Hello Smash Fans! I hope you all are having a fantastic day. Today, I wanted to talk about one of the most exciting concepts in all of sports, trades. Specifically, I wanted to talk about 3 NBA trades that I would like to see before the trade deadline tomorrow. So without further ado let's get into.
Trade 1: Lowry to the 6ers
Toronto Raptors receive Danny Green, Mike Scott, Shake Milton, Matisse Thybulle, and a lightly protected 1st round pick.
Philadelphia 76ers receive Kyle Lowry, Terence Davis
A trade between these two teams has been a topic for all of the sports media websites for the past couple of days, and I love it. Kyle Lowry is one of my favorite players, and it would be great to see him on a contending team. However, that is not why I put this trade on this list. I put this trade on the list because of the benefits it will have for both teams. On the 76ers side of this deal, you are able to add a piece to your team that is unselfish and an ultimate team player. Additionally, you get a player in Kyle Lowry that can make the last-second perimeter shots if needed. Furthermore, you are able to replace some of the depth you lost in this trade with the addition of Terence Davis who can provide a spark off the bench. On the other side, the Raptors get two young players who have shown potential in Shake Milton and Matisse Thybulle as well as a 1st round pick they can use as leverage in trades for the future.
Trade 2: Lakers take a chance on Victor Oladipo
Houston Rockets receive Wesley Matthews, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Alfonzo McKinnie, Talen Horton-Tucker a lightly protected first-round pick.
Los Angeles Lakers receive Victor Oladipo, Sterling Brown,
Let’s face it. The Lakers need help. At full strength, they are probably the championship favorite. However, the Lakers are down their two best players both of which are at bare minimum top 8 players in the world, and it is going to be that way for a while. Additionally, LeBron could miss most of the remaining games on the schedule, so even with Anthony Davis, this team needs some more talent to stay afloat. That is where this trade comes in. Yes, the Lakers are sacrificing some of their depth, but it is well worth it. A 20 point per game scorer who can create their own shot and play off-ball as well as play elite defense is just what this team needs. Until Anthony Davis is back the team is still going to be bad, it just is. However, the goal of this move is to help the Lakers stay above 500 when AD does come back. Furthermore, Victor Oladipo will fit really well along side LeBron as he can be a great secondary ball hander who plays well off the ball and has great defensive prowess. On the Rockets side of this trade, you don’t only get a young player with potential in Talen Horton Tucker, you also are able to get a 1st round pick out of the deal. A pretty good haul for a player that won’t be on the team next year regardless of what you do.
Trade 3: The Heat upgrade at point guard
Miami Heat Heat receive: Eric Bledsoe, JJ Redick., Wenyen Gabriel
New Orleans Pelicans receive Andre Iguodala, Kelly Olynyk, Kendrick Nunn, and a lightly protected 1st round pick.
The Heat have two big holes right now, lack of quality power forwards and a depict at their starting point guard position. Goran Dragic is good, he just thrives off the bench, and Kendric Nunn is inconsistent. This is where Eric Bledsoe comes in. Right now it is clear Bledsoe does not care at all. He is checked out on the Pelicans just going through the motions. This means he is playing pretty bad, and his trade value is at an all-time low and isn’t going to get any higher. The Pelicans know this, and they also know they would be lucky if they could get a young player and a pick. The Heat can give the Pelicans just that. With this in mind, getting a point guard that is under contract for a long period of time is important, and Eric Bledsoe 3 years contract checks the box. Additionally, this allows the Heat to get something for a player that they might not even sign during the offseason in Kendrick Nunn. Furthermore, their 1st round pick will probably be in the mid to early 20’s so it is not that big of a deal to give it up. On the Pelicans side, this trade makes sense because it makes Lonzo expendable allowing you to pull the trigger on one of the trades involving him.
Thank you Smash Fans for reading with me until the end. If you want to talk about this topic or any other topic sports-related, please email or text me using the information on the contact page. If you want to support me even more, please consider subscribing to my blog and youtube channel as well as following my Spotify for weekly podcasts and articles. Until next time, PD Smash signing off.