Everybody loves a good NBA trade deadline, and this year's was one of the most vigorous in recent memory with almost 20 deals going down in a 24-hour span. The one piece that could have seriously changed the championship picture around the league -- Kyle Lowry -- ended up staying with the Toronto Raptors, but there were plenty of other impactful trades before the deadline.
As such, the blurbs in this week's Power Rankings will focus on deadline activity -- or lack thereof -- and how it might affect the team moving forward. The rankings themselves, as usual, are based on the team's performance in the past week, which means the Brooklyn Nets, Utah Jazz and Milwaukee Bucks remain the top three with the Los Angeles Clippers right on their tail after a strong week.
The biggest risers this week were the Boston Celtics, who had an impressive win over the Bucks and added Evan Fournier to bolster their wing depth. Plummeting toward the bottom of the rankings were the Golden State Warriors, who have understandably struggled without Stephen Curry on the court. The Miami Heat also continued their descent after losing three more games this week, but they made a last-minute deal for Victor Oladipo that could help turn things around.
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Here is the first post-trade deadline edition of the Power Rankings.
*Keep in mind that our Power Rankings are based on the team's performance the previous week, not the entire season.
Biggest Movers
7
Celtics
8
Warriors
Rk | Teams | Chg | Rcrd | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  | The Nets didn't make a move at the deadline, but they surprised many by swooping up LaMarcus Aldridge in the buyout market to add to their star-studded roster. Their only loss this week was a blowout by the Jazz with James Harden and Kyrie Irving out of the lineup, and it will be interesting to see how Aldridge fits into a team that's been firing on all cylinders even without Kevin Durant. Blake Griffin turned in his best performance as a Net in their win over his former Pistons, scoring 17 points in 20 minutes. | -- | 0-0 |
| 2 |  | The Jazz didn't make any deadline deals, but they won all four games this week to bring their latest streak to five games. Their win over the shell of a Nets roster isn't enough to move them into the No. 1 spot, but Utah has some momentum after a relatively shaky stretch. Donovan Mitchell was a human torch this week, averaging nearly 32 points and 6.5 assists on 20-for-30 3-point shooting. Jordan Clarkson broke out of a horrendous slump in Saturday's win over the Grizzlies, putting up 28 points on 5-for-12 3-point shooting. | -- | 0-0 |
| 3 |  | The Bucks' eight-game winning streak was snapped by the Celtics on Friday, and they gave four of their starters the day off in a loss to the Knicks on Saturday. Milwaukee's big acquisition came a few days before the deadline, adding PJ Tucker for defensive versatility and corner 3-point shooting. Khris Middleton was excellent in the three games he played this week, averaging 23.7 points, eight rebounds and 4.7 assists per game on 10-for-15 3-point shooting. | -- | 0-0 |
| 4 |  | It was a perfect 4-0 week for the Clippers, and they finally traded Lou Williams after months of speculation. They picked up Rajon Rondo in exchange, and the Clippers are clearly banking on "Playoff Rondo" to make yet another appearance to exorcise the franchise's postseason demons. The move also potentially opens up more opportunity for Luke Kennard on the second unit, though Terance Mann has made it hard for Tyronn Lue to keep him off the court. | 2 | 0-0 |
| 5 |  | The Sixers reportedly held firm on their offer for Kyle Lowry, which apparently wasn't enough for the Raptors, and they ended up with George Hill instead -- a solid consolation prize. Philly beat the Warriors and Lakers this week while losing to the Clippers, and have managed to stay afloat since Joel Embiid's injury. Tobias Harris has taken on the scoring lead, averaging 23.7 points, 8.7 rebounds and five assists for the week. Danny Green is in the middle of one of his signature hot streaks, averaging 18.7 points on 55 percent 3-point shooting in the three games. | 1 | 0-0 |
| 6 |  | The Suns went 3-1 this week, with their loss coming to the lowly Magic on Evan Fournier's game-winning layup. Pre-deadline addition Torrey Craig has already carved out a role, averaging 8.3 points on 46 percent 3-point shooting in over 18 minutes per game this week. Devin Booker put up nearly 25 points per game, while Deandre Ayton added 17.8 points and 12 rebounds. | 1 | 0-0 |
| 7 |  | The Nuggets pulled off arguably the most important deal of the deadline by acquiring Aaron Gordon, who fills a glaring need as a versatile forward who can guard multiple positions and knock down open 3-pointers. He took no time getting acclimated to his new teammates, putting up 13 points in 21 minutes in his debut against the Hawks on Sunday. Gordon joins Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. to create one of the most intimidating offensive units in the Western Conference. Denver went 3-1 this week, and now sits just 1.5 games back of the Lakers for the No. 4 seed. | -- | 0-0 |
| 8 |  | Portland added another scorer at the deadline in Norman Powell, who will take some offensive pressure off Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum, while sacrificing some wing size with the departure of Gary Trent Jr. The Blazers lost to the Nets before sweeping the Florida teams (Heat, Magic, Raptors) to close out the week. Powell averaged 17.5 points and hit 6-of-9 3-pointers in his first two games with the team, while McCollum has started to get going after a lengthy absence, averaging 27 points over his last three games. | 1 | 0-0 |
| 9 |  | Despite injuries to LeBron James and Anthony Davis, the Lakers remained silent at the trade deadline, reportedly refusing to include Talen Horton-Tucker in negotiations for Kyle Lowry. They didn't come away empty-handed, however, as Andre Drummond surprised no one by signing with the Lakers once he cleared waivers after a buyout with the Cavs. Meanwhile the Lakers found two teams -- the Cavs and Magic -- they could beat without their superstars, and put up a 2-2 week. Drummond should have plenty of opportunity with an offense that has understandably sputtered without LeBron and A.D. | 1 | 0-0 |
| 10 |  | It appeared JJ Redick was headed for the buyout market, but the Mavs had other plans. They traded for the veteran sharpshooter and stretch-four Nico Melli to add more spacing for Luka Doncic. Speaking of which, Doncic played about as poorly as he can play in a win over the Wolves, then sat out the final two games of the week with lower back tightness. Kristaps Porzingis sat out Saturday's loss as well, but averaged 30 points and 13.5 rebounds in the other two games this week. | -- | 0-0 |
| 11 |  | The Celtics added Evan Fournier at the deadline to provide some necessary wing depth, and turned around the next night to beat the red-hot Bucks in what could be their best win of the season. Marcus Smart looks like he's recovered from his injury, averaging nearly 15 points, 5.5 assists and 4.3 rebounds this week on 39 percent 3-point shooting, while Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown continue to do the heavy lifting on offense. As a result of trading away Daniel Theis, Robert Williams has stepped in as the starting center, averaging eight points, 11.5 rebounds, four assists, 3.5 blocks and two steals in two games following Theis' departure. | 7 | 0-0 |
| 12 |  | The Hornets had a great week, beating the Spurs, Rockets and Heat before losing in overtime to the Suns on Sunday. Terry Rozier has stepped up in LaMelo Ball's absence, averaging 24.3 points and 5.5 assists, including a career-high 11 dimes against Miami, on 40 percent 3-point shooting this week. Devonte' Graham has also caught fire, averaging 19 points on 20-for-41 3-point shooting in his last four games. | 5 | 0-0 |
| 13 |  | The Spurs made a deadline-day trade for the first time in seven years, but it wasn't exactly an eye-popper. In fact, Marquese Chriss, the player they traded for, was waived three days later. On the court, the Spurs have run into a rough patch, going 1-3 this week with their lone win coming over the new-look Bulls on Saturday. San Antonio struggled offensively this week, mustering just 103.9 points per 100 possessions, but Derrick White has been a bright spot after missing most of the early season due to injury. He averaged 15.3 points on 42 percent 3-point shooting this week. | 2 | 0-0 |
| 14 |  | The Knicks won back-to-back games over the Wizards, then beat a shell of a Bucks team on Saturday for a perfect week. The mood was dampened, however, when the Knicks learned that Mitchell Robinson, who had just returned from a broken wrist, suffered a broken right foot in the win over Milwaukee. Alec Burks has taken advantage of extra playing time lately, averaging 22.7 points and 6.3 rebounds on 48 percent 3-point shooting this week. The Knicks said goodbye to Austin Rivers and picked up athletic wing Terrance Ferguson at the deadline, so we'll see if he's able to get any meaningful minutes. | 2 | 0-0 |
| 15 |  | No trade deadline moves for the Pacers, and they got the rough news that TJ Warren is expected to miss the rest of the season as he continues to recover from foot surgery. Indiana went 2-1 this week, with Caris LeVert adding a much-needed third scoring option next to Domantas Sabonis and Malcolm Brogdon. LeVert averaged 19 points and four assists on 38 percent 3-point shooting this week, as any signs of rust have seemingly worn off. | 1 | 0-0 |
| 16 |  | The Hawks made a relatively major move at the deadline, sending Rajon Rondo to the Clippers in exchange for Lou Williams and a couple of second-round picks. Back in his hometown, Williams should add some punch to Atlanta's second unit, and they're hoping he gets back to his Sixth Man of the Year production after a rough season in L.A. The Hawks came down from their new coach high this week, losing three of four games. | 4 | 0-0 |
| 17 |  | The Pelicans freed up some backcourt minutes by trading JJ Redick to the Mavericks, which should mostly go to Nickeil Alexander-Walker, who has been filling in admirably as the starter while Lonzo Ball nurses an injury. Alexander-Walker averaged 17.3 points and 5.7 rebounds on 45 percent 3-point shooting in a 2-1 week for New Orleans. Zion Williamson looks as unstoppable as ever, averaging 34.7 points for the week, including a career-high 39 in a loss to Denver, on baffling 73 percent field goal shooting. | 3 | 0-0 |
| 18 |  | I feel like the Grizzlies are constantly trolling me with these .500 weeks, but here we are. Memphis went 2-2 -- again -- beating the Celtics and Thunder then losing two straight in Utah. All of their main components stayed put at the deadline, but the Grizzlies waived Gorgui Dieng, who wasn't in the rotation anyway. Ja Morant still hasn't found his 3-point stroke, but he averaged 21 points and 7.8 assists this week, while Jonas Valanciunas added 14.8 points and 15.8 rebounds per game. | 1 | 0-0 |
| 19 |  | The Kings won all four games this week, making it seven of their last 10. Sacramento picked up Delon Wright before the deadline to take backup point guard minutes from Cory Joseph, and he scored four points in 22 minutes in his debut on Saturday. De'Aaron Fox has taken things to another level, averaging 36.8 points and 5.5 assists this week and making an incredible baseball pass to Harrison Barnes for a miraculous game-winning 3-pointer against the Cavs on Saturday. | 3 | 0-0 |
| 20 |  | Miami is reeling with six straight losses, but help is on the way in the form of Victor Oladipo, whom the Heat acquired at a rock-bottom price just before the deadline. They also added a stretch-four in Nemanja Bjelica, who will presumably take the place of Kelly Olynyk. It may take a while for Erik Spoelstra to figure out how to best fit Oladipo into his guard rotation, but he could be an incredible mid-season addition if he gets anywhere close to his previous All-NBA form. | 5 | 0-0 |
| 21 |  | Kelly Oubre Jr. was the only Warrior of value on the trade block, and he remained with the team while the front office made minor moves to get off salary and open up roster spots. On the court, the Warriors went 0-3 without Steph Curry this week, and the defense that has been toward the top of the league for most of the season is going through a rough stretch, allowing 121.3 points per 100 possessions over their current four-game losing streak. Andrew Wiggins has stepped up as the team's top scoring option with Curry out, averaging 23 points on 60 percent 3-point shooting for the week, but it's no secret that Golden State needs Curry to be competitive. | 8 | 0-0 |
| 22 |  | The Cavs were one miracle Harrison Barnes 3-pointer away from a 2-2 week, but instead fell to 1-3 with their lone win coming without Collin Sexton against the Bulls. Cleveland picked up a couple of second-round picks by sending JaVale McGee to Denver before the deadline, and held onto Larry Nance Jr., who averaged 13 points, 9.5 rebounds and 4.3 assists for the week on 46 percent 3-point shooting. | 2 | 0-0 |
| 23 |  | Chicago suffered perhaps its worst loss of the season to the Cavaliers on Wednesday, and followed that up with one of the splashiest trades of the deadline the next day, acquiring All-Star Nikola Vucevic from the Magic. They also got Daniel Theis from the Celtics to shore up the frontcourt, and the moves signal an intent to become more competitive in the Eastern Conference. Vucevic put up 21 points and nine rebounds in his debut on Saturday, numbers that Bulls fans should get used to seeing. | 2 | 0-0 |
| 24 |  | The Raptors flipped the script on the trade deadline, hanging onto Kyle Lowry and making a Norman Powell-for-Gary Trent Jr. swap that might eventually end up as a net positive. They did not flip the script on the court, however, as Toronto lost three of its four games, including one to the Rockets, who had lost 20 straight. The Raptors played brilliantly in their win over the Nuggets, which everyone thought was Lowry's last game as a Raptor (maybe even Lowry himself), but overall they've dropped 13 of 15 games. That being said, they're still within striking distance of a play-in spot, and could make for a difficult matchup if everyone's healthy and clicking by then. | 3 | 0-0 |
| 25 |  | As if OKC didn't have enough draft picks, it added a couple more second-rounders at the deadline by sending George Hill to the 76ers. In an effort to make this year's picks more valuable, the Thunder announced that Al Horford will not play for the rest of the season, on top of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander being out indefinitely with a foot injury. They inked Moses Brown to a long-term deal after he put up 14.7 points and a monster 17.7 rebounds per game this week, and he should get plenty of burn for the remainder of the season. | 2 | 0-0 |
| 26 |  | Orlando finally picked a direction, and it is south. The Magic traded away their three best active players for young talent and picks to commence a full rebuild after an injury-plagued first half of the season. Wendell Carter Jr. and R.J. Hampton are intriguing young prospects, but the goal from here on out is to continue losing games while developing talent. Jonathan Isaac, Markelle Fultz and whoever the Magic pick in this year's draft will be centerpieces of the franchise's new direction. | 3 | 0-0 |
| 27 |  | Washington made a low-impact deal at the deadline, exchanging Troy Brown and Moe Wagner for Daniel Gafford and Chandler Hutchison. Gafford put up an impressive 13 points, five rebounds and three blocks during 13 minutes in his debut on Saturday. The Wizards lost back-to-back games to the Knicks before beating the Pistons, with Bradley Beal averaging 21.7 points and 6.3 assists per game. Russell Westbrook averaged a triple-double of 15.3 points, 13.7 rebounds and 10.3 assists, but shot just 29 percent from the field. | 1 | 0-0 |
| 28 |  | The streak is over! The Rockets blew out the Raptors on Monday to pick up their first win in 20 games, then took three straight losses -- though only two of them were actual games. The third loss was trading Victor Oladipo to the Heat for a bag of potato chips, cementing a modest overall return for James Harden. But hey, that's what happens when a perennial MVP candidate lets the world know he wants off your team. Houston has actually played well of late, discounting a scoreless final seven (!) minutes against the Wolves on Friday to blow a 16-point lead. The Rockets finished the job in the rematch on Saturday, however, and can now look toward the future with the Oladipo situation behind them. | 2 | 0-0 |
| 29 |  | The Wolves' only win of the week was downright miraculous, holding the Rockets scoreless for the final seven-plus minutes of the fourth quarter while going on a 22-0 run to close out the game. Karl-Anthony Towns averaged 27.8 points, 11.5 rebounds and 4.8 assists this week, and received a little help with the return of Malik Beasley on Sunday. | 1 | 0-0 |
| 30 |  | Detroit sent Delon Wright to the Kings in exchange for Cory Joseph and two second-round picks, clearly an asset play as the team likely has no future plans for Joseph. That's opened up more opportunity for rookie Saben Lee and recently acquired Hamidou Diallo, who will probably see a lot of run moving forward, especially if Wayne Ellington ends up being bought out. The Pistons went 0-3 this week, and we can expect a lot more losses for the rest of the season. | 5 | 0-0 |
