0 out of 5
Chris Szagola / Associated Press
Images ran wild during the NBA’s hiatus near five months.
With an insufficient appetite for content, hoopheads have devoured everything that promised to break the monotony of an essential sports-free existence. Conversations naturally turned to trading speculation – a favorite magazine of all offseasons – and given the immense amount of time to speculate, trading machines were pushed to their limits.
Nowadays, you probably feel like you’ve seen it all. At least you’ve become accustomed to the biggest names on the market (or within the reach of the poor) and the teams want to land it the most.
But we take these conversations outside the box (though, still within realistic limits) to pair the top potential trade candidates with clubs that are rarely (if ever) affiliated with them.
1 out of 5
Ashley Landis / Associated Press
Receiving Utah Jazz: Chris Paul
Oklahoma City Thunder received: Mike Conley, 2022 first round pick (top-five protected)
Paul’s first season with the Thunder exceeded all realistic expectations, and yet it could still be his last go-round in Sooner State. OKC securing a playoff spot, Paul may have some MVP votes net and made Billy Donovan a Coach of the Year finalist, but that does not change the fact that this franchise is a long-term rebuild sooner rather than later.
Coming out of Paul’s colossal contract ($ 41.4 million next season, $ 44.2 million player option for 2021-22) makes the process easier. A change of actual assets while wasting money could make this exchange a no-brainer for the Thunder, especially since Conley could help them compete for another postseason venture before his 2021 book deal is coming.
The Jazz have found a better balance this season – their offense is climbing to efficiency – but it could use another shot-maker in the half court. Even at the age of 35, Paul remains one of the best in the business.
He ranks in the 93rd percentile of pick-and-roll ball-handlers and sits in the 73rd percentile on isolations. He also plays Quin Snyder-approved defense levels, and that two-way balance earned him sixth overall spot in ESPN’s real plus-minus.
Paul could better arm Rudy Gobert as lob threat and Donovan Mitchell free to hone his attention on score. Every time Bojan Bogdanovic or Joe Ingles broke loose on the perimeter, the ball would immediately bounce in their shooting range. This could be Utah’s ticket to jump from pesky playoff matchup to full-fledged candidate.
2 out of 5
Rusty Costanza / Associated Press
Portland Trail Blazers Receive: Jrue Holiday
New Orleans Pelicans Receive: CJ McCollum
The one-for-one star exchange is a rarity, but this one has, “You scratch my back, and I’ll shake you” win-win potential.
Both Holiday and McCollum have been there at the rumor mill or have recently lived next door to them. McCollum’s name might never be clear until Portland sends him off or wins a title with his underlined, offense-oriented backcourt. Holidays were as short as December, per Marc Stein of the New York Times, and remains the club’s most logical trade-off to broker a blockbuster.
Get vacation to Portland, and the Blazers finally have their multipurpose defender who doesn’t drop the offense one penalty jumper at a time. He’s not the same caliber of scorer as as sharp of a shooter as McCollum, but Holiday works on or on the ball and could handle complementary tasks alongside Damian Lillard. Maybe Portland would slip a few spots of the fifth in offensive efficiency, but if it starts from the 27th to the other end, it’s a substantial net upgrade.
McCollum was able to give New Orleans a power-punching offensive trio with Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson, and the first two are true threatening goal threats. McCollum’s already impressive averages (22.4 points, 4.4 assists and 2.8 triple jumps) could climb even higher as he jumps from the 13th-fastest attack to the second-fastest offensive.
The Furs have the length and athleticism to better cover McCollum’s defensive shortcomings, and in return he would give them a deadly pick-and-roll partner for Williamson. It would be the one pick-your-poison scenario for opponents, as McCollum’s handles and pull-up jumper and McCollum’s power, finishing and sneaky-good vision can withstand most opponents be thrown by the defense.
3 out of 5
Matt Slocum / Associated Press
Brooklyn Nets received: Joel Embiid
Philadelphia 76ers get: Spencer Dinwiddie, Caris LeVert, Jarrett Allen, DeAndre Jordan, 2020 first round pick (via PHI), 2021 second round pick (via ATL), 2022 first round pick (top three protected)
Every NBA partnership eventually runs its course, and the Joel Embiid-Ben Simmons duo is perhaps on the verge of divorce.
“One executive who speaks to cleveland.com thinks the Sixers should have to choose between Simmons and Joel Embiid – if Philly has an earlier-than-expected playoff performance,” Cleveland.com’s Chris Fedor reported.
With Simmons probably out for the season after undergoing knee surgery and Embiid leaving Sunday’s tilt early with an ankle injury, Philly’s premature ouster would be difficult. If the Sixers deem significant change necessary, then that could put Embiid on the trade block, as his long history of injury wakes him up more than most center-backs.
But as the final piece to Brooklyn’s Big Three, he would be perfect.
Imagine having to choose between letting Embiid, Kevin Durant or Kyrie Irving go one-on-one with their defender. If the Nets bring Joe Harris back into free agency as he hopes, defenses will also not be about him as his career forgets 42.7 percent three-point hit. This should be a top-five attack, and with Embiid on the back line, it could also be a top-10 defense.
Even if the Sixers continue from Embiid, they do not want to hit the self-destruct button. Not if they have so much win-no talent on hand.
All four incoming players can be important contributors. Dinwiddie and LeVert have been shooting and making shots to reduce the burden on Simmons and to sweep the crime in their own right. Allen and Jordan could serve as a replacement for the tag team for Embiid, and although they could not leave his offensive contributions behind, they could similarly anchor the defense.
Grab three draft picks (including two first-rounders), and the Sixers would set themselves up for both today and tomorrow.
4 out of 5
Ross D. Franklin / Associated Press
Philadelphia 76ers get: Devin Booker, Ricky Rubio
Phoenix Suns receive: Ben Simmons, Josh Richardson, Mike Scott
While the Suns are finally starting to rise, they may have questions about how high they can climb with Booker as their centerpiece. While the Sixers have one of the most talented rosters in the league, they might have doubted whether it could all coincide with Simmons’ running point.
Could that be enough to ignite this trade fire? It is at least an interesting mental exercise.
Booker is just the kind of dynamic shot-maker that Embiid needs around him. While he seems like the potentially missing piece for the Embiid-Simmons twosome, Philly has the merchant ships not to get him without returning a star. The addition of Rubio – a clever maker who defensively keeps his own and chases a few tries per game – compensates for some of Simmons’ sting away.
The symbiotic balance of Booker’s perimeter play with Embiid’s low post control is enough to spark attacks of insomnia in opposing coaches. A step down the scoring ladder could increase Tobias Harris’ efficiency, and Al Horford might find new life playing the two-man game with Rubio.
Meanwhile, Phoenix would leave the exchange feeling as if it were a superstar for the first time since Steve Nash left the desert.
Simmons ‘downhill attacks would still potentially make the league’s best passing offense, and he could be the chess piece needed to defend the Suns’ 17th place finish. He’s an extreme version of a do-it-all stopper, and he’s gonna give Phoenix a bite if he’s the snake’s head. Between him, Josh Richardson, Mikal Bridges, Kelly Oubre Jr. and Cameron Johnson, would be the Suns over-interchangeable to improve anchor Deandre Ayton.
5 out of 5
Nick Wass / Associated Press
Milwaukee Bucks Receive: Bradley Beal, 2025 second round pick (via IND from MIA)
Washington Wizards receive: Myles Turner, Ersan Ilyasova, Donte DiVincenzo, DJ Wilson, first first round pick (via MIL IND), 2024 first round pick (top five protected against MIL)
Indiana Pacers receive: Eric Bledsoe, 2021 second round pick (via IND from MIL), 2022 second round pick (via CHI, DET or LAL from WAS)
The Bucks can and should feel like the biggest winners of the offseason if they can get the signature of Giannis Antetokounmpo on a supermax extension. But they were able to open the door to potential dynasty by adding another star alongside Giannis and Khris Middleton.
If there is a realistic concern with Milwaukee, it has a consistent countermeasure for opponents who sell out when stopping Antetokounmpo. Beal may be the knockout punch the Bucks need. He has flirted in the past with efficiency of 50/40/90 as a co-star (48.2 / 40.4 / 82.5 in 2016-17), and he used his fluorescent green light this season to do his former personal best destroy with 30.5 points per game.
If Beal comes back to play defense – to be honest, one on the Wizards has not plagued this season – Milwaukee would have a three-headed monster of two-way stars. And while this exchange would remove some of the Bucks’ depth, they still retain the likes of Brook Lopez and George Hill.
The Wizards accept that Beal as a trader is more valuable than Beal as a player given their current situation. While they may not leave all hope of competing with a healthy John Wall next season, the real promise is to have as many as five long-term goalkeepers with the two draft picks and the under-25 trio of Turner, DiVincenzo and Wilson.
Meanwhile, the Pacers recognize that they have one too many bigs for the modern NBA – especially with TJ Warren placing stupid numbers like a small ball 4 – and giving themselves flexibility going forward.
Indiana could put all three of Bledsoe, Victor Oladipo and Malcolm Brogdon together (a terrible defensive trio if the shooting can stop), or it could turn one of the first two into a future deal. With Oladipo arriving in free agency in 2021 and at least one suite already on the surface, the Pacers could close Bledsoe in their future backcourt plans if Oladipo will not be a part of them.
All stats courtesy of NBA.com and Basketball Reference, unless otherwise noted.
Zach Buckley covers the NBA for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter, @ZachBuckleyNBA.
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