The NBA trade deadline has now passed, and numerous notable players changed addresses. Here are the 10 best players traded by this year’s NBA trade deadline. Players included are those that have been traded since the beginning of February.
Honorable mentions include Khris Middleton, Dennis Schroder, Bogdan Bogdanovic, Jonas Valanciunas, Bruce Brown, Caris LeVert, and Marcus Smart.
The 10 Best Players Dealt By The NBA Trade Deadline
1. Luka Doncic – Los Angeles Lakers
Still just 25 years old, Luka Doncic has made the All-NBA First Team each of the last five seasons. While he’s been out with a calf injury since Christmas, the 6-foot-6 guard is still seen as a top-five player at minimum when healthy. In his 22 games this season, he has posted averages of 28.1 points, 8.3 rebounds, 7.8 assists, and 2.0 steals. Doncic helped guide the Mavericks to a surprise NBA Finals appearance last year.
2. Anthony Davis – Dallas Mavericks
It goes to show how otherworldly a player Doncic is, that Dallas has been getting crushed for making the deal even while adding Anthony Davis. Turning 32 on March 11, the 6-foot-10 power forward/center is still amongst the top handful of defenders in the league. Very few players are as productive as well. In his 42 outings this season for the Lakers, he has averaged 25.7 points, 11.9 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 1.3 steals, and 2.1 blocks.
3. De’Aaron Fox – San Antonio Spurs
The Spurs wanted to find a running mate for Victor Wembanyama for the present and future, and it seems they have done so with De’Aaron Fox. The 27-year-old point guard has already make his mark with his new team finished with 24 points and 13 assists in his Spurs debut on Wednesday. In his 45 games with Sacramento prior to being dealt, Fox averaged 25.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 6.1 assists, and 1.5 steals.
4. Jimmy Butler – Golden State Warriors
Now 35 years old, will Jimmy Butler be rejuvenated after being dealt from the Heat? Will he be available more frequently? There’s no doubt that Butler is still someone who gives his all on the defensive end, and he has been scoring very efficiently this year. Now in his 14th season, Butler is shooting a career-high 54% from the field. In his 25 outings with Miami, his per game averages include 17.0 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.8 assists, and 1.1 steals.
5. Zach LaVine – Sacramento Kings
In recent years, Zach LaVine has been much-maligned and seen as overpaid. Turning 30 on March 10, he has done a solid job of silencing some of his critics. Now in his 11th season, LaVine’s scoring efficiency was stellar shooting 51.1% from the field and 46.6% from beyond the arc with Chicago. While with the Bulls, he also averaged 24.0 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 4.5 assists.
6. Brandon Ingram – Toronto Raptors
Unforunately, an ankle injury has kept Brandon Ingram on the sidelines since December 7. Still just 27 years old, he was an All-Star in the 2019-20 season. In his 18 appearances this season with New Orleans, Ingram has averages of 22.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 5.2 assists.
7. Andrew Wiggins – Miami Heat
It wasn’t even three full years ago that Andrew Wiggins played such a large role in helping the Warriors win the 2022 NBA Finals. The first overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft, Wiggins isn’t the same guy putting up empty calorie numbers in Minnesota. The 29-year-old has connected on 38,9% of his three-point tries this year. That’s right around the 38.1% mark he has had since joining Golden State.
8. De’Andre Hunter – Cleveland Cavaliers
Currently in his sixth season, De’Andre Hunter was one of the favorites to win Sixth Man of the Year. With Cleveland though, the 27-year-old may find his way into the starting lineup at small forward. The fourth overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, Hunter is averaging a career-high 19.0 points while shooting a career-best 39.3% from three-point territory.
9. Mark Williams – Los Angeles Lakers
A 7-footer, Mark Williams missed just shy of an entire year due to injury. Since returning on December 3 though, the 23-year-old has been a bright spot on a struggling Hornets team. Playing 23 games at 25 minutes per contest, Williams has averaged 15.6 points, 9.6 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1.2 blocks. He should quickly slide into the starting center slot for the Lakers.
10. Kyle Kuzma – Milwaukee Bucks
An NBA champion in 2020 with the Los Angeles Lakers, it has not been a good season for Kyle Kuzma in Washington. While his shooting numbers have been ugly, he is a player that averaged more than 20 points in each of the previous two seasons. Perhaps playing with Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard rather than a miserable Wizards team can unlock the best version of the 29-year-old forward.
Photo credit: © Brett Davis-Imagn Images
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