The NBA Trade Deadline officially hits on Thursday at 3 p.m. with phone lines constantly ringing and “Woj Bombs” frequently dropping in the hours leading up to it.
As a player, it’s never easy, knowing you may have to move your entire life across (or even out of) the country, but unfortunately it’s part of the business — and a part that fans love.
With the excitement of all the latest rumblings and news leading up to 3 p.m., here’s a look at some of the more intriguing numbers pertaining to the 2019 NBA Trade Deadline.
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10 days
On July 12, 2017, the NBA Board of Governors approved moving the trade deadline from the Thursday after the NBA All-Star Game to the Thursday 10 days before the All-Star Game. So, mark your future calendars.
12
There were 12 deals on deadline day last season highlighted by the Cleveland Cavaliers attempted roster revamp and Dwyane Wade‘s return to Miami.
18 future draft picks dealt
Do you ever wonder how the Boston Celtics are consistently reaping the benefits of having multiple first round picks despite being one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference?
Two words: Future picks.
On January 12, 2015 the Celtics traded a then-28-year-old Jeff Green having a career-season as part of a three-team, five player package to the Memphis Grizzlies in exchange for an aging Tayshaun Prince, Austin Rivers, and a future first-round pick.
The future first-round pick owed to Boston from that trade four years ago could end up being the Grizzlies’ pick this year, although, it’s top-10 protected, and Memphis currently possesses the sixth-worst record in the league .
Last season, there were 18 future draft picks dealt leading up to the trade deadline.
2024
On Feb. 8, 2018 the Sacramento Kings traded a 2024 second-round pick to the Cavaliers as part of a package for George Hill and Rodney Hood. 2024 was the furthest pick exchanged at last year’s deadline — six years in advance.
26
So far, there have already been 26 future draft picks traded (not including 2019 draft selections) since the start of the 2019 season. You might have forgotten because it came together so quickly, but the furthest pick moved so far was a 2023 first-round pick (top-10 protected) the New York Knicks acquired from the Dallas Mavericks in the Kristaps Porzingis trade.
$226,392,557
While the focus often falls on the drama that unfolds on a seemingly everyday basis, the number above serves as a friendly reminder that the league is still a business. That’s the total amount of salary traded in 2018 leading up to last year’s deadline. Since Jan.3, 2019? That number jumps up to a staggering $352,273,550.
$1,512,601
And here’s another reminder of the business in the league, at the expense of “Melo.” That amount represented Carmelo Anthony‘s salary when his contract was dealt to Chicago from Houston on Jan. 22).
$1,560,000
The amount of “cash considerations” sent from Houston to Chicago in the Anthony trade. Anthony was eventually released by Chicago.
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And now for some Toronto Raptors deadline-day numbers.
11 in 23
In the team’s 24-year franchise history, the Toronto Raptors have only made 11 moves across 23 trade deadlines, with now-Houston Rockets forward P.J. Tucker being the most notable acquisition in the last 15 years. (Aside from Serge Ibaka who was traded to Toronto two weeks prior to the 2017 trade deadline).
34 games
Tucker suited up for 24 regular season games and 10 playoff games for the Raptors down the stretch before opting to leave for Houston the following summer. The cost of acquiring Tucker? Two second-round draft picks (2017, Alec Peters and 2018, George King).
108 minutes played
At last year’s trade deadline, the only move the Raptors made was shipping out Bruno Cabocolo — who has now appeared to find a home in Memphis — to Sacramento in exchange for Malachi Richardson who spent only 108 minutes on the court in a Raptors uniform (mostly with the game out of reach). Richardson was recently dealt to the Philadelphia 76ers to reduce club spending and to free up a roster spot.
5 in 8
Masai Ujiri has been a General Manager in the NBA since August of 2010 and has worked eight trade deadlines. Over that span, he has made five trades (three with the Raptors and two with the Denver Nuggets). His biggest deal was sending the aforementioned Anthony, in his prime, to New York.
3 p.m.-ish
And finally, your annual reminder that while the NBA trade deadline is 3 p.m. on Thursday, deals can still trickle in past that deadline. Teams have right up until that 3 p.m. cutoff to send a trade into the league office, so if negotiations are coming down to the wire, it’s possible that moves are reported shortly after the 3 p.m. deadline.
