Trade Packages to Fix the NBA's Worst Benches
For many of the top NBA contenders, the difference between a championship and an early playoff exit could simply be bolstering the second unit.
To identify such teams, we're looking for squads that are at least .500 this season yet have benches that have been outscored by opponents:
- Brooklyn Nets (24-13, minus-1)
- Dallas Mavericks (18-16, minus-3)
- Philadelphia 76ers (24-12, minus-9)
- Miami Heat (18-18, minus-46)
- Portland Trail Blazers (21-14, minus-103).
With the trade deadline just two weeks away, these deals would help fix the five worst benches that belong to contenders.
Brooklyn Nets
1 of 5
Brooklyn Nets Receive: C Richaun Holmes, PF Nemanja Bjelica
Sacramento Kings Receive: C Nicolas Claxton, G Spencer Dinwiddie, 2022 second-round pick
Signing Blake Griffin gives the Nets some needed size and added passing, but he's an average outside shooter and poor defender at this stage of his career. More help in the frontcourt is likely needed.
The Kings (14-22) look like they'll quickly become sellers and have to decide if Holmes, 27, is going to be part of their rebuild as he's set to hit unrestricted free agency. He's been a bright spot as the team's starting center, averaging 13.0 points, 8.3 rebounds and 1.5 blocks, and he's shooting 65.1 percent overall and 80.6 percent from the free-throw line.
While he's good enough to start at center for Brooklyn, Holmes would be a high-minute backup if Steve Nash wants to stick with DeAndre Jordan. Bjelica, meanwhile, is a floor-spacing big who has hit 40.7 percent of his three-pointers over the past four seasons, so he'd give the Nets another option at power forward.
If the Kings have doubts about re-signing Holmes, Claxton would give them a young center to build around.
Although he's battled injuries in his first two seasons, the 21-year-old is putting up 10.0 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game while shooting 69.0 percent from the field in five outings this campaign. He needs to add some muscle to his 215-pound frame, but he fits better as a developmental project in Sacramento than as a win-now option in Brooklyn.
Dinwiddie is out for the season with a torn ACL and is used as a salary-matcher here, but the Kings would still get his Bird rights if they wish to re-sign him this offseason. He carries a $12.3 million player option next year, and the Kings would likely be thrilled if he picked it up.
Dallas Mavericks
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Dallas Mavericks Receive: SF Terrence Ross, C Mo Bamba
Orlando Magic Receive: SG Josh Green, PF James Johnson, 2021 and 2022 second-round picks
The Mavericks may need the most help of any team on this list, holding on to the eighth seed in a loaded Western Conference. A league-best offense in 2019-20 (115.9 rating) has dropped to just 13th this year (112.3 rating), and an influx of talent at the deadline will likely be needed for Dallas to make it past the opening round of the playoffs.
Since the Magic have fallen to 13-23, their veterans (and even some younger players) should become available.
Ross has been one of the league's top-scoring reserves over the past few years, a role he'd continue in Dallas. He's currently putting up 15.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.1 steals per game while hitting 36.7 percent of his catch-and-shoot threes. His remaining contract (two years, $24 million after this season) is reasonable, as well.
If Orlando chooses to keep All-Star center Nikola Vucevic and continues to bury Bamba on the bench, the Mavs should pursue the 2018 lottery pick, as well.
Dallas needs a franchise center, a role Bamba could grow into. The 22-year-old is averaging 18.1 points, 14.5 rebounds and 2.9 blocks per 36 minutes yet receives less than 10 minutes per game in Orlando's rotation.
Green was the Mavericks' first-round pick (18th overall) in the 2020 draft and could immediately start at shooting guard for a young Orlando team. Johnson would likely be a buyout candidate, included here to match salary, and the Magic would collect on second-round picks in each of the next two drafts.
The move would also open up roughly $17 million in cap space for Orlando next year.
Miami Heat
3 of 5
Miami Heat Receive: PF/C P.J. Tucker, F Danuel House Jr., SG Ben McLemore
Houston Rockets Receive: PF Precious Achiuwa, Andre Iguodala
While Kelly Olynyk has done an admirable job as a floor-spacing big man next to Bam Adebayo, the Heat miss that gritty, veteran defensive forward role Jae Crowder filled last year.
Tucker would be the perfect fit as he's able to defend multiple positions and would bring a toughness that pairs nicely next to Jimmy Butler. While he's not much of an offensive threat at age 35, he does have 50 games of playoff experience over the past four years.
House is another multipositional defender who's averaging 9.1 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.9 assists in his 27.4 minutes per game, while McLemore is a career 36.3 percent shooter from deep.
The trio would provide a huge boost to the Heat bench, currently the second-worst of any team .500 or above.
With few draft picks to send back, Miami would have to center the return around one of its young players. Tyler Herro should be off-limits here (and probably Duncan Robinson, as well), but Achiuwa would represent fair value.
The 21-year-old big man was the 20th overall pick in the 2020 NBA draft and is a high-energy finisher around the rim who can rebound and defend. He'd fit in nicely with the offensive-minded Christian Wood in the Rockets frontcourt.
Iguodala is included here for salary-matching purposes and would likely get bought out by the young Rockets. His $15 million salary for next season is a team option, meaning the veteran forward is essentially on an expiring deal now.
Philadelphia 76ers
4 of 5
Philadelphia 76ers Receive: PG Devonte' Graham, SG Malik Monk
Charlotte Hornets Receive: SG Tyrese Maxey, C Tony Bradley, 2021 second-round pick (via New York Knicks), 2023 second-round pick
While the Sixers added some proven shooters to their starting lineup in Seth Curry and Danny Green, the second unit could use some additional firepower.
Philly's bench ranks just 25th overall in three-point shooting (32.6 percent), and Monk could make a huge difference. The 23-year-old shooting guard is making a career-best 43.9 percent of his threes, good for 13th among qualified players.
Graham isn't quite as successful from the outside, but he would give the Sixers another playmaker to help Ben Simmons play off the ball at times. He could run the second unit's offense while creating shots for Monk, Shake Milton, Furkan Korkmaz and Dwight Howard.
While the Hornets are trying to make the playoffs themselves, both guards are going to become restricted free agents this offseason. With LaMelo Ball now the point guard of the future and Terry Rozier playing the best basketball of his life (20.5 points per game on 43.9 percent from three), the Hornets may not want to pay Monk and Graham, especially with Gordon Hayward's $120 million contract already on the books.
Getting a young guard with star potential back in Maxey would give them a few more years of financial flexibility as the 20-year-old will be on his rookie deal until the 2024-25 season.
Bradley, 23, would give Charlotte some added depth at center, and a pair of picks only sweetens the deal.
Portland Trail Blazers
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Portland Trail Blazers Receive: G George Hill, F Kenrich Williams
Oklahoma City Thunder: G Anfernee Simons, SF Rodney Hood
The Blazers bench has been gutted this season, but the unit already possessed weaknesses even before the injuries.
Portland hasn't had a veteran point guard to run the second unit for years now, leaving far too much of the playmaking responsibility to Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum. Getting Hill would change that.
Set to return from a thumb injury soon, Hill is averaging 11.8 points, 2.1 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 0.9 steals while shooting an efficient 50.8 percent overall and 38.6 percent from three in his 14 starts for OKC. With 127 postseason games spread out over 11 trips, he has missed the playoffs just once in his 12 full seasons.
Williams won't grab headlines here, but he'd be a valuable combo forward off the Blazers bench. At 6'6", he can play and defend multiple positions and is shooting a career-high 42.0 percent from three.
Simons has a load of potential at age 21, and he's the type of player the young Thunder should be collecting. He's a gifted scorer who needs to work on his shot selection and passing, but he has star potential if given the right opportunity. Though he's not ready to help a championship-hopeful team like Portland, he would be a fun backcourt partner alongside Shai Gilgeous-Alexander for an up-and-coming OKC squad.
Hood would likely be a buyout candidate after struggling to return from an Achilles injury. His $10.9 million salary next season is non-guaranteed.
