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While the NBA playoff race is heating up for the majority of teams this time of year, others are already beginning to dream about offseason improvements.
This is especially true for six of the league’s most disappointing teams, whether they may still stumble into the play-in tournament or not.
Based on the eye test and ESPN’s Kirk Goldsberry’s current win percentage versus preseason expectations chart, we can safely identify the NBA’s most disappointing teams as the Los Angeles Lakers, Indiana Pacers, Brooklyn Nets, Portland Trail Blazers, Atlanta Hawks and New York Knicks.
Whether it be minor tweaks or significant shakeups, these deals would all be worth pursuing.
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New York Knicks Receive: C Clint Capela
Atlanta Hawks Receive: G/F Alec Burks, C Nerlens Noel, 2022 second-round pick
Two of the NBA’s most disappointing teams help each other out in this first proposal, with Capela solidifying a shaky center position for the Knicks while the Hawks improve their wing defense and clear the way for Onyeka Okongwu to start.
Mitchell Robinson, the Knicks current starting center, will be an unrestricted free agent this offseason, so New York doesn’t have the right to match any offers he’ll receive. The 23-year-old has played well enough to warrant a starting job (8.3 points, 8.7 rebounds, 1.8 blocks, 77.1 field goal percentage in his 25.1 minutes), but hasn’t become the elite defender and developing scorer the Knicks would have hoped for at this point.
Trading for Capela, 27, gives them a far better option at center, one who’s on a reasonable three-year, $61.1 million deal moving forward. He’s one of the NBA’s best rebounders and is holding opponents to 5.0 percent shooting under their regular success rates from within six feet.
The Hawks only agree to trade Capela after seeing second-year center Okongwu’s growth this season in a backup role. The 21-year-old was the No. 6 overall pick in 2020 and put up 10.5 points, 7.3 rebounds and 2.2 blocks on 67.6 percent shooting in six starts this season, showing flashes of becoming an all-defense center at some point.
Atlanta ranks 27th overall in defense this season, so adding a veteran wing defender in Burks would be a nice addition to the rotation. Noel has struggled with injuries this season but is a low-cost backup center who can provide strong rim protection when healthy. Getting the Knicks’ second-round pick in the deal should seal this for the Hawks.
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Brooklyn Nets Receive: F/C Christian Wood, G/F Eric Gordon, G/F David Nwaba, 2024 second-round pick (via Brooklyn Nets)
Houston Rockets Receive: PG Ben Simmons, C Nic Claxton
How long can the Nets stay patient with Simmons and his ailing back, especially with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving both still in the prime of their careers?
Simmons still hasn’t made his debut for the Nets following a Feb. 10 trade and has now received an epidural shot in his back to help relieve irritation. For a Nets team that needs to build chemistry on the fly and maximize Durant while they still can, Simmons’ unavailability should already have them canvasing the trade market this offseason.
One team who can be patient with Simmons? The rebuilding Houston Rockets, who should be happy to welcome the pass-first All-Star point guard next to their young scoring duo of Jalen Green and Kevin Porter Jr. Simmons would be out of the New York spotlight and wouldn’t need to grow his own offensive game for his new team to be successful.
For Brooklyn, Wood gives them a 26-year-old mobile, athletic big man to anchor the center position should Andre Drummond leave in free agency. Wood is averaging 17.7 points, 10.1 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.0 block while shooting 37.6 percent from three. He would keep the floor spread for Durant and Irving while giving them a pick-and-roll threat to play off of.
Gordon is shooting 40.8 percent from outside the arc en route to his 13.8 points and 2.8 assists per game. He would join Patty Mills in the second unit to help relieve a new-look starting five with Irving, Seth Curry, Joe Harris, Durant and Wood. Nwaba is a sticky multi-positional defender and the Nets get their own 2024 second-rounder back in return.
With Wood set to hit unrestricted free agency in 2023, the Rockets may want to sell high on him now with the opportunity to get a package of Simmons and Claxton in return.
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Indiana Pacers Receive: SG Josh Green, PF Davis Bertans, 2024 second-round pick
Dallas Mavericks Receive: SG Buddy Hield
Indiana’s minor rebuild continues this offseason as they search for a new home for Hield and his remaining two-year, $41 million deal.
The Mavs should be a team of interest, adding another catch-and-shoot threat from deep to play off of Luka Doncic. For an offense that has sputtered at times this season, Hield could serve as the team’s starting shooting guard or sixth man.
Indiana should be happy to move on from Hield, opening up more minutes for Tyrese Haliburton and Chris Duarte in the backcourt. They should also have interest in Green, a first-round pick by the Mavericks in 2020 who’s played himself into Dallas’ rotation as of late. He fits the mold of big, 6’5″ shooting guards that the Pacers are assembling as well.
Bertans’ contract isn’t great either (three years, $49 million) although he’s a better fit for this current roster. With Domantas Sabonis gone, Bertans can pick up some minutes at power forward and projects as a good fit next to a rim protector like Myles Turner.
Bertans keeps the floor spread for Haliburton and others, with Dallas including a future second-round pick given his own hefty contract.
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Los Angeles Lakers Receive: F Kenrich Williams, C Mike Muscala, 2022 second-round pick
Oklahoma City Thunder Receive: G/F Talen-Horton Tucker, 2025 second-round pick
The Lakers should (and likely will) do everything in their power to dump Russell Westbrook’s expiring $47.1 million contract this offseason, but there’s just no takers that immediately stand out, especially if L.A. isn’t willing to give up future first-round picks.
The team’s best path may be to shop Horton-Tucker for better fitting pieces instead, searching for role players who could complement LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
Williams is a high-level three-and-D forward who can guard multiple positions and stretch the floor. The Thunder are 13.8 points per 100 possessions better with him on the floor this season. Muscala has turned into one of the best three-point shooting big men in the NBA, connecting on 42.9 percent of his outside shots while averaging 8.0 points and 3.0 rebounds in just 13.8 minutes.
The Lakers also get a second-round pick from OKC immediately, helping to inject this roster with some much-needed young talent. Los Angeles trims $4.7 million off what projects to be a hefty tax bill as well.
The Thunder should be a better fit for Horton-Tucker (who won’t turn 22 until November 25), giving him more playing time and on-ball responsibilities for a rebuilding team. In 21 career starts, Horton-Tucker has averaged 12.1 points, 3.6 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.4 steals.
With three first-round picks coming, OKC should be fine flipping their current second for a future Lakers second in return.
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Portland Trail Blazers Receive: F Jerami Grant
Detroit Pistons Receive: F Nassir Little, G Eric Bledsoe, 2022 first-round pick (protected 1-4 and 15-30, via New Orleans Pelicans)
While Grant was somewhat surprisingly kept out of deals at the deadline, it wasn’t for a lack of interest by other teams. No team was more interested than the Blazers, writes James L. Edwards III of The Athletic:
“As for Grant, the Pistons were open to offers for their 27-year-old wing, but, in the end, nothing worthwhile materialized. The Trail Blazers, per sources, were the team that showed the strongest interest in the final days. Teams were calling Detroit about Grant all the way up to the final hour (the Pistons were not shopping him, per sources), but no one was willing to put together an offer that made the franchise seriously consider parting ways with Grant. Per sources, Detroit was looking for at least two first-round picks or a player(s) integral to the franchise’s core moving forward.”
The asking price of two first-round picks should decrease, given that Grant will be down to just one year left on a contract that will pay him roughly $21 million.
Portland should still be interested in adding the 28-year-old forward even after selling off some veterans at the trade deadline, and could be a playoff contender once again next year with a core of Damian Lillard, Grant, Anfernee Simons, Josh Hart and others.
With Robert Covington and Larry Nance Jr. traded, the starting power forward job is Grant’s for the taking. Putting a long, athletic defender on the court next to smaller guards like Lillard and Simons is a must.
For Detroit, they still get one first-round pick (one that will likely fall in the lottery this year) and a good, young player in Little. While the Pistons should have no interest in a declining veteran like Bledsoe, he’s on an expiring $19.4 million deal, one that’s guaranteed at just $3.9 million. Detroit could opt for immediate cap space or use his contract to help facilitate future deals.
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