Two weeks after NBA's trade deadline, here are the deals paying off
The name of the game is improve and win.
That is usually the goal of teams looking to make moves at the NBA's trade deadline, and this year, a handful of playoff hopefuls and contenders were very active.
With two weeks having passed since the deadline, it's time to take a look at the teams that have benefited the most from their moves.
Here are the biggest winners from the trade deadline so far.
It's hard to imagine a more seamless transition for a team and a new acquisition than what has taken place with the Nuggets since they acquired Gordon from the Orlando Magic.
The Nuggets are 6-0 with Gordon on the court, and he has benefited from having more room to operate.
The Nuggets are fifth in the NBA in 3-point percentage (38.7%), while the Magic rank 24th (35.2%). The improved spacing has helped Gordon's efficiency, and he is shooting 60.8% from the field in six games with Denver.
The return on investment in Gordon has the Nuggets looking the part of a powerhouse in the Western Conference, which is what FOX Sports' Jason McIntyre predicted after the Nuggets made the trade.
Norman Powell, Portland Trail Blazers
Powell's numbers have taken a slight dip since he came to Portland in a trade with the Toronto Raptors.
He averaged 19.6 points while shooting 49.8% from the field and 43.9% from 3-point range with the Raptors. Now he's averaging 18 points while shooting 45.3% from the field and 41.9% from 3.
But he has been everything the Blazers could have hoped for in his first six games with the franchise.
The Blazers are 4-2 in games Powell has played, and he has scored in double figures in every game.
Powell was traded for Gary Trent Jr. and is averaging three more points than Trent averaged for the Blazers. He's also shooting better from the field, 3-point range and the free-throw line.
Going from a veteran team with championship aspirations to a young team fighting to make the playoffs for the first time can be difficult for a veteran player.
And it was for Williams, who said that he thought about retiring after being traded from the LA Clippers to the Hawks.
It's a good thing he didn't call it quits just yet because he is making the most of his second stint in Atlanta, having previously spent the 2013-14 season with the Hawks.
The Hawks are 4-1 in the five games Williams has played, and the veteran guard is still scoring in bunches off the bench.
Williams has scored in double figures in four straight games, and in his five games with the Hawks, he is averaging 13.2 PPG while shooting 60% from 3-point range in just 24.2 minutes per night.
The boost in scoring has the Hawks sitting at 27-25 and fifth in the Eastern Conference.
While Gordon, Powell and Williams have had the biggest positive impacts on their new teams, some players are taking a little longer to get acclimated.
Here are three other players worth monitoring down the home stretch of the regular season.
Rajon Rondo, LA Clippers
Rondo has appeared in only two games with the Clippers since being part of the trade that sent Williams to Atlanta.
But the Clippers have won both games he has appeared in, even if his impact has been minimal, with him scoring four total points and handing out four assists across the two contests.
The Clippers are hoping to see Rondo's true impact in the postseason, where he has a proven track record of dominance.
He has won a championship with both the Boston Celtics (2008) and Los Angeles Lakers (2020) and averages 13.3 PPG, nine APG and 5.9 RPG in 121 career playoff games.
If the playoffs were to start today, the Bulls would be in the play-in round as the 10th seed in the Eastern Conference.
They have added a major weapon in the form of Vucevic to help make them one of the more dangerous play-in teams in the conference.
The Bulls lost their first four games with Vucevic in the lineup but have since won two in a row, and he is coming off his best game with the team, a 32-point, 17-rebound outing in a win over the Indiana Pacers.
In six games with the Bulls, Vucevic is averaging 22.7 PPG and 10.8 RPG. That production combined with 2021 NBA All-Star Zach LaVine gives the Bulls a legitimate dynamic duo that should make them a threat in the postseason.
Oladipo has been able to play in only three games for the Heat, and in those three games, he has been a mixed bag.
The Heat are 2-1, but Oladipo is averaging just 10 PPG and shooting 31.4% from the field and 14.3% from 3-point range.
The good news is his scoring output has increased in every game, from six points to eight points to 16 in his most recent game.
The Heat are in sixth in the Eastern Conference and will need the best version of Oladipo heading into the playoffs, with hopes of getting back to the NBA Finals for a second consecutive season.
For more up-to-date news on all things NBA, click here to register for alerts on the FOX Sports app!