NBA fans are approaching my second favourite time on the NBA calendar – the NBA trade deadline. And this year’s deadline is shaping up to be a beauty.
Based on the rumours currently doing the rounds, Blake Griffin, Jeff Teague, Al Horford, Kevin Love, DeMarcus Cousins and Carmelo Anthony may all be involved in trades.
Every one of these players has the potential to either push a team over the edge and make them true championship contenders – think Cousins in the middle of a Brad Stevens-led Boston Celtics squad.
Or they may allow teams to reshape their roster and finally give them direction and a franchise cornerstone – think Griffin to the Denver Nuggets, which I can’t see happening.
This is truly a exciting time for NBA fans. The playoffs are just around the corner and the glorified All-Star game (where defence is apparently banned) is over.
The trade deadline is a special time for an NBA fan and can lead to a level of hope for all supporters, except for the Philadelphia 76ers because, well, you know. But for every other team interested in winning or improving, the trade deadline is a time that all fans are constantly hitting refresh hoping for a trade that will push them over the edge into true contenders status.
All we can hope is that we aren’t on the other end and watch our team get ripped off at the deadline. The greatest example of this being the Pau Gasol to LA Lakers trade from the Memphis Grizzlies, with the Kwame Brown being the centre piece. (Though one of those picks did turn into Marc Gasol, Pau’s brother.)
So as a Boston fan, I pray to general manager Danny Ainge. With all those assets at your disposable, make a push and challenge the Toronto Raptors and the Cleveland Cavaliers in the East.
I can see a trade involving Avery Bradley, David Lee and Jared Sullinger or Kelly Olynk and a few picks. A team with a core of Demarcus Cousins, Jae Crowder and Isiah Thomas led by Brad Stevens is a scary team.
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