Hypothetical Trades We Wish We Could See Before the 2023 NBA Playoffs
NBA teams are past the point of being able to beef up their rosters for their upcoming playoff run.
But what if they weren't? What if the trade window never closed, and clubs could keep wheeling and dealing right to the finish line?
That can't happen in real life, of course, but we play by Kevin Garnett's rules in the hypothetical realm, so anything is possible. In this universe, we can plug up roster holes, bring missing stars into the big dance and change championship odds.
Cavs Snag Their Small Forward
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Cleveland Cavaliers receive: Kelly Oubre Jr.
Charlotte Hornets receive: Cedi Osman, Dylan Windler, 2023 second-round pick (via GSW), 2026 second-round pick and 2026 second-round pick (via LAL)
Last offseason, the Cavaliers had six players competing for the small forward spot. That was the same thing as admitting they didn't have a starting-caliber small forward in the mix.
That's what made it curious to see them sit out trade season, especially since the offensively overpowered backcourt (Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland) and defensively dominant frontcourt (Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen) both look ready to contend. But that 3 spot is a sore spot, and it's one they considered filling with Kelly Oubre Jr. before he had hand surgery in January, per NBA reporter Marc Stein.
Oubre is all healed up now, and he actually played some of his best basketball after the operation. In 13 games after the All-Star break, he averaged 20.5 points on 46.2/35.4/85.3 shooting.
Get him to Cleveland, and he would zip atop the depth chart at small forward. He has a much deeper offensive bag than Isaac Okoro and offers more defensive resistance than Caris LeVert.
Oubre does a little of everything other than pass, but Cleveland could live with that weakness, since it already squeezes more than a dozen dimes per night out of the Mitchell-Garland combo. Oubre's athleticism and activity could perk up the Cavs' transition attack, and they could use more pep in their step after finishing 24th in fast-break scoring.
After Charlotte made the baffling decision to not deal Oubre, the Hornets are faced with the real possibility he'll leave for nothing. So, they'd be thrilled to get a mulligan on that non-move and turn him into three picks, plus Cedi Osman and Dylan Windler, assuming they viewed one or both incoming wings as more than salary-filler.
Grizzlies Get an Impact Wing
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Memphis Grizzlies receive: Jerami Grant
Portland Trail Blazers receive: Dillon Brooks, Ziaire Williams, Brandon Clarke and 2024 first-round pick (top-four-protected, via GSW)
While the Grizzlies snagged the West's No. 2 seed, expectations for this group aren't enormous. Not externally, at least. FanDuel Sportsbook, for instance, has Memphis at +1800 to win it all, which ranks seventh overall and fourth in the conference.
Why isn't the bar set higher for Beale Street's finest? Is Memphis' market size to blame? Are folks worried about the injury issues up front with centers Steven Adams (knee) and Brandon Clarke (Achilles) both on the shelf? Or could the lack of a high-impact, two-way wing be to blame?
The Grizzlies have difference-makers in the backcourt (Ja Morant, Desmond Bane) and up front (Jaren Jackson Jr.), but the wing spots are a little underwhelming. And they know it. That's why they tried to pry O.G. Anunoby away from the Toronto Raptors at the deadline and would have given up three first-round picks to get him, per ESPN's Zach Lowe (h/t RealGM).
Jerami Grant is a tier or so below Anunoby, but that's why the trade cost would drop. Losing Dillon Brooks might sting a bit, but constructing a quartet of Grant, Morant, Bane and Jackson feels worth it. Get Grant into a support role on offense, and he can focus his energy on defensive disruption while taking advantage of the defensive attention that Morant and Bane command.
Would Memphis emerge from this swap as a clear-cut championship favorite? Probably not, but it could wind up on equal footing as the other favorites in this field.
As for Portland, this trade could be the first of several that finally ushers in the rebuilding project that has felt inevitable for a few years now. There would be no reason to re-sign Grant ahead of a rebuild (for that matter, Brooks would likely be a goner, too), but Ziaire Williams and Brandon Clarke could both stick around for the long term. Tack on a future first with light protection, and this is a hefty haul for someone Portland may not want to keep anyway.
Lakers Reunite LeBron James and Kyrie Irving
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Los Angeles Lakers receive: Kyrie Irving
Dallas Mavericks receive: D'Angelo Russell, Max Christie and 2029 first-round pick
At the trade deadline, the Lakers needed more shot-making, shot-creation and scoring. They found it in the form of D'Angelo Russell, who once upon a time was taken second overall in the 2015 draft by Los Angeles.
Russell wasn't the team's top choice for a scoring point guard, though. That honor instead fell upon Kyrie Irving, a previous championship sidekick of LeBron James. Before Irving was sent to the Dallas Mavericks, the Lakers tried prying him away from the Brooklyn Nets by offering first-round picks in 2027 and 2029, per Bleacher Report's Chris Haynes. Russell, for context, only set the club back the 2027 pick—with top-four protection attached.
Russell is a good player, but he's not in Irving's class. Russell is a career 17.7 points per game scorer and 42.6/36.2/78.8 shooter. Irving is at 23.4 points a night on 47.2/39.1/88.5 shooting. It's hard to imagine James wouldn't sign off on the swap knowing his winning history with Irving and the way James reacted to L.A. not landing him.
"I can't sit here and say I'm not disappointed on not being able to land such a talent, but [also] someone that I had great chemistry with, and know I got great chemistry with on the floor, that can help you win championships, in my mind, in my eyes," James told ESPN's Michael Wilbon.
If the Lakers could get this deal done, the only disruption to their rotation would be swapping in Irving for Russell. That's an enormous upgrade, and perhaps one significant enough to put the Purple and Gold among the Association's heavyweight championship contenders.
Getting the Mavs to bite would be the tricky part, but given how things disintegrated down the stretch in Dallas, maybe they'd prefer the incoming package over Irving. Both he and Russell are headed to free agency, but the latter—despite being four years younger—could be exponentially cheaper to re-sign.
The Mavericks desperately need to upgrade things around Luka Dončić, and that process could be a lot easier with Russell making, say, $20 million to $25 million (plus the pick and Max Christie to deal or develop) than with Irving collecting north of $50 million in average annual value on a max deal.
Brooklyn Gives Damian Lillard a Chance
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Brooklyn Nets receive: Damian Lillard
Portland Trail Blazers receive: Spencer Dinwiddie, Joe Harris, Cam Thomas, Day'Ron Sharpe, 2025 first-round pick (via PHO), 2027 first-round pick (via PHO) and 2029 first-round pick (via PHO)
If the Nets think they found a star in Mikal Bridges—who erupted for 26.1 points on 47.5/37.6/89.4 shooting over 27 games after his deadline deal to Brooklyn—they shouldn't waste any time building something significant around him. He'll turn 27 this offseason, so if he hasn't entered his prime yet, he'll get there soon.
Brooklyn could fast-track its way back up the Eastern Conference hierarchy with a daring deal for Damian Lillard, who might finally be ready to concede that what's best for him and what's best for the Blazers may not be the same thing anymore.
Lillard told ESPN's Stephen A. Smith that if Portland can't make "significant" upgrades to the team, "then not only will I have a decision to make, but I think the organization will too," via Aaron Fentress of the Oregonian.
Between last season's deadline and this one, Brooklyn traded away James Harden, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant. If the Blazers are ready to move on from Lillard, the Nets have a rebuilding starter kit they could send back in return. And this wouldn't even empty Brooklyn's asset collection, meaning more additions could be made if this postseason proved the team was still short on talent.
As good as Bridges has looked in Brooklyn, Lillard is a different level of star. He could immediately assume control of this attack, let Bridges slide into a better-fitting sidekick role and let the supporting cast fall into place behind them. With a bunch of other lengthy wings on the roster and all-purpose stopper Nic Claxton manning the middle, Brooklyn could have the defensive protection Portland was never able to provide to Lillard.
Not to mention, the hoops world at large would win by getting Lillard back in the playoffs where he belongs. During his most recent postseason trip (sadly two years in the past), he was incredible: 34.3 points on 46.3/44.9/94 shooting, 10.2 assists against 2.2 turnovers.
As for the Blazers, if they're plunging into a post-Lillard rebuild, they need to find as many assets as possible. Getting three unprotected future firsts from the vet-heavy Phoenix Suns, plus 21-year-olds Cam Thomas and Day'Ron Sharpe, would be a solid start. Portland also shouldn't have trouble flipping Spencer Dinwiddie and Joe Harris for additional assets down the line.
Statistics courtesy of Basketball Reference and NBA.com.
Zach Buckley covers the NBA for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter, @ZachBuckleyNBA.
