Taking stock of the East playoff picture post-trade deadline

The Boston Celtics saw several East teams make moves at the deadline while they stood pat; how — if at all — did it change the East playoff picture?

Washington Wizards

The Wiz sent old friend Isaiah Thomas packing in part of a three-team deal sending Marcus Morris to the Clippers, with word he’ll be cut by his “new” team. While he could pose an interesting buyout candidate to Boston, his replacement, UConn product Shabazz Napier, is a clear upgrade.

Napier was sent from the Denver Nuggets in a separate trade that moved guard Jordan McRae to that franchise, while Thomas and the rights to Sanon mentioned above brought on guard Jerome Robinson from the Clippers.

Grade: Napier is a minor improvement over IT given the respective state of each’s career, and will possibly even start over Ish Smith. But neither he nor second-year Robinson will change the ‘Zards fortunes much in their unlikely quest for the eighth seed.