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Chicago Bulls
The Regret: Doing absolutely, positively nothing at the deadline.
This should theoretically be a “Why didn’t the Bulls blow it up?!” diatribe. And, well, it’s a little of that. But Chicago has been on a tear since the All-Star break, going 8-4 with a top-eight offense and top-two defense.
DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine are playing surface-of-the-sun basketball. The Patrick Williams and Coby White bandwagons are visibly more crowded. Patrick Beverley is the best buyout pickup to date.
So, like, maybe the Bulls should have been more aggressive in seeking upgrades? Except, well, they’re still 10th in the East. So maybe they should have blown it up after all? Or perhaps just chilling was perfectly fine? (*shrugs*)
New Orleans Pelicans
The Regret: Failing to meaningfully upgrade their three-point shooting, rim pressure or frontline rotation.
ESPN’s Zach Lowe noted on a recent episode of The Lowe Post podcast that New Orleans came close to completing a deal with Utah for Malik Beasley and Jarred Vanderbilt before the Los Angeles Lakers swooped in. That would have been perfect.
Nabbing Josh Richardson and getting off Devonte’ Graham without forking over a first-rounder was fine. But the Pelicans needed more offensive juice. They are 24th in points scored per possession since Zion Williamson went down, with a shot profile disastrously light on rim attempts and three-point volume.
New Orleans now seems destined to finish outside play-in territory after flirting with top-of-the-West status heading into the New Year. That’s…problematic. But should the Pelicans have been aggressive at all when Zion has no timeline return? I’m honestly not sure.
Sacramento Kings
The Regret: Failing to upgrade the perimeter defense beyond the acquisition of Kessler Edwards.
This “regret” is actually a compliment. The Kings are so good and fun that it would have been nice to see them angle for more than a Kessler Edwards acquisition—someone who can soak up even more minutes on bigger wings while decreasing their dependence on Davion Mitchell. Jacking up their big-man minutes behind Domantas Sabonis would have been neat-o, too.
Declaring full-on regret is a little too nitpicky in the end. The Kings are contending for a top-two seed in the West, and despite their defensive shortcomings, they do a good job crashing the glass, limiting their fouls and forcing rival offenses to work deep into the shot clock. Both Trey Lyles and Chimezie Metu are also helping the non-Sabonis minutes evade complete crap-fests.
Messing with the vibes in Sacramento would have been risky, and the team’s first-round obligation to Atlanta in 2024 (lottery protected) complicated bigger-time aspirations. The Kings are probably better off gauging where they stand in the playoffs and tinkering over the offseason. This doesn’t mean I’ll stop wishing they joined the pursuit for Jarred Vanderbilt, Saddiq Bey, Josh Richardson, Jae Crowder or another wing from Brooklyn.