A big trade has gone through and several more will come ahead of next Fridays deadline (AEDT).
The Clippers and Blazers are kicking off NBA trade season with a deal that sends shooting help to Los Angeles as it makes a playoff push.
Portland is sending Norman Powell and Robert Covington to the Clippers in exchange for Eric Bledsoe, Justise Winslow, Keon Johnson and a future second-round pick, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, in a deal that totals $144 million in salary ($A203m).
Johnson, a first-round pick in 2021, is the centrepiece coming back to Portland in the deal. The Tennessee product has had a slow start to his NBA career, playing just 15 games and shooting 33.3 per cent from the field.
At this point in his career, Winslow is a reclamation project, and trading Bledsoe — who makes $18.1 million this year — gets some money off the Clippers’ books.
After making the Western Conference Finals last summer, the Clippers are a disappointing 27-27, albeit without Kawhi Leonard all year and with Paul George having missed about half the season due to injury. Powell and Covington, both strong shooters who can contribute defensively, should help their floor spacing and give the Clippers good complementary pieces to help put together a run.
Whether Leonard can return if the Clippers go deep into the playoffs is unknown, but the possibility makes them dangerous if they can get that far. At this point, though, they’re struggling just to be in the playoffs.
The trade makes it clear that they want to push for the postseason. Whether it ends up being enough, we’ll wait and see.
The Washington Wizards could shake things up ahead of the trade deadline after the team’s drop top 11th in the Eastern Conference.
NBA Insider Marc Stein reports Montrezl Harrell, Thomas Bryant and Spencer Dinwiddie are all candidates to be moved.
Meanwhile, Bradley Beal is considered “highly unlikely” to be dealt unless he goes to management and requests a trade in the next six days.
However, not moving Beal does come with risk, where he can become an unrestricted free agent this off-season, where the Wizards could lose him for nothing.
Stein reports if Beal did request a trade, Washington could become an “11th hour trade destination” for Ben Simmons.
Despite this, the Wizards are reportedly seen as buyers ahead of the deadline and could yet land the likes of Jerami Grant or Domantas Sabonis in a bid to convince Beal to remain at the franchise.
HAWKS NOT EXPECTED TO TRADE COLLINS
NBA Insider Marc Stein reports that the Atlanta Hawks are not expected to deal John Collins ahead of the deadline.
The Hawks have been linked to several moves amid an indifferent season, with the likes of Collins, Danilo Gallinari and Bogdan Bogdanovic all reportedly available to various degrees.
Stein reports Atlanta has discussed “multiple trade scenarios with numerous teams” with Collins in recent weeks, but such a move is expected to push into the off-season.
It’s believed the Hawks’ 8-3 record since trading Cam Reddish has played a part in their decision to hold off a deal.
The Athletic reports the Hawks have been among the suitors most active in Ben Simmons talks in recent weeks in packages surrounding Collins, Bogdanovic and draft capital.
Collins last year signed a five-year, $125 million extension with the Hawks until 2026.
SPURS’ HUGE ASAKING PRICE FOR POELTL
The San Antonio Spurs won’t give up Jakob Poeltl for cheap.
NBA Insider Marc Stein reports if the Spurs were to offload the Austrian big man, they’d command a future first-round pick and quality player.
The Chicago Bulls and Toronto Raptors are among the sides to register interest in Poeltl, who’s on a very economical three-year, $26.3 million deal.
Stein reports there’s a theory that the rebuilding Spurs would be more open to dealing the 26-year old had legendary coach Gregg Popovich already broken the NBA’s all-time record for coaching wins, currently seven shy of Don Nelson’s record of 1,335.
San Antonio sits 12th in the West and could also deal Thaddeus Young ahead of the trade deadline.
The Spurs were involved in a three-team trade last month, acquiring Boston Celtics’ Juancho Hernangomez and the Denver Nuggets’ 2028 second-round pick for Bryn Forbes.
