Where to from here?
That’s the question most NBA teams face at this crucial juncture of the season. The excitement of Media Day and first day of school vibes of the start of the season are now replaced with very real questions about what the remainder of the year holds.
Some teams like the Denver Nuggets and Minnesota Timberwolves have been presented a reality check on their championship hopes, while the Orlando Magic may be tempted to address the injury woes created by the absences of Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner.
Looking across the landscape, it certainly appears there will be more sellers than buyers, and that oversupply may create the opportunity for contenders and teams sniffing the playoffs to acquire players at a relative discount. With the second apron firmly in the back of minds of front offices everywhere, negotiations may get that much tougher.
Here are five teams that will be worth paying attention to as the trade deadline approaches:
Buyer: Golden State Warriors
After a red hot 12-3 start, the Warriors have cooled off with six losses over their last eight games. Golden State started the season with a big ‘Strength in Numbers’ plan that involved playing a 12-deep rotation, which resulted in tremendous intensity for all 48 minutes and one of the best defenses in the league.
Squandering a 17-point lead to the San Antonio Spurs and an 18-point lead to the Brooklyn Nets in consecutive games raised some eyebrows, and concern only grew after Golden State was unable to come away with a win against the Phoenix Suns, Oklahoma City Thunder and Denver Nuggets over the next three games. It’s become evident that consistently depending on secondary scoring from Buddy Hield may be stretching him too thin — especially against playoff defenses — and a more proven scorer in that setting should be prioritized.
Since averaging 21.1 points and shooting 50.6 percent from 3-point range over his first eight games, Buddy Hield has come back down to earth with 10.9 points and 37.6 percent shooting from deep over the last 15 games. As alluded to earlier, the Warriors have plenty of depth and several young pieces that could be appealing for a more proven veteran performer in return. Jonathan Kuminga is likely at the top of the list, while Brandon Podziemski, Moses Moody and Trayce Jackson-Davis all carry intrigue as well.
Seller: Chicago Bulls
The will they/won’t they Bulls are back for another trade deadline, and despite the writing so clearly on the wall, Chicago’s front office seems happy to extend its love affair with the treadmill.
Alex Caruso and DeMar DeRozan departed in the summer but Josh Giddey is the new starting point guard, while Zach LaVine has been relatively healthy. There should be a clearer pathway to minutes for the likes of Ayo Dosunmu, 11th overall pick in the 2024 Draft Matas Buzelis and 18th overall pick of 2022 in Dalen Terry.
LaVine is on the books for $43 million this season, $46 million next season and $49 million the following season if he activates his player option. Are contending teams really willing to take on that contract and a wonky knee in the second apron environment? It seems unlikely.
The more viable option may be Nikola Vucevic, who has looked terrific so far this season, averaging 21.0 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 3.2 assists while shooting 64.2 percent on twos and 47.4 percent on threes — both career-highs.
Buyer: San Antonio Spurs
Where the Spurs feel they are in their rebuild process around Victor Wembanyama is the biggest factor in how they approach the deadline. Currently 12-12 as “The Alien” gets better with each passing week, it’s possible San Antonio feels the right move could elevate it above the likes of both Los Angeles teams.
One area that could be addressed is Wembanyama’s scoring map. When Jeremy Sochan has been healthy, Wembanyama has been much more inclined to operate from the perimeter. This season, the French superstar’s frequency of shots at the rim has decreased by almost 10 percent, per Cleaning the Glass, and nearly half his shots are 3-pointers, where he’s shooting 34.1 percent. Sochan has been a pretty productive player himself with 14.5 points and 8.2 rebounds per game, but this may just be a long-term fit issue that could use some fixing.
Featuring tempting young talents like Sochan and Keldon Johnson, the depth chart paints a rosy picture. In combination with a veteran like Harrison Barnes, they could yield a quality forward that fits better alongside Wembanyama.
Seller: New Orleans Pelicans
Things went south quickly in New Orleans. Excited by the acquisition of Dejounte Murray via trade, the Pelicans looked positioned to challenge for at least a Play-In spot out West. A quarter of the season in, though, Zion Williamson has played just six games, Murray has played eight, Ingram is now out indefinitely with a severe low left ankle sprain and Jose Alvarado is still out after playing the first 11 games.
As the Pelicans sit last in the West at 5-20 with vital talents on the shelf, opposing teams may be monitoring things and licking their lips at what may be available. Contenders will presumably covet the likes of Trey Murphy III and Herbert Jones, and it’ll be interesting to see how much the Pelicans value those two players in light of what seems like an inevitable post-Williamson rebuild.
Seller: Washington Wizards
The Wizards are bad, really bad. Well on course for the worst record in the league at 3-19, they have some veterans who could be begging for mercy and some playoff teams that may be willing to save them.
Teams looking for a veteran at the point guard position could do worse than Malcolm Brogdon, while Kyle Kuzma seems to be in his own individual tank mode as he waits for a team to scoop him up. Jonas Valanciunas could also help teams looking for some size and depth at the center position.
