NBA Trade Deadline Primer Roundtable

Hey everyone! So by now you all know that here at Real Ball Insiders we do things just a bit differently. With that being said, with the trade deadline coming up, I thought I’d cook up a couple of questions and have my friends Chris Krugg (@ckrug90) and Derek Kainz (@kainzd) help me answer them. The questions are varied, we basically move across the country! They range from some unrest in NY to the potential rocky mountain roster shake up with the Denver Nuggets. You know how we do. Let’s get right to it.

1. What are the chances Carmelo gets moved? If you were the Cavs or Clippers, would you consider adding Anthony to the fold?

Derek:  I think Phil clearly wants to move Carmelo, and I think Carmelo would prefer to be playing for a contender (or with his banana-boat mates), but I still think it’s pretty close to a toss-up. I would put the chances of him getting moved at 6/10. If I’m the Clippers I make a run at Carmelo. Especially if the reports are true that it will only take 2 players out of the Rivers, Crawford, Redick trio. If I’m the Cavs, I would love to have Carmelo for the right price but I am definitely not parting ways with Kevin Love in this instance.

Chris:  It’s hard to exactly say if Carmelo Anthony will be moved from the Knicks this year. I’m learning more towards a trade likely happening for the 9 time all-star. It’s easy to say the time Melo has spent with the Knicks has been a huge let down for fans, players, and the front office. In reality it’s not really Melo’s fault at all. New York didn’t build team around Anthony that could win.  For the sake of Carmelo and the Knicks it’s time to move on. Now comes the question which top team from the west or east will trade for the 32-year-old small forward?

Corban:  I want the Knicks and Carmelo Anthony to mutually move on from each other and call this relationship a done deal. I think the likelihood of a deal happening is 6/10, I’m sure Melo is tired of the drama, but I’m not sure if that translates to a strong desire to move on. I’m also not sure about the likelihood of it but I think that, while intriguing, a Carmelo to Cleveland deal is unlikely to happen. The Cavs swear up and down that Kevin Love is not available, and any other deal would include Iman Shumpert, who is still an important part of Cleveland’s bench unit. An Anthony to the Clippers trade would weaken their bench but strengthen their starting lineup. However, with the way the Clippers have been playing, I think GM “Roc Divers” would be anxious to make a trade and shake up their lineup. It wouldn’t take that much for the Knicks to make the move either. To deal Carmelo, the Knicks would get Austin Rivers, Jamal Crawford, and probably a second round pick. The Clippers would get Melo and Sasha Vuvecic. That is the most feasible deal.

2. Is it finally time for the Nets to trade Brook Lopez? Any teams you’d think he’d fit with?

Derek: I think it is beyond time for the Nets to trade Brook Lopez. If they were a young team with assets I would consider keeping him and trying to rebuild. The issue here is, the Nets do not have assets. They are still dealing with the consequences of the Kevin Garnett/Paul Pierce trade. By the time the Nets have assets to draft talented players and develop them, Lopez will be leaving or completely out of his prime.

Chris: No surprise at all, another year full of rumors flying for the big man Brook Lopez from the dreadful Brooklyn Nets. With a 9-43 record the Nets finally need to let go of Lopez, and begin going into a full tanking mode. With their 2017 and 2018 first round draft picks sent to Boston, this team is desperate to find young talent. By trading Lopez they’ll be able to possibly get young prospects, and a first round pick from a team. However which team will pay the price?

Corban: I think that it’s been time for the Nets to trade Brook Lopez. He’s been loyal, given consistent production, and is the face of the franchise. However the franchise has only won 9 games through 45 attempts this season, so the Nets should at least fish him around and see if they can get a first round pick and maybe a young prospect with an expiring for him (The Nets want 2 first round picks, I don’t quite think teams will be knocking down the door to match that offer). A pick that is top 20 would be great for the Nets, remember, players like Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jimmy Butler were both picked in the latter stages of the first round. Diamonds in the rough do exist in the draft, and in a class as deep as this the Nets could catch a break if they are able to get a good pick back in a trade.

One trade I think that could happen would be a good one for Brooklyn would be to send Lopez to Portland for Mason Plumlee, Maurice Harkless, Myles Leonard, Portland’s first round draft pick for this year, and 2 second rounders. Portland gets a talented offensive force at the center position, and  Brooklyn gets a reunion with Mason, a young versatile frontcourt player in Harkless, and a stretch four in Leonard to further fit Brooklyn’s pace and space type of play. The draft picks will only continue to aid Brooklyn in their return to respectability.

3. A lot of big men seem to be available this trade season (Jahlil Okafor/Nerlens Noel, Andrew Bogut, Greg Monroe, Serge Ibaka) of those 5, who do you think would have the most impact on another team? if you were their GM, what would you value them? (a first/second rounder, young prospect, etc)

Derek: I think Jahlil Okafor / Serge Ibaka could have the biggest impact out of the players listed. Okafor offensively and Ibaka defensively. I think they are both likely to be moved before the deadline and they both can give meaningful minutes to teams that are looking to either make the playoffs, or advance further into the playoffs. This is a deep draft according to many experts, so if I was the GM who was dealing Okafor or Ibaka, I would be asking for 1st round picks in this years draft. I don’t think either of these players on their own will get a 1st rounder in return, but if I was the GM trying to trade them I’d certainly ask.

4. What did you think of the Bucks/Hornets trade that dropped this past week?

Derek: Meh.

Chris: The trade wasn’t flashy or anything, but showed that the Hornets are looking to just clear some cap space for the future. Miles Plumlee in the off-season signed a four-year, $50 million deal with the Bucks, and it’s easy to say he hasn’t performed to the standards the team hoped he would. Plumlee is averaging just 2.6 points, and that number is clearly low for a player who’s getting paid $50 million. New Orleans will receive the veterans Spencer Hawes and Roy Hibbert. Both are on one year contracts which gives the Hornets the ability to let them walk at the end of this season.

This trade gives Plumlee a restart with the Bucks, and lets the Hornets clear cap space to makes moves for the future.

Corban: I thought it was a mostly lateral move. For the life of me I have no answer as to why a team would willingly take on the contract of Miles Plumlee, but maybe that is one of life’s mysteries I’m just not privy to. On the Bucks end the get a pair of expiring contracts, and that will help them free up some space come the off-season.

5. Kenneth Faried. Brandon Knight. Nikola Vucevic. Ricky Rubio. Who is more likely to be traded?

Derek: I think they are all in play, but if I had to narrow it down to the 2 most likely to be traded, I would say Brandon Knight and Ricky Rubio. Rubio is still an inept shooter, but he can play good defense and run the offense making good passes. Brandon Knight has a much higher scoring ability and could be an upgrade for a team coming off the bench.

Chris: Out of those four It’s finally time for the Timber Wolves to trade Ricky Rubio, and let Kris Dun to take over the duties at the point guard position. Rubio who’s averaged 9.9 PPG and 8.3 APG in his career has had a lackluster time with the Wolves. Now comes the hard part to find a trade partner who’s willing to take Rubio on. My first thought is the Cavaliers who’s looking for a playmaker to join the team. Yes the rich keeps getting richer, however the Cavs don’t have much young talent, and even the cap space to get Rubio on the team. In reality this trade would most likely not work but one can dream.

If I was the T-Wolves I would do whatever it takes to finally find a new home for Ricky Rubio.

Corban:  All 4 are very likely to be moved but Brandon Knight and Ricky Rubio are front-runners. both are players who no longer fit in their team’s backcourt and would greatly benefit from a change of scenery. Both have one limitation or another that makes it an interesting challenge to get them on a team that best suits each one (Ricky Rubio: Shooting; Brandon Knight: Defense, is he a pure point guard?) The more I mull this over, maybe the two guards could be traded for each other…..? It’s in play. I say one of them definitely gets moved, with a 75% chance both have new homes by February 24th.

6. On the Denver Nuggets side, if you were Tim Connelly, what moves if any would you make?

Derek: If I’m Tim Connelly, I’m trying to do whatever it takes to get a superstar. I wouldn’t stop calling the Bulls about Jimmy Butler until they blocked my number, and even then I’d go buy open up 3 more lines of service and keep calling them from new numbers. The Nuggets have so many assets – that should keep them from getting hung up on in about any trade talks. If you want to rebuild in the upcoming aforementioned very deep draft, the Nuggets have 2 first round picks. If you want some valuable win-now type of talent, I think the Nuggets would move off of almost anyone on their roster minus Jokic and maybe Jamal Murray. If no superstar is available, I would move Nurkic and possibly a pick to get an upgrade on defense (looking at you, Serge Ibaka).

Chris: Tim Connelly has one hell of a team at the moment with the Denver Nuggets. This team is full of young talent, but no star to help lead this team. Denver has a lot of assets, but they need to find a team that’s willing to give up an all-star which won’t happen this year. So that leaves me with a dream trade for a pretty decent player, that if I was Tim Connelly I would try my best to do.

Corban: If I’m Connelly, I’m trying to get that go to player. I’m thinking Paul George, Jimmy Butler, specifically an accomplished player we can go to in the waning stages of the game to get the Nuggets crunch time buckets. The Nuggets have assets, picks, and young prospects, as well as the talented Jusuf Nurkic who wants a new home. If Connelly can package it the right way and with a bit of luck, maybe  we can get one of the two swing men, or a Serge Ibaka or Paul Millsap. It will be interesting to see what the Nuggets decide to do when February 23rd rolls around.