If you are anticipating some exciting, conference or contender changing trades to happen between now and Friday morning’s deadline, lower your expectations.
There will be moves. However, think back to the 2014 trade deadline week. Evan Turner was the biggest name to be shipped and when he arrived with the Indiana Pacers, everybody increased their expectations of the Pacers.
Turner was riding the bench, got his money, then swiftly left the Pacers in the offseason to the Boston Celtics where he has plunged into irrelevance.
In 2011 when Utah Jazz great Jerry Sloan was still coaching, he put the pressure on the Jazz front office to move Deron Williams on because of his damaging locker room presence.
With Williams a superstar at the time, when he was traded to the Brooklyn Nets that was the last meaningful deal to occur at the deadline.
Now ironically Williams is involved in talks once again and leads the rumoured players on the 2015 trade deadline board.
Brooklyn Nets
Known to be on the block:
Brook Lopez, Deron Williams, Joe Johnson
In Brooklyn if your name is not Mason Plumlee there is a good chance you are trying to be included in a package for a deadline deal.
The Nets have been open to letting Lopez, Williams and Johnson go for at least the last two months. Interest in the players has been few and far between.
Reports have indicated the Oklahoma City Thunder or the Denver Nuggets are interested in landing Brook Lopez.
The Thunder will not part with their big three for a trade, so the reason why a deal hasn’t been struck is the Nets would be refusing to settle for players like Reggie Jackson, Kendrick Perkins or Steven Adams.
A third team would need to be added to facilitate a trade that satisfies both the Thunder and the Nets. This scenario decreases the possibility of getting a deal done.
Denver Nuggets
Known to be on the block:
The Entire Roster
Kenneth Faried and Ty Lawson you can successfully argue are pieces worth keeping; other than that the Nuggets are a team due to be blown up.
There are players like Randy Foye, Aaron Afflalo, Wilson Chandler that would be intriguing additions for a team making a push for the playoffs.
Interested teams would rather send back a role player of their own and get the upgrade from a straight swap. Denver will want first round draft picks in return or an expiring contract which will limit available suitors.
Denver is a team that could be a fit for any deals needing a third team to facilitate, but count on the Nuggets having a new look roster by Friday morning.
Oklahoma City Thunder
Known to be on the block:
Reggie Jackson
Currently on a $2.2 million contract, stuck behind Russell Westbrook and alongside Dion Waiters is Reggie Jackson. We’ve seen enough of Jackson with starter’s minutes to know he’s worth more money and consistent playing time.
Now is the best time for the Thunder to get the most compensation for a player that if is still on the roster in July can leave the team without gaining an asset in return.
The Dion Waiters addition was a head scratcher and pretty much confirmed the need for Jackson to depart.
Other role players such as Jeremy Lamb and Anthony Morrow are role players that Oklahoma City could possibly find upgrades for. The knock usually on the Thunder’s title hopes is their bench gets outclassed by the San Antonio Spurs and the Memphis Grizzlies.
New York Knicks
Known to be on the block:
Anybody Not Named Carmelo Anthony
Amar’e Stoudemire has already been bought out and moved along.
He joins JR Smith, Iman Shumpert, Tyson Chandler and Raymond Felton on the outer. These moves all mean Phil Jackson is willing to do anything to form his ideal playing roster as soon as possible.
This New York Knicks team is a poor man’s Denver Nuggets. There are pieces other teams could have interest in to improve their squad, although it will depend on the asking price as teams won’t want to trade much more than a washing machine for them, alright maybe a fridge.
There will certainly be movement from other teams not listed here.
The Utah Jazz could possibly move Enes Kanter and you can never count out the Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Clippers or Lakers.
It’s most likely we’ve already seen the biggest deals occur before the trade deadline.
The Memphis Grizzlies acquired Jeff Green from the Boston Celtics in a three team trade.
The Cleveland Cavaliers gained Timofey Mozgov in one deal and JR Smith with Iman Shumpert in another.
What teams or players do you anticipate being moved by the trade deadline?
