The NBA trade deadline is a month away. Rumors have already been swirling, and more will certainly come out of the league’s upcoming All-Star Break. Trade season is always one of the most exciting times, not just because of the actual trades, but the ideas that come out of it. With that being said, here are three NBA trades that would change the league’s landscape.
Three NBA Trades to Shake Up the League
Trade One: Golden State Adds More Star Power, Begins the NBA Trades Race
The trade: The Golden State Warriors send Kelly Oubre, James Wiseman, and Brad Wanamaker to the Dallas Mavericks for Kristaps Porzingis and Wesley Iwundu.
According to Ian Begley of SNY, Dallas reached out to Golden State about a potential Porzingis trade. If this is the case, this is likely the haul that Dallas would consider. With that being said, Dallas shipping away Porzingis could trigger an avalanche of NBA trades.
The Warriors get a potential star in Porzingis. He struggles with injury, but the league knows what he’s capable of when healthy. Porzingis is known as “the Unicorn” for a reason, he can drain threes while posterizing anyone. Pairing him up with the star-studded Warriors, at least next season when Klay Thompson is healthy, will make them a true contender. Iwundu is a solid piece as well for defensive length and depth off the bench.
It may be too early for Dallas to give up on Porzingis, but this is a solid haul. The main piece, of course, is Wiseman. The rookie has already impressed and will help Dallas immensely with what they struggle with in rebounding and rim protection. The potential growth of Wiseman alongside Luka Doncic is tantalizing. Oubre is a nice piece as well, as he’s a talented scorer, and if it doesn’t work out he’s on an expiring deal. Wanamaker is a salary-filler, as Dallas already has Jalen Brunson and Trey Burke off the bench.
Trade Two: Boston Addresses their Struggles
The trade: The Boston Celtics send Marcus Smart, Tristan Thompson, and Robert Williams to the Orlando Magic for Nikola Vucevic and Michael Carter-Williams.
Boston needs big-man help. Daniel Theis has become a very solid player, but he’s best suited for a bench role. Vucevic, however, is an All-Star once again and one of the most overlooked players in the league. He’s averaging 24 points, 12 rebounds, and 4 assists. There’s no going around it – Vucevic is a stud. He makes the Celtics line-up crazy good. Carter-Williams also comes in as a decent bench guard.
Orlando has a lot of work to do to become a contender, and Vucevic isn’t on that timeline. In this trade, the biggest piece is Smart. He’s a fantastic guard and defender and could start for the majority of teams in the league. An injury has side-tracked his season, and it would be tough for Boston to part with him, but it’s worth it for Vucevic. Orlando also gets more big-man help with Thompson and Williams III. Thompson is declining, but Williams III is becoming a very valuable piece. He’s on the right timeline for Orlando’s future.
Trade Three: New York goes All-In for a Playoff Run
The Trade: The New York Knicks send R.J. Barrett, Kevin Knox, Reggie Bullock, and the Mavericks’ first-round pick (2021) along with the Knicks second-round pick (2021) to the Chicago Bulls for Zach LaVine and Denzel Valentine.
The Knicks finally have an All-Star in Julius Randle. In this trade, they get another All-Star and explosive scorer in LaVine. The price is steep with Barrett being involved, but LaVine is already a sure thing. It’s worth the risk, especially with Immanuel Quickley quickly becoming a very valuable player. Valentine is also a talented guard who deepens the Knicks’ bench.
LaVine departing Chicago has been a rumor for a while now. They’re showing improvement this season, but LaVine deserves a shot at a real playoff run. Barrett can very well become a future All-Star, so it’s a solid package. Bullock is an expiring contract, and Knox hasn’t shown his potential but it may still be there. Of course, the Mavericks pick is a potential lottery pick as well.
Main Image: Embed from Getty Images
