6 NBA trade date predictions for Lakers, Raptors, Bulls and the best player

The NBA trade deadline seems to oscillate between wild and mild each year. The biggest deal this season probably came four days before the deadline, when the Brooklyn Nets finally traded Kyrie Irving to the Dallas Mavericks for two quality starters (Spencer Dinwiddie and Dorian Finney-Smith) and an unprotected 2029 first-round draft pick . It’s hard to imagine a deal surpassing the Irving deal in terms of impact on this season’s championship race, but there’s certainly reason to believe it will be an active deadline.

This is one of the most open title races in recent memory, with no dominant team at the top of the league and both conferences currently boast incredibly tight league tables. The advent of the play-in tournament has also made more teams feel like they have a chance. This was supposed to be a seller’s market, but it’s worth noting that this year there aren’t many first-round draft picks to trade because a) so many have already been dealt and b) the Stepien rule prevents teams from getting picks consecutive years to act.

While we wait for deals to come in before the close on Thursday, February 9th at 3:00pm ET, here are a few predictions of what might happen. You can bet on DraftKings Sportsbook on players dealt on the due date.

Fred VanVleet will be the best traded player

The biggest name rumored to be in the trade market this year is Raptors wing OG Anunoby, but Toronto shouldn’t feel much urgency to sell him as he has a team-friendly deal next year with a player option for the following season. I’m a bit skeptical that any team will match what will likely be a sky-high Toronto price tag, which is why teammate Fred VanVleet feels more moved.

VanVleet is on an expiring contract and will be a free agent after this season. He was a first-time All-Star in 2022, but his game has slipped a bit this year, mostly because his three-point shot and rim finish have slipped. Despite this, VanVleet is the best point guard on the trade market, has consistently defended better than his size would suggest, and is still a projectable shooter both on and off the ball.

With the Raptors looking like one of the biggest disappointments in the league so far, it makes sense to turn around and try to find another leadership team. VanVleet, who turns 29 at the end of this month, works for most of his rivals both as a loan player and as a long-term backfield solution. According to Jake Fischer of Yahoo! the Clippers, Suns, Lakers, Magic and Wolves are all said to be interested! Sports.

It won’t be a box office hit, but we’re predicting that VanVleet will be the biggest name to move on Thursday.

The jazz tears it down

The Utah Jazz were supposed to tank for Victor Wembanyama after trading Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert for massive amounts of draft picks and roleplayers during the offseason, but it was immediately apparent that this team was going to be a lot better than anyone expected. The Jazz started the season 10-3 and have stayed around .500 ever since thanks to a coherent game plan from new head coach Will Hardy, an All-Star jump from Lauri Markkanen and a deep roster with clearly defined roles.

The Jazz are 27-28 as of this writing and clinging to the last play-in spot in the Western Conference. The fact that they beat expectations hasn’t really changed Utah’s long-term vision, and by selling now, they can recoup even more draft picks while maximizing their own chances in the lottery this year. We expect Utah to do several deals and help some potential competitors add ammunition for the postseason while refocusing the franchise on its true goals.

Jarred Vanderbilt, Malik Beasley, Mike Conley, Jordan Clarkson, Kelly Olynyk…all will be on the table. If not every player from this group is traded, we expect that most of them will be.

The Lakers aren’t trading their future draft picks

The most interesting thing about the Lakers throughout the year has been the trade rumors that have constantly been floating around the franchise. This isn’t a good team – they’re objectively mediocre overall at 25-29 and maybe even worse than that – but when LeBron James and Anthony Davis are still playing at a high level, everyone will be convinced they’re just a step away to have a real shot in the western conference.

The Lakers’ biggest problem right now is that they don’t have much to act on. No one wants Russell Westbrook in the last year of his deal, and the role-players around James and Davis aren’t good enough to move the needle. The Lakers’ biggest chip is a pair of draft picks five and seven years from now… but it’s likely the GM trading those picks won’t be around when they finally carry over.

We predict the Lakers will kick the can into the offseason to improve the roster. It’s not what LeBron wants to hear, but being able to near maximum space with more options in the trade market is a more prudent path than cutting a deal to try to salvage a season that’s already likely to fail is sentenced.

The cops won’t sell

American NBA podcasters have spent a lot of time talking about why the Chicago Bulls should blow up their team and the value of their players. The Bulls have underperformed all year without injured point guard Lonzo Ball, but are still smack in the middle of the Eastern Conference playoff race after an encouraging start to 2023.

ESPN can come up with any fake Zach LaVine trades to the Lakers it wants, but realistically the bulls have no reason to accept draft picks in five and seven years unless they’re already willing to pay his max contract to cancel. This is likely the peak of value for both DeMar DeRozan and Alex Caruso, and it might make sense to also sell center Nikola Vucevic in the last year of his contract. There are few problems with the Bulls’ seller idea: Chicago’s own first-round pick is already traded to the Orlando Magic (protected 1-4), the team is refusing to take money as it pushes against the luxury tax line, and ownership wants playoff appearances, not another teardown like the one the team experienced after the Jimmy Butler trade.

There are many reasons the bulls should sell, I just don’t think it’s going to happen. Instead, this team will do anything to get a 8th seed in the East Playoffs.

The Nuggets-Suns trade Jae Crowder and Bones Hyland

Submit it!

The Suns have been waiting all season to trade Jae Crowder after he refused to speak because he lost his starting spot. The Nuggets are rumored to be shopping young bucket-getter Bones Hyland for help in court.

Crowder is a proven playoff player who has helped the Miami Heat and Suns reach the NBA Finals in recent years. That’s where the nuggets want to be. Who knows what form Crowder is in after not playing all season, but if he can get back to his peak form, he’s just the type of player the Nuggets could use for their postseason run.

The Suns, meanwhile, should be thrilled to land a talented young goalscorer like Hyland for someone like Crowder asked. Hyland is a dynamic shot creator and marksman who brings speed, tight ball handling and microwave scoring at his best. Just don’t ask about his defense.

Jakob Pöltl is finally traded

Do you need a trade close center? It doesn’t get any better than Pöltl. The 27-year-old tall man is playing on an expiring contract for a San Antonio Spurs team that only wants to play the lottery at the time. Pöltl still can’t throw free throws, but he’s gotten better offensively in recent years and has long been considered a solid defender.

We’ll predict that Poeltl will be relocated after a few years of being in trade rumours. There is a dearth of teams wanting a center for the playoff run, and Poeltl is working as either a loan or a long-term front-seat option. The Toronto Raptors, who originally drafted Poeltl and then traded him to Kawhi Leonard in the deal, make sense as a possible option.

Source: www.sbnation.com