What do you make of this..?

Ive dug up 2 trees early in spring. When it was cold and a short while before the leaves would emerge.
Those were oaks. The buds opened like they should but very slowly. It had alot of branches, even a bit down low. I cut them down a bit at the top when they were gathered, cause the tops were rubbish. Leggy and everything. The other branches at the new top got leaves on all of them, but none at the lower branches. So im still stuck with many branches at 50% down which doesnt get any leaves. But didnt seem to die for a loong time.
The tops got their leaves, and then took a stand still. One branch grew about 5 inches, but not more. They are still alive. I also had an oak which had leaves emerging, then just died. I didnt water it any differently, and it was planted in almost the same container as the others.
My blackthorn, dug up at the same time, planted the same way is growing like crazy.
Can it be that they had too little roots, and the leaves were made from more or less the nutrition it still had in the roots etc?

Thanks, Storm.

It could be too few roots. It could be that when you potted them you didn't get the new soil firmed around the roots and left air pockets. It could be that it was just leafing out based on stored energy. It could be that it will be fine, but won't do anything until next year. It could be anything. Or nothing.

Weather, fertilizer (or its lack), water -- too much or too little-- critters, all could play some part. But if there still is green on it, all you can do is continue to care for it, give it winter protection, and see what happens next spring.

Whether your oaks didn't and your blackthorn did is immaterial. They're different species.

Good luck.