Three Eastern Conference Trade Deadline Winners to Watch

When the Pacers made an improbable run to the NBA Finals last spring, a clutch-shooting guard, do-everything forward and plucky reserve led the way.

Thanks to the Bucks and Grizzlies, there were no Tyrese Haliburtons or Pascal Siakams available at the trade deadline earlier this month. But that didn’t stop Eastern longshots from taking a stab at cheaper versions – and even a T.J. McConnell type – in their hopes of duplicating the Pacers’ success.

The extremely early results have been encouraging.

While, for the most part, the title favorites stood pat, here are three clubs that at least put themselves on the postseason map with a trade-deadline addition, and now can be identified as Teams to Avoid in the Eastern playoffs.

Cleveland Cavaliers

The Cavaliers were the biggest disappointment in the first half of the NBA season. For those who wagered that last year’s regular-season champs would duplicate their 60-win success … well, at 37-22 with 23 games remaining, you can prepare to make those tickets a sacrifice to the spring’s last fire.

And those vacation-home investments in the Cavaliers to win the NBA title. You can …

Whoa, now hold on there.

No one expected the addition of James Harden earlier this month to rejuvenate the future superstar, but few have been more consistent than the league’s boringest player in his first seven games out of the California sunshine.

The best part about Harden’s play on LeBron’s old court is that he’s accepted the role of Haliburton – a guy willing to sacrifice shots (until a big one is needed) while being a glue piece. He’s had seven or more assists six times already, complementing games of 10 rebounds, three steals and three blocks.

When the Cavaliers won for the sixth time in Harden’s short honeymoon on Tuesday, they sent a message to the Knicks: We were better than you last season, and now that we’ve caught you in the standings, rest assured we’re better than you this year, too.

Who knew Harden still had secret powers beneath the beard?

Atlanta Hawks

The Hawks were labeled a winner at the trade deadline more so for what they dumped (Kristaps Porzingis) than what they hauled (Jonathan Kuminga).

As much as they came to despise Kuminga, three games into the Porzingis era, Warriors fans would have to agree.

The Hawks certainly didn’t respond well immediately to the deal, losing to the Hornets twice among three straight defeats in the immediate aftermath of the deadline. But that was to be expected from a team still acclimating to the earlier exporting of former franchise posterboy Trae Young.

They also played six straight games without Kuminga, who debuted with a bullet on Tuesday, demonstrating his personal highlight reel from days past wasn’t some AI-created cartoon.

Like in his teen-age days with the Warriors, Kuminga was the best player on the court – OK, the Wizards were the opponent – in his Atlanta curtain-raiser, dunking from short range and splashing from deep in a 27-point, 24-minute tribute to Dominique Wilkins.

The Siakam-type performance demonstrated the Hawks now have the star power in tandem with Jalen Johnson to take good outside shooting, perimeter defense, size and depth to the next level.

Their rise is bad news for other likely play-in teams in the East, and then to one of the favorites who might have seen this movie before – like when they were jolted by the underdog Pacers last season.

Charlotte Hornets

Who would have thought T.J. McConnell would become one of the most feared bench players in the Eastern playoffs last season?

The Hornets were watching on TV, but clearly they noticed. Because they went out at the trade deadline and made a similar under-the-radar addition in Coby White.

White is actually more like Kuminga than McConnell, but it’s his game-changing role in short spurts that potentially gives him the type of impact the Pacers got from their gnat last spring.

In an Eastern bracket dominated by defensive-minded clubs, the Hornets appear prepared to demonstrate that good offense beats good defense. Don Nelson will be proud.

Coincidentally, White, like Kuminga, debuted for his new team Tuesday and couldn’t have been more electrifying. With a pair of 3-pointers, 10 points, three rebounds, four assists and a steal in just 16 minutes, he showed his former team – the Bulls – and his former home fans just how much better off he is in ACC country.

Despite a pitch count, the Hornets were 20 points better than the Bulls when White was on the court. It helped produce a second straight win as Charlotte chases Atlanta toward the top of the play-in quartet, with the distinct possibility both will make the playoffs.

Harden, Kuminga and White. Three guys unwanted three weeks ago.

Now three guys nobody wants to have to deal with.