After an eventful NBA trade deadline that saw several stars change addresses, the dust has settled on an Eastern Conference that remains as wide open as ever.
Will the Detroit Pistons keep up their remarkable run to start the season and run away with the No. 1 seed? Could the Boston Celtics get Jayson Tatum back and make another deep playoff push, or will the New York Knicks deliver on their heavy expectations? How will the James Harden trade impact the Cleveland Cavaliers, and could this — finally — be the Philadelphia 76ers‘ season to break through?
Heading into the latest Eastern Conference showdown Wednesday night in Philadelphia between the Knicks and 76ers (7:30 ET, ESPN), here’s a look at the state of the conference post-deadline, what to watch for over the next few months and which team we believe will come out on top:
Jump to a question:
How much of an impact will Harden have?
Did Detroit miss an opportunity at the deadline?
Should any East team have done more?
What are you watching down the stretch?
Who are the top teams in the East — and why?
With the trade deadline behind us, where do things stand in the East?
Bontemps: Weirdly, it feels like nothing has changed. Typically at this time of the year, we see contending teams make moves to try to improve their title chances. But among the 10 teams with the best records as of Thursday’s deadline, only one — the Oklahoma City Thunder — gave up a first-round pick to add a player. And five of the top 13 — including the Celtics, 76ers and Toronto Raptors in the East — made maneuvers to duck out of the luxury tax.
So while a few contenders made moves around the margins — Detroit adding Kevin Huerter, Boston landing Nikola Vucevic and New York picking up Jose Alvarado — things are not much different than they were entering the deadline. Do you agree, Vince?
Goodwill: Essentially, yes, Tim. No single move elevated any team above the tier they were in. For all the talk that the East is for the taking — remember, Detroit has a bigger lead than Oklahoma City does out West — most of the work done was filling in the margins.
Perhaps it’s an indication that even the underwhelming and surprising squads feel like they have a great shot, or that financial implications prevented teams from making all-in moves. If you feel like Detroit has a lot to prove in a playoff setting, getting Huerter doesn’t change that feeling. The Knicks were limited by the second luxury tax apron, and when team owner James Dolan made the statement in early January that his team wouldn’t make major moves, it signaled that any potential seismic changes would have to wait until the offseason — if the Knicks don’t get to the Finals.
The biggest spotlight, though, is on the Cavaliers’ attempt to get back to how they were playing last regular season.
How much impact will Harden have in Cleveland?
Goodwill: Easing Donovan Mitchell‘s playmaking burden is the obvious change, freeing up Mitchell to be more of a scorer rather than a do-it-all facilitator. Harden changes the dynamics of the Cavs being a small team in the backcourt, but they’re still a bit light up front, even when Evan Mobley gets back to full health. Harden has a history of making lives easier for bigs in the dunker’s spot, so Mobley should stand to benefit.
Bontemps: No doubt. The Cavaliers have been arguably the NBA’s most disappointing team this season, and now they’re going all-in.
This isn’t a move that comes without risk, however. Harden is a decade older than Garland, the player for whom he was traded, and his playoff track record isn’t exactly glittering with highlights. But with Garland’s extended history of foot injuries, it’s an obvious upgrade now. And given Cleveland needs to prove to Mitchell it’s a place he should agree to extend his contract in a few months, getting better this season is what matters.
Goodwill: The way things were going, the Cavs were headed for a first-round exit. But I’m not sure Harden suddenly makes them title contenders. As you mentioned, his history of underwhelming in the playoffs won’t help Cleveland shake the label of a “paper tiger.”
Color me impressed with some early resolve, as the Cavs just came back from double digits in the fourth quarter to beat Denver on the road. Winning nine of 10 is nothing to dismiss. And it’s worth noting that Harden let Mitchell cook on the final possession, which led to the game-winning free throws. It always looks good early, but what will happen when adversity hits?
Did Detroit miss an opportunity by not making a bigger swing at the deadline?
Bontemps: It feels weird to say anything negative about a Pistons team that added a good player in Huerter, who addresses their biggest weakness: perimeter shooting. And yet, I can’t help but wonder if they should’ve tried to make an even bigger splash to solidify itself as a bona fide contender. Vince, you know the Pistons as well as anyone: What do you think?
Goodwill: It depends if there was a true opportunity to be had. Jaren Jackson Jr.’s name was thrown about, but considering Memphis received three future first-round picks for him, that was too much draft capital for Detroit to give up. I didn’t get the feeling general manager Trajan Langdon was ready to press the fast-forward button unless there was a great, cost-effective deal to be made.
Looking ahead, though, Boston will be back next season with a healthy Tatum. Indiana will reload with a lottery pick and Tyrese Haliburton, and the Knicks should still be formidable. It’s fair to wonder if the Pistons needed to do something to keep pace in the East for years to come.
Bontemps: You hit the nail on the head with your last point, Vince. It feels like this season — despite having a super-young core — might very well be the best chance this group has with Cade Cunningham leading the way. Not because the Pistons won’t to be good going forward, but because of the reemergence of Tatum and Haliburton, plus the potential for other things to change.
I also agree with you that a Jackson deal, for example, would’ve been too short-sighted. And when you look around at the deals that were made — which essentially boiled down to either going after someone like Huerter or spending huge capital on Jackson or Anthony Davis — I can understand why Detroit didn’t do anything. Sometimes, the right deal just isn’t there.
Should any East team have done more than it did?
Goodwill: I’m a bit surprised the Miami Heat didn’t make a big move. They were speculated to be in the Ja Morant sweepstakes, but I talked to execs with teams who were in contact with the Memphis Grizzlies, and Morant is viewed as a negative asset. The Grizzlies would’ve had to attach draft capital with him because of his contract. Could the Heat have taken a chance on him? Perhaps.
The Heat seem destined for the play-in for the fourth straight season — everything about them says “meh.” And despite Norm Powell having a career year, they’re still the 20th-ranked offense. Even the Chicago Bulls picked a lane, Tim! What say you?
Bontemps: Dude, don’t get me started on the Bulls. I hear you on Miami, but the Heat were solely locked in on Giannis Antetokounmpo and weren’t going to do anything to harm their pursuit of him — or go into their 2027 cap space. And, for all of the reasons you laid out, Morant just isn’t that guy anymore.
My take: There’s a lot of consternation in Philadelphia over moving on from second-year guard Jared McCain, but I get it from the team’s perspective. He was the team’s fourth guard behind Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe and Quentin Grimes, and getting a first-round pick and three second-rounders for a guy who projects as a fourth guard is a strong return. Now, if the Sixers don’t re-sign Grimes this summer? Then there will be issues.
Goodwill: General manager Daryl Morey tossing some shade Harden’s way after the deadline makes it seem like he knows something about his team the rest of us don’t. Count me as a believer in Maxey and Edgecombe for the future, but could the 76ers have held onto more depth, especially as they’ll be tested with Paul George‘s absence? Unless there was a mandate to duck some salary, I don’t get that one.
But then again, the 76ers do a lot of things that are head-scratching.
Bontemps: Beyond that, I wonder if Toronto should’ve tried to make a splash. There were lots of rumblings about the Raptors trying to do so for several weeks leading up to the deadline, but nothing materialized. If Davis had been healthy, perhaps he would’ve made sense.
But as we wrote about Detroit above, it’s not like there were several good deals that were made for first-round picks sitting out there to compare to what teams atop the East didn’t do. For the most part, it was either bad teams swinging for the fences for next season, or good teams making moves on the margins, which made for a weird deadline.
What are the biggest things you’re watching down the stretch?
Bontemps: Harden’s assimilation in Cleveland is an obvious one. Will he and Mitchell successfully co-exist? Can he coax more consistent play out of Mobley and Jarrett Allen? Was this the kick in the pants Cleveland needed to ascend back up the East standings?
Beyond that, Joel Embiid‘s health is an ongoing flash point, particularly as the 76ers have impressed after last season’s disastrous campaign.
Goodwill: Plus, what will Philly look like when George comes back from his suspension? Embiid’s minutes have increased every month, and now he has to take on a bigger workload with George out until April. Being a believer in the 76ers has historically been a fool’s errand, and George’s absence creates an easy excuse if they are to capsize.
I want to see if the Knicks can get Karl-Anthony Towns back to the form he displayed last season, when he was a legit top-15 player. Towns being on the floor more — and being productive — would give them a more positive playoff outlook. It would also keep Mitchell Robinson in the minutes range the Knicks want him. If Robinson is overtaxed because Towns continues to struggle on offense, New York will be looking over its shoulders every moment Robinson takes a tumble.
As of now, who are your top four teams in the East?
Goodwill: Here’s how I see it:
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Pistons
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Knicks
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Celtics
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Cavaliers
There’s a clear top tier. The Knicks have to win this season, because you get the feeling big changes will come if they fall short. Those recent decisive losses to Detroit — injuries to Towns and OG Anunoby, notwithstanding — can’t sit well with anyone’s spirit.
I have a hard time seeing Detroit making a run to the Finals considering only the 1995 Orlando Magic made it all the way to June despite not having a single playoff series win to their ledger the season before. When those out-of-nowhere occurrences take place, it has been because Kevin Garnett came to the conference or LeBron James switched teams in his prime. Bucking that trend would be unbelievable, but Cunningham and the Pistons’ hell-on-earth defense gives me pause. I will give the slightest of edge to Detroit for now.
The Celtics are in third because it’s impossible to predict what Tatum will look like when he returns (if he returns — he recently started practicing with Boston’s G League affiliate). I have the Cavaliers over Toronto, Philadelphia and Orlando because Harden is Pac-Man in the regular season — he’ll eat up minutes and usage, and do so that impacts winning.
Count me in for a 76ers-Knicks playoff series in Round 1 — the battle of the angriest fan bases trying to invade the other’s building. I’m sure you completely agree with me, right, Tim?
Bontemps: I mean, I’m tempted to say I completely agree with you simply because it would absolve me of having to come up with an answer to a seemingly impossible question. I’ve been asked countless times over the past few months who I think will win the Eastern Conference, and I have never felt good about my answer. That said, if I have to pick a team now, I’m going to do something I never imagined I would at the start of the season. Here’s my top four:
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Celtics
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Knicks
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Pistons
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Cavaliers/76ers
Yes, Boston is at No. 1, but it’s only if Tatum comes back. Even if he is less than 100%, the combination of the Celtics’ postseason know-how, Joe Mazzulla’s coaching and Tatum’s added shooting and rebounding is enough for me to give them the slightest of edges.
I have the Knicks over the Pistons because I need to see Detroit prove it in the postseason before anointing it. The entire history of the NBA shows that teams typically have to suffer some pain before they can ascend to contender status.
After that, I have the Cavaliers and 76ers tied for fourth — in part because I am praying for a Cavaliers-76ers first-round series. Can you imagine Harden vs. Morey, after the enmity that exists following Harden’s breakdown in contract negotiations and his eventual trade to the Clippers? Not to mention the pressure on Cleveland to have a deep playoff run, and Philadelphia to have an unexpected chance to make noise again with a healthy Embiid? That will be must-see TV.