The deadline for NBA trade in 2021 is just two days away, and teams at the top and bottom of the standings are queuing up to make their move. While there is no superstar in the market who will redefine the race for the championship – not after James Harden was traded from Houston Rockets to Brooklyn Nets in January – smaller moves could possibly be made to bolster the candidates. and helping teams on the brink of the playoffs another big push.
With that in mind, we asked our experts to answer five big questions after Thursday’s deadline, including which teams they are keeping a close eye on, who can be moved and what their bold predictions are.
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1. What do you look forward to best this week?
Tim Bontemps: What’s Happening to Kyle Lowry? In a trading market without players changing game, Lowry has the potential to be a swing in the title hunt. If he leaves Toronto and ends up with either the Philadelphia 76ers or the Miami Heat, he could completely change the landscape of the Eastern Conference. It’s hard to see any other player moving that could have a similar impact.
Kirk Goldsberry: Can the Lakers get shooting assistance? They occupy the 27th place in the league in the production of three points and the 22nd place in the three-point percentage. The current navy shooter does not scare anyone, and in an era increasingly defined by long-range offenses, purple and gold need an extra firepower for this title defense.
Tim MacMahon: What will the Rebuilt Rockets do? First-year general manager Rafael Stone added a lot of concept capital while handling almost all of last season’s starting line-up. Perhaps the Rockets could add more draft compensation by Victor Oladipo, who Houston hopes can trade to a team that values its Bird rights instead of just renting. Houston also wants to aggressively make money for a player who could be a long-term foundation, like Aaron Gordon, the 25-year-old Orlando Magic forward.
Bobby Marks: Lowry and the Raptors, who lost eight consecutive games and found themselves on the outside of the playoffs (three games in the losing column behind Chicago). Lowry has a current contract of $ 30.5 million and can decide whether he wants to follow a championship with a team like Philadelphia or end the season with the Raptors. Lowry has no trade terms and Toronto is free to send him to one of the other 29 teams. However, because he is considered the best player to ever wear a Raptors uniform and helped lead Toronto to a championship in 2019, Lowry has control over the identity of his next destination.
Royce Young: Will fringe teams move to plan ahead or hope for a play-in appearance? The new season structure could dramatically affect the deadline, with more teams holding their players. This can cause a matter of supply and demand, with quality players that are hard to find.
2. Which title candidate needs the most to move?
Goldsberry: The Sixers need offensive help. Although the Doc Rivers / Daryl Morey era is off to a good start, Philly needs to step up its offense to compete with Brooklyn and Milwaukee, both of which boast top five offenses. Joel Embiid, Tobias Harris and Ben Simmons are a big trio, but if Philly could add one or two more powerful threats in the area – such as Lowry, for example – it would increase the chances of coming from the East.
MacMahon: Needs maybe a little strong, but the 76ers need to be absolutely aggressive in their pursuit of Philly native Lowry, a proven leader who will seemingly fit very well with the franchise cornerstones Embiid and Simmons. Daryl Morey’s history with the Rockets certainly suggests the 76ers will make a splash before the deadline.
Bontemps: All of them? The interesting thing about this season is that all of these fighting teams have flaws. The Lakers and Sixers must take offense. The Nets need defense. The Clippers need someone who can organize a foul. The Bucks need depth. The Heat and Celtics need power forwards. The Nuggets and Blazers both feel short. Even in a market where there are not many interesting things to find, they all have to move.
Marks: Since the Celtics are not contenders for the title, I’m going to pick Philadelphia. I know Doc Rivers was on the record and said he loves his team and that Embiid needs to get well again. However, this 76ers team looks at the subjects trading: $ 30 million in expiration contracts, an exception of $ 8.3 million, two popular young players in Tyrese Maxey and Matisse Thybulle, and the ability to pick up two first-round trades . Yes, it takes two to tango when it comes to trading, but the 76ers should not be content when it comes to the deadline, especially not if a player like Lowry is available.
Young: I keep the Denver Nuggets in the ‘title contender’ category, even though it’s a little tough because they were in the NBA Finals fourth season last season and still have a top 15 player in the rankings. The Nuggets clearly lack elements to achieve consistency, and they need shooting and scoring options to complement Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic.
Which probable lottery team needs the most to move?
MacMahon: It’s time for a roster recovery in Orlando, which probably looks like the five best lottery chances after squeaking in the playoffs the past two seasons. According to a source, Evan Fournier has made it clear that he does not intend to sign with the Magic as a free agent again this summer. Orlando might as well get something in return for a player scoring 19.1 points per game effectively. Gordon, who has another season left on his contract, is asking for a lot of interest.
Marks: I do not want to say that Orlando should move, but the Magic have the brands to reload their roster and start planning for next season. The Magic have been sidelined by injuries this season and are consequently after the lottery. Due to his expiration contract, Fournier is rather a short-term loan, but he can help a play-off team look into further shooting. It is now time for Orlando to maximize its returns in an agreement for Gordon, which is under contract until 2021-22.
Young: The Oklahoma City Thunder. Sam Presti is reconfiguring the roster, but there are some veteran players for whom other teams may find appreciation. Al Horford may be difficult to move because of his remaining salary, but George Hill and Mike Muscala are very available and can significantly increase good teams. And no, Presti would not say he already has enough future concepts.
Bontemps: The Orlando Magic were usually reluctant to make any major moves. That should change this year. Fournier has a running contract, and Gordon plays the same position as injured forward Jonathan Isaac. Both should be traded by Thursday to give the team a chance to rebuild, rather than stay on the treadmill to fight for the 8-seed.
Goldsberry: Even after sending out PJ Tucker, Houston is still sitting on some negotiable contracts that can not only help candidates but also fetch return pieces to fuel the rebuilding of the Rockets. Sending out Oladipo, Danuel House or even Eric Gordon could help Houston finally pull out of this nightmare to the Harden.
4. What is a trade (or type of trade) that you most want to see happen?
Marks: I want to see Dallas take a turn and get Andre Drummond. This Mavericks team can beat the best on any given night, but I’m worried Kristaps Porzingis can hold out the rest of the season. The time to get help for Luka Doncic is now not in the off-season. The Mavericks may offer the contract of James Johnson and Willie Cauley-Stein to Cleveland, but the challenge is to raise an extra $ 3 million salary with a player who is not part of the rotation. A combination of Johnson and Dwight Powell works, but Cleveland inherits the $ 11.1 million that Powell owed in 2021-22 and 2022-23. Since Jarrett Allen is likely to recommend a nearly $ 20 million salary to free agency, the Cavaliers would be a non-starter for Powell without the help of a third team.
Young: Oladipo to Denver. The Nuggets will have to match salaries, so Gary Harris and an incentive young player for the Rockets like RJ Hampton or Zeke Nnaji. But the Nuggets are in a window with Jokic and Murray and should make the most of the opportunity. They threw off a bit this season after running to the West Finals, and we all know that time in the NBA is short. A healthy Oladipo could push the Nuggets back into the championship call.
Bontemps: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Languages Horton-Tucker for Bogdan Bogdanovic. The Falcons need defense and will get it in both KCP and THT (plus it was nice to write those abbreviated names in a row). The Lakers meanwhile need another creator and shooter, and Bogdanovic will provide both. On top of that, he would be able to start long-term for them, something he would love to have. He will also give a team that will face very difficult financial decisions in the summer, as he is under contract for the next three seasons.
Goldsberry: Miami gets another star in front of the rack. The Heat have emerged as a defensive powerhouse, but their offense just hasn’t clicked this season. Whether it’s Lowry, Oladipo or another player, I’d like to see the Heat introduce another star that could put this group back in contention and make the East even more fascinating.
MacMahon: The Nuggets are now under candidate status, but maybe that could change if Denver uses one of its intriguing development players to upgrade immediately. It makes sense that the Nuggets are aggressive, even if it’s just a hire. If a player acts at MVP level, as Nikola Jokic is, you should be in win-now mode.
5. What is your prediction of the risky trading term
Young: Toronto blows it up. It’s been around for a long time, but with its aging and expensive core, the birds of prey have to turn to what they hope is an abbreviated rebuild. Lowry is a Raptors legend, but his time will come to an end and he will move to another Oriental team to make another turn in another final.
Bontemps: Lowry is traded. After losing eight games in a row, it’s hard to argue that Toronto is a realistic contender to make noise in the East. As a result, the birds of prey have to move Lowry to a rival and give themselves a chance to quickly turn around their young core of Fred VanVleet, Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby.
Goldsberry: Boston does not get a deal. The Celtics are 0.500 and especially need help in their foreland. However, this front office quickly earns a reputation for the deals it does not make, and the trade deadline is a notorious time to acquire meaningful new pieces at reasonable prices. The Celtics may want to add pieces, but they will not allow them to be fledged. In turn, they will end up empty-handed.
MacMahon: The Celtics, who are luxury to pay luxury taxes for a team that entered at 0.500 this week, do not find it suitable for their big trade exception. Harrison Barnes will make a lot of sense, but the Kings should not move him unless they get a significant return.
Marks: Lowry is traded to Philadelphia for a package of Danny Green, Mike Scott, Vincent Poirier, Thybulle and the 76ers’ unprotected first round in 2023.