6 NBA Teams Under the Most Pressure to Swing a Trade Before the 2015 Deadline
All hell broke loose on the NBA trade front once the calendar flipped to 2015, setting the stage for a potentially wild trade deadline.
The Cleveland Cavaliers acquired swingmen J.R. Smith and Iman Shumpert along with center Timofey Mozgov in two separate deals during the first week of January, while the Oklahoma City Thunder received 2-guard Dion Waiters in the former trade. The Memphis Grizzlies landed Boston Celtics forward Jeff Green in a three-team deal, and the Phoenix Suns snagged forward Brandan Wright from Boston, too.
Though a number of contenders have already begun plugging holes with an eye on the postseason, many others are still lurking on the trade market. Some squads, meanwhile, may decide to begin a fire sale in the coming weeks as they slip out of the playoff race, eschewing short-term contention for a longer-term rebuild.
Based on team construction, future needs and their place in the standings, six teams in particular stand out as those under the most pressure to make a move between now and the Feb. 19 trade deadline.
Honorable Mentions
1 of 7
The following three teams are all active in the trade market, according to multiple reports. However, given their current standing in the postseason race, long-term plans and roster construction, each faces less pressure to make a deal than the other six teams featured here.
Philadelphia 76ers
Another week, another Michael Carter-Williams trade rumor. The Philadelphia 76ers reportedly shopped him during the draft, per Grantland's Zach Lowe, but "couldn't draw the trove they envisioned or guarantee that the player they wanted with an acquired pick would be there," and thus didn't pull the trigger on a deal.
In an ESPN.com chat Wednesday, however, Chad Ford said he's recently heard "rumblings" about MCW's availability from rival general managers. "There are some in [Philadelphia's] ownership and in the front office, though not all, that don't see him as a long-term piece of the puzzle," Ford wrote.
The Sixers have little incentive to move on from MCW or any of their other promising young players—guard Tony Wroten, perhaps?—unless they find a taker willing to cough up more than a token second-round pick. Given the glut of quality point guards around the league, Sixers general manager Sam Hinkie could struggle to find a willing trade partner for either player, as CBS Sports' Matt Moore noted.
Sacramento Kings
After a promising 9-5 start to the season, the Sacramento Kings have come crashing back to Earth, winning just seven of their last 24 contests. With them rapidly falling out of the Western Conference playoff race—they're currently 6.5 games behind the eighth-seeded Phoenix Suns—the team's front office could decide to shake things up over the coming weeks.
According to Jason Jones of The Sacramento Bee, the Kings "are exploring trades, with backup point guard Ramon Sessions the most likely candidate to be dealt." CBS Sports' Ken Berger reports Sacramento is also willing to part with Nik Stauskas, who the team drafted eighth overall this past June, in exchange for a "frontline player who would fit with [DeMarcus Cousins'] post-up skills."
At this point, there's likely nothing Sacramento can do on the trade market to stem the bleeding entirely. Finding a stretch 4 to pair alongside Cousins should be the franchise's No. 1 priority in terms of improving its roster, whether it's through a trade, the draft or free agency.
Houston Rockets
On the surface, the Houston Rockets appear to have little need for a major roster shakeup. They have the league's second-best defense, seventh-best net rating and fifth-best record, all of which seemingly have them primed for a deep playoff run.
According to Bleacher Report's Ric Bucher, however, Houston general manager Daryl Morey is expected "to go hot and heavy after a point guard" between now and the trade deadline. The Rockets "love [starting point guard] Patrick Beverley," he said, "but ideally, he is the third guard in that rotation."
Bucher mentioned Brooklyn's Deron Williams and Phoenix's Goran Dragic as two potential trade targets for Morey, while B/R's Zach Buckley suggested Denver's Ty Lawson and Detroit's Brandon Jennings as other potential fits. The Rockets should have little trouble coasting into the playoffs even if they stand pat, but Morey appears to have his eyes on a much larger prize.
Brooklyn Nets
2 of 7
With team owner Mikhail Prokhorov reportedly looking to sell the Brooklyn Nets, per Bloomberg's Scott Soshnick, it could be time for the franchise to conduct a fire sale. The Nets are roughly $13.7 million over the $76.8 million luxury-tax line this season, which will likely crimp their ability to improve the roster over the next year.
Under the current collective bargaining agreement, starting in 2015-16, teams that paid the luxury tax in three of the previous four seasons will be subject to a brutal "repeater" penalty, which jacks up the tax rate. The Nets, who paid the tax in 2012-13 and 2013-14, would be subject to said "repeater" rate in 2015-16 if they remain over the threshold this season and exceed it next year, too. At the moment, they're projected to be just $1.6 million under the 2015-16 line.
Brooklyn already paid an exorbitant $90.57 million in luxury taxes for the 2013-14 season, according to ESPN.com's Brian Windhorst, and barring any further roster changes, the Nets will shell out $25.5 million in fees this summer. With the squad only clinging to the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference by two games—and coming off a seven-game losing streak—selling off assets to the highest bidder would be prudent for the franchise's long-term future.
The Nets owe their 2016 and 2018 first-round picks to the Boston Celtics thanks to the July 2013 trade for Paul Pierce, Jason Terry and Kevin Garnett, and the Atlanta Hawks can swap their 2015 and 2017 first-rounders with Brooklyn as a result of the July 2012 Joe Johnson trade. That leaves Brooklyn with some awfully bare cupboards, given how badly the franchise needs to begin rebuilding.
Back in December, ESPN.com's Marc Stein and Ohm Youngmisuk reported the Nets had begun shopping Johnson, point guard Deron Williams and center Brook Lopez, the latter two of whom have been in and out of the starting lineup this season. On Thursday, Yahoo Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski revealed Brooklyn has "accelerated trade discussions" for Lopez "with the intention on moving him soon."
Though Brooklyn is unlikely to recoup anything close to fair value on Lopez, Williams or Johnson—their exorbitant contracts drive their trade value down significantly—the franchise's desperate need for youth and first-round picks should force its hand on trading any of them.
Denver Nuggets
3 of 7
The Denver Nuggets find themselves in no-man's land one month before the trade deadline. They just ended a five-game winning streak, but they're only 4.5 games behind the Phoenix Suns for the eighth and final playoff spot in the West. However, they only have about a nine percent chance of making the postseason, per ESPN's Hollinger playoff odds.
If they stumble over the coming weeks—and with upcoming tilts against the Dallas Mavericks, Golden State Warriors, San Antonio Spurs, Washington Wizards, Memphis Grizzlies and New Orleans Pelicans, that's entirely feasible—the Nuggets could begin a full-scale teardown of their roster. They already shipped out center Timofey Mozgov to the Cleveland Cavaliers for two future first-round picks, and they exchanged backup point guards with the Boston Celtics, sending Nate Robinson to receive Jameer Nelson.
According to ESPN.com's Ramona Shelburne, since the Mozgov trade, "everyone is calling Denver" regarding the availability of forward Wilson Chandler and guard Arron Afflalo. In speaking about Chandler and Afflalo, head coach Brian Shaw told The Denver Post's Christopher Dempsey the following:
"I just have to try to do a good job of assuring them that I'm not, and we're not, actively shopping them and putting them out there. Obviously calls come in, and we field calls. But we're not saying, 'Hey, we're trying to get rid of Arron, we're trying to get rid of Wilson.' That's not the case at all. That's all we can really tell them.
"
If the Nuggets do decide to ship out Chandler and/or Afflalo, CBS Sports' Matt Moore notes the potential domino effect of such a move:
"Moving Timofey Mozgov meant that Jusuf Nurkic gets more minutes, along with veteran J.J. Hickson. But moving Afflalo or Chandler means there's little reason to keep the other one, and more reason to find playing time for rookie Gary Harris.
And if you're playing two rookies... why keep Ty Lawson? And if you move near-All-Star Ty Lawson, why keep Kenneth Faried? And then you're tanking, which the Nuggets ownership and management have an outright moral objection to.
"
With Chandler, Danilo Gallinari and Afflalo all set to become unrestricted free agents following the 2015-16 season—the latter could be one this summer if he declines his $7.5 million player option—Denver might be forced into making some moves. Western Conference contenders will be circling Nuggets general manager Tim Connelly like vultures over the next few weeks, especially if the team falls out of the playoff picture.
Los Angeles Clippers
4 of 7
When you're signing retreads like Dahntay Jones to 10-day contracts in an attempt to plug your leaky perimeter defense, you're officially a desperate team.
The Los Angeles Clippers did just that Wednesday, with head coach Doc Rivers telling Clippers.com's Rowan Kavner:
"He's been in and out, but he's a defensive-minded guy. I think that's what we need. …[He can guard] probably any position. He's just a defensive player… He can't play the point on the offensive end, but he can guard points, he can guard twos and threes. I think you give him a try and see if he has anything.
"
Opposing 3s have lit up the Clippers this year for 20.6 points per game, per HoopsStats.com, the third-highest mark in the league. After ranking eighth in defensive efficiency last season, Rivers' squad has fallen to 17th during this campaign, undercutting their legitimate title candidacy in the cutthroat West.
According to Bleacher Report's Ric Bucher, the Clippers are expected to be "very aggressive" regarding "their desire to upgrade the small forward position" between now and the trade deadline. He mentioned Denver's Wilson Chandler and Danilo Gallinari as potential trade targets, although L.A.'s current cap situation would complicate a move for either one.
Because the Clippers used their mid-level exception to sign backup center Spencer Hawes, their roster payroll is not allowed to exceed $80.8 million at any point this year. After trading backup wings Reggie Bullock and Chris Douglas-Roberts for backup point guard Austin Rivers on Thursday, the Clippers only have roughly $1.3 million in cap room before bumping into that $80.8 million hard cap.
Why the Clippers traded for Rivers' son instead of targeting the three-and-D guy they so desperately need, the world may never know. If they don't somehow land a wing-stopper between now and the Feb. 19 trade deadline, though, it's difficult imagining them emerging from the Western Conference playoff bloodbath.
New Orleans Pelicans
5 of 7
For the second straight year, the New Orleans Pelicans can't catch a break when it comes to injuries.
In late November, starting shooting guard Eric Gordon suffered a torn labrum in his left shoulder that sidelined him for 21 games. In Gordon's fourth game back (on Jan. 12), starting point guard Jrue Holiday "showed signs of discomfort" and didn't play at all in the second half, per Pelicans.com's Jim Eichenhofer. He's currently day-to-day with inflammation in his right ankle.
The Pels signed Nate Wolters to a 10-day contract Wednesday, which should help provide point guard depth as Holiday recovers. New Orleans also hasn't been quiet on the trade front, with general manager Dell Demps having shipped out backup guards Austin Rivers and Russ Smith for swingman Quincy Pondexter and a future second-round pick in a three-team trade Monday.
With New Orleans sitting at 19-20, 3.5 games behind the Phoenix Suns for the last playoff spot in the West, Demps can't rest on his laurels. Bleacher Report's Thomas Duffy highlighted backup point guard and three-point shooting as particular needs for the Pelicans, who rank 23rd in terms of backcourt production, per HoopsStats.com, and 25th in made three-pointers per game.
Anthony Davis has emerged as a bona fide superstar this season, ranking first in player efficiency rating, second in win shares and sixth in value over replacement player, but he can't single-handedly carry the Pelicans to the playoffs. The West is simply too strong, especially with many of the power players making upgrades to their rosters in recent weeks.
Rival teams inquired about Tyreke Evans' availability in December, per Bleacher Report's Howard Beck, but a source said the Pelicans planned on keeping him. If the Pelicans stumble over the next few weeks—or if the Gordon/Evans pairing in particular begins to falter—Demps will have his work cut out for him.
New York Knicks
6 of 7
The New York Knicks, mired in their worst start in franchise history, finally began their inevitable rebuild once the calendar flipped to 2015. They shipped out J.R. Smith and Iman Shumpert to the Cleveland Cavaliers and waived center Samuel Dalembert, shaving $33.083 million off their total payroll cost this season, according to Basketball Insiders' Steve Kyler.
Team president Phil Jackson might not be done there, however. Per ESPN.com's Marc Stein and Ian Begley, the Knicks "are actively trying to trade veterans Jose Calderon and Andrea Bargnani as part of their ongoing roster clear-out," although they reportedly intend on keeping Amar'e Stoudemire and his massive $23.4 million expiring contract for the time being.
"I have no idea what's going to happen. It's the NBA. It's a business," Calderon told Newsday's Al Iannazzone Wednesday. "They have a plan. They really want that cap space."
At the moment, the Knicks are only $3.15 million above the luxury-tax threshold, which means finding a taker for Bargnani or Calderon could push them below the tax line as long as they don't take too much salary in return. Like the Nets, they're in danger of becoming subject to the "repeater" tax rate in 2015-16 if they exceed the tax line this year and next season, although the latter is highly unlikely given their current 2015-16 cap commitments.
"I want to be fiscally responsible," Jackson told reporters over the summer. "We've been a taxpayer team for a little bit and we want to limit that. So we're not just going to foolishly throw money away because it's available to us to load up."
The Knicks won't come anywhere close to recouping value on either Calderon or Bargnani, the latter of whom they spent three draft picks (a first-rounder in 2016 and second-rounders in 2014 and 2017) to acquire. Given their proximity to the luxury-tax threshold, however, Jackson will likely stop at no expense to get his team under the line between now and Feb. 19.
Oklahoma City Thunder
7 of 7
The Oklahoma City Thunder already swung one major move in 2015, acquiring Dion Waiters from the Cleveland Cavaliers in a three-team trade for a future first-round pick and Lance Thomas, who the New York Knicks promptly waived. Given the arms race unfolding in the West this season, however, OKC likely needs to make another deal between now and the deadline.
Currently, the Thunder sit 3.5 games behind the Phoenix Suns for the West's No. 8 seed. Given the early-season injuries OKC had to endure—Kevin Durant missed 23 games and Russell Westbrook sat out 14—the team's place in the standings shouldn't come as a major surprise.
However, those same Suns recently acquired big man Brandan Wright from the Boston Celtics for a protected first-round pick, putting the pressure on OKC to continue improving its roster. As ESPN.com's Royce Young recently wrote, backup point guard Reggie Jackson appears to be the Thunder's best trade bait between now and the Feb. 19 deadline, thanks to the Waiters deal:
"Jackson's increasing attitude issues, and the fact that Waiters could fit better with Durant and Westbrook in closing lineups, the Thunder have the option to pull the plug. With the team sitting at 18-19, the front office is more open to trades than in past seasons, when there was hesitation in shaking up a successful team and upsetting chemistry. In this case, moving Jackson could actually improve the team's chemistry anyway.
"
Jackson played just three minutes and 49 seconds in the fourth quarter of OKC's Jan. 9 win over the Utah Jazz, with Waiters earning the nod as Westbrook's backcourt complement down the stretch. Given Jackson's upcoming date with restricted free agency—and his not-so-secret desire to be a starter—OKC might have no choice but to ship him out in the next month before losing him for nothing over the summer.
The Thunder are in luxury-tax territory for the first time in franchise history, and shipping out Jackson for a future first-round draft pick would get them just barely under the line. Can OKC afford to cough up a valuable rotation piece like Jackson for no short-term return, given its standing in the West? That's a question general manager Sam Presti must wrestle with over the next few weeks.
All statistics are current through games played on Wednesday, Jan. 14, and all records are current through games played on Thursday, Jan. 15. All advanced statistics via NBA.com or Basketball-Reference.com, unless otherwise noted. All contract and salary-cap data via Spotrac.com.
