On Thursday the NBA trade deadline for the 2020-21 season came and many teams begin posturing for their potential playoff runs or rebuilding efforts. Entering the day, some of the biggest names that were expected to be moved were Toronto Raptors guard Kyle Lowry and Orlando Magic forward Aaron Gordon.
Leading up to the trade deadline, Lowry was easily the biggest name available and teams like the Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat, and Philadelphia 76ers were the top suitors. In a surprising turn of events, the Raptors actually chose to hang onto Lowry rather than make a deal.
The Sixers ended up bowing out of the race earlier in the day and chose to trade for guard George Hill. Philadelphia acquired the veteran point guard in a three-way trade that sent center Tony Bradley, guard Terrance Ferguson, and a pair of second round picks (2025 & 2026) to the Oklahoma City Thunder. It ended up being a three-team deal where the New York Knicks received Ferguson and Austin Rivers went to the Thunder.
The Magic were arguably the busiest team on Thursday as the team traded Gordon, Evan Fournier and All-Star Nikola Vucevic in three separate deals. The Magic shipped Vucevic and Al-Farooq Aminu to the Chicago Bulls in exchange for Wendell Carter Jr., Otto Porter Jr., and two first round picks. In addition, Orlando shipped Gordon to the Denver Nuggets for Gary Harris, RJ Hampton, and a first round pick while also trading Fournier to the Boston Celtics for a pair of second round picks.
While the Heat didn’t add Lowry at the trade deadline, the team did add to their impressive backcourt with the acquisition of Victor Oladipo in a trade with the Houston Rockets. According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, the Heat sent Avery Bradley, Kelly Olynyk, and a draft pick swap to the Rockets in the deal.
Here’s a look at how some NBA players reacted to the moves on Twitter.
Aaron Gordon trade
Nikola Vucevic trade
Evan Fournier trade
- Fourner’s nickname is “Never Google” because he shares his last name with a disease called fournier gangrene, which involves the soft tissue of the male genitalia.
- Rondo was part of the Clippers-Hawks trade involving Lou Williams who infamously had to go back into quarantine in the Orlando bubble last summer after going out to a gentleman’s club for chicken wings while attending a family function in Atlanta.
George Hill trade
Marquese Chriss trade
- In one of the more minor moves, the Warriors traded forward/center Marquese Chriss to the San Antonio Spurs. When reporting the trade, Chriss’ first name and the newest Spur made sure to correct him.
