What Every NBA Team Needs To Realize and Do Ahead of the Trade Deadline

We are a little over halfway through the NBA season and at this point, teams are what they are.

Some teams that have figured that out and some haven’t. Some need to make changes while some just have to get healthy. Either way, this is the time of year that’s imperative for teams to figure out where they are and if they need to make changes. It’s not always about making changes though. Just letting the team grow together and building experience could do the trick. Maybe getting a little healthier.

Take a team like the Mavs last season. They absolutely needed to make a midseason trade and it helped them get to the NBA Finals. Then there’s a team like the Thunder. They just needed to continue to grow and see what they had throughout the season and make the necessary changes in the offseason.

Either way, realizing who you are and what you have is extremely important. It could either set up your franchise for immediate/future success or could set the franchise back for a couple of years.

Here are the things that teams need to realize before the trade deadline:

EAST

Celtics

Stop playing uninspired basketball before it becomes a habit. Simply put, they look bored. It’s completely understandable that the Celtics would play uninspired basketball. Teams that win a championship and come back with a similar team typically look bored because they already know what it takes to get over the hump. The same hunger isn’t there. However, they need to realize that and not play uninspired for long stretches before it becomes a habit. That could really hurt them in the playoffs. Nothing else needs to change because they’re still a great team. Just play inspired more. Especially leading into the playoffs.

Cavaliers

Just go for it. The Cavs finally took a step in the right direction this season under Kenny Atkinson. They are currently tied for the best record in the league and are serious contenders for a championship. There is no reason they should make any changes to their roster while they’re cooking. They can make necessary changes after getting more data during a playoff run.

Magic

Get and stay healthy. Even with all of the injuries the Magic have had they are much better than everyone thought. So we have to ask the question, how good would they be if they weren’t injured. The key for them could very well be just getting and staying healthy. Wouldn’t make much sense to see how good the team is with the injuries and not giving them a chance to play together healthy. Once they can do that and get to the playoffs, they can see what they have and who they want to keep and try to make the necessary moves in the offseason.

Knicks

More depth would definitely help. The Knicks are an in an interesting spot. They’re a really good team and could benefit from more depth. The thing is though, would the extra depth get played. It’s no secret Tom Thibodeau plays his starters a lot of minutes. In fact, four of the five starters are in the top five for total minutes played thus far. Who knows if the depth they could add would play with Thibs but they would surely benefit from a little more depth during the playoffs.

Bucks

Find some wing defense. The Bucks aren’t a bad defensive team as they currently sit in the top ten but they need extra help on the wing. Particularly for defensive purposes. It doesn’t need to be a big splash but with Khris Middleton not playing at the level they need him to be at if they want to make a championship run. That could be the thing that separates them from making a legit title run and having to make some tough decisions with Damian Lillard and Giannis Antetkounmpo this summer.

Pacers

Try and find a scoring first option. The Pacers are coming off of an Eastern Conference Finals appearance and it left a lot of people wondering if it was a fluke or not. It’s looking more and more like a fluke as we approach the Allstar break. They do currently sit at fourth in the East so they aren’t too fluke-ish but if they want to make another appearance in the conference finals and possibly NBA Finals, they will need a better first option. Not necessarily someone who tries to get everyone else involved but just someone who can be a professional scorer.

Pistons

Just continue to grow. This has been a big breakout season for Cade Cunningham who is likely to make his first Allstar game in his career. They added some nice vets around him and the other young guys with Tobias Harris, Malik Beasley, and Kentavious Caldwell Pope. This is the season for them to get to the play-In and/or playoffs just to see how they are in that kind of environment and go from there. No changes needed to this team at all.

Heat

Get rid of Jimmy Butler ASAP. As of this moment, Jimmy Butler is still part of the team and is serving his third suspension in a month. It is a complete mess in Miami and both parties are to blame. This needs to end before it gets worse. Having this linger around is not good for their franchise. No need to be petty and try to not send him where he’d want to go. Whoever offers the best package, just get it done.

Hawks

Trade Trae. It’s clear that the Hawks aren’t able to build around Trae Young so it’s time to trade him and start building around some young guys. Maybe try to get the best pick possible for this upcoming draft but the Trae era should be over in Atlanta.

Bulls

Just give up on this current version of this team. The worst place to be in sports is where the Bulls have been for the last 4-5 years. Too good to be bad enough to get the top talent in the draft and not good enough to contend for anything. They finally traded away Zach Lavine and that’ll help them be worse which should be the goal but they have more work to do. There are a few guys they still need to part with so they can really start their rebuild. Until then, they likely won’t get back to where they want to be.

Sixers

Time to star another process. The season seems to be lost for the Sixers. They have lost Jared McCain, who was likely going to be Rookie of the Year, for the season due to injury, Joel Embiid and Paul George, and the roster isn’t all that good. They currently sit at 11th in the East and they could make a strong push for the play-in/playoffs but what would be the point? The Thunder currently own the rights to their pick which is top six protected so it would be best if they could make sure they get that pick and this season wasn’t a total waste. They also might have to start looking at trading Joel Embiid or at least testing to see what they could get for him. Whatever they do they need to make a decision now.

Nets

Just tank better. The Nets seemingly have tried to tank this season but aren’t doing the best job. They traded Mikal Bridges in the offseason and the thought was Cam Johnson was going to be next. Instead it was Dennis Schroeder who was shipped to the Warriors and Dorian Finney-Smith and Shake Milton for D’Angelo Russell. Johnson is still likely to get traded but with him on the roster to go with Russel they are just too good to all out tank. They aren’t in a terrible spot but this is the draft where you want to have one of those top picks. Once they trade Johnson, they might need to work out a buyout with Russell and then they’ll be in a good spot to officially rebuilt. Right now, they would have the 5th best odds if the ping pong balls went by records so not in the worst position to be in but could be better.

Raptors

Tank better. The Raptors have some decent talent on the roster but it’s clear they need more. Might not need that first option guy but they need more talent. It would be best for them to tank the rest of the season as best as they can and start building something worth talking about shortly after that.

Hornets

Get and stay healthy so they can figure out what they have. Health hasn’t been on the Hornets side this season with the bulk of their core missing time with injury. It is going to be harder to get healthy to see what they have given Brandon Miller is out for the season. Miller is going to be a big piece of their future so the only thing that needs to be worried about with him is how do other guys fit with him on the floor. They have plenty of talent on the roster but have not been able to put it all together. They have gone through the collection phase with talent but they haven’t been able to hit the next level. Once they do that, they’ll be able to start building something. Until they get healthy though, it will be hard to make that a reality.

Wizards

Trade, trade, and trade again. Then tank. The Wizards shouldn’t be this bad at all. They are by far the worst team in the league but the talent they have doesn’t match the output they are giving. Being bad isn’t the worst thing in the NBA because you get a top pick and having one in this year’s draft would be great. However, it won’t matter if they get a top pick if they don’t know what to do with him. Success starts from the top and with new GM Will Dawkins at the helm that’s what the Wizards are trying to establish. He needs to realize though that he has to trade a few guys away. Kyle Kuzma, Jordan Poole, Jonas Valanciunas, and Corey Kispert all have to go. Not because they are bad players but because they just don’t fit what the Wizards want and should be doing. If they have to trade them for twenty cents on the dollar then that’s what they need to do. They just have to get them out of there so they can start fresh.

WEST

Thunder

Get healthy and stand pat. The Thunder are the best team in the league record wise and looks wise. The sport the league’s best defense by far. They have yet to play a game where they are at full strength. Chet Holmgren is progressing and will be back on the floor some time after the Allstar break and that will make their team pretty much whole for the first time this season. With them being this good while dealing with major injuries, it wouldn’t make any sense to make a trade. In his preseason press conference, President Sam Presti mentioned the word “continuity” a few times and how important it was for this team so it also wouldn’t make much sense for them to mess up the continuity in the middle of the season to start over a little bit. Give this version of this team a chance to go for a championship and then make the necessary moves after that.

Rockets

Try and get more offense but wouldn’t be the worst thing to not do anything. The Rockets are better than most thought they would be as the currently sit at second in the West but they aren’t without flaws. They currently have a top ten offense but it could be better. Particularly late in games when they need a bucket. They don’t need to make a big splash to bring in a guy that would command the ball a lot because that could hurt their development. They just need someone to make things a little easier for them. On the other hand though, it wouldn’t be the worst thing if they didn’t make any moves. They are in a similar spot the Thunder were in last season and could benefit from this group just getting playoff experience of any kind. Once they get that experience, they can make whatever changes needed in the offseason. This is a really good spot for them to be in for the future.

Wolves

Figure out who you are. Last season the Wolves had an identity. It was clear. They were a tough nosed defensive team and everything else followed. They are still top ten defensively but it’s not their identity anymore. They don’t really have one right now. They need to figure that out. Guys have either taken a step back or play too inconsistent. The roles don’t seem to be as defined as last season either. Who are they? Before the season they were picked as one of the favorites out West but it doesn’t seem like that’s the case anymore. Figure out who you want to be and go from there.

Nuggets

Get Jokic more help. This will be another season Nikola Jokic is playing without an Allstar next to him. They have played a lot better recently but that roster isn’t a championship level roster and it’s imperative that they don’t waste the prime years of Jokic. So what can they do to get him more help? It going to be hard because they don’t have many assets but they don’t need much. More depth, defensive help on the wing, or a more consistent second option are at the top of the list. Realizing it might be time to part ways with guys who helped win a championship to try and win another is key for them. They just have to get Jokic some help.

Grizzlies

Get healthy, please. The Grizzlies currently sit at third in the West and it’s a little bit of a surprise considering they’ve dealt with injuries for most of the season. It would be hard to really judge them until they’re healthy. Once they’re at full strength they’ll have a better gauge on where they are and what they need to get better.

Lakers

Gotta get a big, ASAP. The Lakers made a HUGE splash before the deadline that sent major shockwaves throughout the sports world after Trading Antony Davis for Luka Doncic. Absolutely no one saw this coming. The Lakers seemingly got their guy for the future though. Now what? If they want to win this year and in the future they desperately need to get a big man. He doesn’t need to be on the level of AD but just someone who can defend the rim and catch lobs. Beyond this year, they will also need to find someone on the wing to eventually replace Lebron James but they now have more options than they did last week.

Clippers

Figure out if you’re serious or not. The Clippers weathered the storm without Kawhi Leonard to start the season and are getting people to believe in them this season. Are they serious though? If they are, they have to upgrade at some spot before the deadline. It doesn’t really matter where it comes from but upgrades need to be made. They can’t wait until the offseason to make changes because that’s more time wasted with Kawhi on the roster.  The time to strike is now. Only if they’re serious though.

Mavericks

Convince the fanbase there is some competence at the top. Trading Luka Doncic for Anthony Davis straight up wouldn’t be the worst trade if this was just a one season thing. That isn’t the case though. They traded away their future for AD who didn’t ask to be there and the cherry on top is they only got one pick in the deal. Now they have to restore some faith with the fanbase. Nothing about this trade makes sense for the Mavs but it’s done now so they have to figure out how to navigate the rest of the season and beyond after being a part of the most mind boggling trade in history.

Spurs

Get to the playoffs so you can see what pieces you need for the future . It’s only Victor Wembanyama’s second season but he is already playing at a level where it’s important not to waste his time on the court. He is nowhere near the player that he’s going to be in his prime but he is already playing at a level where there are only three guys that are for sure playing better. They made the correct decision by trading for De’Aaron Fox and it’s even better for them because they didn’t give up any major pieces. Fox gives them a legit second option. Now it becomes a situation where they just need to grow and get some playoff experience so they can see what pieces to go after in the offseason. No other moves need to be made right now.

Suns

Might be time to start over. The Suns swung for the fences with acquiring Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal. They tried to improve their roster around their big 3 with more depth but it hasn’t worked out at all. It’s ok to swing for the fences and miss. Now that they have missed the fence, they have to realize it’s time to start over. Beal seemingly will be the first domino to fall and unless they get better pieces for him, which doesn’t seem likely, it still won’t be enough to be legit contenders. It is tine to move on. It was a valiant effort but it’s time to try and build something else.

Kings

What’s the move after Fox is gone? De’Aaron Fox’s tenure in Sacramento is now over and the biggest piece the Kings got in return was Zach Lavine. What’s the plan now that he is gone though? They will still have plenty of talent on the roster and won’t be bad enough for a top pick so they will likely still be stuck in the middle of the pack and that’s the worst place to be. They have to have a plan for after Fox because if they don’t they will turn into the franchise they were just a couple of years ago with the longest playoff drought in the league.

Warriors

Trade Steph or get him some help. The Warriors roster isn’t even remotely good. The fact that they are even remotely as good as they are is because of Steph Curry. It’s time to do him a service and either trade him or finally get him some help. He is still playing at a high level so he should be trying to win a championship still and not trying to make sure he’s the 10th seed so he can have a shot at the playoffs. The Warriors need to do whatever it takes to get him the help he needs or trade him to wherever he wants. Anything other than that would be highly disrespectful to the greatest player in franchise history.

Blazers

Find a direction. The Blazers don’t seem to know what direction they are going in. Some games it’s clear they are trying to win and build something and others it’s clear they are trying to tank to get another top draft pick. They cannot operate in both areas. It’s time for them to find a direction and stay there until it’s time to move onto the next step.

Jazz

Just continue to tank. The Jazz made it clear that they were trying to tank to land one of the top picks in the upcoming draft. They are doing a really good job of that as they currently have the second worst record in the league. The only problem with this plan is that they have a lot of talent and on paper they are too good to be this bad. The only reason they are is because they don’t play everyone every night. It’s time to get some of that talent out of Utah so they can make sure this plan is a complete success.

Pelicans

Trade everyone except for a few guys. Health has been the Pelicans biggest issue ever since trading Anthony Davis. It has stunted every single thing they have tried to do and it starts with Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson. Those two haven’t shared the floor for much time since they both arrived in New Orleans. It’s now time to trade the bulk of the core and start over. Everyone but Trey Murphy, Herb Jone, Jordan Hawkins, and Yves Missi should be traded. They will likely get one of the top picks in the upcoming draft and will have a very nice piece to add to that core of not traded. Having the vets on the roster will only stunt the growth the guys drafted and the non traded guys. Realize it’s time to get some of those key guys out of there.

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