Over the past season and a half, we’ve seen many big trades across the association. Just over the past 24 hours, we’ve seen two teams elevate their title chances by sacrificing their future assets in a win-now move.
But now that the trade deadline is over, it’ll be interesting to think about some of the trades that failed to survive.
Allegedly, there was one failed three-team trade that would have sent Donovan Mitchell to the Heat, and Bam Adebayo to the Nets for Ben Simmons. It was before last season when Mitchell was still being shopped around the league by Utah.
Yet, the Nets could have made a move to bolster this roster during the offseason.
The Nets had an opportunity to get involved in the Donovan Mitchell sweepstakes, according to a source familiar with the Nets’ attempts to add talent to the roster this offseason. A source told the Daily News in October there was framework for a deal that would have sent Simmons to Utah, Mitchell to Miami and Bam Adebayo to Brooklyn.
Shockingly, it was the Nets who declined the deal — and it’s a decision they probably regret to this day.
It was the Nets who declined, and Simmons, due to lingering back issues that have impacted the integrity of his knee, has yet to string together an extended, impactful stretch of games. Head coach Jacque Vaughn is still working on getting Simmons to give his all for all the minutes he’s on the court.
According to @Krisplashed, in October there was framework for a deal that would have sent Ben Simmons to Utah, Donovan Mitchell to Miami and Bam Adebayo to Brooklyn pic.twitter.com/XZMNdRMuff
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) February 9, 2023
The Nets are stuck with Ben Simmons now, who is on the worst contract in the NBA as a bench player making close to $35 million per year.
What’s Next For Heat And Nets After Disappointing Deadline?
In Brooklyn, we can expect the KD-less Nets to hover around .500 for the rest of the season. While they will likely finish with a playoff spot in the East, nobody expects them to get far without stars on the roster. Still, Sean Marks and Joe Tsai have some nice pieces to rebuild.
For the Heat, they are probably glad they kept Bam Adebayo. He’s been great for them this season and looks to be a key part of their future. But in the aftermath of another inactive deadline, there is a sense of angst growing in the community.
All-in-all, it’s been a pretty wild year for the NBA, and it’s been further proof that anything can happen.
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