Assessing Top Contenders Post NBA Trade Deadline

Thursday brought a busy if not earth-shaking trade deadline, with a number of contenders making win-now moves, but many, including the Bucks and Lakers, noticeably standing pat. Was the shape of this season irrevocably altered? Not really. Many of the major movers, including Minnesota, Golden State, Atlanta, were non-playoff teams. It’s still a good time to take the pulse of the title race, with the buyout market yet to fully take shape.

The Frontrunners

Milwaukee Bucks

It was mildly surprising to see the Bucks do nothing to upgrade their roster, particularly with a tradable first-round pick in hand, but it’s also hard to haggle too much when a team goes into the deadline with a 43–7 record.…