Every Trade-Deadline Loser's Approach to 2020 NBA Free Agency
The NBA trade deadline represents the last great push to add talent before the playoffs begin, a process that, aside from the buyout market, won't start again until the draft and free agency in the summer.
For those who messed up the deadline by executing some questionable trades or doing nothing at all, that's a long time to wait before fixing any mistakes. It's also plenty of time to formulate a plan.
With the 2020-21 salary cap projection set at $115 million, only a few teams will have significant space to add talent from what projects to be a weak free-agent class.
While it won't help this season, here's how every team that came away a loser at the deadline can rebound in free agency, no matter how much cash it'll have to work with.
Boston Celtics
1 of 5
2020-21 Active Cap: $141.4 million
The Celtics did nothing at the trade deadline while the Miami Heat (Andre Iguodala, Jae Crowder, Solomon Hill), Philadelphia 76ers (Alec Burks, Glenn Robinson III), Indiana Pacers (Victor Oladipo's return from injury) and Milwaukee Bucks (expected to sign free agent Marvin Williams after a buyout) all received help in some way.
Rolling with a center combination of Enes Kanter and Daniel Theis come playoff time could be challenging, especially with players like Giannis Antetokounmpo, Joel Embiid, Pascal Siakam and Bam Adebayo all requiring a defender with some size to guard them.
Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated reported the Celtics tried to get Davis Bertans from the Washington Wizards, a stretch 4 who would at least have helped pull opposing big men out of the paint on defense, but they ultimately failed to match the Wizards' asking price.
Even if Boston didn't want to part with Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Gordon Hayward or Marcus Smart, rookies Romeo Langford, Grant Williams and Carsen Edwards could have interested rebuilding teams.
The only way the Celtics will have cap space this summer is if Hayward declines his $34.2 million player option, which he'll almost certainly pick up given the lack of teams with money to spend. With Brown's four-year, $115 million extension kicking in, Boston will actually have to shed some salary to get under the $139 million projected lottery-tax line.
That means looking for veteran big men who would either sign for the mid-level exception or for the veteran minimum, which could include Marc Gasol, Paul Millsap, Dwight Howard and Robin Lopez.
Detroit Pistons
2 of 5
2020-21 Active Cap: $73.7 million
Trading Andre Drummond to the Cleveland Cavaliers was essentially a salary dump for the Detroit Pistons. If they thought he'd decline his $28.8 million option for next season, there'd be no reason to trade the NBA's rebounding leader for almost nothing.
This trade alone didn't make the Pistons losers, but rather the inability to move veterans like Derrick Rose and Markieff Morris for draft picks. Detroit is obviously going into rebuild mode.
If there's a silver lining here, it's that the Drummond trade has moved Detroit to 29th in active salary for next season, a number that could drop further if Tony Snell ($12.2 million) and Morris ($3.4 million) also turn down their player options.
Assuming Blake Griffin is healthy to start next season and Rose hasn't been traded, the Pistons will have a nice, young wing combination of Luke Kennard and Sekou Doumbouya to place between them. That means Detroit's biggest need will come at center, a position they clearly don't believe in investing big money into.
The best option on the market will likely be Montrezl Harrell, currently averaging 18.9 points, 6.9 rebounds and 1.1 blocks while shooting 57.4 percent off the bench for the Los Angeles Clippers. But if the Pistons don't want to pay another 26-year-old center who can't space the floor, they could just go after the best players available who fit a rebuilding timeline.
Brandon Ingram, 22, is positioning himself for a max contract, one the New Orleans Pelicans will likely match in restricted free agency. Fred VanVleet, 25, would be great in the Pistons' backcourt. Malik Beasley, 23, makes sense, as well.
Golden State Warriors
3 of 5
2020-21 Active Cap: $146.7 million
Trading D'Angelo Russell before he played a single game with Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson seemed premature, although the relationship probably wasn't going to work long-term.
Trading him for a draft pick and Andrew Wiggins, on one of the worst contracts in the NBA, is what really made the Warriors come out as losers at the deadline.
While Wiggins fits better positionally, he's a high-volume, low-efficiency shooter who doesn't pass or play defense at a high level, all things the Warriors have prided themselves on for years. His 18.8 shot attempts per game this season were more than Thompson and Kevin Durant took for the Warriors when healthy last year, meaning he must accept a severely reduced workload to fit in.
His remaining three years and $93.9 million complicate an already bloated Warriors payroll, one that sits just under the Philadelphia 76ers ($147.4 million) for the highest number in 2020-21.
Free agency now becomes about selecting the best available bench pieces who would be willing to play under a mid-level exception or veteran's minimum. Bigs who can shoot would be a plus given Draymond Green's horrendous 28.3 percent mark from three this year.
Meyers Leonard (43.8 percent from three over the past three years), Frank Kaminsky and Paul Millsap should all be prime targets for Golden State this summer.
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Los Angeles Lakers
4 of 5
2020-21 Active Cap: $114.5 million
The Lakers didn't have a lot of ammunition to make a deadline deal, but not doing anything to help a 35-year-old LeBron James win a title was a mistake.
Perhaps Los Angeles was confident it could get point guard Darren Collison to jump on board after his retirement, but the 32-year-old has since decided to sit out the entire season, per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.
When JR Smith is getting an audition, that's a clear sign the trade deadline didn't go as planned.
Free agency for the Lakers will be pretty simple.
Anthony Davis can sign a max contract of five years and approximately $205 million, and there won't be any need to negotiate numbers. There's no reason for Davis not to re-up with the Lakers given their 39-12 start while James is still playing at an extremely high level. Los Angeles will push for a full five-year contract given how much it had to give up just to acquire him from the New Orleans Pelicans.
JaVale McGee, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Rajon Rondo and Avery Bradley all carry player options, and Dwight Howard and DeMarcus Cousins will both become unrestricted free agents, But even if all those players opt out, the Lakers won't have significant cap space, especially if Davis agrees to a new deal right away.
This is a roster with the necessary star power and market to attract plenty of veteran free agents, especially those willing to take a discount to play for a title.
After getting Davis on a new deal, the Lakers should once again pursue Collison as a secondary ball-handler. They should make calls to Goran Dragic, Jeff Teague and D.J. Augustin, as well.
Sacramento Kings
5 of 5
2020-21 Active Cap: $98.5 million
The Kings spent their trade deadline dumping players they signed just months earlier, sending Trevor Ariza to the Portland Trail Blazers and Dewayne Dedmon back to the Atlanta Hawks. When the dust settled, two second-round picks came in and two went out, all while they netted Jabari Parker, Alex Len and Kent Bazemore.
The moves signified a failed summer, one in which Sacramento had to overpay players to help push its young core into the playoffs. Following a 21-31 start, those postseason dreams are all but over.
The good news? By trading Dedmon, the Kings opened up more money to throw at Bogdan Bogdanovic in free agency, especially if Parker declines his $6.5 million player option.
Sacramento wisely held onto Bogdanovic at the deadline despite trade interest from the Los Angeles Lakers and Charlotte Hornets, per ESPN's Zach Lowe. Now they just have to match whatever offers he receives in restricted free agency.
A new deal would almost certainly push the Kings over the projected salary cap, giving them the mid-level exception to try drawing additional talent in free agency. Sacramento could use another big if Len leaves over the summer, and getting a do-it-all center such as Aron Baynes or a floor-spacer like Meyers Leonard would be ideal.
But if the Kings decide to get cheap and not match a Bogdanovic offer, then what was giving up two second-round picks to dump Dedmon even about?
All salary numbers via Spotrac.com.
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