The NBA trade deadline is Feb. 5. Let’s dive into the chatter and try to make sense of it all.
Morten Stig Jensen: All right, Kelly. The NBA trade deadline is just two weeks away, and we’ve already seen Trae Young change addresses, with Ja Morant and Anthony Davis rumored to follow suit.
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But instead of regurgitating those same two names, I’m wondering if we should identify teams that are just generally in need of doing … well, something!
Detroit is No. 1 in the East, and that’s obviously good, but I can’t escape the feeling they aren’t that heavy in the talent department.
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Tobias Harris’ expiring contract, worth over $26.6 million, could be a big trade chip, and now is the time to do something as Jalen Duren is going to earn a new paycheck this coming summer.
Lauri Markkanen is a name often bandied about in connection with the Pistons, but should they even try to enter into negotiations with Danny Ainge?
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Kelly Iko: The Pistons are having a historic season, are loaded with young talent and have the league’s second-ranked defense. It would be an absolute buzzkill for them to stand pat before the trade deadline.
From an offensive standpoint, Detroit is kind of meh. They’re 26th in offensive rating since Jan. 1, 23rd in halfcourt points per possession, 26th in 3-point attempt rate and 22nd in 3-point makes.
In a perfect world, Cade Cunningham would be this prolific driver, drawing downhill gravity and spraying out to shooters on the perimeter who could either knock down catch-and-shoot looks or create their own if the defense adjusts. According to Second Spectrum, Cunningham is fifth in drives per game (16.8), but the difference between him and, say, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, is stark. Cunningham shoots 10% worse on drives and 10% worse at the free-throw line than SGA.
The playoffs are essentially a math problem and when the book is out on Detroit — swarm Cunningham at the point of attack and dare their role players to make shots — the issues could come quickly. Houston’s 2024-25 season comes to mind: exciting young core with a kick-ass defense that struggles in the halfcourt. That was a first-round exit.
Pistons ratings
So yes, I think Markkanen makes sense in a lot of ways as a jumbo creator with uber-spacing ability. Ditto for Michael Porter Jr. and Trey Murphy. Yahoo Sports’ Kevin O’Connor recently put together a nice list of names the Pistons should be chasing, but the overarching theme is as awesome as Detroit has been for a refreshing storyline, this is anything but a perfect team.
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Back to you, Mort. Who’s second on your list and why? Perhaps a team out West …
Mort: Sir, if you’re insinuating that I should bring up the Spurs here, I shan’t disappoint. This team is just so far ahead of where most had them pegged at this stage, and that leads to a similar conclusion as you had with Detroit. It’d be a buzzkill if they didn’t do, well, something.
So let me throw something your way that’s proper insanity.
The Spurs need a more-than-solid wing big if they are to constantly go up against the Oklahoma City Thunder. We can sit here all day and talk about short-term solutions and who might come cheaper on the trade front, but let’s kill that noise and go all in.
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Deni Avdija.
The Blazers have zero — and I mean ZERO — interest in moving off their 26/7/7 wing, who should make his first All-Star team this season.
As such, the Spurs need to make what we rarely see anymore: the Godfather offer.
Kelly Olynyk for salary-matching and damn near every tradable pick under the sun, in particular the juicy ones, such as Atlanta’s 2027, a future Kings swap option and some of their own in the 2030s.
They’re clearly moving off Jeremy Sochan, and while Harrison Barnes is one of the best role players in the league, he’s getting up there in age. There’s going to be a need for a wing big who can play power forward, and they need someone who can shoot, handle the ball and initiate plays in such a role.
Why not make a play for a guy who fits the timeline, is dirt cheap ($13.1 million in 2026-2027 and $11.8 million in 2027-28) and could realistically catapult you into championship contention this very season?
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At the very least, the Blazers can receive the offer. If they wish to stick with Avdija, which I think we both could understand, then so be it. But it’d show some aggressiveness on behalf of the Spurs in trying to fulfill their mission as soon as possible and while Victor Wembanyama is still young and (relatively) healthy.
(I don’t want to put the injury hex on him, but let’s be real. Human beings who are 7-feet-5 and play professional sports historically play fewer years than, say, smaller lead guards.)
Iko: Love the idea of Avdija in San Antonio. So much of what the Spurs do — from a non-Wemby and offensive balance vantage point — revolves around the proficiency of their guard play. Bringing in a taller initiator with legit three-level scoring ability would give them an added wrinkle while still keeping their spacing in Devin Vassell and Julian Champagnie.
Here’s my devil’s advocate question for you, though. We just named two teams that could benefit from pulling the trade trigger. But what about the teams that would be letting these assets go? Is there a world where the Blazers ponder what Avdija looks like next to a healthy Damian Lillard? Is there a world where the Jazz start to actually build around Markkanen and Keyonte George? Or are those teams destined for NBA purgatory and should flip their hot commodities while they still can?
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Mort: I usually want teams in NBA purgatory to not go all in, as that often insinuates they don’t have their leading man.
(Neither the Blazers nor Jazz are in purgatory due to their situations, but it’s fair to wonder if their ultimate ceiling is capped as none of Avdija, Markkanen or George projects as a Tier 1 superstar.)
However.
Allow me to just bring up the Bulls for a second. We don’t assume competence on their part, and probably rightly so, but have you seen the situation they’re in?
If new leadership were to take over, it’d be licking its chops: an enormous bundle of expiring contracts, upward of $80-plus million, control of all of their picks and even some youngsters with trade value.
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Is this a team that should take a step back and build even more draft equity? Probably, but that’s never been its favorite song. Instead, this leadership has a history of buying and leaning into some questionable upgrades, such as Nikola Vučević at the trade deadline in 2021, when they then followed up in free agency by acquiring both Lonzo Ball and DeMar DeRozan.
Is this on-the-fence team one we should keep an eye on?
Generally speaking, I’m curious how teams with numerous trade assets will decide to act before Feb. 5. Do they see this as a means of buying low on, say, Zion Williamson or Ja Morant?
Williamson is reportedly off the table in trade negotiations, but excuse my French when I say, “Baloney!”
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Personally, I don’t think it’s a smart strategy, but reasonable people can disagree, and we must at least acknowledge there is star quality attached to both names.
Iko: Ironically, we talked about Chicago prior to the season. These sneaky Bulls always mosey their way into the conversation.
I’m generally wary of anything going on in the Windy City (DJ Moore routes included), but if I’m in the Bulls’ front office and I’m pondering whether to make a move for Morant or Williamson, why not just go for both?
It sounds ludicrous until you actually give it some thought. Health and availability is obviously the biggest factor in moving for either of these players, but they’re still young enough (Zion, 25; Morant, 26) where you could sell a core along with Matas Buzelis, who’s been a bright spot and showcased some underrated defensive versatility. Again, this only works if you can guarantee that both play in at least 65 games (big if), but I’m tired of the Bulls being boring. Shoot for the oft-injured stars.
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On a more serious note, I appreciate how each team approaches this time of the year. The rumor mill can get a bit mundane, but at least if you sift through enough, you’ll get an understanding of individual organizational goals and objectives. It should be a fun two weeks.
