Boston, MA – January 28: Los Angeles Lakers SF LeBron James falls to his knees in frustration after … [+]
The NBA Trade Deadline is February 9th, which is just around the corner. This piece examines four teams that should be buyers over the next week.
To check out who should be sellers, hit this link.
Los Angeles Lakers
The Lakers recently traded for forward Rui Hachimura, but that shouldn’t be the end of their deadline dealings when taking their roster, and situation, into consideration.
LeBron James recently turned 38 years old. He remains as productive as ever, and thus, the Lakers are on the clock to optimize their team, so as not to waste the final years of James’ career. Furthermore, Anthony Davis is playing some of the best basketball he’s ever played, underlining the fact that the organization has their two best players available and productive this season.
Of course, they also have Russell Westbrook’s contract of $47 million on their books to use in a trade, as well as their first round selections in 2027 and 2029.
Some might argue that the Lakers need to think long-term, but as long as James is on the roster, that’s not exactly possible. The time for the Lakers is now, and while it’s unlikely any trade will catapult them into championship territory, you at least have to put your best foot forward to appease your two superstars.
What the framework of a deal could be remains to be seen, but the Lakers are in need of shooting, playmaking, and overall talent. There’s a lot to be found on the market, for the right price. But that starts by making both those draft selections available.
Cleveland Cavaliers
Full disclosure, the Cavs aren’t in a rush. Their current core are all 26 or under, so they can afford not to go all-in during the deadline.
That said, if there’s a way to immediately upgrade that small forward slot, the team has to look into it. Would the Charlotte Hornets make Jalen McDaniels available, knowing he’s going to become an unrestricted free agent this summer?
The Cavaliers lost a ton of assets in the acquisition of Donovan Mitchell, so it’s not like they have a lot of options at their disposal, but they could pivot Caris LeVert and his $18 million expiring contract, hoping to take on someone with a long – term contract.
It’ll be a long shot, and it’s likely the Cavs will instead plug holes during the offseason, but they should nevertheless be active on the phones and see if they can walk away with something of substance. If they do, they might find themselves making a deep playoff run this season already.
Milwaukee Bucks
As is the case with most championship contenders who have already built a roster, there aren’t a lot of assets available in Milwaukee.
However, the team is in need of getting younger, and widening that championship window for both this year and the next few seasons. They aren’t necessarily looking for starters, but just getting a younger bench would be the way forward.
(That’s why their interest in 32-year-old Jae Crowder is a bit curious, as they’d essentially be kicking the can down the road with little long-term upside.)
Grayson Allen seems to be a piece widely discussed as going out in any trade, and given his modest trade value, it remains to be seen what the Bucks could fetch.
The Bucks could undoubtedly get more if they were willing to part with rookie MarJon Beauchamp, but that defeats the purpose of trying to get younger, unless the player brought in is both under 27 and highly productive, which seems like an unreasonable expectation.
Alternatively, the Bucks could go for it this year specifically, and decide to deal with aging problems later. In that case, trading for Crowder or other veterans over 30 is the way to go, even if it could come with some consequences in a few years when a significant portion of the roster ages out.
Sacramento Kings
The Kings are all-in on the playoff chase this season, and that’s what they should be. The organization hasn’t made the postseason since 2006, and it’s frankly time to change that.
The team is currently ranked near the top in the Western Conference, but the tight race puts them in the danger zone of dropping out, if they go through just one small bad stretch. As such, seeking upgrades is the way to go.
Davion Mitchell and Malik Monk, both young and productive, should be on the table, as should Richaun Holmes for potential salary matching purposes.
Whether the Kings have enough assets to go after Atlanta’s John Collins remains to be seen, and it’s fair to question a frontcourt of Collins and Domantas Sabonis defensively. But overall, Collins would represent a major talent upgrade, and he could hit the ground running after getting away from Atlanta and Trae Young, which is a marriage in drastic need of a divorce.
Bojan Bogdanović could be another interesting veteran to lure in, due to his shooting and ability to slide in and out of positions fairly seamlessly.
Unless noted otherwise, all stats via NBA.com, PBPStats, Cleaning the Glass or Basketball-Reference. All salary information via Spotrac. All odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook.
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