It's Not You, It's Me: NBA Divorces That Need to Happen
Not every NBA pairing works.
Especially this time of year, breakups are inevitable. Teams are looking to offload players with marquee trades, and free agents are trying to escape to more favorable situations. But acknowledging the existence of divorce-worthy situations is the easy part.
Recognizing who needs to split is far tougher.
Each of these eight player-team combinations (players-team, in one case) is no longer tenable. They might not all break up prior to the start of the 2017-18 campaign, but it would be in their best interests to do so. That space would both promote more success from the individuals and free up the teams to travel down the preferred route without any second thoughts.
Eric Bledsoe, Phoenix Suns
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It's time to begin the youth movement in earnest.
Eric Bledsoe remains a fantastic point guard. He's one of the league's most underrated players, capable of changing a game for the better on both ends of the court. In 2016-17, he even deserved All-Star consideration by averaging 21.1 points, 4.8 rebounds and 6.3 assists. According to NBA Math's total points added (TPA) metric, only 27 players added more value during the entire campaign, even though he suited up in just 66 contests.
But the Phoenix Suns should still be evaluating their options.
They already have Devin Booker ready to take over as the franchise's premier offensive threat. Tyler Ulis showed flashes of potential during his rookie season. After Bledsoe was shut down for the season, he moved into the starting lineup and averaged 16.1 points, 3.6 rebounds and 8.5 assists over the course of 15 games.
Would there be growing pains with those two functioning as the lead guards? Of course. But it's worth throwing them into the fire when the oft-injured Bledsoe's aging curve doesn't mesh with the team's timetable of contention. He'll turn 28 in December, and he'll be moving out of his prime by the time the many desert-dwelling youngsters are hitting their strides.
The Suns shouldn't sell him for pennies on the dollar. Sending him and a second-round pick to the Denver Nuggets for Jamal Murray and Kenneth Faried would be a palatable deal, for example. But it's in their best interest to allocate minutes elsewhere and promote the growth of their core building blocks, and I'm sure he wouldn't mind getting to make a legitimate run at the playoffs with a new organization.
Andre Drummond and Reggie Jackson, Detroit Pistons
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Big things were expected of this Detroit Pistons core. Instead, it flopped and couldn't sneak into the playoffs despite the weak nature of the teams sitting in the Eastern Conference's morass of mediocrity.
Reggie Jackson's knee injury was surely to blame. He just never looked right after making his delayed debut, passed off defensive assignments to his teammates when he couldn't handle them and struggled to live up to his reputation throughout the year.
Of course, Andre Drummond didn't do much better while trying to establish himself as the unquestioned franchise centerpiece.
Drummond still has plenty of value. He's one of the league's best rebounders, has grown (a bit) on the defensive end and is a devastating pick-and-roll finisher when given chances right around the hoop. But his continued misery at the free-throw stripe, inability to anchor a defense from the interior and woeful post-up work makes him incompatible with the rest of the roster. It's too easy to leave him alone on the blocks to focus on shutting everyone else down, and he simply doesn't dissuade the opposition from attacking the hoop on the other end.
Even on the most basic level, the Pistons posted a 5.7 net rating without Drummond, and that number submarined to minus-6.3 when he was on the floor. Substitute Jackson in, and those respective marks stand at 2.6 and minus-8.7.
Pulling the plug on this duo would be painful, given how much Detroit invested in its growth and upside. But at this point, testing the trade market and attempting to start over is more beneficial than erroneously skipping down the same path. Accepting the status quo is easier; that just doesn't make it right.
Dante Exum, Utah Jazz
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Yes, Dante Exum is still only 21 years old. Yes, he showed off his immense upside—for short bursts—at various points in his delayed sophomore campaign. Yes, there's a healthy contingent of the Utah Jazz fanbase that wants him to continue receiving larger roles until he develops into the unquestioned starter at point guard.
But Exum deserves a more immediate chance, and the Jazz should be willing to give him one...just not in Salt Lake City.
They certainly can't while he's on the roster. That much has been made inordinately clear, and not just because they've dabbled with Shelvin Mack and other lackluster point guards while keeping him pinned to the bench. This franchise has already been linked to Ricky Rubio (via a trade, per ESPN.com's Marc Stein) and Milos Teodosic (via free-agency signing, per Politika's Aleksandar Miletic, h/t the Deseret News), and that's assuming it can't bring back George Hill.
Where's the commitment to Exum's growth? All of those acquisitions would keep him pushed down toward the bottom of the depth chart, forcing him to develop during practice without any opportunities to play high-leverage minutes against top-tier competition.
And that's fine. Utah is just trying to win, which is what it should be doing.
But imagine if it recognized that trading Exum is in its best interest. He'd surely fetch a substantial return that could be used toward improving the current core, and it's not like the key members in this rotation are getting any younger.
Moving the Australian floor general wouldn't just give him an actual opportunity. It would also make the Jazz more competitive throughout the immediate future.
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Danilo Gallinari, Denver Nuggets
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"Nuggets are not my first choice but they are exactly at the same level of the other teams," Danilo Gallinari recently said to Premium Sport about his free-agency options, as translated by Sportando.com's E. Carchia. "Denver's advantage is that they can offer me a five-year contract while other franchises can offer me a four-year deal. Nuggets are at the same level of the others."
If money is the only selling point, maybe Gallinari will return to his home in the Mile High City. However, it's still in his best interest, as well as that of the Denver Nuggets, to move on.
The combination of Gallinari and Nikola Jokic experienced great success on the offensive end in 2016-17. Together, they posted a staggering 120.2 offensive rating, which outshone the mark produced with Jokic on and Gallinari off (117.6). Ditto for what was done with both stars sitting (106.1), per nbawowy.com.
But it's time for Gallinari to find another location that can offer him more touches. He could join the Brooklyn Nets and take over as the offense's unquestioned leader, or he could look to fit in with either the Miami Heat or Dallas Mavericks. Maybe he could even join the Boston Celtics if their other options also fall through.
Either way, he'd get more minutes and touches than he might in Denver, which keeps acquiring young players who need more run. The Nuggets have to find a way to get Juancho Hernangomez, Malik Beasley, Trey Lyles and Tyler Lydon on the floor in 2017-18, and that's before they make runs at players such as Paul Millsap and Blake Griffin.
Moving on is the best way to unclog the roster. It's the only way to move forward.
Shaun Livingston, Golden State Warriors
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During the playoffs, Shaun Livingston played just 15.7 minutes per game. He wasn't needed nearly as frequently en route to a second title, as the Golden State Warriors instead relied on even more minutes from Kevin Durant, played Patrick McCaw in big spots and just constantly went in different directions.
That's not going to change if he stays in the Bay Area. The soon-to-be-32-year-old point guard might still play a key role off the pine in some games, but he could get bigger opportunities elsewhere. And at this point in his career, a departure is something he should strongly consider.
Livingston's route to success is rather unique.
Once the NBA's next big thing as an oversized point guard with the Los Angeles Clippers, Livingston suffered a devastating knee injury that knocked him out of action for more than a season. It was a miracle he was able to play again, much less develop into a mid-range maestro who played such an integral part in Golden State's first title quest. As a result, he's done everything backward.
Most veterans in Livingston's position are looking to sacrifice money for rings. But he's in the opposite situation since the early-career trauma prevented him from signing any exorbitant contracts that would set him and his family up for life.
The $5,782,450 he made in 2016-17 was actually the largest payday of his career, which is almost inconceivable given the rising cap climate of the last few years. For his career as a whole, he's tallied $41,764,378—a large sum, but only a bit more than some max players will make in one year. It averages out to just over $3 million per NBA season.
Someone would surely be willing to pay Livingston eight figures this offseason, and he should take it. The capped-out Warriors don't need him anymore—at least, not to the same extent—and he's earned the right to chase after some cash.
Paul Millsap, Atlanta Hawks
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What motivation does Paul Millsap have to come back to the Atlanta Hawks? Does he really want to line up in a starting lineup comprised of himself, Dennis Schroder, Kent Bazemore, Taurean Prince and Miles Plumlee?
Millsap could certainly make oodles of money with the Hawks. He'd be guaranteed a prominent slot in the rotation—the same one he's filled for each of the last few seasons while functioning as the team's best player on both ends of the floor.
But he could compete elsewhere. Teams on the rise such as the Denver Nuggets and Miami Heat would love to add him. He could take a slight pay cut and wind up on even more competitive squads like the Boston Celtics. The possibilities are (figuratively) endless.
Staying and floundering shouldn't be near the top of his decision-making hierarchy. Even if Atlanta is reticent about its direction, trading Dwight Howard to the Charlotte Hornets and receiving Plumlee and Marco Belinelli in return is a clear-cut indication of where it's headed. This might not yet be a full-scale rebuild, but it's teetering on the verge of becoming one, and Luka Doncic and Michael Porter Jr. are looming in the not-so-distant future.
Should Millsap depart, he'll get a chance to win as he moves deeper into his 30s. And more importantly for the Hawks, they'll be free to unabashedly sink toward the bottom of the Eastern Conference while giving big developmental minutes to Prince, DeAndre' Bembry, Tyler Dorsey and John Collins.
JJ Redick, Los Angeles Clippers
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Chris Paul is gone. The Vertical's Adrian Wojnarowski first broke the news Wednesday morning, and there's no turning back now.
Blake Griffin should eventually follow—not necessarily to the Houston Rockets, but almost certainly to a new location. In today's NBA, superstars want chances to compete for titles and dethrone the Golden State Warriors/Cleveland Cavaliers, not teams they can lead by themselves as unquestioned alpha dogs.
And that leaves just DeAndre Jordan to function as a returning member of the Big Three.
So why exactly should JJ Redick stay?
He deserves more money than the Clippers might be willing to pay him, though that could change now that the incumbent stars are no longer, well, incumbent. Whether he chooses the Philadelphia 76ers, Brooklyn Nets or a more competitive organization, he'll be paid handsomely. And even more importantly, he'll also be given more touches.
Consider this: Redick, who remains one of the league's premier sharpshooters, received just six three-point attempts per game in 2016-17. He took only 11.4 shots during his average appearance. Meanwhile, Robert Covington was at 6.1 and 10.9, respectively, during his efforts with the Sixers.
Fortunately, Redick already seems aware of the opportunities that await him elsewhere.
"I haven't even mentioned the name JJ Redick. JJ Redick is walking. He is not gonna be back," ESPN.com's Brian Windhorst said on SportsCenter after the Paul trade was announced, as transcribed by CBS Sports' Jack Maloney. "That was the worst kept secret in the NBA for the last couple of months."
Dwyane Wade, Chicago Bulls
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On June 20, Dwyane Wade told the Chicago Bulls he was opting into the final year of his contract, per CSN Chicago's Vincent Goodwill, which would give him $23.8 million for 2017-18. When asked why, as reported by David Aldridge of TNT, he said he had "24 million reasons."
He might be regretting that decision. But "might" is the operative word.
Two days later, the Bulls decided to trade Jimmy Butler to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Kris Dunn, Zach LaVine and a pick that became Lauri Markkanen later that night. And yet, Goodwill reported the future Hall of Famer still planned to pick up his player option.
That's immediately problematic, which Tom Ziller explained nicely for SB Nation:
"The Bulls aren't going to win anything in 2017-18, and at 35 years old, Wade has a limited amount of time to both make money and compete for a fourth championship. Wasting a season in Chicago after what was arguably a wasted season last year is not tenable.
"Wade's a professional, but it's not a good situation for young players like Zach LaVine and Kris Dunn. A miserable, impatient Wade playing for a team that doesn't really want him anymore is an ugly combination, even if everyone tries their best to keep it positive."
How the Bulls part with Wade is tough.
It'll be inordinately difficult to convince him that he shouldn't file the paperwork he's committed to, and finding a home on the trade market is almost impossible, given his monstrous salary and declining game. A buyout could work, but not until the calendars have flipped to 2018.
But what's not tough? Realizing that Wade and the Bulls are prime candidates for a divorce and that their situation could quickly grow messy as the 2017-18 campaign begins and losses start piling up.
Adam Fromal covers the NBA for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter: @fromal09.
Unless otherwise indicated, all stats from Basketball Reference, NBA.com, NBA Math or ESPN.com.
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