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With the 2023 NBA trade deadline looming, every team will be trying to improve their roster. Those are the top candidates for all 30 teams in the league.
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The NBA trade deadline is nearly a week away. It’s always hot in the rumor mill, but the next seven days are set to be some of the hottest of the year. Teams hovering in the middle will have to make a decision. What is the identity of the team? Are we buying or selling? That deal is the best, how much can we get for the star player? Championship contenders will need to decide whether adding another player can help the team weather the storm and make their dreams come true.
Every team has a goal. Not every team is in contention, but even non-contender teams have a player or two that could help contenders, and draft capital can reshape their futures. Every NBA team’s perfect player is anecdotal discussion. Having said that, there are plenty of players available in the market. The question is whether they will be moved. Those perfect cases will now be analyzed.
These are the perfect players for every NBA team ahead of the February trade deadline.
Atlanta Hawks – Kyle Kuzma
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If the team can trade John Collins for De’Andre Hunter, the Hawks can play real small ball. Collins has three years remaining on his deal, making building around the franchise difficult. Plus, his suitability for this team is questionable. Instead, the Hawks could strike a deal with Collins for the expiring contracts of Kuzma and Will Barton.
Barton will be a solid bench player, but the real piece of the puzzle is Kuzma. The Hawks need a scoring wing. The Hawks could use a small-ball lineup of Trae Young, Dejounte Murray, DeAndre Hunter and Kuzma. Kuzma is averaging more than 21 points per game, which would give the team another flex wing that can score from the perimeter. Hunter is big enough to play power forward, and Clint Capela solidifies a perfect starting lineup.
Boston Celtics – Seth Curry
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The only way such a deal could fail is if the Celtics offer two first-round picks and two movable contracts. Danilo Gallinari and Blake Griffin could be packaged for draft capital, but that’s not realistic. However, the best-case scenario for the Celtics is to add another shooter to the lineup.
Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown will have a field day kicking the ball to Curry. Curry is shooting 42.4 percent from three. The Celtics look to be heading for the NBA Finals. Curry can replace the position of the sixth man, making this team more dangerous.
Brooklyn Nets – Jae Crowder
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If the Nets wanted to move away from Royce O’Neal, the team could trade his salary for Crowder. Draft picks may have to be included, but the Nets sent a first-round pick to O’Neal in the offseason. Is the cost worth it? Probably because it allows the Nets to shuffle their decks more effectively.
First, Ben Simmons can return to the point guard position, where he can average 10 points, 8 rebounds and 7 assists per game. Kyrie Irving could play shooting guard, a position he’s been good at in the past. Durant could stay at small forward, while Crowder could serve as a true enforcer at power forward. Nic Claxton leads the league in blocks. With Crowder and Clarkston, the Nets will have a perfect combination of offense and defense.
Charlotte Hornets – Deandre Ayton
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The Hornets can rebuild and reload at the same time by trading Deandre Ayton. LaMelo Ball needs a young player to pair with him and build a guard-center for the future. The relationship between the Suns and Ayton still seems to be in doubt. If the Suns want to stick with their four-year commitment, they could instead invest in a smaller roster with plenty of promise.
The Suns can trade Ayton for a combination of Terry Rozier and Mason Plumlee. While Plumlee doesn’t average Ayton’s numbers, he’s still a solid rebounder who can play inside defense. As for Rozier, the combination of Chris Paul, Rozier and Devin Booker will bring many options to this team. The Suns will have a triple threat offensively, and Ayton and Ball could be Charlotte’s future.
Chicago Bulls – D’Angelo Russell
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D’Angelo is playing his final year on a $31.3 million salary. The Bulls desperately need a point guard. Lonzo Ball has two years left on his contract and likely won’t play this year. The Bulls and Timberwolves now have ways to help each other. By trading Ball, the Timberwolves wouldn’t risk losing Russell for nothing, but the Bulls could attach Patrick Williams’ rookie contract to give the team depth at the position.
Meanwhile, adding Russell would give the Bulls a point guard. Alex Caruso could return to the bench along with Ayo Dosunmu. More importantly, the Bulls can get back into contention. Russell, Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan and Nikola Vucevic are a solid lineup. Russell will give the Bulls what they want now, and the addition of Ball and Williams will give the Timberwolves what they want next year, when Karl-Anthony Towns will be fully healthy and ready to compete.
Cleveland Cavaliers – Tim Hardaway Jr.
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How much draft money is Cleveland willing to give up to go all in? The team has given up on the pursuit of Donovan Mitchell. Having said that, there is a way to adjust the salary of Tim Hardaway Jr. through a one-for-one direct trade, but it may need to send a draft pick, because Hardaway’s cost control for two years.
Caris LeVert’s expiry transaction can be sent. LeVert is averaging 12.5 points, 3.9 rebounds and 3.8 assists while shooting 37.4 percent from three. Hardaway Jr. averaged 13.6 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.6 assists while shooting 35.1 percent from three. However, there is a strong case that Hardaway Jr. is not a good fit for Luka Doncic’s ball-handling offense. After all, this is a player who averaged 16.6 points and shot 39.1 percent from three in 2020-21.
Dallas Mavericks – Zach LaVine
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Speaking of Hardaway, the Mavericks could trade Hardaway’s $19 million salary and Davis Bertans ($16 million) contract for LaVine. The deal probably won’t cost as much draft money, since the Bulls want to sell LaVine in a big deal, so keeping Bertans for two additional deals might be better than owning LaVine for four years.
Bringing LaVine to the Mavericks would finally give Luka Doncic a second superstar player. If we’re being honest, a Doncic and LaVine backcourt would be as deadly as Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson. Considering the production of Hardaway and Bertans, the Mavericks are still producing. The team reached the conference finals last year. Adding an explosive player like LaVine could get the team to the NBA Finals.
Denver Nuggets – Josh Richardson
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It was an impractical deal, but a perfect situation for Richardson. The Nuggets don’t have enough expiring contracts to cover salary. Richardson is averaging 11.2 points and shooting 36.2 percent from three. He’s a very solid wing defender and could bolster the bench.
The Nuggets are in contention for the No. 1 seed and don’t need another player. Having said that, depth is always worth it. Richardson won’t be with the Spurs for long. It would likely take Bruce Brown’s salary, the expiring contracts of Ish Smith and Jeff Green, and a draft pick to complete the move.
Detroit Pistons – Draymond Green
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The Pistons are rumored to be interested in keeping Bojan Bogdanovic. If that’s the case, the Pistons will see Cade Cunningham, Jaden Ivey and Bogdanovic as the core for next year. Adding in a player like Victor Venbanyama, is the playoffs realistic? Well, what we do know is that young talent can only get you so far.
As unrealistic as it is, Draymond Green would be perfect, here’s why. Green remains a versatile player who is respected by players around the league. The four-time champion will bring a lot of experience to the team. Green has the option to opt out of his contract, and if the Warriors want to create value for him out of fear of him leaving, they can make a deal. The Pistons, who have Kevin Knox, Hamidou Diallo and Cory Joseph on expiring contracts, could pair with Alec Burks in order to make a deal.
Golden State Warriors – Deandre Ayton
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The idea of James Wiseman is considered a player comparable to Deandre Ayton. Instead, Wiseman hasn’t lived up to the expectations of being a former No. 2 overall pick. In a perfect world, the Warriors could send Green and Wiseman to the Suns for Ayton. The combination of Curry, Thompson, Andrew Wiggins, Jordan Poole and Ayton is a good lineup.
Ayton brings stability to midfield. He’s a better rebounder and rim protector. He’s a good fit for Curry and Thompson. The deal would entail diverting Green’s massive salary to cover the $30 million owed to Ayton. It’s unlikely, but possible.
Houston Rockets – Myles Turner
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The proposed trade would cost the Rockets a lot. We’re talking about expiring salaries for Eric Gordon and Boban Marjonovic, as well as young players like Alperensengen and Kevin Porter Jr. Even if you pass the staggering salary move, the idea that the Rockets can pull it off is unrealistic.
That being said, it’s a great fit for Houston. The team has Jalen Green and Jabari Smith Jr. as futures. Teams will have a paycheck that can fill their point guard void or be considered for the draft. Again, that’s unrealistic, but Turner would be a great fit for Green and Parker.
Indiana Pacers – Russell Westbrook
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A perfect world for the Lakers would be Myles Turner and Buddy Hield coming to the Lakers. This will help the team immediately. The Lakers need an inside-dependent 3-point shooter and rim protector. That would put LeBron back at point guard, Hield at shooting guard, Anthony David at power forward, and Turner at center.
That provided the Pacers with the complete teardown and rebuild they needed to go through. Turner and Hield’s salary relief can be repurposed, and the team can fuel the rest of the season. A high draft pick would be a good fit to pair with Tyrese Haliburton down the road. As for Westbrook, he can play freely on teams that need help scoring with the departure of Hield and Turner.
Los Angeles Clippers – Kyle Lowry
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Terenceman is not a starter in the league. While Mann is a solid player, he’s best off the bench. The Clippers can’t rely on John Wall for starting minutes. In addition, Wall is not a championship-level player. Want to know who it is? Kyle Lowry, who can bring that championship mentality to a team he won a championship in 2019. Let Lowry and…
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