With the NBA trade deadline draws nearer, NBA teams are really assessing themselves to see what it is they need to truly accomplish their goals this season thus far. The first trade so far set the bar high for the next potential trades to come, with four-teams being involved, sending 12 players to new teams around the league. These teams include the Houston Rockets, Denver Nuggets, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Atlanta Hawks.

The Rockets will be acquiring Robert Covington, Jordan Bell, and a 2nd Round Pick from the Timberwolves, while they receive a hefty acquisition in Malik Beasley, Evan Turner, Juancho Hernangomez, Jarred Vanderbilt, and a 1st Round Pick. The Nuggets will be receiving Gerald Green, Shabazz Napier, Noah Vonleh, Keita Bates Diop, and a 1st Round Pick as well. Lastly, and perhaps the biggest part of this trade was sending the Rockets’ Clint Capela to the Atlanta Hawks alongside Nene.

It goes without saying that all teams included can walk away satisfied with their new pieces respectively, with a solid two-way player such as Covington going to the Rockets. The Timberwolves are seeking a solution in their point guard situation, hoping that they’re taking steps in the right direction, while the Nuggets seek to potentially deepen their bench with solid players such as Green and Napier. As for the Hawks, they have very much found themselves a solid player at the Center position to play alongside John Collins in the frontcourt.

This is only the first of potentially many trades to be made before the deadline approaches, which should be on all NBA fans’ radars until then.

As we approach the halfway point into the NBA Season, we’ve seen what teams that have met, surpassed, and fell short of the expectations that were set upon them at the beginning thus far, kicking things off with the Atlantic Division.

Boston Celtics (25-9): A-

This season has been great so far if you’re a Celtics fan. After last season’s fiasco with the depth issues that the team had faced, people were fairly skeptical going in with that issue being resolved, ultimately with the loss of Kyrie Irving and Terry Rozier. With said skepticism, fans were unsure if Kemba Walker was enough to make up for the two guards. The concerns have quickly been shut down, with the Celtics being placed second in the standings so far, only behind Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks. Alongside Walker, the rest of the Celtics roster has stepped-up, most notably Jayson Taytum and Jaylen Brown, who have been showing that they are in the conversation for one of the premier duos in the league.  The Celtics rank in the top 10 for both Offensive and Defensive Rating, being 7th and 3rd, respectively. If they can continue this level play throughout the latter half of the season, the Celtics would make a very interesting contender in this year’s NBA Playoffs.

Brooklyn Nets (16-19): C-

The Nets going from last season to this one is quite the opposite of the Cetlics’. The Nets made it to Playoffs season for the first time since 2015, and going into this season with the acquisition of Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant, and DeAndre Jordan, Nets fans expected quite a lot from the team. However, things can happen throughout the grueling 82-game season, and injuries are bound to happen. Durant isn’t projected to play this season, but with Irving jumping back and forth between playing and being on the injury list, the Nets have struggled to find much rhythm. With names like Spencer Dinwiddie, the Nets have been able to keep themselves near the cusp of a .500 record. However, with no definitive return in sight for Irving, the Nets’ future this season remains undoubtably questionable.

New York Knicks (10-26): D

The Knicks have quite obviously been a bottom-tier team for many years. They’ve struggled heavily trying to establish themselves, having no real standout player. Marcus Morris has been the teams’ main offensive option, however they’re still ranked in the bottom 10 in terms of Offensive and Defensive Ratings. There generally isn’t much to say about this roster, for they weren’t necessarily projected to do very well this season, which has been apparent, being tied for second to last in the Eastern Conference. To end this on a high note, however, the team really is more built for a long-term rebuild, which is exciting for fans for the future.

Philadelphia 76ers (24-14): B-

Going into the new season, the 76ers carried high expectations after exiting the Playoffs against the Toronto Raptors last year. The 76ers have kept their roster fairly the same as last year, all except the loss of Jimmy Butler and his move to Miami. Despite such a loss, the 76ers have been able to maintain a solid level of play, placing fifth so far this season, with Embiid and Simmons at the forefront. It is almost certain that the 76ers will make the Playoffs, but genuinely is a matter of positioning in the conference.

Toronto Raptors (24-13): B

Last seasons’ NBA Champions, the Toronto Raptors received quite a harsh blow to their roster with the loss of Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green. Despite such losses, the team has still found much success, placing fourth in the league. The Raptors were expected to be a middle of the pack team, but they have managed to rally together and play solid basketball, specifically behind Pascal Siakam, and Kyle Lowry, and Fred VanVleet. This far into the season, the Raptors have proved themselves that they’re genuine contenders for the Playoffs.