DAL

Dallas acquires Evan Fournier from the Orlando Magic for Josh Richardson, Trey Burke, and two second-round picks. The Mavericks do this to acquire a great sharpshooter and shot-creator next to Luka Doncic. They also receive playmaking and off-ball scoring in the form of Fournier, especially since Josh Ricardson has struggled in both of those aspects, despite being the better defender. However, Fournier is the better shooter, playmaker, shot-creator, slasher, and is also a 3-and-D wing. Also, his defense is not as big as a drop-off compared to Richardson's as many would believe, because Fournier actually gets more steals per game and has more size. Fournier and Tim Hardaway Jr. would form an intriguing wing combo to play off of Doncic. Hardaway Jr. would now become the Mavericks' sixth man, as Dallas now runs a VERY tall starting-five, where every player is 6'7" or above:

Doncic - Fournier - Finney-Smith - Kleber - Porzingis

ORL

Orlando acquires Josh Richardson as a nice SG repl…

MIA

Miami acquires Nemanja Bjelica from the Sacramento Kings for Maurice Harkless, Chris Silva, and a second-round pick. The Heat do this to acquire an additional stretch four outside of Kelly Olynyk to address the PF rotation next to Bam Adebayo. A PF rotation of Bjelica, Olynyk, and Achiuwa is a very versatile and flexible one. Bjelica can even start on some nights for Miami. Bjelica has the correct skills to play next to Bam Adebayo, and the two bigs should work very well with one another. Bjelica's shooting would work very well on the Heat as the PF between Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo. Miami is rumored to be extremely interested in Bjelica, and I believe this is how they can attain him while giving the Kings fair compensation:

Dragic - Herro - Butler - Bjelica/Olynyk - Adebayo

SAC

Sacramento gets a quality return and addresses key team needs for Nemanja Bjelica. First and foremost, they address the SF position, in lineups where one of Jabari Parker or Harrison Barnes plays PF …

DAL

Dallas acquires Eric Bledsoe from the New Orleans Pelicans in exchange for James Johnson, Trey Burke, and two second-round picks. The Mavericks do this to acquire a defensive point guard who can also hit threes next to Luka Doncic, as Doncic would now shift to the SG position. Bledsoe is shooting a resurgent 40% clip from 3 this season with the Pelicans, so his shooting would be a huge boost for the Mavericks, who are one of the worst three-point shooting teams in the league as of right now. Furthermore, Bledsoe is not a ball-dominant point guard and can make plays when asked as well as play off of the ball, so he has the skillset to play next to Luka Doncic and in a way, he complements Luka Doncic. Therefore, the Mavericks now find a steady answer at PG, whose defense is the main draw in pairing him with Luka Doncic:

Bledsoe - Doncic - Richardson - Kleber - Porzingis

NOP

New Orleans has their eye on the 2021 NBA Draft. The Pelicans do this in order to hopefully earn a top-5 pi…

MEM

Memphis acquires Nikola Vucevic from the Orlando Magic for Jonas Valanciunas, Grayson Allen, Tyus Jones, and two 2021 first round-picks, one of which is from Utah and the other being the Grizzles first. The Grizzlies do this to pair a better center with Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. By all means, Nikola Vucevic is an upgrade over Jonas Valanciunas. He is also a stretch five like Valanciunas who can rebound, and he fits perfectly next to JJJ, or at least until JJJ returns, Brandon Clarke. Also, Melton becomes their backup PG. Memphis upgrades and gets a better center, and by all means, with Vucevic in the fold, the Grizzlies should be a playoff team and JJJ will return shortly. Memphis now has a great starting lineup:

Morant - Brooks - Anderson - JJJ - Vucevic

ORL

Orlando decides to rebuild and finds a stop-gap center to find more minutes for Mo Bamba, in the form of Jonas Valanciunas. Bamba should receive more minutes behind Valanciunas. The Magic also do this to get a qualit…

WAS

In an effort to keep star Bradley Beal happy, Washington acquires Myles Turner from the Pacers in exchange for Rui Hachimura, Thomas Bryant, Mo Wagner, Troy Brown, and a top 10 protected 2021 first-rounder. Even if this is a lot to give up on paper, this is what it takes to get the highly valued Turner, who has proven that he is a franchise center in Indiana. Plus, Indiana is performing very well as a team, so they will be unwilling to trade him if it is anything short of a spectacular offer. This offer, consisting of two young centers in Bryant and Wagner, a wing in Troy Brown, and a starting PF in Rui Hachimura, should be enough for Myles Turner. The Wizards do this in a desperate attempt to appease Beal:

Westbrook - Beal - Avdija - Bertans - Turner

IND

Indiana acquires starting PF Rui Hachimura, who is the correct player to play next to Domantas Sabonis at C due to his inside defense and defensive versatility. His shooting is not the best, but the spacing will exist in the f…

LAC

Los Angeles acquires Derrick Rose from the Detroit Pistons for Lou Williams, Mfiondu Kabengele, and a second-round pick. The Clippers do this to acquire a starting PG next to Paul George and Kawhi Leonard who can facilitate and be the lead ball-handler for these two elite two-way wings. Derrick Rose can run the offense in Los Angeles, and he can take the playmaking pressure off of Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. Patrick Beverley can come off of the bench.

Rose - George - Leonard - Morris Sr. - Ibaka

DET

Detroit makes this trade for the sole purpose of making Killian Hayes their starting point guard from this point forward. They also receive a quality C whom they can develop as a long-term prospect in Kabengele, whose defense should be welcomed in Detroit. The Pistons rebuild, and since it is unlikely Rose remains in Detroit beyond this season, they get value for him. Beyond Isaiah Stewart (Okafor may leave after next season), the Pistons lack quality centers whom they can develo…

MEM

Memphis acquires Bradley Beal in a blockbuster trade for Dillon Brooks, Grayson Allen, Justise Winslow, Desmond Bane, and 4 first-rounders. The Grizzlies do this to form a big 3 and assemble a ready-made playoff roster that will immediately compete in Memphis, even if the cost for Beal is too high, as they already got off to a great start to the season with Ja Morant leading the way. Now, however, Memphis goes full win-now mode, and once Jaren Jackson Jr. returns to the court, they will be ready for a great playoff run to motivate the entire fanbase and city of Memphis with Morant leading the way, and Beal as a fantastic second option with JJJ as the third option. The Grizzlies officially become a respectable and feared team in the West from this point forward and acquire a true star and as mentioned, form a big 3 in Memphis:

Morant - Beal - Anderson - JJJ - Valanciunas

WAS

Washington acquires Justise Winslow to be their main defensive forward after Rui Hachimura for the future…

NYK

New York acquires Bradley Beal in a blockbuster trade where the Knicks give up Julius Randle, Frank Ntilikina, Kevin Knox, and Reggie Bullock to go with four future first-rounders. Although this is a lot to give up, Bradley Beal may be the star the Knicks have always dreamed of and looking for, to reinvigorate their entire franchise in New York. Also, even if he isn't a good defender, Beal fits in Tom Thibodeau's system as a true #1 scoring option that can lead a group of youngsters and defenders still like Quickley, Robinson, and to a lesser degree, Barrett, to fill up seats in New York, similar to what Derrick Rose did as the scoring engine on Thibodeau's Bulls. The young Knicks now receive a true scoring option and a true leader whom they can look up to, as Barrett shifts to the SF position. Quickley's defensive potential would work well with Beal. The Knicks also start Obi Toppin at PF:

Quickley - Beal - Barrett - Toppin - Robinson

WAS

Washington receives a great haul for t…

MIA

Miami acquires Davis Bertans from Washington in exchange for Kelly Olynyk, Kendrick Nunn, Chris Silva, and a 2025 first-round pick. THIS HAPPENS AT THE TRADE DEADLINE (WHICH IS WHY THE TRADE FAILED) Miami does this to acquire a sharpshooting power forward next to Bam Adebayo and provide spacing for Butler and Adebayo, the two players Miami runs their offense through. Bertans in tandem with Robinson, Herro, Dragic, Iguodala, and Bradley give Miami more three-point shooting, something needed next to Butler and Adebayo.

Dragic - Herro - Butler - Bertans - Adebayo

WAS

Washington does this deal to extract value from Davis Bertans, which is why they considered sign-and-trade offers for him earlier. Kendrick Nunn is a guard who fits perfectly in Washington's future next to forwards Rui Hachimura and Deni Avdija. Kelly Olynyk can play C, which makes him a better fit next to Hachimura. Wizards need to give more minutes to Rui Hachimura. So, they do this deal and get a first as well. Add…

DEN

Denver acquires Aaron Gordon from the Orlando Magic for Will Barton, P.J. Dozier, Zeke Nnaji, and a 2021 first-round pick. The Nuggets do this in order to find a long-term answer at PF who is also a good defender in the frontcourt to pair with Nikola Jokic. The Nuggets are not a good defensive team, therefore the addition of Aaron Gordon should improve their defense by acquiring a younger player who is a stout perimeter defender next to Jokic and can play off-the-ball and be a beneficiary to Jokic's passes, where his finishing at the rim/offense would look better. Paul Millsap and JaMychal Green can come off of the bench for Denver. Gordon pairs nicely with Jokic and can also be a great pick-and-roll partner with Jamal Murray due to his superb athleticism and his ability to finish at the rim, which should work very well on the Nuggets.

Murray - Harris - Porter Jr. - Gordon - Jokic

ORL

Orlando acquires a long-term stretch four to play next to Jonathan Isaac (who is more of a SF)…

ORL

Orlando acquires LaMarcus Aldridge from the Spurs in exchange for Aaron Gordon, Khem Birch, Chuma Okeke, and a 2021 second-round pick. Orlando offers this to the Spurs and the Magic do this to pair Aldridge with Nikola Vucevic and acquire a good rim protector at the PF position who is also capable of shooting threes, which should be beneficial to Orlando. Bringing in a seasoned veteran big like Aldridge should help the Magic make the 2021 NBA Playoffs, and having two skilled big men who can score in the post, mid range, and from the perimeter should greatly assist the Magic, as they are very likely to make the playoffs now and build on their strong start to the season. This move firmly places Orlando in the playoff picture, and his interior defense and veteran leadership/experience to go along with Vucevic should see the Magic through. They pair two big men who can shoot threes and can play off of one another, which is difficult for other Eastern teams to go up against.

Fultz - F…

LAC

The Clippers acquire Ricky Rubio from the Minnesota Timberwolves in exchange for Patrick Beverley, Lou Williams, Mfiondu Kabengele, and a second-round pick. Los Angeles does this to acquire their ace playmaker, which they need next to players such as Paul George and Kawhi Leonard. Rubio may not be the defender Patrick Beverley is, nor the scorer Lou Williams is, but he is at least two years younger than both, and is a significantly better passer than both. Furthermore, the Clippers really need a pure playmaker who can run the offense and get the most out of Paul George and Kawhi Leonard, which Rubio does. Rubio would significantly diversify the Clippers' offense, which is something neither Beverley nor Lou Williams can do. Luke Kennard can also easily slot into the role of a scoring sixth man which is Lou's role on the Clippers.

Rubio - George - Leonard - Morris Sr. - Ibaka

MIN

Minnesota receives two guards they can use in their rotation in Patrick Beverley and Lou Williams. Be…

DEN

Denver acquires Marcus Smart from the Boston Celtics in exchange for Will Barton, P.J. Dozier, and a 2021 first-round pick. The Nuggets do this to acquire more perimeter defense next to Jamal Murray, as Gary Harris would now come off of the bench in Denver as a sixth man. Marcus Smart perfectly complements Jamal Murray's game, and his ability to play off of the ball by cutting to the rim would work amazing next to a point center like Nikola Jokic, who is very skilled at passing to cutters to the rim, which is something Smart does. However, his perimeter defense is needed in Denver, and as it relates to Denver's starting lineup, he would help out Jamal Murray on that end of the floor, while also being able to play off of him and Nikola Jokic on offense:

Murray - Smart - Porter Jr. - Millsap - Jokic

BOS

Boston receives P.J. Dozier as further guard depth who can play either PG or SG as well as Will Barton, who is a skilled scorer who would start at SG in Boston. Will Barton would …

GS

Golden State acquires DeMar DeRozan from the Spurs in exchange for Andrew Wiggins, Kevon Looney, 2021 Minnesota first-rounder, and a 2021 second-round pick. The Warriors do this to make the playoffs next year, following the news of Klay Thompson's injury earlier on. DeRozan would play SG for a year on the Warriors, and then when Klay Thompson returns for the 2021-22 NBA season, he would be the Warriors starting SF. The Warriors now find the perfect slasher to pair with Curry in the backcourt, and looking ahead to the future, DeRozan perfectly meshes with the Splash Brothers, who would complement his game spotting up for threes as he drives to the basket, and are of similar ages as him, as Stephen Curry is a year older than DeRozan, whereas Klay Thompson is a year younger. With Curry and DeRozan perfectly complementing each other in the backcourt, Golden State should make the 2021 NBA Playoffs:

Curry - DeRozan - Oubre Jr. - Green - Wiseman

Curry - Thompson - DeRozan - Green - Wise…

DAL

Dallas acquires Malcolm Brogdon from the Pacers in exchange for Tim Hardaway Jr., Jalen Brunson, and two first-round picks. Dallas has been rumored to be HEAVILY INTERESTED in Brogdon, as his ability to play off-ball, shoot threes, and provide good perimeter defense would make the Mavericks a feared Western Conference team, especially when you consider than Brogdon would play off-the-ball extremely well, complementing Luka Doncic, who can play as a point forward. With Kleber, Richardson, Porzingis, and now Brogdon around Doncic, Dallas now has plenty of three-point shooting and defense for the foreseeable future around their young franchise player:

Brogdon - Richardson - Doncic - Kleber - Porzingis

IND

Indiana embraces a full-on rebuild and they do this under the assumption that they go full-rebuild mode in Indiana, as Myles Turner and Victor Oladipo are also rumored to be shopped by the Pacers. The Pacers do this to completely rebuild around Sabonis, so they receive draft pick…

POR

Portland acquires Larry Nance Jr. from the Cavaliers in exchange for Zach Collins, Nassir Little, and a second-round pick. The Trail Blazers do this to fortify their starting lineup, and obtain a defensive-minded PF to add to their starting lineup. After acquiring Robert Covington who can play SF, it would be optimal for Portland to pair Jusuf Nurkic with a strong power forward who is adept defensively. Larry Nance Jr. could and would be able to fulfill that role, and would help Portland make the playoffs for sure. The Trail Blazers still preserve their depth following this trade, but improve at PF considerably with Nance Jr. starting and complementing their team:

Lillard - McCollum - Covington - Nance Jr. - Nurkic

CLE

Cleveland acquires Zach Collins and Nassir Little as long-term frontcourt pieces. The Cavaliers already have Darius Garland, Collin Sexton, Cedi Osman, Kevin Porter Jr., Dante Exum, Dylan Windler, and Isaac Okoro who play either PG, SG, or SF for them. However, b…

NOP

New Orleans acquires Bradley Beal from the Washington Wizards in exchange for JJ Redick, Jaxson Hayes, Kira Lewis Jr., Josh Hart, a 2021 first-rounder, 2023 first-rounder, 2023 Lakers first, and 2025 first. Even though this is a lot to give up, this is a power move from the Pelicans to compete and make the playoffs immediately come the 2020-21 NBA season. Bradley Beal will provide New Orleans the offensive spark they need to get them over the top in the difficult Western conference, especially when their top two players, Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson, have shown that they can play at the highest level. Furthermore, Beal gives the Pelicans three-point shooting, something needed next to either Lonzo Ball or Eric Bledsoe in the backcourt, as well as Williamson and Adams. With the following starting five, the Pelicans are ready to contend both now and in the future:

Bledsoe/Ball - Beal - Ingram - Williamson - Adams

WAS

Washington turns over a new leaf, and receives four player…

SAS

San Antonio acquires Rudy Gobert from the Utah Jazz for LaMarcus Aldridge, Trey Lyles, Keldon Johnson, and a 2021 first-round pick. The Spurs bolster their frontline defense with this trade, as Rudy Gobert is a 2-time DPOY and has made five NBA All-Defensive teams. As an organization that preaches defense, Gobert should fit well in San Antonio, as him and Dejounte Murray should prove to be a fascinating defensive duo, thanks to his paint defense and Murray's perimeter defense. Furthermore, even if they are losing young players in Lyles and Johnson as well as a first-rounder, the Spurs improve at center, and can very well have a chance, even if a slim chance, at making the 2021 NBA playoffs with a starting lineup of:

Murray - Walker IV - DeRozan - Gay - Gobert

UTA

Utah acquires LaMarcus Aldridge to be their replacement center for Gobert. Aldridge's game fits better next to Donovan Mitchell thanks to his three-point shooting. Mitchell is a slashing guard, and he would benefit fro…

ATL

Atlanta acquires Bradley Beal from the Washington Wizards for Clint Capela, Kevin Huerter, De'Andre Hunter, and three future first-round picks. This is a win-now move by the Hawks, to immediately assemble a squad that can contend in the Eastern Conference around Trae Young, John Collins, Cameron Reddish, and the newly-drafted Onyeka Okongwu. Even if Okongwu is relatively young and very inexperienced to start as Atlanta's center, that is his future NBA position. Even if Atlanta is taking a leap of faith as it relates to Okongwu, this is a sustainable move for the Hawks, because it ensures that they will be competitive now with Beal, while still having a bright future thanks to the development of their many young players. Atlanta, now, even with the players and draft picks given up, even with defense being an issue with Beal and Young, is a dangerous team in the East with this starting five:

Young - Beal - Reddish - Collins - Okongwu

WAS

Washington acquires Clint Capela to be the…

Reportedly, this is the deal that went down for Jrue Holiday between the Bucks and the Pelicans. Milwaukee should have perhaps substituted one of those picks with DiVincenzo and Bender in my opinion. I felt giving up two first rounders, Bledsoe, Bender, Donte DiVincenzo, and Ilyasova should have been enough.

First, why did Milwaukee give up both Bledsoe and Hill? Now, they have no backup PG while the Pelicans have three point guards all competing for minutes at one position in Lonzo Ball, George Hill, and Eric Bledsoe. The Pelicans did not address some of the other issues in their squad. Bender may have been their long-term stretch-5 in the future and DiVincenzo their SG.

Second, I feel both sides could've secured a big W had the Pelicans got DiVincenzo and Bender because both of them would've developed in New Orleans. Had they done this, Bucks may have only needed to give two, not three firsts. What if Giannis leaves?

Third, while I like Holiday to the Bucks, both sides could have …