Examining failed physicals in NBA trade history (and how they relate to Isaiah Thomas)

The waiting game is now approaching the one-week mark in the Kyrie Irving/Isaiah Thomas trade saga. While there are varying reports out there regarding where in the decision-making process the Cavaliers are (i.e. if they are asking for more compensation), the NBA timeline remains clear. A decision will have to be made one way or another on the original deal by Thursday, barring an extension.  

So just how common is this situation in the NBA, in which a physical can prove to be the undoing of a deal? And when exactly can/does the NBA get involved? Let’s take a look back at some of the more relevant situations from past years to help shed some light on the subject.  

Physicals in NBA trades.

A big misconception about NBA trades is that a player always has to undergo a physical for a deal to become official. That’s far from the case. In fact, a team can waive their right to perform a physical on the league trade call for one or several players involved in the deal (when a player is already hurt). For instance, the Celtics traded Marquis Daniels (after he suffered a season-ending neck injury) to the Sacramento Kings to cash in February 2011 for a protected second round pick and cash. The move helped Sacramento get to the salary floor for the season (which is why they included cash). The Celtics also waived a physical on Zoran Dragic upon acquiring in from the Miami Heat in 2015 since they also received a second-round pick in the deal (it was a salary dump). They released Dragic afterwards before the season began.  

This is an important clarification in regards to the Thomas/Irving deal. Even though league sources have confirmed to Bostonsportsjournal.com that the Cavaliers had all relevant medical information prior to the trade call, the Cavs understandably opted for a physical on Thomas, presumably so their own doctors could get a look at him in person. They reportedly found nothing new in his condition (per Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald) that wasn’t already revealed in Boston’s medical records and that makes this ordeal look like a shady situation on their end. Threatening to fail Thomas on his physical without additional compensation from Boston (via public leaks) is raising a lot of eyebrows across the league.

When else in NBA history has a physical led to the vetoing of a deal?  

2016: The Rockets sent Marcus Thornton and Dontas Motiejunas to the Detroit Pistons in a three-team deal. The Sixers took on Joel Anthony’s deal from the Pistons (and a 2nd round pick), while the Rockets received a protected first round pick. The Sixers waived a player (JaKarr Sampson) to make room for Anthony, and he was later claimed on waivers by Denver. However, Motiejunas failed the physical a couple days after the deal was announced, making the original deal vetoed. All the original players went back to their teams, but the Sixers weren’t able to get back Sampson since he had been claimed by another team on waivers. Physical problems continued to hamper Motiejunas in the years following the vetoed trade. The forward failed a physical in restricted free agency as well with Houston that voided a big contract. He’s now stuck playing next season in China after playing on a veteran’s minimum deal with New Orleans last year.

2009: The New Orleans Hornets sent Tyson Chandler to Oklahoma City for Joe Smith, Chris Wilcox and draft rights to DeVon Hardin at the trade deadline in February. Chandler had missed time due to a sprained ankle, but it was a left toe injury that caused Thunder doctors to fail him on his physical, since they deemed the chance of re-injury too high. Chandler was later dealt to the Charlotte Bobcats in July 2009 for Emeka Okafor after Charlotte doctors cleared him physically.

2008: The Knicks acquired Cuttino Mobley, along with Tim Thomas from the LA Clippers in a trade for Zach Randolph and Mardy Collins. Knicks doctors found an irregular heartbeat during Mobley’s physical and decided to have him see additional specialists on the issue. Since one of the main priorities in the deal for the Knicks was to dump Randolph’s salary for future salary cap room, they approved the deal despite doctors concerns about Mobley. Weeks later, the team found out Mobley had hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a potentially fatal heart condition. He retired from basketball three weeks following the deal and no further compensation was given to the Knicks due to Mobley’s condition.

Other vetoed trades due to failed physicals

2007: Steven Hunter (knee)

2005: Shareef Abdur-Rahim (knee)

2002: Mateen Cleaves (foot)

2000: Alvin Williams (knee)

1997: Dino Radja(!) (knee)

1995: Victor Alexander (ankle)

1994: Duane Causwell (foot)

1994: Sean Elliott (kidney)

Takeaways

1. Vetoed trades due to physicals are pretty rare. Teams exchange all information upfront so any red flags are found ahead of time. Generally, there is an understanding by both teams that if a player is hurt, compensation will be reduced or increased, depending on the type of deal. In my mind, the Celtics thought this was the case with Thomas, and included the Brooklyn pick to make it worth the Isaiah risk.

2. Conflicting opinions from various medical staffs can happen. Sometimes a guy who fails a physical (Tyson Chandler, Sean Elliott) gets traded again months after a deal with full clearance from the new team’s medical staff. The Celtics and Cavs appear to be going through something similar here as well.

3. The league can get involved in a trade over a player health dispute, but that’s usually only after a deal is completed. When a team believes that they were not given all the relevant information on a player, that team can file a complaint with the league. At that point, the league can rule if a team deserves more compensation as part of a trade. I’ll touch more on this specific scenario here at BSJ later this week, but needless to say, the Celtics do not believe they withheld any relevant information relating to Thomas’s health.