That’s not close to what Middleton could produce when he’s 100%. Given his age and injury history, there’s a chance that he may never get back to that level. That means a trade could happen. If they do, one player they could go after is New Orleans Pelicans scorer CJ McCollum.
Recently, it has been suggested that the Bucks have the highest odds of acquiring McCollum if the Pelicans decide to trade him. Such a trade would reunite him with Damian Lillard.
McCollum’s brother Errick responded to this. While he did not confirm whether a trade would happen, he would be all for it if it went down.
“(I don’t know) if this true or not but everything is unpredictable in the league. My brother is happy in New Orleans and has become a staple in the community…. BUT if this did happen, this right here would be something special to watch (eyes emoji) they chemistry,” McCollum wrote.
Lillard and McCollum have had (limited) success together Lillard and McCollum made the Portland Trail Blazers a perennial playoff contender from 2015 to 2021. They won multiple playoff series together and even reached the Western Conference Finals in 2019.
However, that’s as far as they went. That team lacked more star power, which the Bucks would provide with Giannis Antetokounmpo.
If this reunion were to happen, the Bucks would gain a solid offensive infusion from someone familiar with Lillard’s game. The Bucks have a window on their hands, so if Middleton doesn’t improve, McCollum would be a solid trade return for him.
The Los Angeles Lakers have been linked to various high-profile targets since the start of the trade season.
However, the organization may take a different approach and pursue a respected Toronto Raptors forward with an NBA title on his resume.
“One name that has surfaced in trade discussions involving the Lakers, according to Jovan Buha of The Athletic, is veteran guard Bruce Brown of the Toronto Raptors,” Raptors Rapture’s Amos Caesar Mina wrote Wednesday.
“Brown has spent the entire season on the sidelines so far as he recuperates from knee surgery.”
“Despite a significant decline since his time as an impact player for the 2023 (Denver) Nuggets NBA title team, Brown still has the ability to defend multiple positions and locate his teammates, offering an essential element that Lakers basketball desperately needs.”
“Thus, this hypothetical trade offer presents Los Angeles with a valuable rotational asset to bolster their championship ambitions.”
“In return, Toronto can acquire additional draft capital and take a chance on players who may align well with their franchise identity.”
“In evaluating Toronto’s return, the team is acquiring three players—Jarred Vanderbilt, Gabe Vincent, and Jalen Hood-Schifino—in exchange for two.”
“To comply with the NBA’s new tax apron and salary matching restrictions, it will be necessary to include Bruno Fernando in order to align salaries and facilitate the trade.”
“Fernando has been associated with several NBA contenders, and although he may not significantly transform the Lakers’ frontcourt, he undoubtedly provides valuable depth in that position.”
“Gabe Vincent is unlikely to ignite much enthusiasm among Raptors fans, as he currently ranks among the least desirable guards in the NBA.”
“It wouldn’t be surprising if Toronto decides to trade him elsewhere, buy him out, or simply allow him to fulfill the duration of his two-year contract; either way, he is unlikely to play a significant role in the Raptors’ rotation.”
“The other two players, Jarred Vanderbilt and Jalen Hood-Schifino, offer a greater level of intrigue. Vanderbilt embodies the Raptors’ culture perfectly; he is a versatile wing player capable of finishing strongly around the rim and securing rebounds at will.”
“However, uncertainty surrounds Vanderbilt’s game due to his inconsistent three-point shooting and persistent injury concerns, which have impacted his ability to stay on the court recently.”
While Brown isn’t a lethal ball-handler and shooter, the Miami Product is always in the right spots offensively, allowing him to be effective as an off-ball threat.
Defensively, the sixth-year pro can contain his assignments while providing the ideal amount of help in the half-court.
Brown’s intriguing skill set helped the Denver Nuggets capture the 2023 NBA title and could benefit JJ Redick and the Lakers.
Vanderbilt is a promising two-way weapon with encouraging upside, but questions surrounding his availability may compel Los Angeles to move on from the 25-year-old wing this season.
Likewise, the Lakers seem content with ending the Vincent and Hood-Schifino experiments, making Mina’s trade proposal realistic.
The Memphis Grizzlies are currently the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference with an 18-9 record after their latest 116-110 defeat against the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday night.
In a contest where nine-time All-Star Anthony Davis scored a game-high 40 points against a former Defensive Player of the Year winner in Memphis’ Jaren Jackson Jr., the team received little from another former winner of the award, Marcus Smart.
This lack of offensive production is nothing new to Memphis, as the 2022 Defensive Player of the Year and three-time All-Defensive Team selection is currently posting season averages of 9.2 points and 3.9 assists paired with a putrid 51.2% true shooting percentage.
While Smart’s offensive skillset has never been the focus of his value, his defensive intensity and reputation as a pest and ball-hawk make Smart one of the most feared perimeter defenders in the league.
This season, Smart’s 109 defensive rating per 100 possessions is on par with his 107 defensive rating per 100 possessions figure from his Defensive Player of the Year season.
Smart’s defensive upside despite nagging injury concerns could make him a valuable asset to a buying team looking to exchange first-round draft capital for a win-now defensive prodigy.
This is where The Oklahoma City Thunder and general manager Sam Presti enter the fray.
The Thunder have been notorious for their incredible stockpile of first-round draft capital that Presti has been able to accumulate since acquiring their MVP candidate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander via trade in 2019.
As the current No. 1 seed in the West with a 20-5 record and championship contention in sight, recent reports have indicated that Oklahoma City could be aggressive buyers come the Feb. 6 trade deadline. With this in mind, the team could foreseeably spend a first-round pick or two to further improve what is already the league’s No. 1 ranked defense.
“The Thunder are a team to monitor on the trade market simply due to their overabundance of future draft picks,” shared Forbes’ Evan Sidery via Twitter/X Wednesday.
“With an already loaded roster, OKC projects to own four first-round picks in the 2025 NBA Draft. If OKC decides to get aggressive, they can make any deals they want.”
While saying goodbye to a valued asset like Smart would be tough, the Grizzlies could use this trade as an opportunity to collect important first-round draft capital while also providing more opportunities for their surprising guard talent like Scotty Pippen Jr. and Jaylen Wells to shine.
The potential to also land a prospect like Cason Wallace from the Thunder paired with draft compensation could also give Memphis added motivation to begin negotiations.
The Golden State Warriors currently hold a 14-11 record and are positioned as the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference through 25 games this season.
Their most recent loss against the Dallas Mavericks by a score of 143-133 Sunday night was puzzling, as Golden State’s 27 three-pointers were not enough to overcome the offensive firepower of Dallas and MVP candidate Luka Dončić’s 45 points, 11 rebounds and 13 assists.
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If anything, Golden State’s most recent loss did plenty to remind the team that they have struggled with their perimeter defense as of late. The Warriors’ most trusted defenders like Andrew Wiggins and Jonathan Kuminga did all they could to slow down Dončić, but the Slovenian superstar was simply too much to handle.
In the aftermath of this disappointing loss, the Warriors’ general manager Mike Dunleavy could be tempted to swing for the fences and land a two-way force and superstar forward from the Miami Heat, Jimmy Butler.
Butler has become one of the most polarizing players rumored to be a possible trade chip as the Feb. 6 trade deadline approaches, as the 35-year-old who has led the Heat to two NBA Finals appearances this decade could be dealt due to his likely unrestricted free agency coming in the summer of 2025.
The Heat have been involved in numerous trade rumors surrounding Butler, but recent reports have named the Warriors as one of the biggest threats to land the six-time All-Star and five-time All-Defensive Team selection.
“To start, Jimmy Butler is a perfect primary target for the Golden State Warriors,” wrote Fadeaway World’s Eddie Bitar Thursday morning.
“Butler’s two-way excellence and playoff pedigree would inject an edge into the team’s title aspirations. His ability to thrive under high-pressure situations and his leadership make him the ideal player to complement the Warriors’ core.”
Golden State has long been in the running to land Butler, as ESPN’s Shams Charania has also stated that the team could acquire the five-time All-NBA selection as the team was reported to be one of his top preferred destinations if he were to be dealt.
Though Golden State would have to give up a haul of promising prospects like Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody to go along with first-round draft capital, landing Butler would drastically improve their roster on both sides of the ball.
Butler currently averages 19.4 points and 6.1 rebounds while shooting a career-best 55.2% from the field and sporting a 0.9 defensive box plus-minus, certainly doing plenty to raise his stock even higher in season No. 14.
The Boston Celtics pretty much have the perfect team, but there might be a way to further upgrade it still. Matt Levine of Celtics on SI proposed a trade that would land star big man Walker Kessler in Boston, along with All-Star candidate Norman Powell.
This would be a three-team trade. First, the LA Clippers would receive Jrue Holiday from the Celtics and John Collins from the Utah Jazz. Then, the Jazz would receive PJ Tucker, Derrick Jones Jr., Terrance Mann, and two future second-round picks from the Clippers, and a second-round pick swap from the Celtics. Finally, the Celtics receive Kessler from the Jazz, and Powell from the Clippers.
This benefits the Celtics in three ways: They get a reliable big man in Kessler, who is one of the best rim protectors and inside presences in the league, and he’s not even in his prime.
They also get Powell, a great scoring wing, which they have no depth in. He would replace Holiday in the starting five and Derrick White would become the full-time point guard.
Finally, the Celtics would lower their salary, as both Kessler and Powell combined will make less than Holiday.
Hopefully, the Celtics consider this deal, as Kessler could be their center of the future after Kristaps Porzingis moves on.
By now, the NBA world knows the Los Angeles Lakers’ point guard situation isn’t ideal.
The organization could relieve some stress by trading an unreliable contributor who occupies the position to the Washington Wizards.
“The Washington Wizards are a team to look out for on the trade market this season due to the fact that they have the worst record in the league,” Sports Illustrated’s Jeremy Brener wrote Wednesday.
“This means that they are a candidate to take on hefty contracts of players that are on good teams in the hopes that some draft capital will be attached to them.”
“Bleacher Report writer Eric Pincus lists the Wizards as a potential landing spot for Los Angeles Lakers point guard D’Angelo Russell.”
“The Lakers have been linked to a few of the Wizards trade targets including Kyle Kuzma and Jonas Valanciunas.”
“Putting Russell in a trade for one or both of them could give the Wizards a point guard option for the rest of the season that could help set up the rest of Washington’s young core for success.”
“Russell likely won’t re-sign with the Wizards beyond the season, but having him for the latter part of the year could bring on some value along with whatever future draft capital the Lakers would be willing to include in a trade.”
Despite having his moments off the bench following an unsurprising demotion, Russell’s inconsistent play continues to be a glaring issue.
The Ohio State product finished with 28 points on 52.9% field goal shooting and 50% three-point shooting against the Portland Trail Blazers last Sunday, but he netted 12 points on horrendous shooting splits in the following two outings.
While Russell is undoubtedly a smooth operator who doesn’t get sped up, the Lakers are beginning to grow weary of his erratic tendencies on the hardwood.
The 6-foot-3 guard averages 12.4 points per contest on 41% field goal shooting and 33.3% long-range shooting this season.
If the Wizards are open to taking Russell off the Lakers’ hands, Los Angeles will undeniably be in better shape after the Feb. 6 trade deadline.
