NBA Trade Deadline 2023: Three Teams Who Made Impactful Last-Minute Deals

The NBA trade deadline came and went with a big bang as teams across the league carried out an arms race of epic proportions with differing goals among the many teams who were actively wheeling and dealing ahead of the 3:00 PM ET deadline on Thursday, February 9.

Below are some of the more big-deal trades to emerge from a big trade deadline outside of major moves like the blockbuster trade that sent Kevin Durant to Phoenix.

Clippers Make Three Title-Contending Deals

The Los Angeles Clippers tied their cross-town rival Lakers with the most trades completed in this year's edition of the trade deadline and all of them addressed different needs.

Acquiring Bones Hyland for 2024 and 2025 second-rounders is practically a steal for the Clippers as the second-year man from VCU has been on an upwards trajectory.

Averaging 12.1 points, two rebounds and three assists alongside 0.7 steals and 0.3 blocks in 42 games, Hyland provides the Clippers with some much-needed offensive help off the bench and would serve as a precursor to the last deal they made.

The Clippers also announced the return of Eric Gordon to the franchise after sending away Luke Kennard to the Memphis Grizzlies and John Wall, ironically, back to the Houston Rockets in a three-teamer.

While it leaves them bereft of point guard talent, it does provide them with stability at the two-guard spot as Gordon, 34, is one of the more prolific three-point shooters in the league.

It was soon announced that they had acquired Mason Plumlee, who is also in the midst of a career-best year, from the Charlotte Hornets for Reggie Jackson and a 2028 second-round pick.

His arrival gives the Clippers a worthy backup to Ivica Zubac, bringing with him averages of 12.2 points on 66.9 percent field goal shooting and 9.7 boards–all career-highs.

Milwaukee Bucks Get Jae Crowder

The Milwaukee Bucks' long pursuit of Jae Crowder, who was temporarily a member of the Brooklyn Nets, finally came to fruition after he got sent their way in a three-team deal that saw the Indiana Pacers acquire Jordan Nwora, George Hill and Serge Ibaka plus picks, while the Nets received two second-rounders.

Crowder was a highly sought-after piece in the trade market this season among championship hopefuls after coming to terms with the Phoenix Suns to help him find a trade destination.

Despite being on the sidelines for half a season, his status as a hard-nosed three-and-D wing player is held in high regard and the Bucks netting him is a big plus for their title chances.

The Bucks being his seventh team, Crowder has brought success with him everywhere he went and particularly in the last three seasons where fans saw him make the NBA Finals twice (2019-20 Miami Heat, 2020-21 Suns) and be a crucial piece of the Suns' 64-win 2021-22 season.

With the wealth of talent in the Bucks' frontcourt, Crowder is expected to come off the bench behind Khris Middleton for most games while having the occasional start as Milwaukee rests its stars down the road.

Three-Teamer Sends Matisse Thybulle To Portland

One of five three-team deals to occur at the deadline, the Portland Trail Blazers brought in wing defense in exchange for Gary Payton II as they brought in Matisse Thybulle from the Philadelphia 76ers.

Thybulle plays a similar role to that of the aforementioned Payton, but it can be argued that it puts them in a better place on the defensive side of things.

Blazers fans need not worry too much as they only gave up Svi Mykhailiuk in the deal after getting him in the Cam Reddish trade that sent Josh Hart to the New York Knicks.

Exchanging offense for defense is an understandable move for the Blazers as they already have Reddish at the three spot alongside Damian Lillard and Anfernee Simons being their main sources of points plus two-way star Jerami Grant at the four.

The Blazers are still longshots at securing an outright playoff seed as the current No. 10-seed, but the Thybulle deal does put them in a much-better position to contend in the second half of the season.