In what was an insane final rush before the trade deadline, the Philadelphia 76ers sent reigning Rookie of the Year Michael Carter-Williams to Milwaukee as part of a three-team deal that included Phoenix.
In return, the Sixers get the Lakers’ top-five protected 2015 first round pick that was owed to Phoenix, while the Suns get Brandon Knight from the Bucks (to help replace Goran Dragic and Isaiah Thomas, who were sent out).
Milwaukee also receives Mason Plumlee and Tyler Ennis from Phoenix.
Adrian Wojnarowski was first with the story, but it was quickly confirmed by multiple sources.
This trade broke all at once — with some false reports along the way — but here’s how it shakes out.
What the Sixers got that they wanted more is picks. Maybe some very good picks.
Also, as part of the Suns-Bucks-Sixers mega-deal, Sixers get Suns' protected first-round pick via Lakers, per person with info of deal.
— Jeff Zillgitt (@JeffZillgitt) February 19, 2015
That pick is top five protected this season and next (it’s likely the Lakers are one of the five worst teams in the league this year, but 2016 is up in the air).
The Bucks are fans of Carter-Williams and they landed their man (on a rookie deal) along with Tyler Enis and Miles Plumlee of the Suns. That’s three guys with some potential. They wanted to get rid of Knight because they were afraid he would get overpaid this season.
The Suns may be willing to pay Knight because he will make less than Dragic. Knight is averaging 17.8 points a game, shooting 40.9 percent from three and has a PER of 18.5. He was a borderline All-Star in the East and can be a solid fit next to Bledsoe.
The Suns made massive changes to the roster through multiple deals — they traded away both Goran Dragic and Isaiah Thomas, they get in return two Miami first round picks (likely 2017 and 2019), the Cavaliers 2016 first-round pick, Marcus Thornton, Kendall Marshall, Danny Granger, Shawne Williams, and Justin Hamilton, in addition to Knight. They have remade the roster, and not in a way that’s just about grabbing the eight seed this season.