Chapter 381: This Dunk Deserves a Perfect 10.
February 9—The NBA trade deadline had arrived.
The Indiana Pacers made the first move of the day, pulling off a three-team trade with the Pelicans and Magic:
- Pacers: Sent Isaiah Thomas (injury-plagued) to the Pelicans and received Elfrid Payton.
- Magic: Sent Elfrid Payton to the Pacers and got Jameer Nelson along with a future lottery-protected first-round pick.
- Pelicans: Sent Jameer Nelson and the lottery-protected first-round pick to the Magic, acquiring Isaiah Thomas in return.
Elfrid Payton, who had been a key developmental piece for the Magic, was averaging 13 points, 4 rebounds, 6.3 assists, and 1.5 steals per game this season. Known for his defensive skills and playmaking, Payton's glaring weakness was his lack of shooting, drawing comparisons to Michael Carter-Williams.
The Magic decided to trade him because guards with his skill set were less valued in the modern, three-point-centric NBA. Additionally, this was the final year of his rookie contract.
For the Pelicans, their motive was clear: they needed a clutch scorer for critical moments.
The Pacers, on the other hand, wanted someone to ease Paul George's playmaking burden. At this stage, George was still better suited as an off-ball wing player.
Meanwhile, the Golden State Warriors also made a move, sending Ben McLemore (signed on a mid-level deal last summer) to the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for Ersan İlyasova.
İlyasova, 30 years old and standing 6'10" (2.08m), had played 46 games for the Hawks this season (starting 40). He was averaging 10.9 points, 5.5 rebounds, 1 steal per game, while shooting 36% from three on 3.7 attempts per game.