Friday, Feb 8th, 2019

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Written while listening to The Roots' The Next Movement

The Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers played yesterday, and a former beloved Celtic hit a buzzer-beater to win the game for the Lakers, and that was, perhaps, the 10th biggest story of the day.

Welcome to the NBA in 2019, where the most important story of the day was actually a deal that never came close to happening. 

Indeed, Anthony Davis is staying put in New Orleans -- according to Woj,

between the two teams as the clock ticked toward the 3 p.m. EST cut off.

So, LeBron didn’t get his way, and the Celtics, who stayed put while Milwaukee, Toronto and Philadelphia all made deals, will get their shot at the generational talent this offseason. 

Let’s take a quick look at some of the deals that, you know, actually

happened

in the days and hours leading up to the final deadline. 

The rich get richer

Philadelphia receives:+ Tobias Harris [upcoming FA]+ Boban Marjanovic [upcoming FA]+ Mike Scott [upcoming FA]L.A. Clippers receive:+ Wilson Chandler [upcoming FA]+ Mike Muscala [upcoming FA]+ Landry Shamet [on first year of a rookie contract]+ 2020 first round pick+ 2021 first round pick [from Miami]+ Two future second round picks [from Detroit]The 76ers gave up a lot for what might just be a three-month rental of Tobias Harris, but if their intent is purely to make the NBA Finals, this is a nice move. Harris was a dark horse to become an All-Star and is flirting with a 50-40-90 season while scoring 20-plus a game.He’ll fetch a nice contract this offseason, and, depending on how talks with Jimmy Butler go, he might end up being the 76ers’ backup plan at small forward.Plus, Harris’ dancing partner is moving to Philadelphia with him. Smart recruiting tactic.[EXTRA: The 76ers are all in, and now they have insurance]Orlando receives:+ Markelle Fultz [under control until 2020-2021]Philadelphia receives:+ Jonathon Simmons [in his second year of a three-year/$20 million contract]+ First round pick+ Second round pickMarkelle Fultz’s sad, strange and awkward saga in Philadelphia finally comes to a painful end, but at least he’ll have a chance to recuperate his game in a tiny little market where there’s no pressure or expectations or fan base. Joking about that last one.For trading a first round pick and losing out on Jayson Tatum, the 76ers will end up with a protected first round pick via the Thunder, a second round pick, and Jonathon Simmons, a guy who had frisky potential with the Spurs and a decent season last year with the Magic.In the end, Fultz was like buying a boat -- the best two days for the 76ers with Fultz were the day they drafted him, and the day they traded him.[EXTRA: Markelle Fultz’s candle burned out long before his trade to Orlando]

Toronto receives:

+ Marc Gasol [$26 million option for next year]

Memphis receives:

+ Jonas Valanciunas

+ Delon Wright

+ C.J. Miles

+ 2024 second round pick

Marc Gasol won the trade simply by not being sent to Charlotte, and the Grizzlies got one step closer to ending their own case of Stockholm Syndrome with an era that unofficially ended three years ago.

Gasol will get his shot at another playoff run before opting in or out of $26 million next season, and gives his beloved Grizzlies a pretty good haul in three tank-ready players.

Detroit receives:

+ Thon Maker

Milwaukee receives:

+ Nikola Mirotic

New Orleans receives:

+ Jason Smith

+ Stanley Johnson

+ Four second round picks

Thon Maker,

, gets his trade request, and the Bucks get another stretchy shooter to pair with Brook Lopez.

The amount of 3-point help Milwaukee

, and the 40-win Bucks are a 20-9 finish away from their first 60-win season since 1981.

Chicago receives:

+ Otto Porter Jr. [owed $27 million next season]

Washington receives:

+ Bobby Portis

+ Jabari Parker [team option next season for $20 million]

+ 2023 second round pick

+ Cap relief 

We live in a cynical world -- a

cynical

world, where a good role player in Otto Porter Jr. gets traded for a dude who rocked his teammate in the face and another one

who openly admits he hates defense

, all in the name of cap relief.

But that’s what happens when you pay John Wall the super max,

only to have him miss the next 12 months after slipping and falling at his house

.

Sacramento receives:

+ Harrison Barnes

Dallas receives:

+ Justin Jackson

+ Zach Randolph

The Kings trade their All-ACC North Carolina Tar Heel for another All-ACC North Carolina Tar Heel, and Dallas gets enough cap space to throw money at an undeserving max-contract-hunting player this offseason.

The real controversy around this trade was that it happened mid-game on Wednesday. Barnes started for Dallas but had to be taken out,

and

a rant on Instagram from LeBron

, who, you know, just tried to trade his whole team?

Houston receives:+ Iman Shumpert+ Nik Stauskas+ Wade Baldwin IV+ 2021 second round pickSacramento receives:+ Alec Burks+ 2020 second round pickCleveland receives:+ Brandon Knight+ Marquese Chriss+ 2019 first round pick+ 2022 second round pickIs this the least important six-player trade in NBA history? Just maybe.

  Primetime Rondo 

Rajon Rondo’s buzzer-beater in last night’s 129-128 win over the Celtics. "It definitely feels surreal. I haven't watched the replay yet, but this is one I'll be playing for the rest of my life."

  Quick Hits

• Westbrook got his eighth straight triple double on Wednesday in the Thunder’s 117-95 win over the Grizzlies. The NBA record is nine straight set by Wilt Chamberlain back in 1968. He can tie that record saturday night against the Rockets.

• In case you missed last night’s Lakers-Celtics game: LeBron’s bizarre 3-pointer to tie it late in the fourth | The wild last 35 seconds of the game

• Terrance Ferguson shows a flash of athleticism.

• The Grizzlies immediately announced they will be retiring Marc Gasol’s number.

• LeBron says he has nothing left to accomplish.

• The Knicks’ roster purge continues: They bought out Wesley Matthews and waived Enes Kanter.

• Just a reminder that Vince Carter is still doing spin moves and dunks at age 42.

• Kevin Durant is mad at the media again.

• Kevin Garnett was in Boston last night, rocking a Rondo jersey.

• Here's Giannis and LeBron drafting their starting five for the All-Star Game.

 Trade Deadline Reads 

• The Clippers may have quietly won the trade deadline [The Ringer]

• Winners, details in every deal [ESPN]

• The top of the East can now swing superstar free agency [ESPN]

• All-in Sixers couldn't wait on Markelle Fultz any longer [ESPN]

• As Lakers strike out on Anthony Davis, the pressure mounts on LeBron James [The Washington Post]

• There's only one way forward for the Wizards [Sports Illustrated]

• Raptors getting Marc Gasol is just business, and their business is winning and keeping Kawhi Leonard [Yahoo!]

• How New Orleans plans to use Anthony Davis for the rest of the season [ESPN]

• A look at the developing buyout market [CBS Sports]

Best weekend games

Tonight, 2/8, ESPN

Saturday, 2/9, ABCSunday, 2/10, ABC