The NBA trade rumors include superstar names like DeMarcus Cousins and Paul George but the true top trade candidates may not tilt the league's power structure.
It's fun to speculate on the trade possibilities at the deadline and the anticipated superstar changing teams. However, will we really see DeMarcus Cousins in a Celtics jersey, or Paul George back home in California?
The safe answer is still "no." The Kings would rather walk the tightrope with Cousins, win or lose since his presence boosts ticket sales at the new arena. Meanwhile, there is still no compelling reason for Larry Bird to trade Paul George, a player he drafted and nurtured into a superstar.
So who would be the top names at the deadline? It would involve two modest but competent targets that could put a contender over the top. These are Andrew Bogut of the Dallas Mavericks and Goran Dragic of the Miami Heat.
In an ESPN Insider feature, majority of the panel decided that both the Miami Heat and Dallas Mavericks are two teams who should rather focus on the upcoming 2017 Draft rather than the playoffs.
According to Tim McMahon of ESPN, the Mavs "should still trade Andrew Bogut, who has much more value to good teams than he does for the Mavs, especially if Nowitzki will be playing a lot of center."
The same verdict was given by Kevin Arnovitz to the Miami Heat. He said the Heat should prioritize the Draft, "because the talent isn't there and it's time to turn back the clock."
Speaking of the clock, Arnovitz also claimed that "it's time to get off Goran Dragic's money, presuming they can get some value, hoard some assets and have something to show the next wave of top-tier free agents."
Dragic has often been mentioned as a target for the Sacramento Kings, specifically for Rudy Gay. If not for his impending free agency, the trade may have already materialized (although that depends on the assets that the Kings would be willing to add).
For Bogut, the clear suitor would be the Boston Celtics. While he would not be the franchise center they envisioned, his toughness, defense and experience would be an asset in the playoffs especially for a young team like Boston. Also, the Celtics have assets for the Mavericks as Kevin O' Connor of The Ringer points out.
"The Celtics own Minnesota's second-rounder, currently slotted at no. 36, and they have expiring salary-cap filler to match in Amir Johnson or Tyler Zeller. If the Mavs want a young wing who can stroke 3s, James Young seems like a player who'd be available after he was on the roster bubble this preseason," O'Connor said.