MIAMI (AP) – Paul George stayed put. So did Jimmy Butler, Carmelo Anthony and Derrick Rose.
And as the trade deadline passed Thursday, the NBA landscape seemed remarkably unchanged. In all, seven deadline-day trades were put together by the 3 p.m. Eastern deadline – but no last-minute blockbusters. All-Star DeMarcus Cousins was traded to New Orleans by Sacramento a few days earlier, yet every trade that followed paled in comparison.
“You know where all those big dominoes are? They’re still home, with the exception of one,” Miami President Pat Riley said. “I’m sure there were people that probably made some pretty significant offers. … When you have that kind of player … it takes a lot to say, ‘OK, we’re going to let this guy go.’ You stay with the sure thing there.”
George remained with the Indiana Pacers, even though the four-time All-Star knew other teams sought his services.
Jimmy Butler stayed with the Chicago Bulls, and the New York Knicks held onto Rose and Anthony – the latter of whom would have had to waive his no-trade clause to make any deal occur anyway.
“I wasn’t concerned,” George said. “At the end of the day, I’m in a good situation. … I heard the rumors, different rumors, but I can’t control what was going to happen one way or another.”
The biggest moves of this trade season came long before deadline day.
Toronto getting forward Serge Ibaka from Orlando last week for Terrence Ross figures to improve the Raptors’ chances in the Eastern Conference, and Thursday’s move to land P.J. Tucker from Phoenix gives them another outstanding on-the-ball defender.