NBA trade season is upon us.
Teams can begin making trades as soon as Monday. With the draft set for Wednesday night, we might not have to wait long to see marquee players switch uniforms.
Deals like the one that reportedly will send Dennis Schroder to the Los Angeles Lakers are nice, but we want the good stuff. We want some of the best players in the NBA to be on the move because, you know it’s more fun that way.
Ahead of what surely will be a busy month in the NBA, we asked six of our writers what blockbuster trades they’d love to see this offseason.
(Note: We only asked writers to mention the biggest names involved, rather than detail all the hypothetical compensation.)
Here are the results:
Sean McGuire
Trade: Damian Lillard to Los Angeles Clippers for Paul George
Lillard has been one of the most electric talents in the NBA for the past eight years, but never has had a team around him that was good enough to reach the top in an always-loaded Western Conference.
Paul George’s addition to the Clippers, especially next to Kawhi Leonard, was thought to form a strong one-two punch on both ends of the floor, but the 2020 NBA Playoffs clearly painted a different picture.
Lillard and Leonard, on the other hand, while maybe losing something with George’s prowess on the defensive end, would be an entertaining tandem who could push the Lakers and the rest of the West.
Ricky Doyle
Trade: James Harden to the Nets
The Nets long have been ridiculed for getting fleeced by the Celtics in the 2013 trade that sent Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce to Brooklyn, especially with Boston turning two of the draft picks it received into franchise cornerstones Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. Wouldn’t it be ironic if in 2021 – with neither team winning a championship since the deal – the Nets actually wind up with the superteam?
One could argue the Nets already are on par with the Celtics if Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving stay healthy upon returning to the hardwood. Acquiring James Harden, arguably the best pure scorer in the NBA, undoubtedly would launch Brooklyn to the top of many Eastern Conference projections.
With those expectations also comes great pressure, though. Even greater than what KD and Kyrie already face this season. The potential for things to go sideways – there’s only one basketball for three mercurial stars, after all – would make this must-see theatre.
Dakota Randall
Trade: Gordon Hayward to the Jazz for Rudy Gobert
That Hayward-for-Myles Turner rumor feels more realistic, but let’s shoot for the moon.
Gobert is heading into a contract season and there has been speculation he might want to be traded. That, coupled with the reported rift between Gobert and Jazz superstar Donovan Mitchell, makes it hard to envision the big man staying in Utah long-term.
Hayward, if he opts in to his final year with the Boston Celtics, too would be in a contract campaign and there have been rumors he’d like a change of scenery.
The Celtics need a stud in their frontcourt, and the Jazz need a legitimate Robin to pair with Mitchell, the franchise’s Batman. Plus, we already know Hayward can thrive in Utah.
So, a trade makes sense on multiple levels. But is it possible? Yes, it is, but not in a straight-up format. The Celtics likely would need to part with someone like Robert Williams as well as a pair of draft picks, not only to satisfy the financial requirements but also to make it something of a fair deal for the Jazz.
Adam London
Bradley Beal to the Chicago Bulls
Beal put together arguably the best 2019-20 season that no one really talked about. It was a career campaign for Beal, who finished second in the league in points per game (30.5).
At only 27 years old, Beal probably is just now entering his prime. But the fact of the matter is, his talents currently are being wasted in the nation’s capital. The Wizards are set to welcome back John Wall in the upcoming campaign, but it’s tough to imagine the star point guard’s return will make Washington significantly more competitive. There also have been plenty of reports indicating Beal and Wall don’t have the greatest relationship.
So, it’s time for Beal to move on. How about Chicago? The Bulls have an exciting young core headlined by Lauri Markkanen, Wendell Carter Jr. and Coby White. Chicago should take more steps in the right direction under new head coach Billy Donovan and the franchise might be a true superstar away from being a legitimate playoff contender in the Eastern Conference.
Considering Beal has a few more years left on his current deal, the Bulls likely would have to send over a hefty package to the Wizards. Zach LaVine would make sense as a centerpiece, in addition to another player and a few draft picks.
It’s probably a long shot, but it would be fun to have another competitive team in the East.
Alex Francisco
Gordon Hayward to the Detroit Pistons for Blake Griffin
If the speculation is true that Hayward wants out of Boston, then I’d like to see him flipped for more than Rudy Gobert, who is set to be an unrestricted free agent next year anyway.
Hayward was a huge help picking up on scoring when other core players would have quiet nights, and as we saw in the playoffs, that contribution was crucial early in the Walt Disney World bubble. While Gobert would be a great defensive piece, he’d be a downgrade on offense. Not to mention, he’s dealt with a ton of injuries in the past, and ones that aren’t as fluky as Hayward’s.
So, let’s speak a Blake Griffin trade into existence, just for fun. He’s set to make over $36 million next year, pretty similar to Hayward’s option. Although he was out with an injury much of last season, he’s a proven, strong power forward with a good outside shooting touch. Griffin is a better rebounder, passer and in a pinch, can play center defensively.
He’s just wasting away in Detroit.
Lauren Campbell
Devin Booker to the Brooklyn Nets
Could the Nets be the team with the new Big Three in the NBA? That could be the case if Brooklyn were to the make a deal with the Phoenix Suns.
It’s unlikely the Suns would think about parting ways with Booker, especially after how he performed during Phoenix’s impressive NBA bubble run this summer. But Brooklyn has a lot to offer in return and would give Booker the chance to play with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving.
Adding Booker likely would push the Nets to the top of the Eastern Conference.
It’s probably safe to bet this type of deal won’t happen, but it’s fun to speculate.
