10 Trade Targets Who Make the Most Sense for Struggling NBA Teams
There's no shame in admitting you need help.
And the NBA's 10 worst teams could all use a little help.
Now roughly a quarter of the way through the 2014-15 campaign, team decision-makers are developing better senses of what they have and what they need. For some, the trade market may be the best means of bridging the gap.
With some of the league's bottom feeders looking to turn the corner and others content to wait out protracted rebuilds, not all needs are equal. But each of these teams can get better somehow, and we came up with some solutions who might make sense. Ranked from "best" to worst according to their current record, here are the league's 10 most hopeless teams—and potential trade acquisitions who could make a difference.
All records and statistical information current as of games played on Dec. 12.
10. Orlando Magic
1 of 10
Target: Rajon Rondo
It would almost certainly cost the Orlando Magic rookie point guard Elfrid Payton (along with other valuable sweeteners), but now feels like the time for this club to do something big. Orlando may still be early into its rebuilding process, but several key weapons are starting to come along, and a top-shelf playmaker could put this team squarely in the playoff race.
Nikola Vucevic and Tobias Harris are both averaging over 18 points per contest, and swingman Evan Fournier is blossoming before our eyes after the organization acquired him from the Denver Nuggets this summer.
Though second-year combo guard Victor Oladipo is averaging 3.4 assists per contest, the Magic are relying primarily on Payton and veteran Luke Ridnour at the point. Payton could become a star one day, but it's tempting to see what this team could do with an elite distributor initiating offense.
Rondo will become an unrestricted free agent this summer, so the Celtics may see some logic in trading him rather than potentially losing him for nothing. Rumors and speculation about his availability are nothing new, but this February's trade deadline will be Boston's last opportunity to part ways with the four-time All-Star on its own terms.
9. Boston Celtics
2 of 10
Target: JaVale McGee
Some Celtics fans will roll their eyes, but it's hard to find good rim protection these days.
At the moment, Boston allows 47.3 points in the paint per game, the league's second-worst mark according to TeamRankings.com. Jared Sullinger and Kelly Olynyk have shown plenty of promise, but neither is especially well-equipped to deter interior scoring.
McGee is admittedly expensive and has done little to prove himself since the Denver Nuggets acquired him in 2012, but a change of scenery could do him some good. Now vying for minutes with Timofey Mozgov and J.J. Hickson, lingering leg pain has limited him since he had season-ending surgery on his tibia in February.
"It's definitely frustrating," McGee told reporters earlier this month. "Because I know the player that I am. And especially in this system, I know what I can do off being 100 percent. So it's definitely frustrating playing at 85 or 90 percent, when I could be playing at 100."
When healthy, McGee would give the Celtics some needed size and above-the-rim athleticism. Assuming the organization keeps its current core together, its lack of an interior presence appears to be its most glaring liability. McGee isn't the perfect solution, but he's still just 26 years old and has averaged 1.8 blocks per game over the course of his career.
Boston could probably build a trade around one of its young guards (perhaps Avery Bradley or Marcus Smart), giving the Nuggets a sixth man behind Ty Lawson and Arron Afflalo. With some draft picks and peripheral talent exchanging hands, it seems like something along these lines could happen.
8. Los Angeles Lakers
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Target: Tony Allen
According to Hollinger Team Stats, the Los Angeles Lakers currently rank dead last in defensive efficiency, giving up 111.1 points per 100 possessions. It's the second consecutive season in which the team's defense has been exceptionally bad, and there's no silver bullet on the horizon.
New head coach Byron Scott may be able to improve upon Mike D'Antoni's notorious legacy in time, but he hasn't so far.
One could argue that Los Angeles needs a rim protector like Larry Sanders, and on paper they would probably have a point. But the bigger priority should be orchestrating a cultural change. Kobe Bryant can only carry so much of that leadership role.
Someone like Tony Allen would set the right tone. And with Bryant adopting an increasing share of point guard responsibilities, he could certainly share the backcourt with Allen at the same time.
The Memphis Grizzlies probably wouldn't part ways with their prized stopper easily, but the emergence of two-way swingman Courtney Lee makes such a move conceivable if the price were right.
7. Indiana Pacers
4 of 10
Target: Deron Williams
Nothing will save the Indiana Pacers this season. Even if Paul George hadn't ended his season in such premature and gruesome fashion, the additions of C.J. Miles and Rodney Stuckey still wouldn't have made up for the loss of swingman Lance Stephenson to the Charlotte Hornets via free agency.
The organization should, however, give some thought to life after George returns.
As currently constructed, it's doubtful the Pacers have enough playmaking to remain at the very top of the Eastern Conference. At full health, they'd still struggle to match the Cleveland Cavaliers' offensive prowess or overcome the Chicago Bulls' defensive pedigree.
George Hill may be a serviceable starting point guard, but he averaged only 3.5 assists per game a season ago. Deron Williams may have lost some luster, but he's more of an offensive threat than Hill. And while he wouldn't replace Stephenson's rebounding or defense, he can certainly create for others.
ESPN.com's Marc Stein and Ohm Youngmisuk recently reported, "The Brooklyn Nets have begun reaching out to teams to let them know that former All-Stars Deron Williams, Brook Lopez and Joe Johnson are available via trade, ESPN.com has learned."
Stein and Youngmisuk add that any potential deals would probably be negotiated separately due to the epic player salaries involved.
Indiana could build a package for Williams around Roy Hibbert or David West, adding some younger talent and draft picks to enhance the offer. The Nets may not have a need for Hibbert at the moment, but that could change if Lopez is indeed available.
Pacers fans might not get overly excited about the prospect of landing Williams and the $43.3 million he'll still be owed at season's end (for the 2015-16 and 2016-17 campaigns). But the organization should invest in a quality sidekick for George, ideally one who can pass and score.
If the franchise is willing to spare no expense, Williams certainly fills a need.
6. Charlotte Hornets
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Target: Joe Johnson
While on the subject of Brooklyn's reported fire sale, we might as well plot Joe Johnson's course to what would be his fifth team.
If the Nets are serious about starting over, the Charlotte Hornets just might be able to assemble a package with the likes of Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Gerald Henderson and a couple of throw-ins. Given Lance Stephenson's rocky start, the organization might be willing to include him (perhaps in place of MKG, for example).
With or without Stephenson, the Hornets need a consistent scoring option to join Al Jefferson and Kemba Walker. Johnson hasn't lived up to his superstar paychecks (he'll earn nearly $25 million next season), but he may be Charlotte's best hope of landing a proven scorer.
Johnson's averaging 15.5 points through his first 19 appearances after tallying 15.8 points per game a season ago. His three-point shooting and crafty in-between game would be welcome in Charlotte, and could even be enough to jolt this club out of its listless start.
5. Utah Jazz
6 of 10
Target: Reggie Jackson
Still in just his second season out of Michigan, starting point guard Trey Burke hasn't had an especially long audition with the Utah Jazz. There's still time for the 22-year-old to really blossom.
At the moment, however, he's the weak link in a lineup that's otherwise beginning to mature. Burke is making only 36.1 percent of his field-goal attempts, down from last season's already unimpressive 38 percent mark. The former No. 9 overall pick may go places someday, but right now he's a raw player at a critical position.
Regardless of Burke's upside, Reggie Jackson is already the real deal—and he knows it.
"I don't think about ever coming off the bench for any team," he told The Oklahoman's Darnell Mayberry in September. "If that's the role I'm put in, that's what I'm put in. But since the day I thought about playing in the NBA, I've always been a starter.
"Everything I've thought about, whether it be middle school, high school, kids leagues, I never envisioned coming off the bench. When you think about playing basketball, you see the first five guys get on the floor, and that's something I've always prided myself on being. I want to be the best player I can be."
Though injuries to Russell Westbrook have allowed Jackson 49 starts over the last two seasons, he's primarily been a sixth man vying for touches with Westbrook, reigning MVP Kevin Durant and power forward Serge Ibaka.
On the heels of failed extension negotiations in October, Yahoo Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski reported, "Jackson is determined to pursue restricted free agency as a means to hunt a starting job in the NBA, league sources told Yahoo Sports."
Wojnarowski added, "As rival teams evaluate restricted free-agency candidates next July, league executives believe Jackson holds a distinct advantage among his peers: The Thunder's investment into their star players may limit how far the franchise can go to match a rich offer sheet and make Jackson an ideal target to change teams."
Rather than running the risk of losing Jackson for nothing, Thunder general manager Sam Presti could instead opt to deal him for less expensive talent—much as the organization did with James Harden in 2012. A package built around Burke or rookie guard Dante Exum might get Presti's attention.
Jackson would instantly become the Jazz's starting floor general and a primary scoring option alongside Gordon Hayward and Derrick Favors. Given the ideal fit, he might even decide to remain in Utah when free agency arrives.
4. Minnesota Timberwolves
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The Target: Marreese Speights
The Minnesota Timberwolves are at something of an awkward juncture. This organization is only beginning to map out its future after trading disaffected superstar Kevin Love to the Cleveland Cavaliers this summer. Bringing Andrew Wiggins, Anthony Bennett and Thaddeus Young into the fold is a start, and reaching a long-term extension with point guard Ricky Rubio demonstrates this club's commitment to turning things around.
Minnesota isn't really a buyer in the trade market at the moment. Team president and head coach Flip Saunders should focus on acquiring and developing assets over the next season or two, aiming to amass young, inexpensive talent with room to grow.
If anything, it would make sense to trade guys like Kevin Martin and Nikola Pekovic, veterans who are making too much money to produce meaningless numbers on a bad team. The Timberwolves don't have to start tanking, but they probably shouldn't spend big money on players who may not be part of the long-term picture.
To whatever extent it makes sense for this club to add someone who will help now, that addition should be relatively cheap. That's the logic behind targeting Speights.
He's having a fantastic season as the Golden State Warriors' backup center, but he's playing only 16.5 minutes per contest through his first 20 games. And with big man David Lee's imminent return to the interior rotation, Speights' playing time may be even harder to come by.
If the Timberwolves can get themselves out from underneath Pekovic's remaining contract (three more seasons worth nearly $36 million), Speights could be a far more affordable replacement.
His absurd 25.14 player efficiency rating attests to how much impact he's making in limited doses. One can't help but imagine what he might do given a more prominent role.
3. New York Knicks
8 of 10
Target: Nikola Pekovic
The Timberwolves are beginning to rebuild. The New York Knicks are hoping to do so on the fly.
Though Knicks president Phil Jackson probably isn't eager to compromise this summer's cap space (and the opportunity to make a run at big man Marc Gasol), acquiring someone like Pekovic by trade would be a sure thing.
New York needs an interior presence who can rebound and exploit high-percentage looks at the basket. Now in his fifth season, Pekovic has become a proven commodity in both respects. He's a level below Gasol, but there are no guarantees in free agency. And Jackson can ill afford to come up entirely empty as this team attempts to build an instant contender around Carmelo Anthony.
Pekovic certainly won't solve all of the Knicks' problems, but he'd be a start. He might even make the franchise a more attractive free-agent destination, improving Jackson's chances of recruiting another star this summer.
2. Detroit Pistons
9 of 10
Target: Jeff Green
The reports about Jeff Green's attractiveness to potential suitors shouldn't be taken lightly. He's averaging a career-high 20 points per game through his first 21 appearances, and his length makes him a useful defensive presence on the wing.
The Detroit Pistons have an overabundance of big men, and they desperately need a legitimate small forward who can space the floor on the offensive end while moving effectively on defense. Greg Monroe, Josh Smith and Andre Drummond are all starting-caliber inside players, but none is especially well-suited to the 3 spot.
That job often falls to Smith, who's struggled mightily from the field since joining the Pistons as a free agent in 2013. He's a better fit at power forward, where he played primarily during his first nine seasons with the Atlanta Hawks.
Detroit may prefer to trade Smith, but the Celtics might prefer Greg Monroe. In their ideal scenario, the Celtics would almost certainly ask for Andre Drummond. Though any additional size would help in Boston, a center to protect the rim is priority No. 1.
Drummond isn't going anywhere, though, so the Pistons would have to make something else work. Dealing away Monroe would require him to waive a no-trade clause attached to the qualifying offer he signed during the offseason, and Detroit would have to throw another player or two into the swap so that salaries were sufficiently matched.
It's worth noting Green doesn't want to leave Boston.
"If I didn't [want to be here], I wouldn't have signed [his most recent] contract to come back here," he told reporters in November. "I'm happy where I'm at, happy with the coach, management, front office, everybody. I haven't been happy like this in years. It's a good place for me."
That doesn't mean Celtics president Danny Ainge is tuning offers out, but it does cast doubt on any possibility that Green's currently on the trade block. The Pistons would probably have to do some persuading here.
1. Philadelphia 76ers
10 of 10
Target: Maurice Harkless
No team needs more help than the Philadelphia 76ers, and that's almost entirely by design. General manager Sam Hinkie has adopted a long-term strategy, eschewing expenditures on immediate help and riding out a rebuilding process that's relied heavily on building through the draft.
So while the organization could certainly use a substantial infusion of talent, it's unlikely we'll see much activity on the trade front.
It remains unclear what will materialize from this month's acquisition of forward Andrei Kirilenko from the Brooklyn Nets, but the idea of pursuing some help on the wing makes sense.
That's where Maurice Harkless comes in.
The 21-year-old is essentially a younger version of Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, who's so far started 20 games and averaged 27.4 minutes per contest for the Sixers this season. Primarily a defensive specialist, Mbah a Moute is set to become an unrestricted free agent at season's end, and Philly could use a young starter who'd grow alongside the team's still-raw core.
Harkless—who has one year left on his rookie contract after this season—has struggled to carve out a consistent role in the Orlando Magic's rotation, thanks in large part to the emergence of Tobias Harris and acquisition of Evan Fournier. Now averaging career-low minutes (17.8), points (4.1) and rebounds per contest (2.8), Harkless could use a fresh start where he's actually needed.
"Just going through a couple of seasons, I think it's just helped me grow," Harkless told reporters just two games into the new season. "I think if [not playing] would've maybe happened to me last year, I probably would be frustrated and probably just angry.
"But right now, it's all about the team. I've just got to root for my teammates if I'm not out there, and if I get my number called, [I'll] just be ready. I'm just looking forward to whenever that happens. But right now it's just all about my teammates and just cheering them on and hopefully get a win."
An admirable attitude, but also a sign Harkless might be happier somewhere else.
Equipped with length, athleticism and the versatility to defend either forward position, Harkless was actually drafted by Philadelphia with the No. 15 overall pick but was quickly rerouted to Orlando as part of the massive four-team deal centered around Dwight Howard, Andrew Bynum and Andre Iguodala.
So Harkless is something of a known quantity for the Sixers, and he'd still fit into their plans. Though he's unlikely to make a radical impact this season or next, odds are Hinkie has little interest in acquiring a pricey star veteran who'd almost certainly sulk through all the losing and adversity.
The Sixers know they aren't turning any corners for at least another season or two, and that would probably suit Harkless just fine. With a bit more opportunity and polish, he could become a big part of this franchise's new look when the time is right.
