The trade deadline that heats up the NBA every year. There are also cases where the fate of clubs changes due to trades that occur during the season. The trade deadline is February 10th, Korean time. Let’s take a look at what’s been floating around the transfer market so far and take a look at some of the names to keep an eye out for on the deadline.
The article was completed in mid-January, and I added/adapted the content from the February issue of <Rookie>.
James Harden-class big name trade, will there not be this time?
The end of last year’s trade market was really hot. Domantas Sabonis and CJ McCallum had already moved teams before the deadline, and on the day of the deadline, James Harden and Ben Simmons even traded uniforms, making a great deal. Kristaps Porzingis was also decided to transfer with a somewhat shocking return.
How about this season? So far, it seems difficult for a sale that has as much impact as last season to appear. It’s really not easy for a big player like Harden to change teams during the season. In the case of Harden, the trade was a special case because there was a very unstable team situation, a strong will to win, and a counterweight called Simmons, who had fallen out with the club.
However, the possibility of big name trade cannot be ruled out. The stage where unexpected variables can occur at any time is the NBA and the transfer market. There is no law that a transfer of superstars will not happen as long as only a team with a strong will emerges. That’s why fans and pundits keep their eyes on the trade deadline until the end.
At least, the stars who have been frequently named in trade rumors this season are Zack LaVine and DeMar DeRozan. Chicago’s early season slump was prolonged amid Lonzo Ball’s injury, and word emerged that competing teams were waiting for Chicago to hit the rebuild button. In addition, there were even reports that there was tension between Lavigne and director Billy Donovan.
However, contrary to the wishes of other teams, Chicago is unlikely to make any major changes this season. The Chicago front still has feelings for Winnow, and if point guard Lonzo Ball returns, there are plenty of factors for a rebound. The synergy effect of the Rabin-Drosan-Vucevic trio is also being demonstrated more than at the beginning of the season.
There are also Trae Young, who clashed with coach Nate McMillan, and Bradley Beal, who was linked to Russell Westbrook and trade, but it is difficult to see that the transfer is likely to be high at present. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who had a solid step-up this season, also continues to express that he is satisfied with Oklahoma City.
If Toronto’s unstable situation continues, there is room to pay attention to Pascal Siakam. Siakam is averaging 25.7 points, 8.2 rebounds and 6.4 assists this season, and is having a career-high season despite the team’s sluggishness. He is a player with the ability to make a big enough difference if he moves the team.
How many will change?
Utah’s gust of wind, which had risen to the top of the Western Conference at the beginning of the season, surprised many. President Danny Ainge, who obtained multiple draft picks from Cleveland and Minnesota with his negotiating skills unique to the offseason, must also have had concerns about rebuilding due to the team’s unexpected performance.
However, towards the middle, Utah’s momentum gradually waned, and now it has fallen to 10th in the Western Conference. That’s why the possibility of spurring the team reorganization work is much greater than this season’s performance.
Aside from ace Lowry Makkanen and prospect Walker Kessler, it’s hard to be sure of any Utah players staying. For any team that needs an experienced veteran guard, Mike Conley is a player worth considering. Jordan Clarkson, who is making a career-high season, has already been proven for his scoring ability. There is also Jared Vanderbilt, an attractive hunk with outstanding defense and activity.
In the Eastern Conference, there is a chance that Charlotte will go to the deadline as an aggressive seller. Charlotte, who reunited with manager Steve Clifford, is having the worst season due to the failure of Miles Bridges to renew the contract and a terrible injury. In this situation, it is not unreasonable to say that the possibility of trading all players except for Lamelo Ball is open.
However, it seems difficult to promote the transfer of Terry Rozier and Gordon Hayward, who receive considerable salaries. Hayward, who has become a league representative, has become a malicious contractor that many teams are reluctant to do. Kelly Oubre Jr. and Mason Plumlee, who have a small annual salary, are expected to be strong candidates to move the team.
I can’t say for sure, but Toronto is also a team that has the potential to become a seller. Unlike last season, when Toronto entered the playoffs as the 5th seed, it is difficult to even guarantee a ticket to the play-in tournament this season.
Amid sluggish performance, rumors of a trade to Toronto continue. Local media in Toronto also reported that even a meeting with manager Nick Nurses to reverse the atmosphere of the team did not produce much results.
Toronto is suffering from trade rumors for key players such as Gary Trent Jr., Fred VanVleet, and OG Anunobi. VanVleet and Trent are de facto expiring resources that have player options after the end of this season, and Anunobi are 3&D players that fit the trend. In addition, rumors of Ace Siakam’s trade are also coming out.
On the other hand, there is also a view that Toronto will actively strengthen its power through external recruitment. Toronto, which still has a formidable history, is being mentioned as a candidate for the destination of several players who can actually come to the market. Depending on what choice Toronto makes, the movements of many teams will be different.
It is a good card for a team that is difficult to be satisfied with as it is, or
for a team whose trade is ambiguous or is performing below expectations for a rebound. This season, there are quite a lot of trade rumors of teams that are on the brink of failure.
The Minnesota front invested in a number of first-round picks last summer to acquire big man Rudy Gobert. However, it is difficult to say that Minnesota’s achievements so far are satisfactory. Now, I just hit a 50% win rate (22 wins, 22 losses).
One of Minnesota’s most insecure positions is the point guard. Minnesota, which has Towns and Edwards, desperately needs a point guard with a sense of stability rather than offensive power. In the case of starting point guard D’Angelo Russell, the synergy effect with the big men is not as great as expected, and it is uncertain whether he will continue to accompany the team as an expiring contract.
Focusing on Russell, who earns an annual salary of $31 million, Mike Conley and Kyle Lowry are mentioned as guards worth targeting. The team that is showing the greatest interest at this point is Lowry’s team, Miami.
The question is whether Minnesota will be very interested in signing Lowry. In the aftermath of the aging curve, the fact that the decline in skills this season is so obvious is a hindrance. Lowry, whose field goal efficiency has plummeted, also has a history of struggling with injuries in recent seasons.
Miami is a team that desperately needs reinforcement in the forward position rather than the guard position. With PJ Tucker, who already played as a starting pitcher in the previous season, leaving, Miami’s number 4 position has become thin. Jimmy Butler is struggling to fill the void, but it is not easy.
While John Collins and Sadiq Bay are mentioned as targets for Miami, the player most closely connected is Jay Crowder, who made it to the finals in the 2019-2020 season. Crowder, an expiring card, has not played in a game for Phoenix this season and is on a trade block. A player who can play the role of salt enough if his physical condition is normal.
Phoenix, which showed unusual signs due to Crowder’s departure, suffered a fatal blow of line injuries to key players and suffered a significant drop in the rankings. Cam Johnson, who started in place of Crowder, was injured early in the season, while Chris Paul, Devin Booker and Deandre Ayton were injured in rotation. It is difficult to operate a normal rotation, let alone win.
Phoenix, which desperately needs a reversal of the atmosphere, has become the king of interest in the trade market. While various resources are being discussed as candidates for Phoenix’s recruitment, there is a possibility that Deandre Ayton, whose contract renewal process was not smooth, will leave the team. Considering that it has already been pushed to 11th in the West, the need for the Phoenix front to move busily is felt.
In addition, the Lakers, where Anthony Davis did not avoid injury issues this season, are also a team with poor results. The Lakers need reinforcements for their swing man and center positions, but they have already exhausted a lot of future resources, so there is a long way to go to meaningful reinforcements. Portland, where Damian Lillard’s heyday is gradually flowing, also needs to actively strengthen its power.
Note me
Myles Turner is probably the most frequently mentioned figure in the trade market in recent years. But this time, there are signs everywhere that a breakup between Turner and Indiana is imminent. With negotiations on an extended contract effectively falling apart, Turner is likely to leave Indiana at the end of the season due to the expiration of his contract if he is not traded.
Turner is putting on the best results of his career ahead of free agency this season. If it’s a variable, director Rick Carlyle’s love for Turner. Reporter Mark Stein of ‘The Stain Line’ reported that Carlisle was strongly opposed to the Turner trade. 바카라사이트
Boyan Bogdanovic, who moved to Detroit this season in line with Utah’s team reorganization, is also worth noting. Apart from his performance in Detroit, which is in the lower ranks, Bogdanovich is averaging 21.2 points and is in the process of appealing his value. It is known that a number of teams, including the Lakers, Dallas, Phoenix, Cleveland and Miami, were interested in Bogdanovic.
However, despite being a rebuilding team, Detroit is not in a hurry to trade Bogdanovic. Bogdanovic already signed a contract extension with Detroit at the end of October last year. It is Bogdanovich who seems to have a high probability of remaining if satisfactory conditions do not come in to attract the taste.
Along with Turner, transfer rumored regular John Collins has also been linked to several clubs. Collins, who has not fully integrated into Atlanta’s system, has narrowed his position in the team due to poor shooting this season. With Utah, Phoenix, Miami, and Indiana being mentioned as candidates for Collins, signs of diversified trades are also being detected.
Now, San Antonio’s Jakob Purdle, who has definitely hit the rebuild button, is a real hidden center. A puddle with an average double-double record is a player who earns less than $10 million a year. Several clubs, including his home team Toronto, are showing interest in Puddle.
Extra Story
One year after the big deal… Who would have laughed?
The James Harden and Ben Simmons trade, which created a lot of buzz in February last year. So far, it is difficult to give the two teams an accurate score on the trade, but it is expected that a clear assessment will be possible depending on how Philadelphia’s championship challenge ends.
Harden, who ruined last season due to a hamstring injury, is showing signs of a rebound this season and is active as a playmaker in Philadelphia. The 2-on-2 game with Joel Embiid is unstoppable. The success of Harden’s transfer, which even signed an extended contract with Philadelphia, also depended on the performance he would achieve in the playoffs.
Returning from his long hiatus, Simmons has yet to fully recover his skills. He still contributes to the team in many ways, but his aggressiveness in offense is lower than in his Philadelphia days, and his defense, which was his greatest strength, also showed a decrease than before. At least for Brooklyn, it is comforting that they got two first-round picks while sending Harden.
The trade between Sacramento and Indiana, where Domantas Sabonis, Tyrese Halliburton, and Buddy Hield moved teams, seemed to be a win-win. Sacramento, with Sabonis joining, is close to reaching the playoffs, a long-cherished dream. In Indiana, Halliburton has been reborn as the new face of the team, and Heald is also contributing greatly to the team by showing off a high-sensitivity shot.