Detroit Pistons void three-team trade due to failed physical

The Detroit Pistons voided a three-team trade that was agreed to on the day of the NBA trade deadline due to a failed physical.

A three-team deal went down on the day of the NBA trade deadline with the Houston Rockets, Detroit Pistons, and Philadelphia 76ers. That deal is now being voided by the Pistons due to one of the involved players failing their pre-trade physical. The Pistons were set to receive Donatas Motiejunas and Marcus Thorton from the Rockets, but are now voiding the trade because Motiejunas failed the physical.

According to CBS Sports, Motiejunas is recovering from a herniated disc in his back, and has struggled to see consistent minutes with the Rockets so far this season. He assured media when the deal was announced that he was in healthy condition, but that appears to be untrue. It is assumed that the complications with his injury is what caused him to fail his physical, which is unfortunate for all parties involved. The Pistons don’t want a player who is out of shape, obviously, so it was smart for them to back out while they still could. Now, two players for the Rockets return to their original team after that same team had just tried to trade them.

Possibly the worst team in this deal is the Sixers, though. They released one of their fan-favorite players, JaKarr Sampson in order to make room for the bad contract they were absorbing in Joel Anthony (who they were receiving from Detroit), and were expected to release Anthony and re-sign Sampson, but Sampson signed a contract with the Denver Nuggets earlier today. They also no longer get Anthony, or the draft pick that they received in this trade. They ultimately lost Sampson, and got nothing in return.

The whole trade situation is truly bizarre for all teams involved. Many players thought they would be joining new teams after the deadline, but are actually staying right where they started, all due to one failed physical. It truly is very awkward for a lot of players. Sure, the vets understand the league is a business, but it’s got to be awkward playing for a team that actively tried to trade you, and had an agreement to move you with other teams.

It just goes to show that the madness of deadline day can extend further than just when the clock hits 3pm.