The last week already produced multiple deadline-caliber trades in the NBA, with CJ McCollum set to become a Pelican, Norman Powell and Robert Covington heading to the Clippers, and Caris LeVert off to the Cavaliers. But there are still plenty of players capable of both shaping the deadline and shifting the balance of power beyond it.
Here are the players still on the board and the teams still on the clock as Thursday afternoon nears.
The Ben Simmons saga
It's hard to remember another season with this much ink spilled and oxygen expended on a player who didn't play a single second of NBA basketball. But how is one supposed to avoid the subject? We're talking about a max player - on a contending team led by a top-three MVP candidate - engaging in a season-long standoff with the front office that's seen him forfeit over $19 million of salary in fines. It's hard to overstate how wild this situation has been and continues to be.
Simmons remains a 76er, and Daryl Morey's stubbornness and grandiose ambitions seem likely to keep it that way past the deadline. That could change if the Wizards come to their senses and realize it's time to move on from Bradley Beal, or if the Nets decide that it's actually in their best interests to deal James Harden before he reaches free agency. Barring that, the Sixers seem prepared to ride this out, even if it means eschewing a meaningful boost to their championship odds at a time when Joel Embiid is putting up one of the greatest modern center seasons ever in a wide-open Eastern Conference.
Despite offers from the likes of the Kings, Hawks, and Timberwolves, Morey seems secure in his belief that better options will be there in the summer. He also appears to be holding out hope that Simmons will capitulate and report to the team if no trade materializes, which would arguably be the best outcome for the Sixers (assuming neither Beal nor Harden can be brought in) given their glaring need for passing, rebounding, and perimeter defense.
As nice as those possibilities sound in theory, they're a long way from being certainties. And if none come to fruition, passing up the chance to turn Simmons' useless roster/salary slot into one or multiple highly productive rotation players this season will prove to be an all-time missed opportunity. - Joe Wolfond
Jerami Grant
Grant might be the most fascinating trade target this week.
He's a long forward with great defensive versatility who can also space the floor and create a shot for himself if needed. And he's under contract for one more year (at a reasonable price of roughly $21 million), so interested teams can acquire him to be part of their core for at least the next year and a half (he's eligible to sign a lucrative extension this summer).
All of those things make Grant a perfect fit for contenders like the Jazz, Mavericks, or Bulls - but there's a catch. The 27-year-old left a contending team (the Nuggets) in search of more touches and money in Detroit, and he reportedly wants to remain a primary offensive option.
The issue here is that Grant's contributions are most suited to a contending team, and he's at his best as something like a super role player. For as versatile a player as he is - and as easy a fit as he is on almost any roster - he's not quite good enough to be a primary option on a contender.
In his final season with the Nuggets, Grant posted an effective field-goal percentage of 55.5% but used only 18% of Denver's possessions when on the court. In two seasons as a Piston, his usage rate has approached 28%, but his effective field-goal percentage has plummeted to 48.3% and his defense has waned following an increased offensive burden. In addition, among 43 players this season who've logged at least 900 minutes and have a usage rate above 26%, Grant's assist rate ranks 41st.
If he's willing to accept a lesser offensive role to be a contender's Swiss Army knife of a two-way forward, Grant should be the most sought-after, realistic trade target this week. If he's not willing to fill that role, contenders might balk at the prospect of parting with players and picks just to land a malcontent. - Joseph Casciaro
Turbonis
Note: Following the publication of this story, Domantas Sabonis was traded to Sacramento along with Jeremy Lamb and Justin Holiday for Tyrese Haliburton, Buddy Hield, and Tristan Thompson.
Despite earlier indications that something of a fire sale might be in the offing, it feels as likely as not that the Pacers are done with their significant dealings after getting a nice haul (a protected first-round pick and a second-rounder that's all but guaranteed to land in the top 35) in exchange for Caris LeVert. They'll probably be able to move Justin Holiday for another second-rounder, but the big move - finally splitting up their frontcourt tandem of Domantas Sabonis and Myles Turner - may have to wait. Doing so certainly looked more likely before Turner hit the shelf with a stress reaction in his foot.
That said, Indiana is clearly willing to do business, and with a strong demand for centers around the league, a team with two premium 25-year-old bigs is ostensibly well-positioned to cash in. Despite Sabonis undoubtedly being the better player, there's been more buzz about Turner because he represents a cleaner fit and a more seamless midseason transition for most competitive teams. Were he healthy, it's easy to imagine a team ponying up the two first-rounders (or one first plus a good young player) the Pacers have reportedly stated as their asking price, but his uncertain availability for the remainder of this season changes that calculus.
Turner's under contract for another season after this one, and a contender could certainly talk itself into shelling out multiple high-end trade chips in exchange for two healthy playoff runs with one of the league's best rim protectors. Getting one season plus Bird rights at that price would be a tougher sell. It's especially challenging because teams in the market for an upgrade at center are either asset-strapped (Lakers, Mavs) or not close enough to true contention for such a big push right now (Raptors, Wolves, Hornets, Knicks). Given his age, though, any of the latter teams could view him as more than a two-year rental. They could aim to extend or re-sign him and consider the acquisition cost well worth it for a long-term piece.
All of that also applies to Sabonis, who has an additional year of team control and is in the midst of a monster offensive season. Again, finding a fit for him is a bit trickier because of his defensive limitations and offensive centrality, but he offers a great deal (post scoring, playmaking, rebounding) that Turner doesn't. The Celtics or Warriors would be fascinating landing spots for Sabonis, especially given the former's need for a paint presence on offense. Even Washington, a rumored (and ill-advised) suitor, could be a fun fit.
Sabonis is also the closest thing the Pacers have to a franchise player right now, so they're likely going to drive a hard bargain that will scare most suitors off. Because of the great return they already got for LeVert, they can feel OK keeping both Sabonis and Turner through the rest of the season and reassessing their options in the summer. - Wolfond
Half the Kings
In a depressing Western Conference play-in race featuring injury-battered squads and tanking teams, the Kings should be in pole position. In the midst of a 16-year playoff drought, Sacramento wants to be competitive now, has the talent to at least be semi-competent, and only needed to play .400 basketball to get in the driver's seat for a top-10 seed.
This dysfunctional bunch couldn't even manage that, and it should now be open season for rival teams.
The Kings reportedly want to build around De'Aaron Fox and Tyrese Haliburton (plus, how eager would teams be to bid on the remaining $135 million on Fox's deal right now?), but Harrison Barnes, Buddy Hield, and Marvin Bagley should absolutely be on the table.
Both Barnes and Hield would bring oft-needed shooting and shot-creation to their next stops, though Barnes' size advantage, more dependable defense, and shorter contract should make him the more coveted King. Bagley, meanwhile, remains in need of a fresh start given the rocky opening to his career in Sacramento.
Richaun Holmes is a good big man under long-term team control at a great price, so the Kings might want to keep him, but given the plethora of competitive teams seeking centers this week, he may also represent Sacramento's best potential trade return. - Casciaro
Eric Gordon and the Rockets
There's no mystery when it comes to the Rockets' aims this deadline. They're a clear seller, and Gordon has done them the courtesy of having the most efficient scoring season of his career (56% on twos, 43% on threes, 63% true shooting) at age 33, making him one of the most sought-after commodities on the trade market. Houston is reportedly confident it will receive a first-round pick in exchange for his services. While Gordon's age and the $19.5-million guarantee on his contract for next season will make some teams squeamish, there's a good chance one of them bites the bullet.
On top of the lights-out long-range shooting, Gordon remains a bowling ball of a downhill driver who gets to the rim with astonishing frequency and converts nearly two-thirds of his shots there. Defenders who try to bump him off his line wind up bouncing off him instead. He can be a bit of a ball-stopper, which is why he profiles more as a sixth man than a complementary starter, but any team in need of shooting, rim pressure, and complementary ball-handling (Lakers, Suns, Raptors, Mavs) should and will be pursuing him. It'll be interesting to see just how steadfast the Rockets are. Would they really hold on to Gordon through the deadline if no team puts a first on the table?
Other vets like Daniel Theis and D.J. Augustin could also be on the move, but perhaps the most interesting question here pertains to Christian Wood. He's probably the best player on the Rockets currently and is only 26, but he may not be part of the team's long-term plans. While he's a dynamic pick-and-roll finisher who can dive or pop, he's struggled to defend at both the 4 and the 5 and hasn't exactly set the tone for the rebuilding Rockets with his effort level at that end of the floor. Moving him would free up playing time for rookie Alperen Sengun, while also helping Houston lose more games in pursuit of ping-pong balls.
Wood has a year left on an affordable contract beyond this season, but because he'd most likely slot in as a bench big on a good team, it's unclear if he can fetch the type of return (a first-rounder or a solid prospect) that would compel the Rockets to deal him. - Wolfond
Thaddeus Young
Young has been one of the league's most likely trade options from the moment the Spurs acquired him in the DeMar DeRozan sign-and-trade this past summer. There just isn't much of an on-court role for him on a shooting-starved rebuilding team prioritizing youth development, which is why he's playing just 14 minutes a game. San Antonio has arguably hurt its position in the trade market by not showcasing him more.
Young is a more valuable and productive player than what he's shown this season, with slick playmaking chops, a nose for offensive rebounds, and multi-positional defensive capabilities that could be very beneficial to a contender in need of a frontcourt connector (think: Utah). He can play in just about any defensive scheme, and his passing - both from the elbow and on the short roll - will play up on a team that can put more shooting threats and more dangerous pick-and-roll ball-handlers around him.
The Spurs can't really take advantage of his offensive skills because they don't feature many movement shooters with whom he can work the dribble-handoff game, nor any players who can consistently draw two defenders and deliver him the ball with a 4-on-3 advantage. He showed how effective he can be in those scenarios with the Bulls last year. He's also shown in the last two seasons that he can handle himself defensively as a small-ball center, which is almost exclusively how San Antonio has deployed him. (Navigating ball-screen coverage at the 5 has admittedly been more of a struggle this season.)
Young is a complete non-shooter at this point - he hasn't hit a single 3-pointer this season, is just 2-for-12 on shots outside the paint, and has hit less than half his free throws. However, he has a highly effective short-range push shot that serves as a supplemental weapon in those short-roll situations.
Young's $14.2-million salary comes off the books at season's end, which makes him a prime candidate for a deal that nets the Spurs a couple of decent assets (maybe a second-round pick and a fringe prospect) if they eat an undesirable contract in return. Any playmaking-rich team in win-now mode should be trying to get him. He'd slot in nicely on the Jazz, Suns, Bucks, Nets, Nuggets, or Warriors. - Wolfond
Trail Blazers
Damian Lillard's potentially season-ending abdominal injury may have provided a sorely needed opportunity for the Trail Blazers to get back on track.
As currently constructed, Portland looks like the quintessentially "stuck" team: a capped out, veteran squad that was just good enough to compete for a play-in spot, not quite bad enough to land a franchise-changing lottery pick, and without the asset capital required to markedly improve.
Without Lillard, however, the Blazers could be bad enough to add a difference-making youngster in the draft. Plus, without pressure to compete this season in order to placate Lillard, the team could also sell off some veterans and expiring contracts to further replenish its stock of draft picks and prospects.
Powell and Covington were just the beginning, as the Blazers now seem poised to send McCollum, Larry Nance, and Tony Snell to New Orleans in exchange for Josh Hart, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Didi Louzada, Tomas Satoransky's expiring contract, and draft picks.
With Lillard shelved, McCollum was the biggest name Portland could dangle. The focus will now shift to Jusuf Nurkic.
Nurkic plays the position (center) perhaps most in demand this week and is on an expiring ($12-million) contract. The Bosnian would nicely shore up the rotation of a team like Toronto, as he's a solid defensive big who can also serve as a playmaking hub. If the Blazers hope to re-sign Nurkic in the offseason in an effort to continue building around Lillard, Cody Zeller's another veteran center on an expiring ($2.4-million) deal. However, the big man's out until likely late-March following knee surgery, so who's giving up anything meaningful for him?
If there's a market for Eric Bledsoe, the Blazers should also look to flip the newly acquired veteran guard. Bledsoe's set to earn more than $19 million next season, but less than $4 million of that is guaranteed (if he's waived before June 29), so more competitive teams in need of guard depth should still be interested.
The big question for the Blazers is how much more they can possibly strip away while maintaining Lillard's confidence - and should that even be a concern anymore? Or should Dame be on the way out, too, in an effort to truly hit the reset button? - Casciaro
Gary Harris
The Magic are bursting with young talents that figure to be part of the future in Orlando, so the two obvious outliers ahead of the deadline are Harris and Terrence Ross. Unfortunately for Ross and the Magic, the 31-year-old is struggling through a wretched season on both ends of the court and is still owed $11.5 million next year, so finding a new home for him is unlikely.
Harris, however, is in the final year of a contract that pays him nearly $20.5 million this season and is quietly playing his best ball in years. Harris is a catch-and-shoot threat who's shot better than 50% from 2-point range and better than 38% from deep this season, and he still has a bit of playmaking juice.
On the defensive end, the 27-year-old's overall impact has slipped, but he remains an excellent option to chase and defend opposing shooters around screens.
A shooter with some defensive utility - and one who understands his role - would be a nice addition for any team hoping to still be playing in May and potentially June. - Casciaro
