Not much has gone on in the trade market recently— oh, except the blockbuster deal sending the Raptor’s OG Anunoby to the Knicks. For the price of RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley, and a 2024 second-round draft pick, the Knicks have their forward of the future. Coming with Anunoby for the ride to the Big Apple is fellow forward Precious Achiuwa and guard Malachi Flynn. Landing last season’s leader in steals is in itself a steal, but Anunoby is going into free agency after this season. That shouldn’t worry the Knicks, clearly having faith they can sell him on the idea of staying in New York long-term.
Even with the Anunoby trade finalized, Toronto rumors are still abuzz about upcoming trades. Paskal Siakam has been a star for the Raptors, including a key role in getting them a championship ring. He’s still rolling on all cylinders, averaging 21.5 points plus 6 rebounds in 31 games. But with the Raptors (12-19) looking out of contention this season, losing seven of their last ten games, the smartest move might be trading away a great asset like Siakam as they look to focus on a talented but younger core.
And with that, here are more possible trades to look out for:
Andrew Wiggins – The Warriors stated repeatedly they weren’t interested in trading Andrew Wiggins, especially with his relatively cheap contract. He was an All-Star just two years ago, around the same time he helped the Warriors secure yet another championship season. But the mindset to keep Wiggins looks like it could be starting to change. First, he missed a major chunk of last season to work on personal issues. That’s not a problem, mental health is a serious topic in the landscape of today’s NBA. But coming back to the court this season he’s averaging 12.5 PPG and under 30% from the 3-PT line, both career lows. If Wiggins can get back to his scoring heights with another team it could work out for everyone.
D’Angelo Russell – D’Angelo’s having a rocky season at the moment, and by that, I mean drastic heights and staggering declines. He started for the Lakers this season, racking up 15.3 points per game. That was until he hit a wall in December when it dropped down to under 10 points. Despite a brief stretch where he was back in the starting rotation, Russell might be back on the bench for the time being. That is— if he stays on the Lakers. With Zach Lavine reported to be in the Laker’s crosshairs, it might be a winning deal to swap the pair.
Zach Lavine – It’s more than an open secret that Zach Lavine and the Chicago Bulls aren’t meant for each other. Both sides have expressed a willingness for change. But the market for Lavine’s services isn’t hot right now due to his foot injury, despite averaging just under 25 PPG last season. With more surgeries and rehab needed to get him back to star-level form, it seems most teams are holding off for now. Trading draft picks and/or players for a potentially broken player doesn’t seem practical, but I’m guessing there will be a team believing enough to pull the trigger on a player who scored 51 points in one game less than two months ago.
Cam Thomas – Over the weekend, the Nets made the odd choice of removing Cam Thomas from their starting lineup. Personnel changes aren’t new or necessarily alarming, but he also happens to be their highest-scoring player this season, averaging 22.5 points a game. The decision might come down to a simple gameplan change since Thomas also has one of the lowest efficiency scores. When he plays with Mikal Bridges, Cameron Johnson, Nic Claxton, & Spencer Dinwiddie their efficiency is actually the lowest in the league, with a depressing -21.4 net rating. If the Nets make a trade, Cam could be better off with a team deploying skills more complimentary to his style.
