Every NBA season in the month of February we always see a multitude of roster moves. The NBA Trade Deadline is on February 26th. Around the NBA, prior playoff teams haven’t been performing to their standards and will look to shake things up. Plenty of teams will look to cast off players with high trade value or cap numbers. The 2017 Draft looks to be the best of this decade so NBA GM’s will be on the phones. We’ve already seen trades like Kyle Korver to the Cavs. And most recently, upcoming big man Jusef Nurkic was traded to the Blazers for Mason Plumlee in a cap-saving deal. With this in mind, they’re other teams looking to make deals of this sort.
Jahlil Okafor
Jahlil Okafor is an intriguing player to look out for as the NBA Trade Deadline nears. Philadelphia has a logjam at center with Nerlens Noel and Joel Embiid beating him out for the two remaining spots. But Okafor has a slew of teams that will look to acquire his services. New Orleans is a team that is looking to add a center and Okafor would fit there perfectly. The Pelicans are hoping to pair a starting center with Anthony Davis so he can free roam outside of the paint. Okafor has struggled to adapt to the new style NBA we see today. He has slow feet, can’t jump and doesn’t have great court awareness. However, his stellar offensive post game can take the load off. Other teams that should look to acquire him are the Wizards, Celtics, Lakers and Hornets.
Brook Lopez
The Brooklyn Nets are ready to begin their rebuild that begins with trading Brook Lopez. Brook at age 28 is still effective on the offensive end of the floor averaging 20 points per game. He struggles to consistently rebound and lacks defensive intensity. But the problem isn’t his game, it’s the high asking price from Brooklyn. They are asking for two 1st-round picks in order to let him go. In order for them to rebuild, they must offload him but lower the asking price some. Teams that could show interest before the Trade Deadline are the Pelicans, Blazers, Celtics, Wizards, or Bulls.
Danilo Gallinari
If you asked the casual NBA fan they may not know who Danilo Gallinari is. He’s a proven scorer in the league and could be useful in a playoff run. Denver has been teetering this year but are still in playoff position. Teammates like Will Barton, Wilson Chandler, Jameer Nelson, and Kenneth Faried have also been mentioned in trade talks. But Gallinari, unlike his teammates, is known for his shooting touch and his height at 6’10 makes him a tough cover. The Clippers could use a player Dino to help improve their small forward spot. Other teams that could make a move for him are the Thunder, Celtics, Rockets, Raptors and Grizzlies.
Other Potential Trade Deadline Targets
- Jimmy Butler has been mentioned in trade talks but it’s highly unlikely. Look for Boston to try to pry away Jimmy from the Bulls and give the Celtics a formidable big 3 in the East.
- Carmelo Anthony is a player that should move but the right deal would have to come along. If the Cavs, Boston, or Clippers can formulate the right trade package we could see Melo on the move.
- Brandon Knight hasn’t been getting much time with the Suns due to their stable of PG talent. Teams like Cleveland, Indiana, Memphis, and Utah should look to acquire the capable scoring guard.
- Deron Williams is an older player but can still produce at a high level. With Dallas faltering, they could receive calls from Cleveland or Clippers to improve their point guard rotations.
- Andrew Bogut is another Dallas Maverick that could be on the move. And since a couple playoff teams currently need center rotation depth, look for Cleveland or Houston to try and make this move.
- P.J Tucker is known as a tough defender around the league and can be useful playoff time. Blazers, Wizards, Rockets, and Thunder should look to add him to their rotation
