In the final seconds before the NBA’s trade deadline on Thursday, the Philadelphia 76ers executed two transactions with teams that were close to the top of the Eastern Conference rankings: they sent Jaden Springer to the Boston Celtics and Patrick Beverley to the Milwaukee Bucks.
After playing for several seasons with the Los Angeles Clippers, Beverley, 35, reunites with Doc Rivers, the coach of the Bucks.
A player who strengthens a defense that has battled all season is acquired by Milwaukee, which was looking for perimeter defensive help in the weeks before the trade deadline. The team came into Thursday’s action ranked 18th in defensive rating.
Throughout 47 games this season, Beverley, 35, averaged 6.3 points for Philadelphia. Since the 2020–21 season began, Beverley has played for six different teams, including the Bucks.
The Bucks traded Beverley to Philadelphia for Cameron Payne and a second-round selection in 2027. After acquiring Buddy Hield earlier on Thursday, Payne, 29, is averaging 6.2 points and shooting 39.7% from 3-point range, providing Philadelphia with a second potent 3-point shooter on deadline day.
When it came to 3-point shooting, the 76ers were among the bottom five teams in the league as of Thursday.
In a different transaction, the Bucks gave the Sacramento Kings Robin Lopez and cash in exchange for Dimitrios Agravanis’ draft rights. Dimitrios is a 29-year-old Greek forward. According to insiders, Lopez is anticipated to be released by the Kings and become a free agent.
Lopez posted on X, now known as Twitter, saying, “I enjoyed being teammates with Patrick Beverley for all of an hour and 45 minutes. I’ll never forget those times.”
For the 21-year-old Springer, a tough defensive guard who has battled with his outside shot and has only made 21.6% of his 3-pointers this season, Boston traded a 2024 second-round pick to Philly. However, it’s a gamble on him growing into a talent for the future for a Celtics team hoping to cultivate inexpensive contributors down the roster.
Just before the deadline, the Celtics made one other little trade: Dalano Banton went to the Portland Trail Blazers in exchange for a highly protected future second-round choice.
After playing for his native Toronto Raptors last summer, Banton, 24, signed as a free agent. By doing so, the Celtics are able to retain a roster spot for the sake of potentially adding a player through a buyout or by lowering their healthy luxury tax charge.
After trading for Marcus Morris, Furkan Korkmaz, Danuel House, and Springer, Philadelphia now has three available roster spots that they may use in the buyout market in addition to avoiding the luxury tax. This was announced on Thursday.
Future Hall of Famer and Philadelphia native Kyle Lowry might be a buyout possibility if the Hornets choose to waive or buy out the player after the deadline. Lowry was traded to Charlotte by the Miami Heat last month in exchange for Terry Rozier.