility.
The Sixers gave away some serviceable players in the exchange but Marjanovic and Scott, along with other additions James Ennis III from Houston and Jonathon Simmons from Orlando, should help the team as backstoppers.
On the flipside, the Clippers get quality backcourt support in Wilson and Shamet plus picks that they could use to dangle in a deal to lure potential free agents in the offseason. They also got big men Jamychal Green (Memphis) and Ivica Zubac (LA Lakers) and wingman Garret Temple (Memphis) to work something on.
Another deal worth noting was that sending currently injured All-Star Kristaps Porzingis to the Dallas Mavericks from the New York Knicks.
Going along with Porzingis were Tim Hardaway Jr., Courtney Lee and Trey Burke vice Dennis Smith Jr., DeAndre Jordan, Wesley Matthews and two future first-round picks.
While Porzingis is not expected to play this season as he continues to recover from an ACL injury, the thought of him joining forces with rising Dallas star Luka Doncic has me in major anticipation.
Both gifted athletes in their respective positions and can do a lot, they could potentially revolutionize the NBA game further much like Dallas great Dirk Nowitzki has done in his Hall-of-Fame career.
It also helps the Mavericks that both Porzingis and Doncic seemingly welcome the linkup and willing to work together, something to look forward to if you are a Mavs fan.
For the Knicks, with the relationship between Porzingis and management turning south, the deal made sense even as it got further cap space to be a major player in free agency in the offseason (not saying it is you, KD) and a solid floor general for the future in Smith.
Milwaukee, Toronto, and Chicago, too, I think did well during trade week.
The Bucks got Nicola Mirotic; the Raptors have veteran Marc Gasol now; and the Bulls acquired do-it-all Otto Porter Jr.
Mirotic came to Milwaukee by way of a three-team deal, involving Detroit and New Orleans, and is expected to give the league-leading Bucks another steady offensive threat, especially from the outside, to make a serious push for at least a finals appearance.
Gasol for Jonas Valanciunas, on the other hand, gives the Raptors a playmaker in the center position, not to mention a proven winner and playoff performer to help “We The North” in its championship aspirations.
Chicago, meanwhile, got a stat-stuffer in Porter who should complement better the young Bulls core of Zach Lavine, Kris Dunn and Lauri Markkanen than Jabari Parker and Bobby Portis, whom the team traded in exchange.
Other trades that had my fancy were those of Harrison Barnes to Sacramento from Dallas, Markelle Fultz from Philadelphia to Orlando, and Markieff Morris to New Orleans from Washington.
There were no Anthony Davis deal consummated on trade deadline alright but still it was an eventful one for The Association. Many interesting deals went down, leaving us fans with a lot to keep tabs on.
 
Michael Angelo S. Murillo has been a columnist since 2003. He is a BusinessWorld reporter covering the Sports beat.
msmurillo@bworldonline.com