Eastern Conference Buyers and Sellers at the NBA Trade Deadline

Keith Smith
Keith Smith, Resident NBA ExpertJanuary 27, 2023
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#nba #team-all #nba trade deadline #buyers #sellers
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The NBA is in a weird place two weeks or so out from the trade deadline on February 9. Only four teams in the entire league are more than three games out of a spot in the Play-In Tournament. In the Eastern Conference, only the Charlotte Hornets and Detroit Pistons have no realistic shot at making the postseason.

That’s caused the trade market to be a bit jammed up. There just aren’t a lot of clearcut sellers at the moment.

Instead of presenting our annual look at who are Buyers (teams looking to add for a playoff push), Sellers (teams planning for the future), Either (teams who could buy or could sell) or Neither (teams who are likely to sit out the deadline entirely), we’re adding a twist. We’ll tell you which camp each stands in for now. (Spoiler: There are a lot of buyers!) But we’re also going to tell you what camp each team should be standing in.

Atlanta Hawks

Approach at the deadline: Either 

The Hawks are could move some guys (John Collins, Bogdan Bogdanovic, Justin Holiday), but they won’t tear things down. If they trade any of their veterans, Atlanta will be looking to reset around a core of Trae Young, Dejounte Murray, Clint Capela and De’Andre Hunter.

Ideal approach at the deadline: Either

The Hawks have it right. There’s too much talent to blow it up entirely. But can you finally trade John Collins if you aren’t going to appreciate what you have?

Boston Celtics

Approach at the deadline: Neither

Boston might dump another contract (Justin Jackson is the likely choice) to save some against the luxury tax. Major trades are probably out though. Look for the Celtics to do their work in the buyout market.

Ideal approach at the deadline: Buyers

The Celtics don’t need to go crazy. Their top-eight is any good as any in the NBA. But they could use some reinforcements for the rest of the regular season. Top of the list should be a wing to lessen the minutes burden for Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum.

Brooklyn Nets

Approach at the deadline: Buyers

Brooklyn is looking to upgrade. They could use another big to play behind and/or next to Nic Claxton (who is having an outstanding season) or one more guard, ideally one with some size.

Ideal approach at the deadline: Buyers

Buying is right for the Nets. They’re a title contender and this isn’t going to be a super long window of contention either. Brooklyn should maximize what they can before the next circus comes along.

Charlotte Hornets

Approach at the deadline: Sellers 

We get to one of the assured sellers in the East. The Hornets have a lot of vets they are looking to move (Gordon Hayward, Terry Rozier, Mason Plumlee, Kelly Oubre Jr.), but a couple might be tough sells.

Ideal approach at the deadline: Sellers

Charlotte is trying. Moving Hayward (contract) and Oubre (injury) probably isn’t happening. But someone might want Terry Rozier for guard depth, and Mason Plumlee is a gettable center for any contender’s frontcourt depth. Cleaning up the books and opening up time for their kids and any kids they acquire is the way forward. Also: don’t trade Jalen McDaniels. He’s good and young enough to be a keeper on a new deal.

Chicago Bulls

Approach at the deadline: Either

Chicago might make some deals, but they aren’t going to tear things down fully. They owe a top-four protected pick to Orlando, so they don’t want to really bottom out. Because of that, they might make rebalancing trades vs selling off players.

Ideal approach at the deadline: Sellers

The Bulls should be selling. Where is this team going with this core this year and next? The Play-In Tournament? The sixth seed? It all sort of fell apart quickly after a promising start, but why delay the inevitable? And that pick is a sunk cost. Maybe you just bad enough that the extra few ping pong balls move you up in the lottery and you keep it. Also: if you aren’t re-signing Coby White this summer, it’s time to move him. There are too many guards in Chicago as is.

Cleveland Cavaliers

Approach at the deadline: Buyers

The Cavs are looking for wings. They have basically everything else. One more quality wing would take this team from “frisky in the first round” to “Cleveland could make the conference finals”. And, you know what? They might be the latter anyway.

Ideal approach at the deadline: Buyers

Cleveland is dangling Caris LeVert’s expiring $18.8 million deal to see what it can get them. That’s the right idea, but to make a real move, Cleveland may need to add Isaac Okoro into that offer. They just don’t have the draft picks to plus up any offers for a while.

Detroit Pistons

Approach at the deadline: Sellers

Detroit is best termed as an “opportunistic seller”. The Pistons don’t feel pressure to move Bojan Bogdanovic or Alec Burks, but if they get the right offer, they’ll do it. And right now, in a seller’s market, that right offer is going to have to be pretty big.

Ideal approach at the deadline: Sellers

The Pistons are thinking of things the right way, but they should be a big more aggressive as we approach the deadline. It might make sense to hang onto Bogdanovic, especially if they think they can be a good team next year. Burks is a different story. If they get even a decent offer, move him along and fill that spot in free agency with cap space in the summer. And Nerlens Noel is as good as gone, either via trade or waiver after the deadline.

Indiana Pacers

Approach at the deadline: Either

The Pacers are in a fun spot. They’re better than expected, so they could reasonably add without a bunch of questions as to why they are buying. They also aren’t so good that selling off some vets would be crazy.

Ideal approach at the deadline: Either

With nearly $28 million in cap space, Indiana should be very active at the deadline. If they can pick off a player or two to give them a bit more size and balance to their roster, they should do it. And if someone wants to drastically overpay for Myles Turner and/or Buddy Hield, that should be on the table too. Oh, and it’s an NBA rule that Daniel Theis has to be traded in every trade window, right?

Miami Heat

Approach at the deadline: Neither

The Heat don’t really have the assets, nor the flexibility, to be big-time buyers. They’ll be active. And never count out the Miami front office from getting really creative. But it’s hard to see how they do much.

Ideal approach at the deadline: Buyers

Miami is in a tough spot next year with their roster. Max Strus and Gabe Vincent are pending unrestricted free agents. Losing both would be killer for the Heat’s depth. Keeping both is going to add to what is already a wildly expensive team. The solution: Why not at least explore the trade market for Kyle Lowry? His play has slipped to the point where his contract looks questionable at least, it not bad. But if a would-be contender wants a veteran floor leader, that could give the Heat an out and a chance to reset things a bit this summer.

Milwaukee Bucks

Approach at the deadline: Buyers 

The Bucks are looking to round out their rotation. They’ve been in on Jae Crowder since his trade request was made. They’ve also looked at ways to add Eric Gordon. Essentially, if you’re trading a wing that can defend, hit shots, or both (in an ideal world) and that wing makes under $20 million, Milwaukee wants to talk.

Ideal approach at the deadline: Buyers

Buying is what the Bucks should be doing. They are right there in title contention. Go after it. This roster seems pretty creaky for its long-term viability. Now is the time to go all-in. Keep an eye on the frontcourt too, just in case the Bobby Portis injury is more worrisome than it appears.

New York Knicks

Approach at the deadline: Either

New York is in a weird spot. Ideally, they’d add some guys who can help prop up a playoff run. They really want to get into the top-six and avoid the Play-In Tournament. But the Knicks also have some vets who are very, very available.

Ideal approach at the deadline: Buyers

The Knicks need to be offering packages of their veterans, along with draft picks, to find upgrades. One more wing and another good backup guard and this rotation would be really fleshed out. And New York has the ability to get it done, both in terms of tradable contracts and draft picks to send out in trade.

Orlando Magic

Approach at the deadline: Neither

The Magic might move Mo Bamba, Terrence Ross (last vet standing!) and maybe Gary Harris. Bamba and Ross feel like they are on borrowed time, and Harris is probably on the lower-end of the guard pecking order. But don’t be surprised if the Magic just ride things out to some extent and try to make their big moves this summer.

Ideal approach at the deadline: Sellers

Orlando has to move Bamba and Ross, at the very least. Neither are regular rotation players. The returns won’t be huge, but a few more second-rounders are better than nothing for guys who won’t be back with the Magic next season. Harris is a harder call. He plays a real role, and team likes him helping to lead a young backcourt. But Orlando has to at least listen. Also, if someone got crazy about Jonathan Isaac, now that he’s back, that’s worth listening on too. Everyone else should take something really enticing to even start to get the Magic thinking about it.

Philadelphia 76ers

Approach at the deadline: Buyers

Daryl Morey is going to try to thread a difficult needle at the deadline: Add to the roster, while also shedding enough salary to get out of the tax. Don’t count him out. But no matter what, he’ll tinker around the edges of his rotation.

Ideal approach at the deadline: Buyers

Like the Celtics, Nets and Bucks, the Sixers are a title contender. They don’t need a lot. They should be pushing to add a big behind Joel Embiid (just in case) and a wing shooter that can hold up defensively. There’s a good chance what we get is a salary-dump to avoid the tax, then some work on the buyout market.

Toronto Raptors

Approach at the deadline: Either

The Raptors are the ultimate wildcard at the deadline. Masai Ujiri might wake up one morning over the next couple of weeks and decide to blow it up. He might also look at his team and make a move to bolster a Play-In run and then a frisky first round series.

Ideal approach at the deadline: Sellers

Toronto should sell, but within reason. They don’t need to trade everyone. But it’s time to decide if Fred VanVleet and Gary Trent Jr. are going to be around past this season. If so, what’s the walk-away number? Is a frontcourt of Pascal Siakam, OG Anunoby and Scottie Barnes really viable? If not, do you need a marquee big? And, for the love of all that is basketball holy, please find a way to trade at least one or two of the five big men who see at least semi-regular playing time off the bench.

Washington Wizards

Approach at the deadline: Neither

Washington seems destined to never be out of Play-In range. Never higher than seventh in the East, but never lower than 12th. Always around .500. Never really good, but never really bad either. And that’s why they’ll probably sit it out at the deadline. They already moved Rui Hachimura, and that’ll probably be it. They’ll likely overpay to keep Kyle Kuzma this summer, and Kristaps Porzingis either this summer or next, and that should keep both off the trade market.

Ideal approach at the deadline: Sellers

The Wizards are just like the Bulls, as far as having real questions about their ceiling. The Wizards should also be a flashing red warning beacon for the Raptors and what they could become. But unlike Chicago and Toronto, who could look very different in a year or two, Washington seems to really want to keep their core in place. Ideally, they’d at least listen on Kuzma and Porzingis. Just to see what’s out there before they lock in, but there are no signs that’s in play. At the very least Will Barton (and maybe Kendrick Nunn too) won’t be on this roster much past the deadline. If he’s not traded, he’ll be bought out.


#nba #team-all #nba trade deadline #buyers #sellers
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