Top 10 Storylines Ahead of 2022 NBA Trade Deadline
With just over two weeks to go until the trade deadline, there still isn't a lot of clarity on what will happen.
The same few names have popped up repeatedly in rumors, but the question of whether Ben Simmons or Jerami Grant will actually be moved remains up for debate.
Here are the 10 biggest storylines to watch as we head toward the Feb. 10 deadline.
Which of the Pacers' Big Men Will Be on the Move?
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Now more than ever, the Indiana Pacers appear to be open to trading at least one of their two longtime frontcourt players, Myles Turner and Domantas Sabonis. Turner, like Grant, is a versatile player who could fit on a lot of different teams, and Indiana should have plenty of offers to choose from if it decides to move him.
However, Turner is expected to be out past the deadline with a foot injury. That doesn't mean he can't still be moved, but it could lead teams looking for immediate help to go after Sabonis instead. Charlotte is in need of an upgrade at center, and other teams like Dallas and Portland have been linked to Turner and/or Sabonis at various points. Guard Caris LeVert, too, has seen his name pop up in rumors during the season as the Pacers appear closer than ever to something they've avoided for decades: a full reset.
They don't have an individual player as tantalizing as Simmons or Grant. However, the Pacers stand as the team most likely to make a big move before the deadline based solely on the sheer number of quality players they might be willing to move.
How Far Will Portland's Fire Sale Go?
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On Saturday, Damian Lillard addressed reporters for the first time since undergoing surgery to repair an abdominal injury that will keep him out at least six weeks. He didn't rule out coming back this season, but he strongly implied he'd be willing to shut down for the season if it was clear the Portland Blazers were out of the playoff hunt.
Lillard essentially gave interim GM Joe Cronin permission to tank for one year and give it a go next fall when he’s healthy and can be supported by a retooled roster. Translation: Portland is open for business.
Center Jusuf Nurkic and forward Robert Covington—both on expiring deals—are the two likeliest veterans to be moved. CJ McCollum could be in play, too, depending on offers. Even guard Norman Powell and forward Larry Nance Jr. could draw interest. The Blazers would likely prefer to keep youngsters Anfernee Simons and Nassir Little, both of whom are having breakout seasons, but if one of them is the final piece of a trade for someone of Simmons' caliber, they may be available as well.
It remains unclear how much power Cronin has to make big moves as an interim GM while a search for a permanent head of basketball operations is believed to be ongoing. But in what amounts to a lost season amid a lot of organizational upheaval, it appears everyone outside of Lillard is at least on the table.
Are the Hawks Done Making Changes?
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Atlanta Hawks GM Travis Schlenk made headlines earlier in January with some candid remarks about his disappointment with his team, which is currently sitting outside the play-in field following an unexpected run to the Eastern Conference Finals last spring. Schlenk hinted that changes are coming, and then he dealt former top-10 pick Cam Reddish to the New York Knicks.
As the deadline approaches, the Hawks are one of the most intriguing teams that could be looking to make major changes. Forward John Collins, who just signed a five-year, $125 million extension over the summer, has expressed some displeasure with his role in the offense. And as the Hawks have been rumored to be one of the teams interested in the likes of Simmons or Grant, his name has come up as a potential centerpiece for one of those deals.
It takes a lot to get a deal of that magnitude done, but the Hawks are looking to salvage a disappointing season and get back into the playoffs. Expect them to be as aggressive as anyone in seeing what's out there.
Will the Celtics Stay the Course or Shake Things Up?
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As much as 29 other front offices would love it, it doesn't appear the Boston Celtics are ready to break up the Jaylen Brown-Jayson Tatum duo. That doesn't mean there aren't other moves they can make, though. Josh Richardson and Dennis Schroder should have at least some value around the league, and in a more drastic scenario, they could probably get a good return for Marcus Smart.
The Celtics are currently a team hovering around .500, right in the middle of play-in range and have been plagued all season by inconsistent play and dropping winnable games. First-year head coach Ime Udoka has publicly called out the team's effort and execution level. There are a lot of signs that this group, as presently constructed, isn't on the upswing.
Brown and Tatum are too talented to not exhaust every option to keep the pair together. How seriously will Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens get about making those changes at the deadline rather than waiting until the offseason?
Which West Play-in Teams Will Be Buyers?
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The top five teams in the Western Conference have set themselves apart; everything below that is up for grabs. Outside of the two teams that are actively tanking in Houston and Oklahoma City, the remaining eight teams can all talk themselves into at least having a shot at one of the five spots in the expanded play-in field or, ultimately, one of three actual playoff spots.
Portland (currently in 10th) appears to be on the downswing after losing Lillard for potentially the whole season. The three teams directly below that—Sacramento, New Orleans and San Antonio—all have intriguing trade pieces and want to move up.
The Kings look to be the most aggressive. There are ample reports to suggest they are interested in making a blockbuster trade with the Sixers for Simmons, one which could involve either De'Aaron Fox or Tyrese Haliburton. The Pelicans have decent young players like Josh Hart they could use to make upgrades, along with a ton of future first-round picks from the Davis and Jrue Holiday trades. The Spurs are a prime candidate for a consolidation trade if they want to give themselves a chance to claw back into the play-in mix.
All three teams are worth keeping an eye on in the next two weeks.
Do the Bulls Make an All-in Move?
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Until last week, the Chicago Bulls were one of the most obvious expected buyers at the deadline. They had the top record in the East, DeMar DeRozan was getting MVP buzz, and the common thought was someone like Grant or Harrison Barnes could be the final piece to solidify their title hopes.
That's all changed in the past week, with the news guards Lonzo Ball and Alex Caruso will both be undergoing surgeries that will sideline them for at least six weeks. Third-year guard Coby White was thought to be one of their most logical trade options, but they now need him to get through this stretch. Second-year forward Patrick Williams, out for the year with a wrist injury, has enough upside that he could potentially be a player the Pistons could want back for Grant.
The Bulls may still do something, and they'll be worth paying attention to in the lead-up to the deadline. But the injuries to Ball and Caruso turn them from clear buyers to a total question mark.
Will Goran Dragic Be Freed?
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Dragic came to Toronto from Miami in the offseason as part of the Kyle Lowry sign-and-trade, but he's barely been a part of the team since then. The 35-year-old started opening night but has appeared in just five games and hasn't played since Nov. 13. Both he and the Raptors want to find him a new home, whether it be before the trade deadline or via buyout if Raptors president Masai Ujiri doesn't trade him by Feb. 10.
The most obvious destination for Dragic would be in Dallas, where he could play with fellow Slovenian Luka Doncic. The Mavericks almost traded for him in the summer of 2019 before changing course at the last minute. He'd also make a lot of sense in Cleveland as a short-term replacement for Ricky Rubio, who is out for the year with a torn ACL. In terms of impact players who could be had for a lower price than Simmons, Grant or one of Indiana's bigs, Dragic is an interesting name to watch.
Can the Lakers Do Anything?
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As presently constructed, the Los Angeles Lakers are not in the same zip code as Western Conference contenders like the Phoenix Suns and Golden State Warriors. There's a lot of smoke to suggest head coach Frank Vogel will likely be fired in the coming weeks, but a coaching change isn't enough. The Lakers need a better roster, too.
The only problem: they don't have anything to trade. They used just about all of their future first-round picks in 2019 to get Anthony Davis (which, to be clear, was the right move to make, and Davis helped them win a title in 2020) and traded three useful role players on good contracts in Kyle Kuzma, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Montrezl Harrell to Washington this past summer for Russell Westbrook.
The Westbrook gamble has not worked out thus far, and they'd probably love to trade him, but good luck finding a team willing to take the two years and $91 million left on his contract. Beyond that, the best they can offer is some combination of Talen Horton-Tucker, Kendrick Nunn and a future first-round pick, which isn't a package likely to get them anything that moves the needle. Rob Pelinka will try as hard as he can to get something done, but the Lakers are stuck.
Where Will Jerami Grant End Up?
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Outside of Simmons, Grant is the best player who is widely believed to be available at the deadline. Detroit is still in the early stages of a rebuild, and plenty of contenders could use his skill set right now. Pistons GM Troy Weaver is in a good position with two weeks to go before the deadline: Grant isn't believed to be actively requesting a trade, so it would be no issue for them to simply keep him through the end of the season and see what deals there are in the summer heading into the final season of Grant's contract.
But if Weaver gets an offer he likes centered around a promising young player or draft picks that better align with the timeline of 2021 No. 1 pick Cade Cunningham, he should have no problem pulling the trigger.
Grant is probably more likely than Simmons to be on the move in the next two weeks, so if you're looking for a deal that could meaningfully swing the playoff picture, something involving Grant is your best bet. His impact could elevate a lot of teams right now.
Will the Ben Simmons Saga Come to an End?
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We're all tired of the endless stream of non-updates about the monthslong standoff between Ben Simmons and Philadelphia 76ers general manager Daryl Morey. Seemingly every week, there's been a new report about an offer Morey turned down, or his (in some people’s view) unreasonable asking price for the three-time All-Star guard who hasn’t played for Philadelphia this season.
Morey told Philadelphia radio station 97.5 The Fanatic last week that Joel Embiid's MVP-caliber play increases his openness to doing a deal with Simmons, but he maintained it has to be the right return.
The latest report on Tuesday, from B/R's Jake Fischer, suggests Morey is eyeing a possible summer sign-and-trade for James Harden. If that's truly his mindset, strap in for another six months of this. Or, it could all be posturing, and Morey makes a deal in the next two weeks with one of the handful of teams that's popped up repeatedly as a potential destination (Sacramento, Portland, Indiana and Atlanta most prominent among them).
Everyone is sick of talking about it and hearing about it, but Simmons is the biggest name on the trade block and all eyes will be watching whether or not Morey will do something with him before Feb. 10.
