NBA

Heat receive: Second-round pick

Pacers receive: C Thomas Bryant and second-round pick

This transaction amounts to next to nothing, as Indiana receives an insurance policy at center in wake of multiple injuries at the position and Miami clears a roster spot. I suppose a trade like this works in favor of the aggressor — the Pacers — but there are no winners or losers, except for maybe Bryant, who returns to the state where he played in college.

Bryant has been a decent reserve big this season, as the 27-year-old is averaging 4.1 points and 3.2 rebounds per game.

Heat Grade: C+

Pacers Grade: C+

MLB

Astros receive: 3B Isaac Paredes, RP Hayden Wesneski and 3B Cam Smith

Cubs receive: RF Kyle Tucker

Tucker didn’t enter this offseason as a trade candidate, but between a strong free agent market and hefty contract projections next winter for the right fielder, a deal went from improbable to possible.

In this deal, Houston receives big leaguers Isaac Paredes and Hayden Wesneski, but the real prize might be Cam Smith, Chicago’s 2024 first-round selection that sizzled in his debut season in the minors. Even with just one year remaining on his contract, it’ll be difficult for Paredes, Wesneski and Smith to match Tucker’s value over the long haul. Paredes, in particular, is somewhat of a wild card, as the third baseman posted just a .633 OPS after being traded to the Cubs last season.

For the Cubs, the 2025 roster improves tremendously, subbing in Tucker for Paredes. That’s a given. What’s not a sure thing is what could’ve been with Cam Smith and the organization. That’s a problem for another day, though. For now, Chicago should be elated before then turning its attention to keeping its new right fielder around long term. It obviously won’t be cheap, but the Cubs are light on extended commitments for a big-market club, so the dollars are there to get a deal done.

Astros Grade: C

Cubs Grade: A-

Brewers receive: SP Nestor Cortes and SS Caleb Durbin

Yankees receive: RP Devin Williams

The Brewers are adept at selling at the right time, which is exactly what the club is doing here. Williams, coming off five consecutive dominant seasons, has just one year of team control remaining — as does Cortes — so it fits Milwaukee’s mission of staying ahead of the team-building curve.

At this point, it’s unrealistic to assume the Brewers will take a step back as a result of this trade. Of course, Williams is one of the game’s best relievers, but Milwaukee has lost key pieces in recent years and has still kept humming. Also, it’s not like Cortes is that much of an unequal return, as the left-hander turned in a 9-10 record and 3.77 ERA last season. Milwaukee will keep going, even if it has to overhaul its late-innings strategy.

I love this move for the Yankees. Cortes was on the periphery of New York’s rotation and Durbin is a mostly inconsequential prospect, so the club didn’t have to move mountains to acquire a star. And to be fair, a star is the minimum of what Williams amounts to. The 30-year-old boasts a career 1.83 ERA and 68 saves, and assuming the Yankees extend him, Williams could serve as this generation’s Mariano Rivera for the franchise. Unless, of course, he’s just a rental or falters under the pressure of playing in New York. Those are plausible outcomes, too. But a good swing for the Yankees, nevertheless.

Brewers Grade: B-

Yankees Grade: A-