There were 17 trades on deadline day Thursday involving 45 different players, many of whom are set to be free agents this summer.
However, just how a slew of extensions signed this past offseason left the 2021 free-agent pool shallow, Thursday's trades could have an equally adverse affect on this summer's deals. For example, Victor Oladipo, who could've been one of the top free-agent targets for the few teams with cap space, could end up simply re-signing with his new team, the Miami Heat.
Moving forward, it's possible the trade market will be the biggest resource for teams looking to upgrade their rosters, thanks to a combination of reduced spending power throughout the league and players like Oladipo potentially being off the board before free agency truly gets started.
Looking ahead to this summer, the teams with the most cap space -- the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs -- could take an aggressive approach in free agency, reshaping their rosters while most of the NBA sits on the sidelines.
