NBA Rumors: 3 Blockbuster Trades That Could Happen This Season
The NBA trade deadline is a time that many NBA fans look forward to. Over the years, we have seen many trades occur around this time that have changed the landscape of the NBA
In 2017, we saw DeMarcus Cousins get traded to the Pelicans in a blockbuster deal that created a formidable duo alongside Anthony Davis in New Orleans and gave the Kings Buddy Hield who is now looked at as one of the league’s best shooting guards.
In 2018, we saw the Cleveland Cavaliers completely gut their roster and acquiring a multitude of players who would help them make it to the finals that season.
Kevin Love To The Portland Trail Blazers
Lastly, in 2019, we saw the Toronto Raptors trade their young big man Jonas Valanciunas to the Memphis Grizzlies in exchange for Marc Gasol, a player who was an important part of winning a championship this past season.
As you can see, the trade deadline is a very important part for a lot of NBA teams and with the NBA being wide open this season with no clear-cut frontrunner for the Championship, this trade deadline could be a great one. Here are 3 blockbuster trades that could happen this season
Kevin Love’s name has come up a lot over the past year in NBA trade rumors. The 31-year-old power forward made the decision to resign with the Cleveland Cavaliers last offseason despite the departure of LeBron James and it currently looks as if the Cavs have no intention of trading him.
A team that has been connected to the trade rumors regarding Kevin Love are the Portland Trail Blazers. Kevin Love looks to be the one player that the Blazers are missing to make that jump and a player who would be essential in a potential playoff run. A potential trade would be Kevin Love in exchange for Hassan Whiteside, Nassir Little, and a top-10 protected first-round pick.
For the Cleveland Cavaliers, trading Kevin Love would officially end the Big-3 era in Cleveland as LeBron James, Kyrie Irving, and Kevin Love would all be playing for different teams. Hassan Whiteside would be a cap filler but could provide the Cavs with rebounding and an interior presence. Hassan’s contract also ends at the end of the season so they would be creating a ton of cap space. Nassir Little has played a single minute in the NBA thus far and would get a ton more playing time on the Cavs as they have shifted their focus onto molding the young players on their team.
Lastly, adding another first-round pick this year would give the Cavs three first-round picks for this upcoming draft and these picks could be used to move up in the draft or could be used to select players to add to their intriguing young core.
For the Blazers, adding Kevin Love would give you a 3rd option with championship experience. Kevin Love would provide the Blazers with a great floor spacer and an excellent rebounder as Love is currently 2nd in rebounds per game.
Steven Adams To The Boston Celtics
As it currently stands, the Celtics are the best team in the Eastern Conference, record-wise, with 6 wins and 1 loss. The Celtics started off the season rocky but have picked it up with wins over the Bucks, Raptors, and Knicks. The Celtics look to be a fantastic team, but they have one glaring problem on their team and that is paint defense. The Celtics lost Al Horford this offseason to the Philadelphia 76ers and signed Enes Kanter to replace him.
Kanter may be able to replace what Al Horford did for the Celtics on the offensive end but, Kanter will certainly not be able to replace the impact that Horford had on defense. If the Celtics want to contend with teams such as the Sixers and the Bucks, they must look for an upgrade at the center position. A player that would be a great addition for the Celtics is Steven Adams. Adams is currently on the trade block and a player that could provide a lot for Boston. A potential trade would be a Steven Adams-Gordon Hayward swap.For the Thunder, a swap of Gordon Hayward and Steven Adams wouldn’t relive cap for you but would give you a player who would provide a ton of you.
A fresh start for Hayward looks to be what he needs to return to his former self and if he does, this increases the chances of your team making the playoffs if this is your main goal. If making the playoffs is not the goal, having a healthy Hayward playing well will intrigue other teams and drastically increase his trade value so that you could then flip him once more for other players. For the Celtics, Adams would be an ideal fit alongside Kemba, Smart, Brown, and Tatum. Adams would be the primary defender against a Joel Embiid if the Sixers and Celtics do meet up in the playoffs and is miles better as a defender than Kanter is.
Adams also provides the Celtics with rebounding, which is an area that they already excel in and Adams is just 26, so he is someone that could be useful to you for many years to come. This trade would also have a positive impact on Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum as this would mean more offensive touches and shots for both of them.
Chris Paul To The Miami Heat
The Miami Heat have started off the season very hot. Coming off of a very impressive win over the Houston Rockets, a game where they outscored the Rockets 46-14 in the first quarter, they are currently 6-2 and the 2nd seed in the Eastern Conference. The Heat have also gotten a ton of help from their young players. The biggest surprise this season has been Kendrick Nunn, who is currently averaging 19.5 points on 48.4% shooting from the field and 44.4% shooting from three through the Heat’s first six games. You would have to believe that the Miami Heat are not thinking about a trade currently and would like to ride the hot hand of Kendrick and Tyler Herro, but this team could look completely different around January. Currently, a potential trade for Chris Paul wouldn’t happen, but the Heat could look to acquire him as a last chance effort to make the playoffs IF they completely fall out of the playoff race.
A potential Chris Paul trade would be Chris Paul in exchange for Goran Dragic, Meyers Leonard, Derrick Jones Jr., and a future second-round pick.
For the Heat, Chris Paul would become the best playmaker on the team. Having Chris Paul should benefit players like Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro as his passing ability should create open shots/great shots for them.
Chris Paul also brings a veteran presence to the team and is a player who knows how to win. Goran Dragic looks expendable now for the heat with the emergence of Kendrick Nunn and Meyers Leonard alongside Derrick Jones Jr. would be cap fillers.
For the Thunder, the biggest accomplishment from this trade would be getting out of CP3’s gigantic contract. Dragic is a free agent at the end of the season so he can either be traded once more or stick around on the team a provide a spark whether it be off the bench or in the starting lineup. Derrick Jones Jr. would give you another young piece to add to your young core and Meyers Leonard could provide you with great spacing.
This trade is a tricky one as it does require a lot of movement to come to happen and this trade would more than likely be a last effort by the Heat to add more talent to the roster.
Source: https://fadeawayworld.net