With the NBA trade deadline less than a month away, teams need to figure out where they stand in their conference. The Pacific division is extremely tight at the moment, as every team is capable of making the playoffs, but not everyone will. Despite that, they will all attempt to bolster their roster.
All trade created were made on Fanspo.
Lakers Receive: Kelly Olynyk
Raptors Receive: Gabe Vincent, Shake Milton, 2025 2nd Round Pick, 2027 2nd Round Pick, 2030 2nd Round Pick
It feels like the Lakers have wanted to add more size to their roster forever. They are always in rumors for true centers, so they can play Anthony Davis at power forward. While there are plenty of true centers out there, adding a floor-spacing big man like Kelly Olynyk may make more sense.
The Lakers need help on both ends of the floor, but they could really use some more offensive firepower. Olynyk is not an elite scorer by any means, but he is a career 37% shooter from three, and he has a career average of 10 points per game. His numbers are down this year, thanks to him playing just 15 minutes a night, but he is shooting a career-best 44.4% from deep. He would open things up offensively for LeBron James and AD with his ability to stretch the floor. He also offers upside as a passer, evidenced by seasons where he averaged over 4 assists a night.
The Lakers are built around Bron and AD, so finding players that maximize their abilities should be the goal at the deadline, and Olynyk will allow the two stars to play to their strengths on offense.
For the Raptors, this deal makes too much sense. They currently have just nine wins, and they are trying to play their young guys a lot. Three second-round picks for a player that doesn’t fit the timeline is a great haul for Toronto. Taking on the remaining three years of Gabe Vincent’s contract isn’t ideal, but it is only $11 million a year, so it is more than affordable. Considering the Lakers are an older team, the second-rounders that are multiple years out could end up being fairly high, and that is a plus for Toronto.
Clippers Receive: Matisse Thybulle
Trailblazers Receive: P.J. Tucker(Waived following the trade), 2030 2nd Round Pick (Utah has the right to swap), 2031 2nd Round Pick
To most, the Clippers being a top-six seed in the west halfway through the season is a surprise, but it honestly is not. Their roster is extremely well-balanced, with James Harden and the recently activated Kawhi Leonard leading the way. Norman Powell and Ivica Zubac are both having breakout seasons, especially Powell, as he is averaging 24 points per game while shooting 45% from three. The rest of the roster fits extremely well around those four main pieces, fully loaded with 3-and-D wings that can plug and play anywhere in the lineup.
There isn’t a glaring need for the Clippers due to how well the roster fits. Their real trade deadline acquisition will be a healthy Kawhi Leonard, but they do have avenues to upgrading the roster.
P.J. Tucker practically isn’t on the team, as he has been away from the Clippers since last season while they work on a split. He was a part of the James Harden trade, since he was needed to make the salaries match, but he was never truly needed on the Clippers. Now that he is in the final year of his contract, a split seems like it is bound to happen. If he will be bought out at some point, the Clippers should try and use his expiring contract to upgrade their roster.
Matisse Thybulle wouldn’t be guaranteed a part in the rotation, but he offers another versatile defender, and in a star-studded Western conference, it doesn’t hurt to have top many defensive specialists. The Clippers don’t have many tradeable, picks so they can’t make a major move, but Thybulle at the very worst, is insurance if someone gets hurt or starts to struggle.
For the Trailblazers, this deal is fairly simple. Thybulle is not a member of their future, and they can acquire two future second-rounders for him, so it seems like a no-brainer to do so. Tucker would likely be waived by Portland, since he wouldn’t have interest in playing there, and Portland wouldn’t want to play him, as they are developing their young players. After his release, Tucker would likely have multiple suitors. He is a great defender who shows up when it matters most. He doesn’t offer much on offense, but he can make a difference on defense after he ramps up his training.
Warriors Receive: John Collins
Jazz Receive: Gary Payton II, Kyle Anderson, Kevon Looney, Gui Santos, 2026 2nd Round Pick Via Atlanta, 2028 2nd Round Pick Via Atlanta, 2030 2nd Round Pick
If John Collins was not making $25 million this year and next, he would certainly net a first-round pick in a trade, but due to his contract, his trade value doesn’t equal his play. He is having a great year, averaging 18 points and 8 rebounds a game, while shooting a career-best 44% from three. He is a great fit for the Warriors, who want to space the floor and get up a lot of shots. He is a high flier, who plays above the rim, and is the perfect small-ball five for Golden State thanks to his improved shooting.
The Warriors don’t appear to be contenders this year, but they need to make some moves to at least enhance their playoff chances. Steph Curry only has so many years left of playing at an elite level, and it would be a shame to waste them. They don’t need to make a big splash and mortgage their future, but a player like Collins is the perfect addition, since he fits great, and shouldn’t cost much.
The Jazz are looking to sell at the deadline, currently one of the league’s worst teams, and they have a plethora of young players they need to let play. Three second-round picks may not be an ideal return, but they get off of the last year of Collins deal, and they acquire multiple expiring contracts that they can then go ahead and flip for more picks.
Both Gary Payton II and Kevon Looney will be free agents after the season, and both could help contenders. Utah can flip them for an extra second-rounder or two, and when all is said and done, they could end up with 5-6 second-round picks for John Collins. Gathering assets and clearing up minutes for their young guys should be priority number one for Utah at the deadline.
Kings Receive: Jerami Grant
Trailblazers Receive: Kevin Huerter, Trey Lyles, Colby Jones, Jordan McGalughlin, 2029 Top 8 Protected 1st Round Pick, 2026 2nd Round Pick, 2027 2nd Round Pick
If the Kings want De’Aaron Fox to commit to them, they need to show him they are all in on this build. Malik Monk has been excellent as a starter for the Kings this season, but it just feels like he should be coming off the bench. Despite being a great shooter, Monk excels with the ball in his hands, and it feels like there are too many similarities in the starting lineup when he is in there.
Keon Ellis is a great fit for the starting lineup, but that doesn’t solve any major issues for the Kings. They lack defense on the wings outside of Keegan Murray, and until they solve that issue, their ceiling is limited, but Jerami Grant is the perfect solution.
Before he became a $30 million-dollar-per-year player, Jerami Grant was a terrific 3-and-D role player for the Nuggets and Thunder. He still is a good defender, but he emerged as more of a scorer over the past few years. Now that he has had his time to be a team’s leading scorer, it is time for Grant to return to a playoff team, as he can fit any team, and help any team. He is averaging 15 points this season, while shooting 38% from three, and adding 1 block and 1 steal a night.
All of the qualities that made him a premier role player still exist, but he has developed into a more complete player. He could plug right into the Kings starting lineup and give them a true ball-stopper on the wing. It would give Sacramento so many different lineup options, and so many different scoring threats. It feels like they are close to being a threat, but they need one more piece and Grant could be that.
The Trailblazers need to trade Jerami Grant. They are a bottom-six team in the league, and he is too valuable to be spending his prime on a rebuilding team. Given his age and contract, he likely won’t net multiple first-round picks, but he should absolutely go for a first-rounder and more. Not only does Portland acquire a lightly protected future first-round pick, and multiple seconds, but they also add two rotational pieces that they can immediately flip.
Both Kevin Huerter and Trey Lyes could provide meaningful minutes to playoff teams, since both are above-average shooters, and in Lyles’ case, stretch bigs that can play some defense are always needed. The other nice add-on in the deal is Colby Jones. He has hardly done anything in his first two seasons, but he was an early second-round pick last year, and he could develop into a solid backup guard.
This deal gives Portland a little bit of everything with the future first-rounder, moveable contracts, and a young player with some upside. The Blazers need to move their valuable vets like Grant while they still have a good amount of value. There is no reason to hold onto them while losing games every year, because it stagnates the growth of the young players. If Portland is going to lose, they should do it while letting their young players develop, not while playing vets.
Suns Receive: Isaiah Stewart, Wendell Moore Jr., 2028 2nd Round Pick Via New York, 2029 2nd Round Pick Via Milwaukee
Pistons Receive: Jusuf Nurkic, 2031 Unprotected 1st Round Pick
After trading Josh Okogie to acquire Nick Richards, the Suns have just one second-round pick left to trade, and one first-round pick left to trade. They are on the outside looking in when it comes to the playoffs at the time of this writing, and they need to find other ways to improve the roster. Bradley Beal’s $50 million contract would be the ideal way to do so, but his no-trade clause, along with the three years left on the deal, will make it hard to find a taker.
Both Grayson Allen and Royce O’Neale are on affordable contracts, but they are too important to the team, so moving them seems unlikely. Everyone else is either a rookie or a veteran on a minimum deal, other than Jusuf Nurkic. He was recently removed from the rotation, and his time in Phoenix seems to be coming to an end. Due to his multi-year deal, and fairly large salary, the Suns will need to attach their lone first-round pick to move off of him, and while that seems like a lot, they have no other options.
Isaiah Stewart is a solid big man, and an extremely aggressive rebounder, especially on the offensive end. He offers the ability to stretch the floor in a limited capacity. He would give the Suns good minutes as a starter or reserve, and he is on an affordable four-year deal, for just $15 million a year. He is only 25 years old, and for an older Suns team, adding young talent is not a bad idea. Wendell Moore is involved to match the salaries, but he too is young, being just 23 years old and a recent first-round pick.
If the Suns are going to trade that future first-rounder away, it has to be a deal that can help them now, but in the future as well. They add young talent on a controllable contract with Stewart, and a former first-rounder in Moore, who has yet to be given a shot as a full-time rotation player.
The Pistons are one of the best stories of the season, sitting two games over 500. at the moment, and they are no longer a free win. Despite the improvement, they are nowhere near being contenders, and continuing to add future assets is important for them.
Nurkic has two years left on his deal, at around $18 million a year. It is affordable for a young team, but it is not ideal. The Suns 2031 first-round pick is one of the more valuable picks in the league, as it is highly unlikely Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal are around, and Devin Booker will be in his mid-30s at that point. Phoenix doesn’t control their first-round pick until 2031, so any chances of them landing a high pick in the draft are slim as other teams hold the right to swap.
This first-round pick is worth taking on the last two years of Nurkic’s deal, as the value of the pick has a chance to be a top 5-10 pick in 2031. By that time and hopefully sooner, the Pistons will be true playoff contenders and that pick will either be used in a deal to help them add talent, or Detroit will just hang on and possibly draft in the top 5.
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