Houston Gets The Veteran PG They Need

Trade:

Houston receives: Jose Calderon, JJ Hickson

New York receives: Jason Terry, Terrence Jones

Denver receives: Kostas Papanikolaou

New York is going to be an active seller at this year’s deadline, and Jose Calderon is one of their most tradeable assets.

Luckily, a certain contender is looking for a veteran point guard to take over their offense, and they have assets to exchange for one.

Terrence Jones took massive strides last year in his development as a starting caliber power forward, and his potential truly is limitless to this point. But Houston is looking at a title run this year, and can’t wait for his development. However, Calderon can help immediately.

They also score JJ Hickson, a solid power forward whose rebounding would complement big Dwight Howard inside.

New York does this for obvious reasons. They are sellers, and they get a wonderful haul in return for the veteran Spaniard. Acquiring Terrence Jones is a rare young asset that the Knicks can develop into a starter down the road and immediately give him touches. Jason Terry is an expiring $5 million + deal coming off the books this summer. Both of those are what NY is looking for – youth and cap relief.

Denver facilitates as a third team who gives up just one player, Hickson, who is buried on the depth chart behind young talent like Jusuf Nurkic and Kenneth Faried, in return for what could be a great future piece, Kostas Papanikolaou.

The Greek forward can shoot and stretch the floor, and would work well with Ty Lawson and Faried in the Denver offense.

 

New York Gets More Cap Relief

Trade:

New York Receives: John Salmons

New Orleans Receives: Pablo Prigioni

Salmons is on an expiring deal, while Prigioni is not. That is really the only motivation NY has to make this move.

New Orleans, however, desperately wants to remain competitive, and with the loss of Jrue Holiday to injury, they need some depth at point guard.

This is a very boring, yet realistic deal. New York gets Prigioni’s deal off the books for the summer free agent rush, and the Pelicans get another point guard to stitch up Jrue Holiday’s injury’s wound.

 

Hornets Attempt to Save Season

Trade:

Charlotte receives: Greivis Vasquez

Toronto receives: Marvin Williams, 2016 second round pick

Charlotte just got into the playoff picture. Unfortunately, they just lost their soon to be All Star snub Kemba Walker for six weeks.

Without Walker, Charlotte may not be posed to get back into the playoffs. There is a trade that needs to be made for Charlotte to stay afloat in the horrendous and delicate Eastern conference playoff race.

Toronto is doing well in the East, standing at second. But there are problems, and one of those is a good stretch forward. Patrick Patterson has played well, but Marvin Williams can come in and play alongside him while uncrowding the guard positions.

It will take more than just Williams to grab Vasquez, though, as a second round pick makes it a little easier for Toronto to let go. They still have Louis Williams, who has been scoring at a crazy person’s pace.

 

Chicago Helps Their Wing Position

Trade:

Chicago receives: Evan Turner

Boston receives: Tony Snell, E’Twaun Moore

This is a great deal for both teams – here’s why.

Chicago needs some explosive help on the wing, and with Doug McDermott’s injury, they haven’t been getting solid play from the three position. Turner still has got great skills and is active in rebounding and finding the open man, so he would fit well with Chicago. He can come in and start immediately, helping Chitown’s title hopes.

On the other hand, Boston gets two young prospects who could blossom under coach Brad Stevens. Tony Snell has future Tony Allen written all over him. E’Twaun Moore is a talented shooter who had great showings in Boston and Orlando early in his career, and can possibly come back and recreate his earlier productivity.

Boston is compiling assets, and both of these two could have futures with the Celtics.

 

Brooklyn Finally Finds A Suitor For Brook Lopez

Trade:

Brooklyn Nets receive: Goran Dragic, P.J. Tucker, Miles Plumlee, 2015 second round pick

Phoenix Suns receive: Brook Lopez, Alan Anderson

Phoenix’s playoff push is still very much alive, and they are going to do everything they can to get into the postseason. But, they also will take into account reality.

That reality? Goran Dragic is gone after this year. After signing Eric Bledsoe and Isaiah Thomas both to long term deals, there is no room for the three star point guards. Dragic explained some of the reasons for the Suns early struggles, via Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic:

“Because there’s only one ball and we’re all point guards”

The Suns need to shake things up. With the recent rumors of Phoenix dangling the older Plumlee brother, Miles, in trade talks, this trade makes too much sense.

Phoenix likes what they have in Alex Len at center, but Brook Lopez and his offensive skill set make up for some of Len’s younger, less developed offensive game. Playing Lopez at the four where he can stretch the court makes sense for the Suns, and bringing in the wing shooter in Alan Anderson give them more depth for the playoff run.

For the Nets, they get a lot in return. Sure, it is no first round pick, but it is building blocks. Sure, they may not have the money to resign Dragic to the megadeal he will get this offseason, but they get him for their final playoff stretch. But he isn’t the kicker in this deal for the Nets. Nor is the ever-so-consistent P.J. Tucker.

The answer is chemistry.

Think how many buckets were drained in the Plumlee driveway hoop in Miles’ and Mason’s childhood. Pairing the two massive brothers together would give Brooklyn one of the most unique and possibly dangerous frontcourts in the entire NBA.

The second rounder doesn’t hurt either.

 

Thunder Find A Home For Jackson

Trade:

Oklahoma City receives: Ed Davis, Mario Chalmers, Wayne Ellington

Miami receives: Jeremy Lamb

Los Angeles receives: Reggie Jackson

Oklahoma City is going to trade Reggie Jackson, somehow, some way. They don’t have the ability to resign him, and they are going to James Harden the hell out of him.

So why not bolster the bench to where the only reason you miss the playoffs is poor performance? By bringing on these three solid bench players, the focus turns from not having a strong supporting cast to having stars who don’t perform when they really need to.

Ellington is a lights out shooter when he gets going and is a great backup shooting guard in OKC. Ed Davis is a still young and huge force in the paint who can get you a solid 6 or 7 rebounds a night. Mario Chalmers is the real steal here, as his reasonable contract and bench shooting will come in handy behind Russell Westbrook.

Exchanging Reggie Jackson for these three guys is much more rewarding than getting a late first round pick for him.

Miami doesn’t need Chalmers anymore, as they have the young Norris Cole and Shabazz Napier waiting on the wing. Getting Jeremy Lamb just adds depth to the weak shooting guard position, and with the loss of Dwyane Wade for the next three or so weeks, they can use all the help they can get.

Los Angeles is nearly guaranteed to pursue Jackson this summer, so getting him half a season earlier gives them time to show him their plans for the future. It also allows him to get accustomed to the culture and success of the Lakers organization, while also allowing him to experience personal success as the star of this team while Kobe Bryant is down.

Not to mention, it allows Jackson and Bryant to form a bond of what could be the next big thing in LA if all works out.