Top 10 Storylines 1 Week Before 2023 NBA Trade Deadline
The NBA trade deadline is a week away, and the rumor mill is going full blast. It has turned more into a seller's market, and there are several storylines worth watching.
The Wizards, after trading Rui Hachimura, are likely no longer taking calls on Kyle Kuzma. The Jazz have made it clear anyone could be had for the right price, except for Lauri Markkanen, Walker Kessler and Ochai Agbaji.
There are also many different types of buyers and sellers on the trade market. Some teams might just window shop. Think of all the "Almost Danny Ainge trade rumors" we heard during his Boston Celtics era.
There might be some impulsive buyers who make a trade at the last possible moment. Think the Clippers getting Ivica Zubac from the Lakers at the last second in 2019.
There are reluctant sellers—teams that might be afraid of losing a player for nothing in free agency. Look at the Spurs, who want to keep Jakob Poeltl even though he is likely to leave in free agency.
You just never know what's going to happen. But with all that in mind, here are some of the top storylines to keep an eye on with the deadline just one week away.
Will This Be an Active Trade Deadline or a Dud?
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The most obvious storyline is whether this is going to be a busy or quiet day in the league office.
There were 20 trades made last season, with the bulk of them coming during the week of the trade deadline. As of writing, there have been just two trades heading into the last week the window is open. One of those trades was a simple salary dump.
What's the hold-up? For starters, parity. The standings in both conferences are bunched up to the point that more teams are looking to be buyers than sellers. The Raptors are 12th in the East and 5.5 games out of sixth place. It is even tighter in the West. The Lakers are 13th and 3.5 games out of sixth.
The parity and lack of clear contenders have led to teams believing they're closer to making the playoffs, so it seems less likely they make a big change. The play-in tournament is within reach for five teams. In previous years, those teams would likely be tanking.
What Will Toronto Do?
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It's believed the trade market might just hinge on whether the Toronto Raptors decide to tear everything down.
The Raptors have disappointed, having too much talent to be sitting where they are in the standings. Things just haven't jelled properly, but they have several players who will garner significant interest.
Fred VanVleet and Gary Trent Jr. both have player options for next year and are likely to opt out and chase bigger deals. Toronto might be more willing to move both to avoid losing them for nothing. There will be interest should they end up on the market.
Then there is the question: Could the Raptors think of making even bigger moves? That would be dealing Pascal Siakam or O.G. Anunoby. If one or even both of them find themselves on the trading block, the phone lines will blow up.
Everyone is watching what is going on north of the border, and that might change the whole deadline story.
Are the Lakers Done After the Hachimura Trade?
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The Lakers made one of the two trades so far this season, sending Kendrick Nunn and three second-round picks to Washington for Rui Hachimura. For months they've been trying to package Russell Westbrook and their two future first-round picks ('27 and '29) for a big piece. Which is why the question now is: Is that it?
Their first move was a trade around the margins. But the Hachimura deal does not mean the Lakers are done...necessarily. Was this the first move or just the only move available to them? If the Raptors do decide to be sellers at the deadline (see above), the Lakers could try to make a run at Fred VanVleet and Gary Trent Jr.
The door is still open for potential trades for the Lakers, and their picks could be the prize piece for any team looking to start a rebuild or just add to their cupboard.
Should We Keep an Eye on These Contenders?
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In a normal season, the number of contenders would dwindle around this time, but this has not been a normal season. The Western Conference is wide open. The Eastern Conference is not wide open, but there are a few teams that could make a jump with the right move.
Starting out West with Denver, they are desperately in need of a backup center to give Nikola Jokić a breather and can also look to upgrade their backup point guard position. Maybe they could arrange a reunion with Isaiah Hartenstein from the Knicks or see what it would take to get a guy like Mike Conley to help their backup guard situation.
One name that has begun to circulate in the trade rumor mill has been Bones Hyland. The second-year player has shown a lot of promise but is on a different timeline than the contending Nuggets. Hyland can be the centerpiece of trade that could help upgrade Denver's bench.
The Grizzlies are legitimate contenders right now. They are sitting second in the Western Conference standings and are just two games away from the top spot. They have some great draft capital, their own picks plus a future pick from the Golden State Warriors. That, paired with some of their young talent not named Ja, Desmond or Jaren, could really bring in the final piece to not just win the West but bring home the trophy.
Besides dropping a few games here and there, Boston has looked destined for another run to the Finals. The question is whether it should look for some insurance for Robert Williams III. There has to be a real concern that he won't be able to stay healthy for four straight series. The Celtics have been rumored to have interest in Jakob Poeltl. It may be a rental, but it might be enough to put them over the top.
Milwaukee is another contender looking for a move. They have been linked to Jae Crowder pretty much as soon as he issued his trade demand. The Bucks were even in trade talks with the Phoenix Suns and Washington Wizards that would have landed them Crowder before Hachimura ended up in a Lakers uniform. That said, they are clearly looking to add another rotation player to the roster. If it is not Crowder, who will they go after next?
How Will the Jae Crowder-Suns Situation Play out
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Jae Crowder has played zero minutes so far this season. Unhappy with losing his starting spot and not getting a contract extension, he demanded a trade, and the Suns have been actively looking for a new home for the veteran forward.
But this is a real challenge for the Suns, who are not going to just accept draft equity for Crowder. They will be looking for a rotation-level player for him, but that is hard to come by for a 32-year-old streaky shooter in the last year of his deal. What team is giving up a legit player for that?
They came close to pulling off the aforementioned three-team trade that would have gotten them Hachimura, but they could not get the Wizards to pull the trigger.
The Bucks are interested, the Miami Heat are interested (but have limited assets), so what is going to happen with Crowder? The options are not great for the Suns: either convince him to return, which does not seem likely; hope a trade comes at the last second; or buy him out if no trade materializes.
It will be interesting to see how this whole situation plays out by the deadline.
What Will Golden State Do with James Wiseman?
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James Wiseman, the No. 2 pick of the 2020 draft, has really become an afterthought for the Warriors. In fact, he has not played a game in 2023. It is clear that Wiseman does not fit Golden State's system and would be better off going to a team where he could get heavy minutes to develop.
For the Warriors, there is not a lot of urgency to make a trade. Everything in the West is lining up perfectly for them. The Warriors survived Steph Curry's shoulder injury and are a game back from having homecourt advantage in the first round of the playoffs. The Warriors have some big wins over Memphis—one without Curry. The Nuggets, meanwhile, don't exactly strike fear in the hearts of anyone.
Golden State could use Wiseman to help shore up the bench and add more depth—in particular in the wing department, as Andrew Wiggins has been in and out of the lineup lately. Wiseman's future might be an offseason storyline to keep an eye on.
Will John Collins Finally Get Traded After Years of Being on the Block?
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John Collins has replaced Myles Turner for the moment as perpetually being in trade rumors. There is a lot of smoke. Teams like Utah and Houston appear interested in making a move for him, as Shams Charania and Kelly Iko of The Athletic reported. Is this the year the Hawks finally send him away to add more defense depth?
The Hawks have overhauled their front office midseason with Landry Fields replacing Travis Schlenk as the head of basketball operations. This being Fields' first trade deadline as the top decision maker, it is certainly possible for Collins to find a new home.
Where Collins ends up is up in the air, but the real question has to be if the Hawks will actually move him at the trade deadline or just continue to put him in rumors because it is fun.
What's Going On in New York?
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The Brooklyn Nets are the second-worst rebounding team in the NBA. They are desperately seeking someone who can help on the boards. Brooklyn could use a player like Joe Harris as their trade piece. There were John Collins rumors, but they have not gone anywhere. One name to watch for is Naz Reid in Minnesota, whose per 36 minutes rebounding number 9.6 would go a long way for Brooklyn.
The Knicks are more likely sellers at this trade deadline than buyers. The most likely player to go would be Cam Reddish, who the Lakers had interest in before opting for Hachimura. Early in the season, Immanuel Quickley was getable, but he has since been taken off the block. They could find homes for veterans Evan Fournier and Derrick Rose, who have fallen out of the regular rotation, but it is not an urgent need.
If the Knicks do become buyers at the trade deadline, the latest rumor has them joining the long list of suitors for O.G. Anunoby. They have a plethora of draft assets that could meet the Raptors' asking price.
Knick fans might want the team to buyers, but they would be better off making a fringe move to acquire more assets. The game for them has to be acquiring a big fish in the offseason—it's the NBA, there will be a big name available in the summer.
Will the Clippers Make a Move?
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The Clippers are interesting. They could be the most disappointing team considering you never know who is suiting up for them on a nightly basis, but they are also sitting in the fourth seed. One thing is clear, they are still in need of a point guard and probably a backup center.
Los Angeles has tried many different guys in the playmaker role, from Patrick Beverley to Reggie Jackson to now John Wall. None of them has panned out, and it has been clear they are out looking for yet another guard. They have been connected to several guards, such as Mike Conley in Utah, Miami's Kyle Lowry and Toronto's Fred VanVleet.
Another priority for the Clippers might be finding a back-up center. Ivica Zubac started the season great but has begun to tire as of late. Ty Lue has been either playing small or going with Moses Brown, who is more of a project when Zubac goes to the bench.
Keep an eye on the Clippers at the trade deadline, they need upgrades and have been historically active at the trade deadline.
Is There a Surprise Trade Coming?
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It doesn't happen every deadline, but from time to time, there is a big trade no one saw coming. The Pacers trading Domantas Sabonis to Sacramento last season for Tyrese Haliburton caught most people off-guard since most expected De'Aaron Fox to be traded, not Haliburton. Can such a trade happen this year?
Well, if it is a surprise, there is no way for us to know. However, reckless speculation is fun.
It wouldn't be shocking to see the Blazers, looking at their current group and deciding it might be time to trade Anfernee Simons.
DeAndre Ayton has a veto power for any trade, but it would not be surprising to see him wearing a new uniform come February 10th.
Zach LaVine was a hot name earlier in the season when the Bulls were struggling. Could he be the realistic yet surprising blockbuster piece moved this season?
It will be an interesting week heading into the trade deadline.
Mo Dakhil spent six years with the Los Angeles Clippers and two years with the San Antonio Spurs as a video coordinator, as well as three years with the Australian men's national team. Follow him on Twitter, @MoDakhil_NBA.
