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The NBA trade deadline is up and the teams are now stuck with the personnel for the remainder of the season. The Trade deadline ended today at 3:00 p.m. after days of intense trade talk. Some players were unhappy with their current teams and needed to move. Other teams needed that missing piece to reach the next level. Now that its official and the rosters are set, the final stretch of the season is can commence.
The biggest name in the trade talk this week was PF Josh Smith of the Atlanta Hawks. Smith is a great player who can make a big impact with any teams. His market was very high and involved many teams. But the Hawks were unable to reach an agreement with another team that peaked there interest enough so Josh Smith remains in Atlanta for this season.
The best trade of this period then goes to the Milwaukee Bucks’. They had a 3 player trade which landed J.J. Redick, Ish Smith and Gustavo Ayon. The Orlando Magic acquired Beno Uldrich, Tobias Harris, and Deron Lamb. Redick and Smith are two excellent guards who can come off the bench and provide a spark for the Bucks while guards Monte Ellis and Brandon Jennings get their rest.
Some other notable trades in the NBA today were Ronnie Brewer getting sent to the Thunder for a future 2nd round pick. The Celtics also sent off Leandro Barbosa and Jason Collins to the Wizards for guard Jordan Crawford. The Bobcats picked up big man Josh McRoberts for Hakim Warrick from the Magic. The Bobcats desperately need help and fast. Although McRoberts is not a big superstar, he can certainly come in and provide stability for Charlotte.
This season’s trade deadline did not make as much noise as anticipated. Josh Smith staying with the Hawks was a bold move on the franchises behalf since his contract ends after the season. The Lakers, who have had issues with Dwight Howard, did not budge and keep their big man. His contract also ends this season. Now that the trade deadline has passed, we will see how teams finish the remainder of their schedules and who can get to that next level.
