The NBA trade deadline is usually one of the most entertaining days in the season. This year initially seemed like it’d be a boring deadline, but we’ve already seen one former all star in Trae Young get moved. So who else is on the chopping block in the NBA?
Ja Morant
This one is pretty obvious, he’s not playing or getting along with the team. There’s clear issues behind the scenes, and Ja was suspended earlier this season for conduct detrimental to the team. The issue here is the offers for Ja are not going to be great, the point guard market just isn’t very lucrative right now. But Memphis would be silly to leave an all star caliber player sitting and get nothing out of him.
Anthony Davis
The Mavericks got incredibly lucky when they received news that Davis’ hand injury would not require surgery. This means he could play again this season, and when healthy we know the kind of impact he can have on a contending team. Davis will likely be one of the biggest names we see traded this season, as it’s clear Dallas is not in contention for much this year.
Lauri Markkanen
Lauri is a very intriguing name to keep an eye on. He is only 28 years old and boasting career numbers this season on a struggling Utah Jazz team. The tough part here is any team trading for him is taking a chance on someone who doesn’t have much playoff experience, and will come at a much steeper price than a Ja Morant or an Anthony Davis given his age and ability.
Domantas Sabonis
Similar to Markkanen, Sabonis is only 29 and still has much left to give. The Kings are clearly not going anywhere this year, and would be foolish to not take advantage of the haul they can get for an all star big man who is still in his prime. However, much like Davis, he has been sidelined with a knee injury. But his window to return should open up soon, giving him a chance to showcase what he can do for any interested teams, and maybe improve his value so the Kings get a better return.
Jonathan Kuminga
Again a pretty obvious one, after all he just demanded a trade from Golden State as soon as he became eligible. He could certainly be the centerpiece in a deal for someone like Markkanen or Sabonis. He’s only 23 years old and has shown flashes of impressive play before. He just is not getting opportunities with Golden State, and he’s too expensive an asset to sit on the bench any longer. Expect him to be a part of a big deal over the next month.
