James Harden-Ben Simmons blockbuster adds spice to NBA trade deadline day

The Phoenix Suns have reportedly agreed to trade Jalen Smith and a future second-round pick to the Indiana Pacers for Torrey Craig. ESPN.com first reported the deal.

Craig, 31, joined the Suns in March 2021 and came off the bench to provide rotation minutes throughout their run to the NBA Finals. The defensive-minded wing signed a two-year, $10 million deal with the Pacers in the offseason, but wound up as the latest casualty of Indiana’s cost-cutting moves at the deadline.

Even though Smith was selected 10th in the 2020 draft, the 21-year-old big man didn’t have his third-year option picked up by Phoenix before the season. Smith averaged 6 points and 4.8 rebounds in 29 appearances this season and will get a fresh start with the rebuilding Pacers, who kicked off a youth movement by acquiring Tyrese Haliburton from the Sacramento Kings earlier this week.

Despite Russell Westbrook’s recent frustration over his fourth-quarter benchings and strained communication with Coach Frank Vogel, the Los Angeles Lakers stood pat at Thursday’s trade deadline.

Westbrook’s shaky play and $47 million contract for next season limited the Lakers’ trade options, as did a desire to retain their future draft picks after sacrificing so many assets in previous trades to acquire Anthony Davis and Westbrook. One proposed scenario — which would have sent Westbrook back to the Houston Rockets with a 2027 first-round pick for John Wall — didn’t materialize.

After maneuvering under the luxury tax line earlier Friday, the Boston Celtics agreed to land guard Derrick White and center Daniel Theis in separate trades with the San Antonio Spurs and Houston Rockets.

Boston will send Josh Richardson, Romeo Langford and a protected first-round pick to the Spurs for White, a 27-year-old guard who had spent his entire five-year career in San Antonio. The Athletic first reported the framework.

Then, the Celtics sent Dennis Schröder, Enes Freedom and Bruno Fernando to the Houston Rockets for Theis, a 29-year-old center who spent his first three-plus seasons with Boston before being traded to the Chicago Bulls at last year’s deadline. ESPN.com first reported the deal.

The Washington Wizards have reportedly agreed to send guard Spencer Dinwiddie and forward Davis Bertans to the Dallas Mavericks in exchange for Kristaps Porzingis.

For Washington, the deal, which was first reported by ESPN.com, hits the undo button on two free agent signings that haven’t panned out. Dinwiddie, 28, signed a three-year, $62 million contract last summer, while Bertans received a five-year, $80 million contract in 2020. Hopes that Dinwiddie (12.6 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 5.8 APG) would find a strong backcourt fit alongside Bradley Beal haven’t materialized, and Bertans’s value has been limited by injuries and his 31.9 percent outside shooting this season.

Just 13 months after James Harden arrived in Brooklyn eyeing a “Superteam” era alongside Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, the Nets agreed Thursday to send the 10-time all-star guard to the Philadelphia 76ers.

In the blockbuster deal, which reunites Harden with former Houston Rockets executive Daryl Morey, Philadelphia will send Ben Simmons, Seth Curry, Andre Drummond and two first-round picks to Brooklyn, according to people with knowledge of the situation. The Athletic and ESPN.com were the first to report the agreement.

The Boston Celtics, who acquired PJ Dozier and Bol Bol from the Denver Nuggets in a January trade, will reportedly send the two players to the Orlando Magic in a move that will drop them below the luxury tax line.

Dozier, 25, has been sidelined since November with an ACL injury and Bol, 22, recently underwent foot surgery.

In the trade, first reported by ESPN, Boston will send a second-round pick and cash to incentivize Orlando’s participation.

Boston entered Thursday roughly $2.7 million above the luxury tax line. Dozier and Bol combine to make roughly $4 million this season.

The Toronto Raptors have agreed to acquire veteran forward Thaddeus Young from the San Antonio Sports in exchange for guard Goran Dragic and a protected 2022 first-round pick, according to the Athletic.

Dragic, 35, landed with the Raptors after an offseason trade with the Miami Heat, but he appeared in just five games in Toronto before departing the team in mid-November. The Raptors, who were expected to use his $19.4 million expiring contract as a trade chip, landed Young, a 15-year veteran who has averaged 6.1 points and 3.6 rebounds off the bench for the Spurs this season.

Thursday’s NBA trade deadline opened with a reported four-team deal involving the Detroit Pistons, Los Angeles Clippers, Milwaukee Bucks and Sacramento Kings in a deal first reported by ESPN.

Seeking interior depth with center Brook Lopez sidelined following back surgery, the Bucks acquired Serge Ibaka from the Clippers. Ibaka, a 32-year-old rim protector, has been limited by injuries of his own over the past two seasons, but has enjoyed fairly good availability since November and is averaging 6.6 points and 4.3 rebounds in 15.4 minutes per game this season.