Could Chicago star DeMar DeRozan be on the way out after a brilliant stint with the Bulls? Photo: Getty Images.
The turn of the calendar year marks a traditional warming of the NBA trade rumour mill, as more and more players become trade eligible.
Today we’re going to take a look at some of the most prominent trade rumours currently circulating on the excellent NBAAnalysis.net and decide which teams, if any, should hang up the phone and who should be calling their agreements into the Commissioner’s office.
Chicago Bulls receive: De’Anthony Melton, Furkan Korkmaz, Danuel House, Matisse Thybulle, Jaden Springer, first-round pick (2029)
Philadelphia 76ers receive: DeMar DeRozan
This trade would require the Bulls to admit that their gamble of surrounding Zach LaVine with Lonzo Ball, Nikola Vucevic and DeRozan has spectacularly failed. From Philly’s perspective it’s an ‘all-in’ move to maximise whatever James Harden has left in his legs.
At age 33, DeRozan still produces at a level just south of a superstar. He’s a bona fide shot creator, a mid-range maven and is one of the best clutch performers in the NBA – an area where Joel Embiid and, especially, Harden have conspicuously failed in through their careers.
That said, DeRozan isn’t anything close to a seamless fit in Philadelphia. He’s a poor defender and doesn’t space the floor – both key components to fitting in around the Sixers incumbent superstars. All five of the players that the Sixers would trade away in this deal fill at least one of those roles, House and especially Melton fulfil both.
Ultimately this move, from the Sixers’ perspective, would provide insurance in case either Embiid or Harden succumb to a poorly-timed playoff injury. They do have priors, after all.
For Chicago this trade would supply them with a small army of young, athletic wings, as well as a draft pick that may well be quite juicy come 2029. It’s also a precursor to moving on from Vucevic and likely LaVine and Ball.
If Chicago plays its cards right, it could find itself in a Utah-like situation, where it’s stacked with NBA rotation players and draft picks.
Who says no? The Bulls. Chicago is more than likely not yet ready to move on from its current core, given it did look good when all were available last season.
Chicago Bulls receive: Duncan Robinson, Haywood Highsmith, first-round pick (2023)
Miami Heat receive: Nikola Vucevic
Like the first mooted trade in this article, this trade would be an admission by the Bulls that their transactions over the past couple of seasons have not played out as they would have hoped.
If they’re prepared to change tack, then the Bulls should make this trade in an instant. Robinson would thrive in the space created by LaVine and DeRozan, Highsmith is a hard-working depth piece and if the Heat fail to right themselves, that pick could look very tasty in a loaded draft class.
Miami is certainly struggling in relation to its past few campaigns. Is a dose of ‘Big Nik’ good for what ails them?
Vucevic has long been a minus defender on the interior and a disaster further away from the hoop. Yes, I can hear you calling out that Bam Adebayo could cover for ‘Vooch’ but I’d argue that he couldn’t.
The primary strength of Bam’s defence is that he can handle practically any assignment thrown at him, from Nikola Jokic to Giannis Antetokounmpo to Jayson Tatum to Steph Curry. Bam is literally the most versatile defender in the NBA.
Adding Vucevic to the Heat’s line-up means that Miami lose its ‘switchability’ as teams would hunt out Vooch like it was The Purge, with Bam too far away to assist.
It’s a version of Utah’s defensive issues in past seasons despite the presence of Rudy Gobert.
Sure, Vucevic would give Miami’s turgid offence a boost but his shooting can be more than replicated by Robinson, his playmaking is almost redundant when the ball spends so much time in the hands of Jimmy Butler, while Tyler Herro and Kyle Lowry and his post play don’t mesh with Bam.
So where does Vucevic fit on this team?
Perhaps the only way this makes sense for Miami is to play Vooch as a sixth man, though that seems a steep price to pay for a player that can really only play when Adebayo doesn’t.
Who says no? The Heat … in a heartbeat.
Washington Wizards receive: Gary Trent Jr, Thad Young, Chris Boucher, first-round picks (2023, 2025), pick swap (2026)
Toronto Raptors receive: Bradley Beal
After a strong start, the Wizards have reverted to type and look a lock to miss the playoffs again.
Whilst his trade value isn’t as high as it was a couple of seasons back, Beal is under contract for a long time. If a team isn’t put off by the raw figures involved (which will become far more palatable once the new TV deal kicks in) then Beal should still be a man in demand.
If the Wizards are ever going to trade him, the time is now.
Although Toronto has had its core team on the floor most of the time, and its defence is still quite intimidating, led by Defensive Player of the Year candidate OG Anunoby, its season has not gone to plan with its half-court offence a tough watch.
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Pascal Siakam’s rampaging drives aside, nobody is really playing to anywhere near their offensive potential for the Raptors.
Anunoby’s shooting has dipped, Trent’s play was so poor that he’s been demoted the second unit and, most concerning, Scottie Barnes is in the midst of the mother of all sophomore slumps.
Beal has his warts as a player but he’s still elite at getting buckets when the play slows down. Aged 29, he fits in with the Siakam/Anunoby/Fred Vanvleet timeline and instantly becomes the most polished weapon the Raps have brandished since Kawhi Leonard’s brief sojourn.
From a Wizards perspective, Boucher is a valuable reserve player, Trent a potential long-term starter in Beal’s position and in Young the team gets a veteran leader who will shake up a locker room that has needed a leader for the longest time. The biggest prize here, though, are the picks.
If Beal fails to ignite the Raptors, then the 2023 pick and probably the 2025 selection could be potential late lottery picks. The swap could come to nothing – this is the Wizards, after all – but it’s nice to have that option in your back pocket.
Who says no? The Wizards, though they probably shouldn’t. From Toronto’s side, you just know Masai Ujiri would be up for this.
Utah Jazz receive: Russell Westbrook, first-round picks (2027, 2029)
Los Angeles Lakers receive: Mike Conley, Malik Beasley, Kelly Olynyk
Blind Freddy and his deaf dog know that the Lakers need shooting. That wise old pair also know that the Jazz, whilst a fun story, are not a long-term proposition.
So why not have these teams make a mutually beneficial deal?
Lauri Markkanen, as good a player as he has shown himself to be, is not a more athletic Larry Bird and is not leading the Jazz to winning anything of note, so it makes sense for Utah to continue on its remorseless accumulation of assets.
Conley is well past his prime but still an ace shooter and adept table setter, and Olynyk is the sort of unsung rotation piece that you often see on successful teams. Utah’s prime decision maker Danny Ainge would have no qualms parting with those two.
Ainge might have a tougher time parting with Beasley, though. The Jazz all caps LOVE what Beasley has given them this season as an elite movement shooter.
He’s putting up 14.2 points (with 3.2 treys at a 37.4 per cent clip) in just 26 minutes a night, predominantly off the bench. He’s proven himself a reliable clutch option, too.
Expect Ainge to try and substitute in a Collin Sexton, Nickeil Alexander-Walker or Ochai Agbaji into any deal in Beasley’s stead.
The deal as reported would give the Lakers a trio of elite shooters to space the floor for LeBron James and (eventually) Anthony Davis.
Frankly, this trade (Beasley or otherwise) makes far more sense for the Lakers than the long-reported swap for the Pacers’ Buddy Hield and Myles Turner. It would give the Lakers more shooting whilst not overlapping with the suddenly dominant – when healthy – Davis.
Who says no? Neither team. Expect the Jazz to haggle mighty hard, though.
Detroit Pistons receive: Evan Fournier, first-round pick (2023 via Dallas, top 10 protected)
New York Knicks receive: Bojan Bogdanovic
The Knicks have experienced a massive upswing in form since coach Tom Thibodeau – famously resistant to change – dropped veterans Derrick Rose and Fournier from his rotation in favour of younger, more athletic options.
Are the Knicks a contender in the East? Good Lord, no! That won’t stop them from adding veterans in a vain attempt to circumvent the rebuilding process, however. Knicks gonna Knick!
New York needs shooting in the worst way. Jalen Brunson can shoot the ball, but is more often than not initiating the offence, while RJ Barrett is inconsistent as is Immanuel Quickley; both are better with ball in hand in any case.
The veteran Bogdanovic is one of the NBA’s premier off-ball shooting specialists, with the added bonus of being a capable shot creator in his own right. His addition would be most welcome in the Big Apple.
There is a larger consideration for the Knicks in all of this. If Bogdanovic can help the Knicks (18-18 at the time of writing) secure a playoff berth and perhaps a first-round upset, the Knicks decisionmakers will likely see that as greatly increasing the chance of the next disgruntled NBA star (Karl-Anthony Towns, Beal, LaVine, though definitely NOT Trae Young) making New York their preferred landing place.
That in itself is worth a low-end first-round pick, especially when the Knicks are quietly sitting on a treasure chest of draft capital.
For the Pistons, this is an asset play. Bogdanovic was picked off from the Jazz fire sale for a song and whilst his play has certainly helped the rebuilding Pistons on the court, they’re still sporting a league-worst record, showing just how far Detroit is behind the rest of the league.
Turning a soon-to-be 34-year-old into a capable veteran shooter and a first-rounder is sound business.
Who says no? Neither side. This is a perfect trade for both teams.
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