NBA Trade Deadline 2019: Winners and losers

NEW YORK, NY - MARCH 13: Kristaps Porzingis #6 of the New York Knicks is welcomed back after tearing his ACL previously in the season prior to taking on the Dallas Mavericks during their game at Madison Square Garden on March 13, 2018 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images) /

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Loser: Los Angeles Lakers

All that smoke and no fire. After the buildup and rosy delusions of Anthony Davis grandeur, the Lakers only came away with Reggie Bullock and Mike Muscala.

Sure, Bullock and Muscala fit the bill as nice stretch rotation pieces, but they pale compared to the high-level moves we expected for Los Angeles.

The Lakers sent out Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk to the Pistons and Ivica Zubac and Michael Beasley to the Clippers. Trading Zubac still doesn’t totally make sense. He’s been one of their more reliable players over the course of the season and is still only 21-years old. The opening of a roster spot doesn’t seem like enough of a benefit of moving him.

Are the Lakers gonna go hard for the rest of the season in an attempt to make the playoffs? Or will they conserve LeBron James with “load management” nights off and fade in the standings? The fact it’s even a question during the ephemeral stage of his prime puts L.A. squarely in the loser category.

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