Wednesday Windmill: Which Eastern Conference teams should make a move before the NBA trade deadline?

The NBA trade deadline is on Thursday at 3:00 PM EST. Yesterday I did a breakdown of which Western Conference teams should consider a move before the trade deadline (click here to check it out) and today I'll address the Eastern Conference. Same drill as yesterday, I'll address the teams in order of where they sit in the standings. Also, on the NBA Lord Twitter and Facebook pages, I will be providing updates on trades and all that jazz.

#1. Milwaukee Bucks (43-7): The Bucks have the best record in the NBA, led by the Greek Freak Giannis Antetokounmpo. Considering how well they're playing, I don't think they have much of a need to make a move. They do have a few guys on expiring contracts in Kyle Korver, Sterling Brown, and Pat Connaughton, so those are chips they could use in a trade if they so like. But, I would expect the Bucks to more or less stay the way they are. When you're the best in the league, why mess with what you have?

#2. Toronto Raptors (36-14): Marc Gasol, Kyle Lowry, and Serge Ibaka are all on expiring contracts so in theory, the Raptors could go wild and unload their stars for future assets and all. But that would be a strange thing to do when they are once again a legit contender in the Eastern Conference. I would be very surprised if the Raptors made any major move before the trade deadline.

#3. Boston Celtics (34-15): The Celtics have Brad Wanamaker on an expiring contract. Aside from the players they have on two-way contracts (which I don't really count as expiring contracts), that's all they have in terms of players on expiring deals. That means the Celtics don't really have anyone to unload. Given that they are third in the East and that everyone seems to be gelling well, I expect the Celtics to stay as is come the trade deadline. If the Celtics were to make a move, it would be to shore up their front court. So perhaps, they do move Gordon Hayward or something along those lines, but I highly doubt it.

#4. Miami Heat (34-15): The Heat have Goran Dragic, Meyers Leonard, Derrick Jones, Jr., and Udonis Haslem on expiring contracts. Haslem is a Heat for life, so he isn't going anywhere. Dragic is one of their top players, averaging 16.0 points and 5.0 assists per game, so I don't see him getting moved. As for Leonard and Jones, maybe the Heat will move both of them in order to get a better player or land some draft picks for next year. But, I would expect those guys to stay put as well.

As for the rest of their roster, I'm sure the Heat would love to unload Dion Waiters, but I don't see them finding a home for him. He's pretty toxic. One name to keep an eye on KZ Okpala. The Heat are trying to develop him, but perhaps they can sell some other team on his upside and get some assets back for him. The bottom line is I'm not feeling a trade coming from the Heat, but there are enough possible routes for them that one may emerge.

#5. Indiana Pacers (31-19): The Pacers have a few minor players on expiring contracts in JaKarr Sampson, Alize Johnson, and Justin Holiday. Their big addition around this time of year is getting Victor Oladipo healthy. I don't see the Pacers making a move at the deadline, but given that they have some players on expiring contracts, maybe they move one of them.

#6. Philadelphia 76ers (31-20): The players who the 76ers have on expiring contracts are Kyle O'Quinn, Trey Burke, and Raul Neto. Similar to the Pacers, pretty minor players. Also like the Pacers, I don't find a trade likely for the 76ers. Maybe they move one of their more minor players on an expiring contract to get some assets back or something, but that's the extent of what I see them doing. Maybe they'll prove me wrong.

#7. Brooklyn Nets (22-27): Joe Harris is on an expiring contract as is Wilson Chandler. It's a possibility that the Nets move one of them, but in truth, the Nets are really eying next year and the return of Kevin Durant. Given that, I don't expect the Nets to be active at the trade deadline, but if they were to make a move, it would likely involve Harris or Chandler. Teams have been inquiring about Spencer Dinwiddie (21.3 points per game), but I find it unlikely that the Nets will move him. Once again, the Nets are looking ahead to next year. This isn't the year for them to get aggressive at the trade deadline.

#8. Orland Magic (22-28): D.J. Augustin and Michael Carter-Williams are both on expiring contracts, so it's possible that one of them gets moved. Aaron Gordon is another name that has popped up in trade rumors, offering more value than either Augustin or Carter-Williams. The Magic are in a weird spot where they're on the cusp of making the playoffs while also knowing that this season isn't a year where they're likely to make noise in the playoffs. One thing I will say is they have a lot of guards and both Augustin and Carter-Williams are guards. They could use some front court help, so maybe that's a direction they'll go. We'll see.

#9. Chicago Bulls (19-33): The Bulls have a couple players on expiring contracts in Kris Dunn and Shaquille Harrison. Neither player is doing much for the Bulls, but perhaps a change of scenery will do them good. Especially Dunn, a former top five pick. However, Dunn is out with an MCL sprain and that could ward off some teams from trading for him. Expect the Bulls to stay silent, but maybe they'll find Dunn a better situation and get some draft picks in return.

#10. Washington Wizards (17-32): Ian Mahinmi, Isaiah Thomas, and Davis Bertans are on expiring deals. Bertans is the most interesting one, having a breakout year with his 15.0 points per game. If the Wizards don't think they can re-sign him or afford him in the summer, good odds they move him and get something back for him. A lot of playoff level teams would love to add him. Don't be shocked if the Wizards unload Bertans. It would actually make a lot of sense for them to do so.

#11. Detroit Pistons (18-34): The Pistons and Suns were rumored to be discussing a deal sending Luke Kennard to Phoenix, but reports are now saying those talks have hit an impasse. Andre Drummond has also come up in trade rumors. Neither are on expiring contracts, so maybe the Pistons hold off on moving them for now. Reggie Jackson, Langston Galloway, Thon Maker, Markieff Morris, Christian Wood, Tim Frazier, and Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk are all on expiring deals, giving the Pistons a lot of different options there. I would say odds are above 50 percent that the Pistons get involved in some move, but of what nature is hard to foresee.

#12. Charlotte Hornets (16-35): The Hornets have Bismack Biyombo, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Marvin Williams, Willy Hernangomez, Dwayne Bacon, and Ray Spalding on expiring deals. None of those guys have a ton of value, but there are decent odds the Hornets find a home for one of them. Especially if they are willing to help facilitate a three-team trade.

#13. New York Knicks (15-36): The Knicks have Marcus Morris, Allonzo Trier, Damyean Dotson, and Kadeem Allen on expiring deals. Morris (19.3 points per game) is their leading scorer, so he could offer a ton of value to a playoff contending team. If the Knicks can get a lot back for him, he would make sense to move. My intuition is the Knicks will look to make a deal at the deadline, but it will come down to what other teams want back, etc. Look for the Knicks do something if they can. I know they've been eying Warriors guard D'Angelo Russell. Maybe something happens there.

#14. Cleveland Cavaliers (13-38): Tristan Thompson, Brandon Knight, John Henson, Matthew Dellavedova, Ante Zizic, and Dean Wade are on expiring deals, so there's a lot of routes the Cavaliers can go. Kevin Love's name has popped up as well, but given his contract situation, I find it unlikely he gets moved. If the Cavaliers do make a move, it likely will involve one of the guys on an expiring deal. But you never know, maybe they'll do something unexpected with Love.

#15. Atlanta Hawks (13-38): The Hawks just made a move last night, acquiring Clint Capela from the Rockets in a 4-team, 12 player deal. Click here for details. Alex Len, Jeff Teague (who they traded for from Minnesota earlier this year), DeAndre Bembry, Damian Jones, Treveon Graham, Brandon Goodwin, Charlie Brown, Jr., and Vince Carter are all on expiring deals, so there's a lot of other moves they might make before this trade deadline is over.

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Tomahawk Tuesday: Which Western Conference teams should make a move before the NBA trade deadline?

The 2020 NBA trade deadline is later this week: Thursday, February 6 at 3:00 PM EST. In this blog post, I wanted to quickly go through each team in the Western Conference and the need they have to make a trade before the deadline. I will address each team in order of where they are in the standings at this moment. On Wednesday, I will address the Eastern Conference.

#1. Los Angeles Lakers (37-11): As the top team in the Western Conference, the Lakers shouldn't feel much of a need to make a trade. The only reason why they might consider a move is if they feel they don't have enough depth, relying too much on LeBron James and Anthony Davis.

If the Lakers were to make a move, it would likely involve third year forward Kyle Kuzma, who is averaging 13.0 points and 4.2 rebounds per game. He becomes a restricted free agent in the summer of 2021 and has a contract that wouldn't cost a team too much, paying him $1.9M this year and $3.6M next year. His qualifying offer in the summer of 2021 is $5.3M.

Kuzma is a talented player that doesn't cost much. A lot of teams might be interested in getting him and the Lakers could get some attractive pieces back for him. I don't know if I see the Lakers moving Kuzma, but if there's any move they make, I would expect Kuzma to be involved. We'll see what happens.

#2. Los Angeles Clippers (35-15): While I could see the Lakers possibly making a move, I don't see the Clippers making one. They have their core in Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, Lou Williams, and Montrezl Harrell playing well and a solid supporting cast around them. Anything is possible at the trade deadline, but the Clippers are a team I expect to stand pat.

#3. Denver Nuggets (34-16): The Nuggets have a few guys on expiring contracts in Paul Millsap, Juan Hernangomez, Torrey Craig, Mason Plumlee, and Malik Beasley. I don't see Millsap being moved because he is making $30M this year and is a big part of what the Nuggets do. The other guys though could be moved in order to add a piece that they feel better helps them contend.

Do I see the Nuggets making a move? It's possible, but I don't expect anything major to happen. They'll more or less stay the same, but they could make an upgrade if the right opportunity presents itself.

#4. Utah Jazz (32-17): The Jazz already made a move earlier this year by trading Dante Exum to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Jordan Clarkson. A move that appears to be working out well for them as Clarkson is averaging 14.9 points per game in a Jazz uniform. It's possible the Jazz make a minor move like trade a role player on an expiring contract (e.g. Emmanuel Mudiay), but I doubt it.

#5. Houston Rockets (32-18): There have been rumors of the Rockets moving Clint Capela, so that's something to definitely keep an eye on. They do have some minor players on expiring contracts in injured guard Gerald Green, Thabo Sefolosha, and Tyson Chandler, but those guys don't have much value. Either the Capela rumors have legs and they move him or they don't make a move. That's how I hedge things at the moment.

#6. Dallas Mavericks (31-19): The Mavericks have a few minor players on expiring contracts like J.J. Barea and Courtney Lee, but given how well they've been playing, I see the Mavericks staying put at the trade deadline. They also made a small move earlier as well in acquiring Willie Cauley-Stein from the Warriors, so there's good odds they feel they've already made their move. Similar to the Jazz.

#7. Oklahoma City Thunder (30-20): The Thunder are playing pretty well at the moment while also having a few guys on expiring contracts, most notably Danilo Gallinari (19.2 points per game). I don't see them moving Gallinari considering how well he's playing and Chris Paul, who everyone thought would be traded, seems to be enjoying life in OKC. I wouldn't be shocked if the Thunder made a move, but I think odds are good they stay as is.

#8. Memphis Grizzlies (25-25): The Grizzlies have several guys on expiring contracts in Solomon Hill, Jae Crowder, Josh Jackson, Dillon Brooks, and most notably Andre Iguodala, who Ja Morant and others on the team are quite frustrated with. If the Grizzlies are to move anyone, it should be Iguodala, who otherwise will sit out the rest of the season. I expect the Grizzlies to find a home for him and possibly one or two others as well.

#9. Portland Trail Blazers (23-27): The Trail Blazers have a few guys on expiring contracts, making a trade certainly possible. Hassan Whiteside is on an expiring contract and playing quite well, so it's possible they see him as a trade chip that they could get a lot back for. At the same time, if they want to make the playoffs and make a push, they probably should hang on to him.

The other guys on expiring contracts are Carmelo Anthony, Skal Labissiere, Caleb Swanigan, and Wenyen Gabriel. Anthony isn't going anywhere and has his contract guaranteed for the rest of the year. So that leaves the other three guys. It's possible one of them gets moved, but there isn't much back the Trail Blazers could get. That said, they could move them to get some draft picks back or something. The Trail Blazers are sort of a coin flip for me. We'll just have to see.

#10. San Antonio Spurs (22-27): The Spurs have a few guys on expiring contracts in Jakob Pöltl, Marco Belinelli, Bryn Forbes, Drew Eubanks, and Quinndary Weatherspoon. Making a move quite possible. The one with the most value is Forbes, who is averaging 10.9 points per game. If the Spurs feel they can get some decent assets back for him, maybe they move him. The same goes for others as well. The Spurs I see as another coin flip. I could see it going either way for them.

#11. Phoenix Suns (20-30): The Suns have a few guys on expiring contracts in Tyler Johnson, Dario Saric, Aron Baynes, Jevon Carter, Jared Harper, and Tariq Owens. Given that, a trade is quite possible. They've been rumored to be interested in Pistons guard Luke Kennard, so that's certainly one direction they could go. Otherwise, I could see them doing something minor like unload a few expiring contracts to clear cap space and/or gather draft picks.

#12. New Orleans Pelicans (20-31): There's some speculation that the Pelicans may move Jrue Holiday, so that is certainly something to look for. Also, they have a few guys on expiring contracts in Derrick Favors, E'Twaun Moore, and Brandon Ingram, so a trade is certainly possible with any of those guys. If the Pelicans can get a lot back for Holiday, good odds they make a move. At the same time, he's playing really well (19.7 points & 6.3 assists), so they may also want to keep him for the purposes of giving them a foundation to build around Zion Williamson. If Holiday was on an expiring contract, I would say he gets traded for sure, but since he's not, I think there's decent odds the Pelicans keep him. It'll be interesting to see what they do.

#13. Sacramento Kings (19-31): The most notable trade asset the Kings have is Bogdan Bogdanovic (14.6 points per game), who yup, you guessed it, is on an expiring contract. If the Kings can get some assets back for him, I bet they'll move him. Otherwise, I see them staying the same at the deadline.

#14. Minnesota Timberwolves (15-34): The Timberwolves need a lot of help and quite honestly need to hit the reset button. They've been rumored to be interested in Warriors point guard D'Angelo Russell, who many feel would be moved at the deadline to start the season. If the Timberwolves could land him, maybe that will give them the jolt of life that they need. I feel odds are good the Timberwolves make a move, but I'm not sure they'll be able to get Russell. It'll come down to what the Warriors want to do with him and what other offers they can field. Also, how much the Timberwolves are willing to give up.

#15. Golden State Warriors (12-39): I already touched on the Warriors above, but what they do with D'Angelo Russell is the big thing to look for. He's never been viewed as a long-term option for them and much more of an asset that they can use as a trade chip. If they can get a good offer from the Timberwolves or some other team, I say he's gone. However, what remains to be seen is how much other teams are willing to give up to get him.

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Skyhook Sunday: Winners and losers from the NBA Trade Deadline

The NBA trade deadline was Thursday at 3:00 PM EST and a lot of very interesting moves occurred. The Cavaliers were particularly active at the deadline acquiring George Hill and Rodney Hood from the Kings and Jazz in a three-way trade while sending Isaiah Thomas to the Lakers and Dwyane Wade back to the Heat. Other moves worth noting are the Magic trading Elfrid Payton to the Suns, the Nuggets trading Emmanuel Mudiay to the Knicks, and the Jazz actually parting ways with Joe Johnson in the Hood deal, which could result in Johnson going to a contender assuming the Kings buyout his contract. If you want a full recap of all the trades and moves that happened, check out any of the NBALord.com social media accounts (links provided at the bottom of the article). I posted all of the moves on there.

What I wanted to do in this post is quickly go over who I felt the winners and losers were at the trade deadline. I plan on analyzing some of the teams more closely next week.

Winners

The Lakers traded Jordan Clarkson and Larry Nance, Jr. to the Cavaliers for Isaiah Thomas, Channing Frye, and a protected 2018 first round pick. Considering their need for a legitimate star player, I'd say the Lakers were winners in this trade. While Isaiah Thomas has been on the move a lot, that doesn't mean he's not a guy you'd want to have on your team. He was a borderline MVP candidate during his final season with the Celtics. To add a guy of his caliber has to have the Lakers excited. 

Let's be real, Isaiah Thomas wasn't a good fit with the Cavaliers and they needed to get something in return for him. While Rodney Hood wasn't directly involved with the Thomas deal, he is a guy who'll bring quality three-point shooting to the team and an ability to score in a similar fashion as Thomas did. Plus, Hood should fit in personality wise with the Cavaliers and relish the opportunity to play alongside LeBron James on a team that is hoping to reach the NBA Finals. As for shipping off Dwyane Wade, that's kind of a bummer, but at the same time if it isn't working out, why hang onto him? The Cavaliers were wise to move him and not continue with an experiment that just wasn't working. 

Emmanuel Mudiay strikes me as a guy who might just need a change of scenery. I like what he can bring to the table and the Knicks could really benefit from having a true franchise point guard. What's even better is the Knicks only had to give up Doug McDermott to get him. The Knicks were definitely winners at the trade deadline, though losing Kristaps Porzingis for the season due to a torn ACL overshadows this move.

The Suns acquired Elfrid Payton from the Magic for a second round pick, which is an absolute steal considering that Payton is averaging 13.0 points, 6.3 assists, and 1.5 steals per game. I've always liked Payton's game and believed in his ability to become a star point guard in this league. With Brandon Knight's future with the Suns in doubt due to the injuries he's had, this was a no brainer move for the Suns. 

Note: Brandon Condron provided a good breakdown of this trade on YouTube and what it means for the Suns. Click here to check it out. 

The Celtics made no moves at the trade deadline but are still considered winners simply because they got to watch the Cavaliers trade Isaiah Thomas away.  

Getting Dwyane Wade back in a Heat uniform is pretty cool. Especially since the Heat are in the mix to get home court advantage in the first round. They're seeded 7th in the Eastern Conference right now, but that could change with Wade coming back.

Not a move that happened right at the trade deadline, but the Pistons are definitely winners for acquiring Blake Griffin from the Clippers. They needed a franchise player to build around and now they have one. If you missed my blog post on the Blake Griffin trade from the Pistons' perspective, click here. I go into more detail in there. 

Losers

I know I'm kinda cheating by also listing the Cavaliers as losers, but here me out on this. While it is good that they got something for Isaiah Thomas and were able to shake things up a bit, the fact that they had to make those moves in the first place is very concerning. Hell, there was even some speculation that it might be good for the Cavaliers to trade LeBron James and totally hit the reset button for good. The bottom line is that while the moves the Cavaliers made were good for their present situation, it's never a good sign to be in a situation where you need to make a flurry of deals before the deadline in order to stay afloat. 

I'm pretty indifferent to the moves the Jazz made at the deadline. Jae Crowder is a nice player and I understand why Rodney Hood and Joe Johnson needed to go as they probably weren't going to come back once they hit free agency. At the same time, Rodney Hood was supposed to be one of their bright young players to build around in a post Gordon Hayward era. To see him go is kind of a disappointment if you are a fan of the Jazz. Even worse, it feels like the Jazz are a team struggling to find an identity right now. Donovan Mitchell is becoming their man, but they're still a long ways off from being a serious championship contender.

When the Toronto Raptors selected Bruno Caboclo with the 20th overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft, they thought they had found a diamond in the rough. Everyone else was asking what drugs they were on for selecting him in the first place. At the deadline, the Raptors parted ways with their Brazilian draft and stash wonder, sending him to the Kings for Malachi Richardson. That 2014 first round pick is one the Raptors would like to have back. Rodney Hood, Joe Harris, Nikola Jokic, and Jordan Clarkson were all still available and would have been much better selections than Caboclo, who quite honestly shouldn't have been drafted in either round.

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Fadeaway Friday: NBA Trade Deadline Roundup

Fadeaway Friday usually focuses on the NBA D-League, but given that the NBA trade deadline was on Thursday, "Fadeaway Friday" this week will be a quick recap of all the deals that happened at the NBA trade deadline. Also, there was no Wednesday Windmill this week due to all the uncertainty that comes with the next day being the trade deadline. So just a quick heads up on that. Anyways, without further ado, below is a recap of all the deals that happened with proper citation. *Note: Deals announced by Shams Charania and Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical are cited as "The Vertical" for simplicity.

#1.  ICYMI: The Kings traded DeMarcus Cousins to the Pelicans. I wrote more about that here.

#2.  ICYMI: The Magic traded Serge Ibaka to the Raptors. I wrote more about that here.

#3. Per The Vertical, the Nets traded forward Bojan Bogdanovic and forward Chris McCullough to the Wizards for a 2017 lottery protected first-round draft pick, forward Andrew Nicholson, and guard Marcus Thornton. The Vertical also adds that the Nets intend to waive Marcus Thornton.

#4.  Per The Vertical, the Lakers traded guard Lou Williams to the Rockets for a 2017 first round pick and forward Corey Brewer.

#5. 76ers president of basketball operations Bryan Colangelo confirmed that the 76ers traded Ersan Illyasova to the Hawks for Tiago Splitter, a second-round pick, and the option to swap a second round pick.

#6. The Grizzlies decided to sign Toney Douglas for the remainder of the season according to Real GM.

#7. The Pelicans signed Hollis Thompson to a 10-day contract. Marc Stein of ESPN reported this.

#8. Per The Vertical and Marc Stein, the 76ers traded Nerlens Noel to the Mavericks for Andrew Bogut, Justin Anderson, and a 1-18 protected 1st Round pick in the 2017 NBA Draft. Zach Lowe adds that the 76ers will get two second round draft picks (one in 2017 and one in 2018) if the 1st Round pick remains protected. Keith Pompey of Philly.com adds that the 76ers waived Chasson Randle to help facilitate the trade.

#9. Per The Vertical, the Rockets traded K.J. McDaniels to the Nets for cash considerations.

#10. Per The Vertical, the Thunder traded Cameron Payne, Joffrey Lauvergne, and Anthony Morrow to the Bulls for Doug McDermott, Taj Gibson, and a 2018 2nd Round pick.

#11. Per The Vertical, the Bucks traded Roy Hibbert to the Nuggets for a heavily protected 2019 2nd Round pick.

#12. Per The Vertical, the Hawks traded Mike Scott to the Suns for cash considerations.

InsideHoops.com posted an update to the deal: The Hawks traded Mike Scott, the draft rights to Cenk Akyol, and cash considerations to the Suns for a top-55 protected 2017 2nd round pick.

#13. Per The Vertical, the Raptors traded Jared Sullinger and two future second round picks to the Suns for P.J. Tucker, whose contract expires in the summer. Doug Haller of the Arizona Republic adds that the Suns will waive Jared Sullinger and Mike Scott and sign Ronnie Price for the remainder of the season.

#14. Per The Vertical, the Rockets traded Tyler Ennis to the Lakers for Marcelinho Huertas. The Rockets are expected to waive Huertas.

InsideHoops.com posted an update to the deal: The Rockets traded the draft rights to AEK Athens small forward Brad Newley and Tyler Ennis to the Lakers for Marcelinho Huertas, who is expected to be waived.

#15. Per Justin Verrier of ESPN, the Pelicans waived forward Terrence Jones as a byproduct of the DeMarcus Cousins deal.

#16. Per the Vertical, the Mavericks are expected to waive Deron Williams. David Aldridge reports that the Cavaliers are the front runners to land him.

#17. Per Marc Stein, the 76ers are expected to buy out Andrew Bogut's contract. The Rockets are expected to go after him. The Vertical, however, has learned that a loophole in the NBA's collective bargaining agreement allows the Warriors to sign Bogut since the "last trade" rule only applies to the previous team that had him.

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Saturday Slam: Five teams that might make a move at the NBA trade deadline

With the NBA trade deadline approaching on the 23rd of February at 3:00 PM EST, I thought it would be good to provide some sort of breakdown of what to expect. Lots of moves are bound to happen, but there are five teams to keep an eye on.

#1. New York Knicks (23-34): The New York Knicks have been rumored to have Carmelo Anthony on the trading block. I addressed this topic earlier in the season and came to the conclusion that trading Carmelo Anthony would not be a smart decision. That being said, the Knicks rarely make smart decisions, which means that they may trade Carmelo Anthony anyways. The biggest obstacle to making a trade happen is Anthony's $24.6M contract that increases to $26.2M in 2017 and $27.9M in 2018 before he hits free agency in 2019. I have a hard time believing that some team will be willing to take on his contract, but if some general manager really believes adding Anthony will make his franchise a championship contender, then a trade could happen.

#2. Boston Celtics (37-20): The Boston Celtics are another team that has been discussed as a possible team to make a trade before the deadline. If the Celtics weren't 2nd in the Eastern Conference standings, I would say odds are good they make a move to better position themselves for the playoffs, but so long as this nucleus of Isaiah Thomas, Al Horford, Jae Crowder, and Avery Bradley delivers like they are, I see no reason for them to make a trade. That being said, if an unbelievable offer presents itself, Danny Ainge very well may roll the dice. 

#3. Sacramento Kings (24-33): The Sacramento Kings remain right in the mix for the #8 spot in the Western Conference playoffs, which makes it hard to figure what they'll do at the trade deadline. There has been discussion of them moving DeMarcus Cousins at the trade deadline as well as Rudy Gay. The Kings have publicly expressed support for DeMarcus Cousins, but if some team is willing to sell the farm to get him, the Kings just may entertain such an offer and make a surprise move at the deadline. As for Rudy Gay, the fact that he tore his Achilles makes him harder to move, but some team may still be interested in his services. He is scheduled to be a go for training camp next season, which ups his value.

It is important to note that DeMarcus Cousins won't be an unrestricted free agent until 2018 while Rudy Gay has a player option on his contract which allows him to become an unrestricted free agent in the summer if he so chooses. If the Kings feel confident that Rudy Gay will exercise his option, then they may be more aggressive in looking to trade him.

#4. Brooklyn Nets (9-47): The Brooklyn Nets are garbage while Brook Lopez continues to put up solid numbers (20.8 points and 5.2 rebounds per game). Brook Lopez hits unrestricted free agency in the summer of 2018, but the Nets might be smart to move him given that his value is high. I would not be the least bit surprised to see Brook Lopez moved before the trade deadline. The Nets are going nowhere and really have no point in having him eat up salary cap space while they continue to spiral downwards into obscurity.

#5. Philadelphia 76ers (21-35): The Philadelphia 76ers have a logjam in the front court with Joel Embiid, Nerlens Noel, and Jahlil Okafor. All three are really promising young big men and there's no need to hang on to all three for the long term.  Joel Embiid will almost certainly stay, but it's Okafor and Noel whose names have bubbled up in trade rumors. What the 76ers do at the trade deadline will definitely be something to watch for.

Note: On Thursday, I will post a trade deadline tracker of sorts on here. Definitely check that out to stay on top of what happens at the deadline. 

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Daily Dunks: 2/16-2/22

                                                   (Credit: Andy Melton. Click here for source)

     This is the Daily Dunks page for the week of February 16, 2015 through February 22, 2015. Throughout the week, this page will be updated with all the key news and scores throughout the week. Make sure to keep checking this page until a new daily dunks page is created for the following week.

Monday's Daily Dunks: 

#1. Just a quick Public Service Announcement that the NBA trade deadline is on Thursday and games resume after the All-Star break on Thursday.

#2. After being waived by the Knicks, Amar'e Stoudemire verbally agreed to a one-year deal with the Mavericks worth the veteran's minimum. He can't sign the contract until Wednesday at 5:00 PM EST (Click here for details).

#3. The Knicks may call up Thanasis Antetokounmpo from the D-League to replace Amar'e Stoudemire, but odds are likely they hold off until the start of the 2015-16 season (Click here for details).

#4. Raptors GM Masai Ujiri is interested in Pacers power forward David West (Click here for details).

#5. There are conflicting reports about whether or not the Suns want to trade Goran Dragic (Click here for details).

#6. Jermaine O'Neal is calling off his comeback (Click here for details).

#7. Kings power forward Jason Thompson reportedly wants to be traded (Click here for details).

#8. The Bulls and shooting guard Ronnie Brewer may agree to a deal (Click here for details).

#9. The Celtics elected not to sign G Andre Dawkins for the rest of the season after his second 10-day contract expired (Click here for details).

#10. The Bucks and power forward Larry Sanders reportedly are working on a buyout (Click here for details).

Tuesday's Daily Dunks: 

#1. The Jazz are willing to trade center Enes Kanter, but the asking price is high (Click here for details).

#2. The Magic are reluctant to trade power forward Andrew Nicholson due to the market (Click here for details).

#3. The hiring of George Karl by the Kings became official today (Click here for details).

#4. James Borrego will coach the Magic for the rest of the season (Click here for details).

#5. The Magic hired Igor Kokoskov as an assistant coach (Click here for details).

#6. Goran Dragic has informed the Suns he won't re-sign in free agency. The team is promising him that he'll be traded by the deadline (Click here and here for details).

#7. Mavericks point guard Rajon Rondo will play on Thursday (Click here for details).

#8. The Pistons are offering Brandon Jennings to the Nets for Joe Johnson. The Nets are interested (Click here for details).

#9. The Lakers and Knicks are interested in power forward Miles Plumlee (Click here for details).

#10. The Clippers are still interested in Tayshaun Prince. So are the Trail Blazers (Click here for details).

Wednesday's Daily Dunks: 

#1. The Mavericks officially signed power forward Amar'e Stoudemire and waived guard Ricky Ledo (Click here for details).

#2. The Bucks bought out Larry Sanders' contract. He is now a free agent (Click here for details).

#3. The Raptors re-assigned Bruno Caboclo to the D-League to join the Fort Wayne Mad Ants (Click here for details).

#4. The Timberwolves signed guard Lorenzo Brown for the rest of the season (Click here for details).

#5. Pelicans guard Jrue Holiday (leg) is out for at least three more weeks (Click here for details).

#6. 76ers guard Jason Richardson could play on Friday (Click here for details).

#7. Russell Westbrook likes playing with Kevin Durant (Click here for details).

#8. Goran Dragic says he has lost faith in the Suns' front office (Click here for details).

#9. Kevin Durant has apologized to the media (Click here for details).

#10. George Karl is considering hiring Nancy Lieberman to join his staff in Sacramento (Click here for details).

Thursday's Daily Dunks: 

#1. The Nets reunited Kevin Garnett with the Timberwolves by trading him for Thaddeus Young (Click here for details).

#2. The Suns traded Goran Dragic the Heat (Click here for details).

#3. Tayshaun Prince is going back to the Pistons (Click here for details).

#4. The Jazz traded Enes Kanter to the Thunder; Thunder ship Reggie Jackson to the Pistons (Click here for details).

#5. The Bucks shipped Brandon Knight to the Suns but got Michael Carter-Williams from the 76ers (Click here for details).

#6. The Suns traded Isaiah Thomas to the Celtics (Click here for details).

#7. The Knicks traded Pablo Prigioni to the Rockets and get back Alexey Shved (Click here for details).

#8. The Nuggets traded Arron Afflalo to the Trail Blazers (Click here for details).

#9. The Wizards traded Andre Miller to the Kings for Ramon Sessions (Click here for details).

#10. The Nuggets deal JaVale McGee to the 76ers (Click here for details).

#11. The Bucks waived power forward Kenyon Martin (Click here for details).

#12. The Pistons signed small forward Quincy Miller to 10-day contract (Click here for details).

#13. The  Warriors signed power forward James Michael McAdoo for the rest of the season (Click here for details).

#14. The Suns waived newly acquired shooting guard John Salmons (Click here for details).

#15. The Spurs signed SG/SF Reggie Williams for the rest of the season (Click here for details).

#16. The Pelicans will buyout newly acquired small forward Shawne Williams' contract (Click here for details).

#17. F Joffrey Lauvergne has officially signed a multi-year deal with the Nuggets (Click here for details).

#18. The Pelicans waived guard Toney Douglas and guard Ish Smith (Click here for details).

#19. The 76ers traded  K.J. McDaniels to the Rockets and get back Isaiah Canaan (Click here for details).

#20. The Mavericks signed center Bernard James to a second 10-day deal (Click here for details).

#21. The Rockets sent Clint Capela and Nick Johnson to the D-League (Click here for details).

#22. The Suns waived newly acquired point guard Kendall Marshall (Click here for details).

#23. The Heat are expected to re-sign Goran Dragic to a max-deal (Click here for details).

#24. The Jazz will buyout Kendrick Perkins' contract, who they just acquired from the Thunder (Click here for details).

#25. The Thunder traded Ish Smith to the Pelicans before the Pelicans waived Smith (Click here for details of that trade).

#26. The 76ers signed guard Tim Frazier to a second 10-day deal (Click here for details).

#27. Heat power forward Chris Bosh is in the hospital for blood clots on his lungs. His season could be over (Click here for details).

#28. For a recap of all the trades and deals made just click here (Note: Mo Williams was traded to the Hornets and not the Pelicans, so don't be confused by the trade at the bottom.)

Thursday's NBA Final Scores: 

Thunder 104 Mavericks 89. Clippers 119 Spurs 115.

Friday's Daily Dunks: 

#1. The Kings signed point guard David Stockton to a 10-day  contract (Click here for details).

#2. Kevin Garnett will make his debut with the Timberwolves on Wednesday (Click here for details).

#3. The Pistons are not discussing a buyout with Tayshaun Prince (Click here for details).

#4. The 76ers are not discussing a buyout with JaVale McGee (Click here for details).

#5. Thomas Robinson agreed to a contract buyout with the Nuggets (Click here for details).

#6.  Michael Jordan is getting tired of his country club so he may just build his own golf course (Click here for details).

#7. Timberwolves shooting guard Kevin Martin had 28 points.

#8. George Karl made his debut as the Kings' head coach.

#9. Cavaliers small forward LeBron James had 28 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists.

#10. The Nuggets waived forward Victor Claver, who they got from the Trail Blazers (Click here for details).

Friday's NBA Final Scores: 

Timberwolves 111 Suns 109. Jazz 92 Trail Blazers 76. Warriors 110 Spurs 99. Magic 95 Pelicans 84. Pacers 106 76ers 95. Raptors 105 Hawks 80. Pistons 100 Bulls 91. Heat 111 Knicks 87. Cavaliers 127 Wizards 89. Mavericks 111 Rockets 100. Bucks 89 Nuggets 81. Kings 109 Celtics 101. Nets 114 Lakers 105.

Saturday's Daily Dunks: 

#1. Heat power forward Chris Bosh is done for the season due to blood clots in his lungs (Click here for details).

#2. 76ers shooting guard Jason Richardson has returned to an NBA game after a two year absence (Click here for details).

#3. Timberwolves power forward Anthony Bennett (right ankle) is out two weeks (Click here for details).

#4. Timberwolves shooting guard Shabazz Muhammad (broken finger) is out for the season (Click here for details).

#5. Raptors point guard Lou Williams (ankle) didn't play on Saturday and is questionable for Monday (Click here for details).

#6.The 76ers officially waived forward Andrei Kirilenko (Click here for details).

#7. The Bucks officially waived forward Larry Sanders (Click here for details).

#8. The Jazz waived center Kendrick Perkins. Perkins is going to sign with the Cavaliers (Click here for details).

#9. Wizards shooting guard Bradley Beal (leg) has been cleared for to resume basketball related activities (Click here for details).

#10. Pelicans power forward Anthony Davis injured his shoulder and didn't return (Click here for details). Also, expect an update on either Sunday's Daily Dunks or Monday's Daily Dunks.

Saturday's NBA Final Scores: 

Thunder 110 Hornets 103. Pelicans 105 Heat 91. Bulls 112 Suns 107. Rockets 98 Raptors 76. Clippers 126 Kings 99.

Sunday's Daily Dunks: 

#1. Mavericks small forward Chandler Parsons (ankle) out for the next 3 games (Click here for details).

#2. Pelicans forward Ryan Anderson is out 2-4 weeks with a sprained MCL in his right knee (Click here for details).

#3. The Pelicans officially waived small forward Shawne Williams (Click here for details).

#4. Pelicans power forward Anthony Davis has a right shoulder sprain. He's out 1-2 weeks (Click here for details).

#5. Thunder small forward Kevin Durant underwent a procedure on his foot. He'll be reevaluated in one week (Click here for details).

#6. The Nuggets have waived power forward Thomas Robinson. It's official (Click here for details).

#7. The 76ers signed guard Ish Smith and waived forward Malcolm Thomas (Click here for details).

#8. Warriors point guard Stephen Curry is day-to-day with a foot injury and did not play on Sunday (Click here for details).

#9. Hornets small forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist has returned from his hamstring injury (Click here for details).

#10. Jazz shooting guard Rodney Hood has returned from his foot injury (Click here for details).

Sunday's NBA Final Scores: 

Pacers 104 Warriors 98. Grizzlies 98 Trail Blazers 92. Cavaliers 101 Knicks 83. Pistons 106 Wizards 89. Hawks 97 Bucks 86. Magic 103 76ers 98. Thunder 119 Nuggets 94. Mavericks 92 Hornets 81. Lakers 118 Celtics 111 (OT).

---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @nba_lord for NBA news