The important stuff that did (and didn’t) happen during 2019 NBA trade season

The 2019 NBA trade deadline is now in the books. As there often is, there was a flurry of late activity, featuring a combination of actual significant moves, rearranging of deck chairs, and important non-deals. But even compared to past years, 2019 trade season was a chaotic, beautiful mess.

If you missed it all, or are still trying to figure out what moves or non-moves actually mattered, we’re here to help.

Here’s your SB Nation 2019 NBA Trade Deadline executive summary.

The Anthony Davis saga loomed, but nothing happened

Anthony Davis was the league’s biggest domino after he requested a trade from the Pelicans 18 months before his contract expired. His representatives engaged in a not-so-subtle campaign to deliver him to the Lakers, but the Pelicans, angered by the ploy and suggestions of L.A. tampering, ultimately chose to keep Davis and ghost every Laker trade offer.

This saga is far from over, but now everyone can press pause until the summer. Here’s where things stand.

If you wanna go deeper...

• Zito Madu wrote that the Davis saga exposed LeBron James’ pleas for patience as a complete farce.
• Matt Ellentuck argues that the Lakers actually did have the best offer for AD.
• Paul Flannery, on the other hand, agreed with the Pels’ decision to wait.
• Kristian Winfield lays out each step that doomed the AD era in New Orleans.
• The Bird Writes plots out the course for the rest of the Pelicans’ season.
• Through all the drama and rumors, at least one Pelicans writer is just grateful for what Davis brought to the city.
• Silver Screen and Roll’s Sabreena Merchant went off on how poorly Lakers management handled the Davis saga and the trade deadline as a whole.

Alas, we’re not done with Davis yet

Davis WILL be traded by New Orleans. The only question left is when.

Now that the trade deadline is over, Boston is allowed to enter the bidding. (Here’s the boring, legal reason why they had to wait until the summer). The Celtics have the best potential trade package, and is not expected to be deterred by Davis’ desire to not play in Boston. Other suitors will jump in, and the futures of many other stars are intrinsically tied to Davis’

If you wanna go deeper...

• Tom Ziller warns the Pelicans that the Celtics’ “better offer” is by no means guaranteed.
• Davis’ father said he doesn’t want his son to go to Boston because of the lack of loyalty the Celtics showed Isaiah Thomas. We think that’s a red herring.
• Celtics Blog’s Jeff Clark argues that Boston is in a good spot with or without AD.
• Ziller also warns Kevin Durant that being hostile about his future only fuels the speculation.
• Paul Flannery explains why Kyrie Irving has low-key become the most powerful player in the NBA.
• The AD saga made it even more obvious that the supermax concept failed
• There was a lot going on for the Lakers, so Silver Screen and Roll created a handy Trade FAQ

The 76ers REALLY go for it

The deadline’s most stunning move came between Philadelphia and the Clippers. Philly, already in deep after trading several assets for free-agent-to-be Jimmy Butler, sent out damn near the rest of them to secure free-agent-to-be Tobias Harris. While the 76ers pushed their chips to the table to win now, the eighth-place Clippers cashed in on their best player for future assets. What a fascinating deal.

If you wanna go deeper...

• Kristian Winfield listed out 8 possible reasons for the 76ers going all-in.
• Tom Ziller appreciates the audacity of the Clippers’ stealth tank.
• Somehow, the lovely Harris-Boban Marjanovic friendship survived.
• Clips Nation’s Robert Flom explains why this is a dice roll for L.A.
• Liberty Ballers’ Jackson Frank explores how Harris will fit in offensively with Philly’s other big stars.

The Grizzlies hold (half) a fire sale

With their record and long-term prospects in the tubes, Memphis put franchise pillars Marc Gasol and Mike Conley on the market. Finally, Memphis would pull the plug on a veteran core that had gone past its expiration date. Instead, they went halfway, dealing Gasol to Toronto, but holding onto Conley.

If you wanna go deeper...

• Matt Ellentuck thinks the Raptors are now absolutely loaded.
• Kristian Winfield feels bad for Conley
• Grizzly Bear Blues wrote the definitive Memphis legacy of the Marc Gasol and Mike Conley era.
• And here’s GBB’s Joe Mullinax with one last ode to Gasol. This’ll give you all the feels.

Goodbye, sweet prince: Kristaps Porzingis is a Maverick

The Porzingis sweepstakes lasted all of about an hour, as the Mavericks and Knicks kept their negotiations hush-hush until the all-clear was given. When it did, it hit like a ton of bricks. Earlier in the day, Porzingis was reported to have had a meeting with the Knicks that went south, but nobody could’ve imagined he’d be side-by-side with Luka Doncic 24 hours later.

If you wanna go deeper...

• Paul Flannery thinks the Knicks might finally know what they’re doing
• Posting and Toasting’s was immediately sad to lose Porzingis, but later argued this made sense.
• Seth Rosenthal is just exhausted
• Kristian Winfield explains how dealing Porzingis gives the Knicks two max-salary slots this summer. Hello, KD and Kyrie?
• Tom Ziller wonders if Porzingis is really serious about taking the qualifying offer.
• Mavs Monyeball’s Josh Bowe suggests the Mavericks’ blockbuster deal saves them from their own worst tendencies.

Don’t forget about that Jimmy Butler mess

Months later, this is STILL this NBA’s season’s biggest dramedy. It included Butler staging an expletive-laden practice, where he dominated the Timberwolves starters with third-stringers and then told ESPN’s Rachel Nichols all about it.

The end result was a win-win, even if the process was painful. The Sixers get this much closer to title contention, while Minnesota stayed competitive with Robert Covington and Dario Saric.

If you wanna go deeper...

• Jimmy embarrassed the Wolves, but they also let him do it.
• What does success mean for the Wolves now without Butler and Tom Thibodeau?
• Jimmy Butler and the 76ers needed each other, but that doesn’t mean this will work
• What was the state of the 76ers before the Butler trade?
• Philly fans were thrilled with the deal
• The trade was a relief to Minnesotans

7 other things you missed

1. MARKELLE FULTZ HAS BEEN FREED! Philly finally ended the era by trading him to the Magic. Orlando Pinstriped Post thinks this is a gamble worth taking.
2. Damn, that East arms race! We already talked about Toronto getting Gasol and Philly going in for Harris, but the first-place Bucks also stole Nikola Mirotic. What a great fit.
3. Harrison Barnes was traded to the Kings while on the court for the Mavericks, and it was awkward. Truth be told, the entire Barnes experience was awkward, writes Mavs Moneyball’s Josh Bowe.
4. The Wizards responded to awful John Wall injury news by shipping off Otto Porter and Markieff Morris, ducking the luxury tax with incredible zeal. Fans aren’t happy. Bullets Forever’s Kevin Broom explains how these moves do nothing to fix Washington’s systemic issues.
5. They weren’t the only team to save their owner some money. The Rockets also sprinted out of the luxury tax, though at least they also helped their team by acquiring Iman Shumpert.
6. The buyout market is stacked this year. Some names to watch: Enes Kanter, Wesley Matthews (who’s reportedly going to Indiana), Marcin Gortat, Robin Lopez, Wayne Ellington, Markieff Morris, Michael Beasley, Greg Monroe, Milos Teodosic, Zach Randolph, Frank Kaminsky, and, of course, Carmelo Anthony. (By the way, the Lakers have an open roster spot).
7. Poor Nik Stauskas and Wade Baldwin IV. They were traded three times in a week, then released by the Pacers.

Here’s every trade that happened this year, roughly in order of significance

• Jimmy Butler to the 76ers
• Kristaps Porzingis to the Mavericks
• Marc Gasol to Toronto
• Tobias Harris to the 76ers
• Otto Porter to the Bulls.
• Nikola Mirotic to Milwaukee
• Markelle Fultz to the Magic
• Harrison Barnes to the Kings
• Trevor Ariza to the Wizards, after a different Ariza-Wizards trade fell apart for hilarious reasons.
• Garrett Temple and JaMychal Green to the Clippers for Avery Bradley
• Iman Shumpert to the Rockets in a three-team deal involving Alec Burks
• George Hill to the Bucks in a three-team deal
• Rodney Hood to the Blazers
• Kyle Korver to the Jazz
• Reggie Bullock to the Lakers.
• Mike Muscala to the Lakers.
• Tyler Johnson and Wayne Ellington to the Suns
• Markieff Morris to the Pelicans
• Thon Maker to Detroit for Stanley Johnson
• Justin Holiday to the Grizzlies
• James Ennis to Philadelphia
• This very minor Rockets-Bulls deal that featured a big name well past his prime
• This other very minor Rockets-Bulls deal
• This very minor Raptors-76ers deal
• This very minor Bulls-Thunder deal
• This very minor Rockets-Pacers deal that sent two players to their third team in four days. Then, they got waived
• This very minor Kings-Blazers deal
• This very minor Hawks-Celtics deal
• This very minor Raptors-Nets deal
• This very minor Hawks-Grizzlies deal