NEW YORK: The big names rumoured to be on the move at the National Basketball Association’s trade deadline went nowhere yesterday as teams opted for tweaks over blockbusters.
The Orlando Magic (15-39), with the second worst record in the Eastern Conference, pulled the trigger on the day’s biggest swap, shipping sharpshooting guard JJ Redick to the Milwaukee Bucks in a multi-player deal, according to media reports.
Redick, who is among the league’s top three-point shooters, averaging a career-high 15.1 points this season, was sent to Milwaukee along with Gustavo Ayon and Ish Smith in return for Tobias Harris, Beno Udrih and Doron Lamb.
But the Boston Celtics’ Kevin Garnett, Los Angeles Lakers’ Pau Gasol and Dwight Howard, Toronto Raptors’ Andrea Bargnani and Atlanta Hawks’ Josh Smith remained in their current uniforms when the trade window slammed shut at 3pm. All were among the high-end, high-priced talent being shopped around in the media, but making a trade under the NBA’s new collective bargaining agreement can be expensive with a punishing luxury tax being partially blamed for the dull deadline day.
Two title contenders, the Miami Heat and Oklahoma City Thunder tinkered with their rosters.
The Thunder grabbed small forward Ronnie Brewer from the New York Knicks for a second round pick, then sent backup point guard Eric Maynor to the Portland Trail Blazers for the rights to Greek forward Georgios Printezis.
The Heat will not have South Beach buzzing about their latest deal, sending backup center Dexter Pittman and a second round pick to the Memphis Grizzlies for the draft rights to Ricky Sanchez, who currently plays for Libertad Sunchales in Argentina. REUTERS
