Grading the Biggest NBA Trades 2022/23

by Luke Andrews, 21 March 2023

NBA trades are always exciting, but the 2022/23 season has taken on a life of its own and proved to be one of the most enthralling of all time. All the way up to the deadline, big moves were happening, but who were the biggest winners?

NBA Trades: An Overview

NBA trades today are one of the most exciting things for basketball betting fans and can change the course of a team’s season instantly. But how do trades work in the NBA?

NBA trades can be made after the regular season ends (or when a team’s playoff run ends) up until the trade deadline in February. The most trades tend to happen either preseason, or in the days leading up to the deadline.

A trade is finalized when both teams have agreed to it, and players have undergone the necessary physical examinations. The league must give permission for a trade, ensuring it isn’t unfair for either team, or for the league in general.

Teams can trade players or draft picks, although a team cannot trade first round picks in consecutive years. In place of this, teams often offer pick swaps, meaning the team the swap is traded to gets whichever pick is higher in that draft.

The Best NBA Trades this Season

Some NBA trades today are undeniable winners for at least one team, but in many cases, for both. Here’s a breakdown of NBA deals that benefit all sides, and the grades for each team.

Kevin Durant to Phoenix

By far the biggest trade to happen in the runup to the 2023 trade deadline, after the rumor mill buzzed for months, Kevin Durant moved to the Phoenix Suns in a middle-of-the-night, blockbuster trade that rocked the NBA to its core.

Phoenix Suns

Phoenix gave up a lot of its future for KD, Mikael Bridges was runner up for Defensive Player of the Year in 2021/22 and has not missed a game since high school, while Cameron Johnson has proven himself to be a vital asset for any team, a strong three-point shooter with a great all-round game and excellent work ethic.

The future draft picks are also a risk to give up, putting Phoenix in win now mode, so until a championship flag hangs from the ceiling at the Footprint Center, the grade cannot be an A+.

That said, the starting five now includes Durant who has multiple years on his contract, alongside Devin Booker, Chris Paul, and Deandre Ayton, so an A grade is certainly deserved.

Brooklyn Nets

When KD was demanding a trade in the offseason and it didn’t happen, it was starting to look like when Brooklyn eventually moved Durant, they would get little in return. Considering that, it’s fair to say the Nets will be happy with the end result here.

Bridges and Johnson should slot happily into the Brooklyn lineup and add some youth, pace, and exuberance to the squad, while the draft picks, even though they’re unlikely to land too high, give the chance to build a young core around those two future stars. That said, losing KD can never be considered a win.

Kyrie Irving to Dallas

Before Brooklyn moved Durant, they had already shocked the league a little by shifting Kyrie Irving to Dallas for another decent haul of assets.

Dallas Mavericks

On the surface, twinning Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic is a recipe for success. The two have already proven what they can do together, and taking some of the workload off Donkic’s back should lessen the chance of him being fatigued or even injured come playoff time.

However, Irving has proven to be one of the most controversial players in recent years. Between not playing for a long period during the pandemic, and some questionable social media tweets, many believe Irving to be a problem in a locker room. Time will tell if this trade pays off for Dallas.

Brooklyn Nets

It’s clear from both the Durant and the Irving trade that Brooklyn aren’t looking to rebuild as much as get younger, and they have a lot of trade assets to do that with. It’s unlikely the team will tank hard enough to land Webanyama or Scoot in the 2023 draft, but they still have the chance to add some big assets.

Donovan Mitchell to Cleveland

Another bonafide blockbuster trade, and another example of Danny Ainge knowing how to get a lot for an asset, this trade is a winner for both teams, for sure.

Cleveland Cavaliers

Donovan Mitchell has already dropped 71 points in a Cleveland uniform, that’s enough alone to ensure an A+ grade. What Mitchell brings to the table is NBA first time level skill, a strong work ethic, and, by all accounts, a positive locker room influence.

It’s clear that the Cavaliers needed to shake things up, and while they had to give up some big assets, especially Sexton and Markkanen, the payoff looks to be more than worth it. Mitchell is a potential future MVP and could have a near-LeBron level impact on the Cavaliers playoff chances.

Utah Jazz

It’s a shame for Utah to have given up their assumed franchise player, but Mitchell wasn’t traded for nothing. Sexton may have struggles at times in Cleveland, but he’s a spark plug, and Lauri Markkanen can bring the heat on any given night thanks to his tough play and excellent outside shooting.

It wasn’t long ago that Cleveland was building a young core, and by picking up large parts of that and five years’ worth of favorable draft assets (more if you include the Gobert trade) Utah looks set to take over the mantle of most exciting young team in the league.

The Worst NBA Trades of 2022/23

Not every deal is a winner, and a few deals that took place before the 2023 NBA trade deadline range from the questionable to the outright indefensible:

Rudy Gobert to Minnesota

The first NBA trade 2022/23 saw came in the preseason, and immediately impacted the value of players around the league. Rudy Gobert moved to Minnesota, and a lot of assets came the other way.

Utah Jazz

The Utah Jazz came out very well thanks to a huge trade package. In fact, just one part of this package, rookie Walker Kessler, who has proven to be an excellent rebounder and defender, filling the gap left by Gobert. It could be suggested that the rest of the package is a bonus thanks to how good he’s been.

It’s quite the bonus, too, not only did the Jazz grab this year’s draft pick from the Wolves in Kessler, but they also have access to five of the next six, and based on the Timberwolves current trajectory, lottery picks are a definite possibility.

Minnesota Timberwolves

For Minnesota, this trade was simply not good. The team sacrificed their future for a present that is changed very little by the addition of Gobert, in fact, NBA betting odds had the Wolves with slimmer chances of playoff success after this trade.

Giving up all those assets for a player in Gobert who is on the downward curve of his career and no real offensive threat anymore could be hugely damaging. Not only that, but the price the Wolves put on Gobert may affect their ability to negotiate in trades going forwards.

Gary Payton II Back to Golden State

This trade does not land in the negative column because it’s bad, James Wiseman for Gary Payton II is a fair swap in anyone’s book. However, from the Warriors perspective, this trade never needed to happen.

Had Golden State not let Payton go in preseason free agency, they could have had both him and Wiseman, or used Wiseman as an asset in another trade. Not only that, but the trade almost wasn’t completed as Payton is injured and unlikely return until just before the 2023 NBA playoffs.

It’s unfair to focus on Golden State alone, however. This was a four-team deal that took place just before the 2023 NBA trade deadline, and every team got a good result here. It’s only the fact that Golden State didn’t need to put itself in this position that drops the grade for the team.

The Best NBA Free Agency Signings 2022/23

While NBA trades today have been the headlines, there were also some big free agency deals made in the 2022/23 season. Some players moved, most stayed, but in all cases, the team benefitted. The table below shows the best players who signed new free agency deals, where they went, and a grade for the deal:

Frequently Asked Questions

NBA trades always come with questions, and we’re here to answer them for you. Below, you will find the most common queries about NBA trades and the responses to them. If you want to know more, don’t hesitate to get in touch.

When can Trades Happen in the NBA?

Trades can happen in the NBA after the regular season or when a team finishes its playoff run. Once the trade window opens, it remains possible to make deals until the NBA trade deadline in February. We’ve got all the information on NBA trades and how they work.

When was the NBA Trade Deadline 2022/23?

The NBA trade deadline was on February 9, 2023, this was the last day teams could make trades. Despite deals being made since the end of the 2022 regular season, there was a lot of movement just before the deadline. One of the biggest trades say Kyrie Irving traded to Dallas.

When was Free Agency 2022?

Free agency takes place between June and July. Free agents may stay with their current team or move to a new one, unrestricted free agents (those at the end of their contract) can go wherever they’d like. Check out the best free agency 2023 signings.

What was the Biggest NBA Trade 2023?

There were many huge deals in the 2022/23 NBA season, but the biggest of them all was Kevin Durant moving from Brooklyn to Phoenix. Take a look at our comprehensive overview and grades for the Kevin Durant trade.

Who Traded for Rudy Gobert?

Rudy Gobert was traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves before the start of the 2022/23 season. This trade is seen as a bad deal by many, due to the large number of assets the Wolves sent to Utah in exchange for Gobert. Check out our breakdown of the worst NBA trades 2022/23.