A highlight of the Sports Business Classroom (SBC) Business of Basketball Immersive Experience in Las Vegas each July is the “Mock Trade Deadline.”

Over the week, students were divided into groups of 5-6, assigned an NBA team and put to work. Their initial task is to self-identify. Where on the lifecycle do they stand as a franchise? Are they a contender? Is it time to jettison veteran stars and dive deeply into rebuilding?

Following an intensive midterm exam, in which teams present to actively skeptical judges pushing to ensure each group has properly understood themselves and the assignment, the trade window opened!

A total of 16 teams competed, with 14 NPC (non-player characters) run by the SBC staff completing the league. The NPCs could not solicit offers but could negotiate in response to inquiries. Additionally, SBC provided an “agent” to represent all NBA players in the league for negotiating extensions and any other needs.

After the deadline had passed, teams were tasked with a formal presentation in front of their classmates and judges, explaining, justifying and selling the moves they made. Some stood out for all the right reasons, notably the Indiana Pacers, who were named the top team through the exercises. Even the teams who made more questionable decisions performed at a high level.

The following is a list of the 16 teams and write-ups prepared after the program over the last few months:

  1. Atlanta Hawks: Mock Atlanta Hawks Extend Hunter, Acquire Vassell, Garuba
  2. Brooklyn Nets: Mock Brooklyn Nets Get Haul for KD
  3. Charlotte Hornets: Mock Charlotte Hornets Land Deandre Ayton
  4. Dallas Mavericks: Mock Dallas Mavericks Go Big for Luka Championship Timeframe
  5. Houston Rockets: Mock Houston Rockets Add Picks in a Flurry of Moves
  6. Indiana Pacers: Mock Indiana Pacers Land Major Draft Compensation
  7. Los Angeles Clippers: Mock LA Clippers Add Rim Protection, Reshape Bench
  8. Los Angeles Lakers: Mock LA Lakers Send Russell Westbrook to the Utah Jazz
  9. New Orleans Pelicans: Mock New Orleans Pelicans Acquire Kevin Huerter
  10. New York Knicks: Mock New York Knicks Land Donovan Mitchell
  11. Oklahoma City Thunder: Mock Oklahoma City Thunder, Domantas Sabonis Reunite
  12. Phoenix Suns: Mock Phoenix Suns Choose Poeltl over Ayton
  13. Sacramento Kings: Mock Sacramento Kings Recommit to Rebuild
  14. San Antonio Spurs: Mock San Antonio Spurs Reshape with Flurry of Deals
  15. Toronto Raptors: Mock Toronto Raptors Blockbuster for Durant
  16. Utah Jazz: Mock Utah Jazz Trade Donovan Mitchell to the Knicks

Which one do you like best? Who came up short?

How about the NPC teams? Most fielded inquiries, but only a couple finished with completed deals:

Orlando Magic Transactions

  • Traded Terrance Ross to the Clippers for Luke Kennard and a 2024 second-rounder.
  • Traded Cole Anthony and Jonathan Issac to the Thunder for JaMychal Green, Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, Darius Bazley, Tre Mann, a 2024 first-rounder (top-10 protected, unprotected in 2025) and a 2025 first-rounder via the Philadelphia 76ers (top-6 protected, top-4 protected through 2027, else conveys as a 2027 second-rounder).

Detroit Pistons Transactions

  • Traded Killian Hayes to the Spurs for a 2025 Chicago Bulls first-rounder (two years after the Bulls’ prior obligation to the Orlando Magic), top-10 protected in 2025, top-8 in 2028; else a 2028 second-rounder) and a 2024 second-rounder via the Lakers.

Email Eric Pincus at eric.pincus@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter @EricPincus.