NBA trade deadline: Six deals that would make the league more fun
By Wes Goldberg
The NBA trade deadline is only a few weeks away, and front office folks are starting to take a look at their rosters to identify areas of improvement. This is the time where teams with no hope put players on the trading block, teams looking to make a jump become buyers and rumors begin to swirl.
Here at The Friendly Bounce, we take a look at some possible trades that would make the league more fun. Remember, these aren’t trades that necessarily make teams better and some may be a stretch as far as both teams agreeing to the deal–though I did try to keep those things in mind. These are trades built around putting players in position that would be more enjoyable for basketball fans. Anyway, let’s get started.
Celtics send David Lee, Jonas Jarebko and Dallas’ 2016 first round pick to Brooklyn for Brook Lopez
The Nets have fired its coach and general manager, they don’t have a decision maker nor a promising future. They need to hit the reset button. Hard. Brook Lopez has long been buried in Brooklyn. He’s a fine shot maker and stretch five and needs to be somewhere where he’ll be used appropriately.
Enter the Boston Celtics, who want to stretch the floor and make shots. The Celtics have some great role players, but they are missing a star. Lopez has star ability, and the Celtics have the assets to get him. President Brad Stevens would be able to get the most out of Lopez, who would become an elbow controlling, mid-range shooting major key in Boston’s fun and gun offense.
The Nets, who are without a first round pick until 2019, need a first round pick in order to appropriately hit the reset button. David Lee is an expiring contract, and Jonas Jarebko is a fine player with two years left on his deal. Brooklyn would save nearly $18 million this summer by doing this deal, money they could use to possibly rebuild in free agency.
Rockets send Dwight Howard to Wizards for Marcin Gortat, Kris Humphries and Otto Porter
The rumor is that Dwight Howard will opt out after this season, and who could blame him? The Rockets have been a bit of a mess, with a mixed and matched roster that doesn’t make much sense or leave much leeway. They seem to be in that Clippers land of “Really Pretty Good But Never Going To Be Better Than The Warriors, Thunder Or Spurs.”
This trade would get Howard out of the top heavy Western Conference and into the familiar Eastern Conference where he had his best years. He would go to a big but not too big market and get to play with the pick-and-roll maestro John Wall. Most importantly, he could play a key role in trying to lure Kevin Durant to Washington, a move that could lift the Wizards into contention and ultimately lead to his first championship.
This season, the Wizards would go from unwatchable to fantastically fun. A Howard deal would surely lift them to the playoffs, where we could watch Wall and Howard pick-and-roll teams to death and kick out Bradley Beal and Jared Dudley. Oh, what fun!
For Houston, they get a fine center in Gortat, a stretchish-four in Humphries and another nice asset in Otto Porter. Not a bad haul, if they believe Howard is gone after this season.
Thunder send Dion Waiters to Kings for Marco Belinelli
This deal makes both teams more fun. I’m sick of watching Dion Waiters screw things up in Oklahoma City, and I feel bad for a good role player like Marco Belinelli throwing valuable years of his career away in Sacramento.
Let’s flip ’em!
The Kings become the single greatest soap opera in the history of the NBA with a starting lineup of Rajon Rondo, Waiters, Rudy Gay and DeMarcus Cousins. Can you imagine that? Seriously… what would happen?
It would also give the Thunder another reliable shooter who could make a difference in the playoffs, further evening the field in the West.
Bulls send Pau Gasol and Doug McDermott to Grizzlies for Zach Randolph
How much fun would it be to watch the Gasol brothers reunited at last?
The Chicago Bulls could use a shake up, and Pau Gasol is creating lineup issues for them because he is reportedly unwilling to come off the bench. Gasol is still a good big man, and trading him to Memphis to play along with his brother Marc could be a way to put a smile on his face. He may even be willing to come off the bench, as long as he’s promised staggered minutes with his little brother.
Throw Doug McDermott in there for good measure, and the Grizzlies add a potential floor spacer.
For the Bulls, they get the gritty Z-Bo, who isn’t a blood brother but quite possible a soul-mate to Joakim Noah. What fun.
Grizzlies send Mike Conley and Tony Allen to Knicks for Arron Afflalo, Jose Calderon and Jerian Grant
Another Grizzlies trade. We’re blowing it up.
Memphis sends Mike Conley and his expiring contract to the New York Knicks in exchange for Arron Affalo, Jose Calderon and rookie Jerian Grant.
Why would the Grizzlies do this? They probably wouldn’t. But let’s just say they feel as if Conley has plateaued and they don’t want to pay him market price–something that will most certainly be close to the max in a ballooned salary cap. So they deal him before the trade deadline and get Dave Joerger the floor spacers he desperately needs.
Combined with the previous trade, now the Grizzlies have a starting lineup of Calderon and the Gasols (The Three Amigos!), Afflalo and Jeff Green.
The Knicks, meanwhile, get a top point guard to pair with Carmelo Anthony and Kristaps Porzingis, as well as one of the best perimeter defenders the NBA has to offer. Suddenly the Knicks are among the best teams in the East.
Kings send DeMarcus Cousins to Hornets for Al Jefferson, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and a 2016/17 first round pick
We couldn’t have gone this whole time without finding a home for Boogie.
I like the Charlotte Hornets for DeMarcus Cousins. After all, it’s Michael Jordan’s team, and the organization is at a cross roads. They can either be a middling franchise or one that takes a shot at an All Star. Cousins is one of the 10 best players in the league when he’s engaged, and he’s needed a change of scenery for a while.
Hornets coach Steve Clifford has shown an ability to get the best out of his players and coach to their strengths, and I like the potential partnership of him and Cousins.
Cousins would become Charlotte’s best player, paired with Kemba Walker and Nic Batum, the Hornets would have a nice trio they can build around.
Meanwhile, the Kings would get Big Al Jefferson, who is on an expiring contract. Jefferson has a tendency to favor the dollars in free agency and, with his Bird Rights, I like Sacramento’s chances of retaining him. They also get the promising Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and a future first round pick to build around.