While the 2024 NBA Trade Deadline was much calmer than previous seasons, there were still plenty of teams that made some interesting roster moves that could pay off down the stretch. The New York Knicks made the biggest splash of the deadline by grabbing Bojan Bogdanovic, the Philadelphia 76ers scooped up Buddy Hield from the Indiana Pacers and Toronto traded for Spencer Dinwiddie. It’s not Dejounte Murray or Demar DeRozan, but our team of writers will look to answer who won the headliner event this season in this week’s edition of the Daily Campus sports roundtable.
Evan Rodriguez (Associate Sports Editor)
Philadelphia 76ers: Philly was super active during the NBA trade deadline, and they knocked it out of the park with their additions. Their headliner move was acquiring Buddy Hield from the Indiana Pacers for Marcus Morris, Furkan Korkmaz and three second-round picks. Without Joel Embiid sidelined with injury, Hield has provided some much-needed scoring for them. In just three games in the city of brotherly love, he’s averaging 22.3 points on a fiery 54.5% from the field. If he can keep up similar production throughout the season, that’s a heck of an addition for GM Daryl Morey. That’s not even mentioning Cameron Payne, who was acquired for Patrick Beverley. He’s also shot the ball well and even started for Philly in his first game on the team against Atlanta. Long story short, it’s going to be interesting to see how this group looks if Embiid is back in time for the playoffs because they’re going to be a tough team to beat with the former MVP’s return.
Cole Stefan (Senior Columnist)
Oklahoma City Thunder: Oklahoma City’s big trade brought in forward Gordon Hayward from the struggling Charlotte Hornets. This acquisition highlights the Thunder’s incredible trade deadline. Let me explain why. Hayward is not what he was at the peak of his career offensively at 14.5 points per game in 25 contests. In those 25 games, however, the 14th-year forward averaged 31.9 minutes with the Charlotte Hornets; only two Oklahoma City players have played more than that per contest. Those numbers may dissipate as his role changes, but Hayward could still provide massive minutes as one of the first players off the bench. The Butler alum can also significantly impact the glass; his 4.7 RPG would be fourth on the team. General Manager Sam Presti took a risk in acquiring a 33-year-old forward who has not played more than 55 games a year since the 2018-19 season. This could pay huge dividends if it works out, and it may even be the difference in determining how far Oklahoma City goes in the playoffs with their young core.
Connor Sargeant (Staff Writer)
New York Knicks: No other team in this season’s NBA trade deadline made the splash that Leon Rose and the New York Knicks made. In case you missed it, New York acquired Bojan Bogdanovic and Alec Burks without giving up one first-round pick. Oh yeah, the Knicks also dumped the abysmal Evan Fournier contract. Burks reuniting with the Knicks is massive, as the 32-year-old averages a respectable 13 points a game on 39% shooting. Burks can fill in crucial minutes for MVP candidate Jalen Brunson, who plays 36 minutes a night. The Knicks also parted ways with Quentin Grimes, whose tenure in the Big Apple could be summed up as a roller coaster ride. The good news for Knicks fans is that Bogdanovic will come in and instantly give this squad some stability. Despite playing for the abysmal Detroit Pistons, the 34-year-old averages nearly 20 points a night, the perfect veteran presence needed as we enter the final stretch. With Julius Randle and OG Anunoby set to return from injury, this Knicks team looks scary. In the words of Kendrick Perkins, “This New York Knicks team is a legit title contender this season,” and this deal puts them that much closer.
Sean Ahern (Staff Writer)
Minnesota Timberwolves: The NBA Trade Deadline was not as fire powered as previous seasons with some teams making little to no trades, but I thought the Minnesota Timberwolves made an underrated move to continue their push for a championship. Sitting at the top of the West currently, they had one glaring issue: ball handling when Anthony Edwards is off the court. They packaged Shake Milton, Troy Brown Jr. and a 2030 second-round pick to acquire Monte Morris from the Detroit Pistons. Morris has had several elite assist to turnover ratio seasons, mainly with the Denver Nuggets, and for a team who averages nearly 15 turnovers a game, he should fit in well. He has had a limited season so far dealing with an injury, but coming off the bench should provide the much needed depth for the Western Conference frontrunners. Sometimes the tiny moves make the biggest splashes, and the Wolves silently made a move that could put them over the hump.