NBA Trade Deadline Watch: CP3 on the Move? Will the Cavs Trade Love?
It’s the calm before the storm. All-Star Weekend is approaching, and NBA fans know what that means: The trade deadline. Teams spent all Summer making moves to buff their rosters up through signings and trades and this is the last time teams can shuffle their lineups before the final stretch. That said, the buzz around the league’s rumor mills spikes with the possibility of many players being on the move soon. To get ready for this craziness, here’s your cheat sheet to the NBA’s trade deadline.
The Pistons Are Up for Sale
Recently Vincent Ellis reported the entire Detroit Pistons roster is on the trade block. This means stars like Andre Drummond, Blake Griffin, and Derrick Rose may very well be in separate uniforms come mid-February.
Point guard and former MVP Derrick Rose is finally showing consistently that he can put points up in bunches. He is averaging 18.3 points per game, which would be good for 4th highest in his career if he keeps it up. He has proved that he is a great bench player at the very least and can start for teams like the Lakers and Mavs who are both great currently but would be more elite with consistent scoring from their guards. A lineup with Rose, Porzingis, and Luka or Lebron, AD, and Rose would be amazing to watch. I bet the two teams are going to be gunning to make it happen by February 6th. Rose’s ability to put up points nightly boosts his value to a late first-round pick or a couple of seconds right now. One package that could work for the Lakers is simply Kyle Kuzma for Rose or they could throw in second to combat any other offers teams make. The Mavs don’t have any 1st round picks to trade until 2025 so I’d make the Lakers the favorite to land him for now.
Star center and prolific rebounder Andre Drummond is a unique force in the league today. He’s a relic of the past as he can’t shoot but can dominate the paint any given night, and that’s valuable to teams who like to stretch the floor — as Drummond can provide second chance opportunities consistently. Teams like the Mavs again and the Bucks who are thin at the center spot could use Drummond’s talents to push them up a tier in contention. The Bucks still have a wealth of first-round picks and could send one of them and center Brook Lopez in exchange for Drummond. This would bolster their roster substantially and may make them the clear favorite to run the East from here on out.
Finally, we reach Blake Griffin. He’s had a noticeable drop-off in production since last year, going from 24 PPG to just 15.5. This decline in points may make it easier on teams to get his All-Star talent for cheap. Teams like the Sixers and Bucks once again would enjoy his skill set. The Sixers are already committed to having a large lineup and Blake Griffin’s 6’9” frame fits the bill. He can attack the paint and make plays on his own which would be helpful since Giannis Antetokounmpo and Ben Simmons find themselves burdened with handling the ball all too often. The addition of Blake Griffin to either squad would add some depth to their respective games, and I think one of these two will end up with him by March.
D’Angelo Russell on the Move?
Guard D’Angelo Russell has been as solid as they come. He is averaging 24 PPG this season — the highest of his career while playing relief for Steph Curry. He showed last season he can be an elite leader and get a team to the playoffs. He has shown out this year without the same team success, unfortunately. With Steph and Klay Thompson returning in a few months, it doesn’t make sense to keep him around. Add on the fact the Warriors have no playoff hopes this season, and it becomes clear they should let him go and get what they can. His trade value should be sky-high and there are a few teams that could field his hefty contract and use his talents.
One team that pops off the page is the Timberwolves. Their starting point guard is Shabazz Napier right now, and they are just currently miles away from the playoff picture because of their lack of depth there. The leadership seems like it has been lacking as well, so adding D Lo would be perfect. The ball movement in Minnesota could use some work as they are 20th in that regard. D Lo has been a solid facilitator of the ball, getting just over 6 assists per game this year. Pairing him with a pick and pop center like Karl Anthony-Towns and there could be a prolific duo in Minnesota if this trade goes through. A possible trade package could include a couple of firsts or maybe just a second and Andrew Wiggins — but I doubt the T-Wolves want to get rid of the scoring machine.
Though the specifics of a trade are murky from here, the upside of getting a trained leader is crucial for Minnesota in their quest to change the culture of their locker room.
Kevin Love Wants Out?
12 seasons into a solid career, star power forward Kevin Love has certainly seen better teams. On a struggling young Cavs team, Kevin Love’s services have been wasted on a 13th place position in the east. He said he wants to get to a contender (per The Athletic), possibly via trade. Teams that could use him include the Heat, Celtics, and Warriors.
Though the Warriors aren’t contending this season, they likely will be next year. That fact alone may postpone a possible trade until the offseason. The other teams that would trade for him need him now, so I believe if it’s going to happen, it’s happening in February. The Cavs could trade a second and Love to the Warriors for D’Angelo Russell to start next to 4th overall pick Darius Garland. Love could start next to Draymond Green with the Warriors getting back to their small-ball ways in the 2021 season.
The Heat are another team that comes to mind when talking depth at power forward. They are currently starting Meyers Leonard and adding the fringe star talent at the position could put the top 4-seeded Heat in a prime spot to contend. They have 2 first-round picks at their disposal in the next 3 years and could send one of them and a role player like Derrick Jones Jr. or Dion Waiters for Kevin Love.
The Celtics are currently vying for the 3rd spot in the east with the Heat and are in a similar situation. They have nice pieces like Kemba Walker, Jayson Tatum, and Jaylen Brown, with Gordon Hayward playing solidly since recovering from that terrible injury from last season. They haven’t won a game against the Sixers — lacking the big man-play they need right now to make a real postseason push. If they want to get out of the east, they’ll need to upgrade, and I believe that will come in the form of Kevin Love. A package of Hayward and a second could fly, but the concerns about his contract are real. If the other teams I listed push hard enough, the Celtics may be forced to give up more than a second, which would be absurd.
K Love is a force down low and will be wherever he goes.
Thunder Making Moves?
The Oklahoma City Thunder have been surprisingly good this season, despite the losses of beloved guard Russell Westbrook and forward Paul George to free agency. They have been bolstered by the play of future Hall of Fame guard Chris Paul, who has been solid all year, and PF Danilo Gallinari with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander becoming a scoring machine.
Though Chris Paul has one of the most ludicrous deals in the league (owed $38 million this year and $41 next year), he has been essential to the Thunder’s success and is a must-keep in my opinion. Center Steven Adams has been great for them, and it may be time to move on from Gallinari. He is owed $22 million this year and will be a free agent this Summer. It would be nice to cash in on his value now by getting picks from power forward-hungry teams like the Heat and Celtics.
If the Thunder don’t feel like holding onto Chris Paul because of his contract, some teams around the league would love his services. Though Lebron is the ball handler in LA right now, he’s always wanted to team up CP3, and the one-two-three punch of Paul, Davis, and James would cement the Lakers as the favorite. It’s a lot of money to go around, but hey, that’s LA. They could package Kyle Kuzma, Rajon Rondo, and a second-rounder for Paul, but this is an unlikely scenario altogether.
The Thunder have a lot of young assets in their hands already and can add to their arsenal if they play this trade deadline correctly.
The trade deadline could change the landscape of the NBA’s postseason altogether. What happens in the next week or so could dictate who is raising the Larry O’Brien Trophy in June.
