NBA Teams Disappointing After Trade Deadline
Each year, as the NBA trade deadline passes, teams are forced to reveal their hand: commit to a playoff push or focus on securing a high draft pick? It’s a moment where some franchises surge forward after a significant trade, although others plummet in the standings, fully embracing a tanking strategy. And then there are those stuck in the middle, failing to make necessary moves and now facing the consequences. Bleacher Report recently highlighted five teams that have underperformed since the trade deadline, and we’ll examine those struggles here.
Golden State, Sacramento, and Houston: Missed Opportunities
At number five, the Golden State Warriors have posted a 6-12 record since the deadline. A significant factor has been the absence of Stephen Curry, sidelined since January 30th with a knee issue. Adding to the woes, Jimmy Butler suffered a torn ACL eleven days prior. Both injuries were known before the deadline, yet the franchise’s “solution”—a trade for Kristaps Porziņģis—has largely derailed any playoff hopes. Porziņģis, often battling his own health concerns, has appeared in only six of the Warriors’ 18 games since the trade, totaling just 23 appearances this season. Since their 2022 championship, Golden State has struggled to commit to a clear path forward, holding onto Jonathan Kuminga for too long before receiving limited return with Porziņģis. Their net rating of -4.1 since the deadline is even worse than that of the New Orleans Pelicans (24-46).
The Sacramento Kings find themselves at number four, paradoxically playing well at the wrong time. With a 6-6 record in their last 12 games, Sacramento is climbing the standings when their season objective had already shifted. They held the worst record in the NBA at the deadline, but three teams have since surpassed them in the race for the best draft odds. Retaining veterans seemingly averse to losing, like DeRozan and Westbrook, proved to be a misstep; trading them or releasing them via buyout to a contender would have aided the Kings’ pursuit of the top overall pick.
“Winning when you’re trying to lose is a new form of incompetence, and helps explain why this franchise has reached the playoffs only once in the last 20 years,” as noted by analysis of their situation.
Rounding out the bottom three are the Houston Rockets, who opted to remain inactive at the deadline, a decision that could cost them a legitimate title contention opportunity. Guard play has been a persistent issue throughout the season, exacerbated by the loss of Fred VanVleet to a season-ending knee injury. Houston is 10-9 with a net rating of +0.0 since the deadline, relying heavily on a 37-year-old Kevin Durant for 36 minutes per game. The Rockets are last in the NBA in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.41) since the deadline, with Durant, Alperen Şengün, and Amen Thompson collectively committing nearly 10 turnovers per game. Opponents have clearly identified how to defend Houston, as demonstrated by the Los Angeles Lakers on March 16th: holding the Rockets to just 12 points in the fourth quarter by consistently doubling Durant and forcing others to create.
Philadelphia and Denver: The Biggest Disappointments
The Philadelphia 76ers land at number two. At the time of the deadline, they were sixth in the Eastern Conference with a 29-22 record, and Joel Embiid was enjoying a stellar season: averaging 33.1 points, 8.6 rebounds, 5.4 assists, and shooting 51.9% from three in his last nine games. Tyrese Maxey was poised to make his second consecutive All-Star Game appearance. Yet, since early February, the results have been disastrous: an 8-11 record with a net rating of -7.2, and a slide to ninth place in the East. Embiid has played in only two games since the deadline due to an oblique injury, and Maxey is sidelined with a finger tendon issue. Philadelphia surprised many by becoming sellers, trading Jared McCain to the Oklahoma City Thunder for draft picks. With Embiid and Paul George still holding nearly $300 million in combined contracts—approximately 69% of the salary cap—those contracts are unlikely to be moved in any potential trade. Maxey and VJ Edgecombe remain the only hopes for the present and future, unless Daryl Morey can orchestrate a blockbuster trade this summer.
The most disappointing team since the trade deadline is the Denver Nuggets. They appeared to have separated themselves alongside Oklahoma City and San Antonio as the elite teams in the Western Conference, but a 9-9 record since February 5th has caused them to fall from third to sixth in the West, just 2.5 games ahead of the play-in tournament. Unlike other teams, Denver can’t attribute their struggles to injuries: Nikola Jokić, Jamal Murray, Christian Braun, Tim Hardaway Jr., Jonas Valančiūnas, and Bruce Brown have all played in all 18 games since the deadline. Cameron Johnson, Julian Strawther, and Spencer Jones have appeared in 12 or more, and Aaron Gordon has returned from a knee tendon injury. Only Peyton Watson has not played during this period.
An offense that was once elite has taken a step back: even Jokić has struggled with turnovers (4.8 per game) and three-point shooting (32.1%). The Nuggets’ defense ranks only 14th since the deadline. With Jokić still in his prime and widely considered the best player in the world, the pressure on the organization to win another championship is immense. Everything that has transpired since the trade deadline suggests that there is still much work to be done.
The NBA season is a constantly evolving landscape, and these teams now face critical decisions as they navigate the final stretch. Whether they choose to fully embrace a rebuild, attempt a late-season surge, or recalibrate for the future, their actions in the coming weeks will define their trajectory for years to come.
The Nuggets next face the Minnesota Timberwolves on March 24th, a crucial matchup as they attempt to regain their footing in the Western Conference.
