5 Trades I would Like to See THis Trade Deadline

- By Isaiah Ortiz

1. The Heat send Kyle Lowry to the Hornets for much needed depth.

It is clear that the relationship between the Miami Heat and Kyle Lowry has deterred. The past 2 weeks has seen Lowry’s minutes diminish heavily since the beginning of the season. In fact, the Heat have opted to use backup point guard Gabe Vincent in the 4th quarter instead of the future hall of famer. Lowry’s relationship is seemingly done and a tanking team like the Charlotte Hornets should be the perfect fit for the veteran point guard. The trade would include Kyle Lowry and a protected 2023 first round pick in exchange for former all-star forward Gordon Hayward. Hayward has been linked to the Heat for years now in trade discussions. In fact, if you look back to 2017, the Heat were in heavy pursuit of Gordon Hayward in 2017 when he was a sought-after free agent, before he eventually signed with the Boston Celtics. Hayward would give the Heat much needed scoring, as the team currently averages 108.5 points per game, which is dead last in the NBA. Hayward would also give the Heat spacing at the both forward positions and overall depth for another potential playoff run. Although Hayward has dealt with injuries since joining the Hornets, this is a trade I would like to see the Heat complete at the deadline. As for the Hornets, they grab a first-round pick to help retool their team to create a younger roster around guys like Lamelo Ball and Mark Williams. Lowry’s 28-million-dollar contract will expire after this season, so clearing that money off the books would greatly benefit Charlotte in the long run.

2. OG Anunoby gets shipped to the Grizzlies.

The Grizzlies are currently second in the West, but have been struggling since the infamous “Shannon Shapre incident”, holding a 1-7 record in those 8 games. It’s clear that Dillion Brooks has become very unpopular within the Grizzlies fan base and an upgrade at his position, small forward, seems like the perfect deal to get the Grizzlies back on track. For the Raptors, Anunoby has been the focal point of trade discussions this season. The Raptors have been disappointing to say the least and a retool around reigning Rookie of the Year Scottie Barnes seems imminent. Anunoby is also extension eligible this offseason and according to reports, the Raptors do not want to pay up to $30 million a year for the 25-year-old forward. This trade would be centered around Dillion Brooks, second year player Ziare Williams, and first round picks in 2025 and 2027. Anunoby would bring a more efficient offense to the Grizzlies, along with All-NBA caliber defense. If this trade were made, it could catapult the Grizzlies to the clear favorites in a weakened Western Conference.

3. The Clippers trade for Mike Conley.

It has been no secret that the Los Angeles Clippers have been actively searching for point guard upgrades this trade deadline. They were in active talks in a trade that would’ve landed them All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving, before he was eventually sent to the Mavericks. The hope for the Clippers this year was that John Wall was going to fill that need, but he’s been mostly disappointing for the team, so now they are back to where they started. A trade for Mike Conely would be the perfect fit, as he provides ball-handling and distribution to a team that needs those two things the most. The Clippers have gotten off to a slow start, thanks to Kawhi’s injury management, and need a trade like this to put them back into contention. The Jazz have been no stranger to trade rumors, with the team seemingly making anyone other than Lauri Markannen and Walker Kessler available. Conley is one of the last pieces from the Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert era and it seems more than likely that he will be moved at the deadline. The framework of the trade would see the Clippers get Mike Conley in exchange for Luke Kennard, John Wall, and 2 second round picks in 2023 and 2026. The Jazz would take on the contract of Luke Kennard, who despite being one of the league's best shooters, is finding his way out of the Clippers rotation. The Clippers have also been linked to Raptors PG Fred Van Vleet, but Conely is a much better fit and based on this mock trade proposal, would cost way less in a possible trade. The Clippers do not have a lot of time left in their championship window and with the West being wide open this season, a move for Mike Conely would help push the Clippers back to the West’s best teams.

4. Suns plan for the future with a trade for Raptors Fred Van Vleet.

Like the Clippers, the Suns have been actively looking for point guards this upcoming trade deadline. The Suns know that their window with Chris Paul is actively closing and since they have been very disappointing this year, a trade for a younger point guard seems imminent. Also like the Clippers, the Suns were very much involved in the Kyrie Irving sweepstakes, which gives us the knowledge that they are most likely going to get a trade done elsewhere. Along with OG Anunoby, Fred Van Vleet has been the most talked about Raptor in trade talks. He has been going through a down year after a season that saw him average 20 points per game and earn an all-star bid, but his trade interest around the league is high with 5 teams, including the Suns, engaging in trade talks with the Raptors. If the Suns complete a trade for the point guard, Van Vleet not only helps the Suns future, but present as a sixth man role as well as they need offensive production off the bench. We’ve seen Van Vleet thrive off the bench in the 2019 Raptors Finals run, so it wouldn’t be a surprise if he did the same with the Suns until he takes over full reins the next season. The proposed trade would send Jae Crowder, Landry Shamet, and 2 first round picks in 2025 and 2029. Jae Crowder demanded a trade at the beginning of the year and has not suited up since, so his request can finally be met with this trade to the Raptors. Gaining 2 first round picks will help Toronto GM Masai Ujiri plan for the future and build their roster around Scottie Barnes. Both sides would plan their futures based off of this trade.

5. Cavaliers get wing in help in Blazers Josh Hart.

The Cavaliers have met expectations after trading for star shooting guard Donovan Mitchell, as they currently sit 5th in the East and are in a firm position to make the playoffs for the first time since 2018. However, they still have one big hole on their team that may stop them from reaching true Eastern Conference contention. The small forward position is the one thing stopping them, as guys like Caris Levert and Isaac Okoro have tried to fill the position. As for the Trailblazers side of things, they have made Josh Hart available in trade talks. They are aiming to give forward Jerami Grant a massive extension this offseason, so getting Josh Hart’s money off the books would help them accomplish their goal. Hart, who is averaging 9.5 points and 8.3 rebounds, is a perfect fit for this Cavs team. His 3-point shooting will give a boost to the Cavs' spacing and his perimeter defense gives Garland and Mitchell support when they have to play teams like Boston, Milwaukee, and Philadelphia. The trade would be a minor one, sending Josh Hart and Justice Winslow to the Cavaliers in exchange for Caris Levert and a second-round pick. Although Levert makes $18 million dollars, his contract is expiring and his money would be off the books for the Blazers. He would add some short-term scoring for the Blazers as well as they try to get back into the playoff picture. A win-win trade for both sides.