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NBA Power Rankings: Where Every Team Stands After the Trade Deadline
It was the busiest week of the year in the NBA, with 16 deals made in the last 24 hours of the trade deadline. The Orlando Magic charted a new path with a series of trades. The Chicago Bulls are going all-in with their moves. The Denver Nuggets added a big piece for a Finals run.
But no trade swung the balance of power in either conference. Kyle Lowry could have done that, but he ended up staying in a Raptors jersey.
The criteria for this week’s Power Rankings are the same. How teams played last week, whom they beat and where their season is heading are all taken into consideration.
30. Orlando Magic
Phelan M. Ebenhack/Associated Press
Last Week’s Rankings: 29th
29. Minnesota Timberwolves
Andy Clayton-King/Associated Press
Last Week’s Rankings: 28th
There were rumors that Minnesota was heavily interested in Aaron Gordon even as early as late January but nothing ever materialized, so the deadline came and went for the Wolves.
Minnesota is not winning many games this year. One thing looking pretty clear is that Anthony Edwards can develop into the second star the Wolves have needed to pair with Karl-Anthony Towns. Over the last 10 games, the duo has averaged 51.6 points combined.
The Wolves should focus the rest of this season on developing the chemistry between the pair. The playoffs and play-in tournament are out of the picture for them. Their draft pick this year is top-three protected, so winning should not be their priority.
28. Houston Rockets
Andy Clayton-King/Associated Press
Last Week’s Rankings: 30th
The Rockets put an end to their 20-game losing streak with a win over the Raptors to start the week. It was their first win since February 4, and picking up a second win to end the week moved them out of the basement.
Houston was 11-10 when the streak started and has now fallen to the bottom of the NBA standings. It is not entirely a bad thing with this year’s draft pick being protected one through four.
At the trade deadline, Houston sent Victor Oladipo to Miami for Avery Bradley, Kelly Olynyk and swap rights to a 2022 first-round pick. It was likely Oladipo was going to walk in free agency, so the Rockets scored a better pick swap option in 2022 than their option to switch picks with Brooklyn.
The decision to trade Caris LeVert and a 2023 second-round pick for Oladipo will loom over the franchise for a long time.
27. Detroit Pistons
Nick Wass/Associated Press
Last Week’s Rankings: 27th
The Pistons are on a four-game skid, and the road could get a little more difficult if Jerami Grant is going to miss some time. He left their game against the Wizards with a quad contusion. It has been a breakout year for Grant in a leading role. He is learning, though, that it is taxing being that player for the entire season.
Since the All-Star break, Grant’s game has dropped off a bit. He went from shooting 43.3 percent from the field and 36.3 percent from three to 40.0 percent and 30.6 percent. Even his free-throw percentage fell eight points.
It was always going to be tough to maintain the numbers for Grant, especially in the second half of the season as teams began to focus on him as a primary scorer.
26. Cleveland Cavaliers
Mark J. Terrill/Associated Press
Last Week’s Rankings: 26th
25. Washington Wizards
Nick Wass/Associated Press
Last Week’s Rankings: 25th
It has been all downhill for the Wizards since the All-Star break, having won just two of their last 10 games. Washington put an end to a three-game losing streak against Detroit to end the week. The Wizards did make a move at the trade deadline, but it did not involve Bradley Beal. It was a move around the margins, sending out Moritz Wagner and Troy Brown Jr. for Daniel Gafford and Chandler Hutchison.
It was a much-needed win for the Wizards after they blew a 17-point second-half lead to the Knicks.
24. Toronto Raptors
Chris O’Meara/Associated Press
Last Week’s Rankings: 24th
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