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Chris O’Meara / Associated Press
The NBA trade winds are gaining momentum and are about to get the rumor mill out of control.
It’s a little late start to the process, due to the delay in opening the 2020-21 campaign, but it could be a race from now until the March 25 deadline.
Several large dominoes have already fallen – most recently, Derrick Rose reuniting with Tom Thibodeau at the New York Knicks (much to Jimmy Butler’s delight) – but that hasn’t slowed down conversations at all.
Since trade negotiations are not always reliable, we are breaking the latest rumors here to buy the substantial reports and sell the smoke screens.
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Frank Franklin II / Associated Press
The Toronto Raptors have recovered relatively from the disastrous 2-8 start, but it still looks a level (or more) behind the Eastern elite. They occupy a good-not-great 10th place in the net ranking and have launched all kinds of caution flags with a 3-9 record against opponents with a record of over .500.
If this is as good as possible, Toronto may have to start thinking more about tomorrow than today. Some within the organization are reportedly ready to make this change by switching to the All-Star six times – and the future unrestricted 34-year-old agent – Kyle Lowry.
“There is a part of the Raptors staff, said league sources, who believe the franchise should say goodbye to their beloved All-Star and start the next Toronto chapter for real,” reported B / R’s Jake Fischer.
Negotiating with Lowry would affect on several fronts and, assuming the return package would be focused on the future, would reduce the ceiling of the current campaign in several stories. But if the Raptors aren’t fighting for a title anyway, what’s the real problem with that? Sometimes, solid business thinking requires taking a step backwards to ultimately pave the way for further progress.
Toronto can illuminate your future in a number of ways. The most obvious would be the receipt of the asset collection, which would not be insignificant. Even though he was a 34-year-old tenant, Lowry’s impact as a top scorer, marksman, defender and conductor on the court could convince a contender like the Los Angeles Clippers or a hopeful rival like the Miami Heat to open the war chest.
But there is also additional exposure for the promising Raptors that Lowry’s absence would create. He is the best in the team in assists and third in points and minutes. Assigning tasks to players like Fred VanVleet, OG Anunoby, Terence Davis and Malachi Flynn with the replacement of this production can be a way to accelerate their ascents.
Toronto obviously shouldn’t report Lowry. But if someone makes an offer according to their stature and statistics, it may be time to end this era of Raptors forever.
Verdict: Buy, even if the idea hits us – and certainly the whole North – right at #Feelz.
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Michael Dwyer / Associated Press
When the Boston Celtics realized that Kyrie Irving’s split was inevitable in 2019, they quickly chose Kemba Walker as a suitable replacement. But they never addressed the void created when Al Horford left the same summer, nor the one that opened when Gordon Hayward fled Beantown in this off-season.
They were not entirely forced out of the heavyweight ranks due to the superstar ascents of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, but they seem like some players far from where they were (and, more importantly, where they are trying to get to). The Celtics are unlikely to stumble on a new Horford or Hayward until the deadline, but they are supposed to be targeting these positions in the trading market.
“League sources have long said that Boston is looking for updates to reinforce its wing and great man position,” reported Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer.
The Celtics are seated in an exception of $ 28.5 million traded players (the biggest in NBA history), all of their future choices in the first round and prospects like Romeo Langford and Aaron Nesmith. There may not be enough ammunition for a superstar swap, but if Tatum and Brown are itching anyway, Boston should be looking for size, shot and consistency in their support team.
Boston has played three of the last four Eastern Conference finals, but hasn’t made it to the Association’s championship round since Doc Rivers was running the show in 2010. Tatum and Brown may keep the Celtics at an attack distance, but they need more help to cross that limit.
Verdict: Buy. Celtics President Danny Ainge is nicknamed “Trader Dan” for a reason, and he has gaps to fill with that list.
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Tony Dejak / Associated Press
The Cleveland Cavaliers have not been eliminated from the playoff race, but the past two weeks have removed almost all of the positive vibes from northeast Ohio.
Since eliminating the Brooklyn Nets in consecutive competitions on January 20 and 22, the Cavaliers have won just two of their last 10 matches. And those wins came against the Detroit Pistons and the Minnesota Timberwolves, the only clubs in the league with winning percentages of 0.250 or worse. Cleveland’s net rating on this stretch is the worst in the NBA, minus 13.0 points per 100 possessions.
Merchant vultures are beginning to circulate this squadron in hopes of a liquidation beginning. If that happens, Cavaliers will be able to meet the needs of the front lines of several clubs.
Andre Drummond has suitors, with the Raptors among them, for O’Connor. Larry Nance Jr. could get “a significant return” if Cleveland negotiated it. The teams are monitoring JaVale McGee as well. The only great man who seems to have no market is the most decorated of the group: Kevin Love, a selection five times from the All-Star and twice from the All-NBA.
“Kevin Love will need to prove that he can stay healthy before anyone can negotiate for him and the remaining $ 60.2 million in his contract after this season,” reported O’Connor.
All of these pass the smell test.
Drummond never played better and, despite his offensive limitations, his protection against rebounds and paint would strengthen an opponent’s attacking court. Nance offers great bi-directional versatility, so if the Cavs let you go, they should ask for the moon and not settle for much less. McGee has size, duration and experience in championships. Love’s contract comes at a colossally prohibitive cost, as he hasn’t seen the ground since late December.
Cleveland may be one of the biggest sellers of the business season, but it seems likely that Love will continue at least during the off-season due to lack of interest.
Verdict: Buying totally on both fronts.
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Sue Ogrocki / Associated Press
The Chicago Bulls thought they were some RPG pieces from the 2019 playoffs, so they added Thaddeus Young and Tomas Satoransky as their veteran accelerators.
So far, nothing good.
The Bulls did not reach the bubble limit last season and, if that campaign ended today, they would be left out of the play-in tournament. His attacking court has been torn apart by injuries and his attack has struggled to find stability beyond Zach LaVine.
Young has been a bright spot, posting personal records in percentage of field goals (59.0) and assists per game (4.4) along with the second highest player efficiency index of his career (18.6). But the Bulls have between now and March 25 to decide how much it matters, when the 32-year-old’s schedule is so far removed from that of the youth group.
The teams apparently think – or at least hope – that Chicago could decide that selling is the best way to go.
Buyers are “increasingly looking” to Windy City for updates, with Young “attracting more interest,” according to Joe Cowley of Chicago Sun-Times. He also noted that “there is no indication” that Bulls’ executive vice president of basketball operations, Arturas Karnisovas, has any interest in selling.
The interest in Young is hardly surprising. He is a robust veteran with the skills, intelligence, experience and versatility to animate any field of attack and adjust to new environments quickly. It is hard to imagine that there are many (if any) forward spins that would not be better with it in the mix.
Some may interpret this as a justification for Chicago to keep it, but what exactly are the Bulls competing for soon? If they are playing the long game – as their record suggests they should – they would get as much mileage by moving Young into assets and freeing up as many minutes of the court as possible for promising Patrick Williams, Daniel Gafford and (when healthy) Lauri Markkanen and Wendell Carter Jr.
Verdict: Buy interest on Thaddeus Young, sell Chicago not wanting to let it go.
All current statistics during games played on February 8 and used courtesy of NBA.com and Basketball Reference, unless otherwise noted.
Zach Buckley covers the NBA for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter, @ZachBuckleyNBA.