Make sure to listen and add the 13 Rules: NBA Random Thoughts podcast to your list! Steve and Jose elaborate on these articles, discuss former greats and interview NBA champions and a current NBA referee! This week Steve looks at teams active at the NBA trade deadline, what their ceiling is and why.
NBA Trade Deadline – Western Conference
LA Lakers – The Lakers through two trades gave themselves a shot at getting to the Western Conference
Finals and helped them go from a team without a future to a team with a bright future. With Luka Doncic you can be in the conversation for the next ten years. The Luka trade was a no brainer but the sleeper in this is Mark Williams. If he stays healthy the Lakers have a rim protector which they need because they have weak defenders, Luka, Austin Reaves and LeBron, although LeBron can defend when he wants to.
Dallas Mavericks – When I first heard of the trade | thought it was a Peggy Lee trade meaning, “Is That All There Is”, from the Mavs side. However the more | look at it the Mavs are going for it now and could get to the Finals. The only problem is Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving are in their thirties so it has to happen soon. The Mavs will go double big with Anthony Davis at the four. The team will be big and very good defensively.
Golden State Warriors – Jimmy Butler will help the Warriors be a play-in team and if this were ten years ago I’d think the Warriors could win a title. Steph Curry is soon to be 37 and his scoring and minutes have decreased. Jimmy Butler is 35 and over the last few years missed a lot of games.. Outside of LeBron James not many players have seen their stats rise as they age.
Phoenix Suns – What a mess. They will be fortunate to make the play-in game. The only move they made was to get rid of Jusef Nurkic. Owner Matt Ishbia with his trades has put his team in a downward path. His trades for Bradley Beal and Kevin Durant, two players on the downside of their careers, has set his franchise back, especially because he thought they would give them the title. It’s time for Ishbia to let his basketball people run the team.
San Antonio Spurs – With De”Aaron Fox he Spurs look like a play-in team this year. It will only get better in the future. As Stephon Castle and Victor Wembanyama gain experience the team will get better. The Spurs are set up with a load of future number one picks, look out league.
Sacramento Kings – Zach Lavine is a good player but the Kings lost Fox so it doesn’t look like the Kings improved from where they presently are and in fact may have gotten worse.
NBA Trade Deadline – Eastern Conference
Milwaukee Bucks – Getting Kyle Kuzma for an aging and often injured Chris Middleton was a slight improvement but I don’t think it is enough to get the Bucks into the top three teams in the East.
Miami Heat – Actually the Heat getting Andrew Wiggins is more than I thought they would get for Butler. In the weakened Eastern Conference the Heat could finish as high as fifth. The problem is to win you need stars and Tyler Herro isn’t quite there. The Heat have some good players but no stars. The Heat will surprise teams and lose to teams they should beat. Without stars it’s tough to go far in the NBA.
Cleveland Cavaliers – De’Andre Hunter was a real good pick-up for the Cavs. If he can stay healthy he will help. With Hunter the Cavs increased their chances of getting to the Finals.
