NBA Trade Rumors: 5 Teams That Need To Make a Move Before the NBA Trade Deadline & Players They Could Sign
It's been a great first half of the NBA season for some teams, but others still have plenty of work to do.
Just a month remains until the trade deadline for general managers, so time is limited. A lot of Eastern Conference teams have offensive issues.
Here's five teams that should make a move before this year's NBA trade deadline:
1. Cleveland Cavaliers
Even with LeBron James on the team, the Cavaliers still have issues. With Anderson Varejao out for the season and Kevin Love not playing great defense, the Cavaliers rank 19th overall in points allowed. Playing in a weak Eastern Conference guarantees them a playoff spot, but the Cavaliers have their sights set on a championship run. Early season trade rumors speculated that Cavaliers were interested in center Robert Sacre and forward Jordan Hill. The Los Angeles Lakers aren't benefiting from either of those players, so they should be willing to trade both in order to free up cap space.
2. Miami Heat
At 18-22, the Heat are still alive at the No. 7 seed in the East. One of their biggest issues this season has been ball distribution. Dwyane Wade leads the Heat with 5.6 assists per game, but the Heat need him for scoring more than passing. Overall, the Heat rank 27th in team assists this season and 28th in points scored. Having said that, the Heat could use a point guard. Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Reggie Jackson has been in a lot of trade rumors lately, especially with Russell Westbrook's return. Jackson is just 24 years old, and his dual threat offensive abilities could help the Heat this season.
3. Chicago Bulls
The Bulls may be in fourth place with 27 wins, but they don't appear to be themselves. Head coach Tom Thibodeau stresses defensive as we all know, but the Bulls rank 16th in points against this season. Former league MVP Derrick Rose hasn't been able to stay on the court as usual. Joakim Noah is also battling an ankle injury. Could the Bulls make a trade with the Los Angeles Lakers to reunite with power forward Carlos Boozer? Boozer is in the final year of his contract, and the Lakers have no chance at making the postseason this year anyway. Boozer is a quality rebounder who fits the Bulls defensive system. It would be interesting to see Boozer paired with Pau Gasol in the Windy City.
4. Charlotte Hornets
The Charlotte Hornets are in ninth place in the East with 17 wins, just one spot behind the Brooklyn Nets. Shooting guard Lance Stephenson hasn't been playing great, and owner Michael Jordan certainly isn't coming out of retirement any time soon. Similar to the Heat, the Hornets have a lot of passing issues, ranking 28th in team assists and 23rd in offense. Phoenix Suns guard Goran Dragic could definitely be a trade option for the Hornets. Would making a trade offer for a valuable perimeter shooter like J.J. Redick make sense for the Hornets?
5. Indiana Pacers
As bad as things may seem in Indiana at 15-28, they're still very much in the playoff race. The Pacers still have an outstanding defensive with Roy Hibbert, David West and Argentinian forward Luis Scola leading the way. But, the Pacers have been putrid on offense without Paul George this season ranking 26th in points scored, 23rd in three pointers made and 26th in total shots made. Bottom line, the Pacers need offense, and they have plenty of value to give. Jeremy Lin has a high price tag, but with this being the final year on his contract, the Pacers may want to invest in the young point guard
The NBA Trade deadline is scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 19, at 3 p.m. EST
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