After taking stock of the trade picture in the Eastern Conference, we will now turn our attention to the West as teams prepare for the February 6 trade deadline. Next is the Northwest Division.
Previous divisions: Atlantic Ocean | Central | Southeast
Denver Nuggets
Status: Competitive
Approximation: Open to shuffle the deck around
We all know that Nikola Jokić is the best player in the world – and if you don’t know yet, now might be a good time to get updated.
But a great player doesn’t automatically become a champion, especially if the team he plays for tends not to be proactive when it comes to adding talent to the roster from outside.
Now, the Nuggets have done a pretty good job developing their own talent, which certainly has its advantages, but they are a far cry from the team that won the championship in 2023.
Luckily for them, they seem to be aware of this and are reportedly looking at Chicago’s Zach LaVine – which is honestly a great idea – to bolster their offense and possibly help alleviate the drop in their net rating when Jokić sits.
The Nuggets can’t afford not to maximize Jokić’s flourishes, even if this year’s plan of “one step back, two steps forward” isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Jokić is playing the best ball of his career and challenging the all-time greats for one of the best seasons in history.
The Nuggets need to embrace Jokić’s role and do everything they can to get him as much help as possible.
Probability of trade: Big
Minnesota Timberwolves
Status: Competitive
Approximation: Flexible
Despite an impressive, deep postseason run in last season’s NBA playoffs, the Wolves have made drastic changes to their roster, sending Karl-Anthony Towns to the New York Knicks in a deal for Julius Randle, who will play next summer can become an unrestricted free agent.
Naz Reid, last season’s Sixth Man of the Year, can also become a free agent, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker is already in the final year of his contract.
This is all a long-winded way of saying that changes could come this summer, as opposed to this deadline, if Wolves want to play this slower.
If they don’t and are willing to acquire some of the players mentioned above to get some quality in return, that would also be a perfectly sensible strategy.
In many ways, this team can act as both a seller and a buyer, depending on the type of information they have about retaining some of their own players. That kind of flexibility is a plus in itself.
Probability of trade: Reasonable
Oklahoma City Thunder
Status: Contenders
Approximation: Buyers
There’s no reason to play the usual “OKC is still young and has plenty of time” card. That may be true, but when you’re already that good and have such an arsenal of resources, there’s no time to waste.
There’s a shot to be made at the Thunder, and that’s a big deal, and this deadline provides the best possible time to do that. Lu Dort’s $16.5 million deal is a strong card, as are the roughly nine billion draft picks the team has amassed in recent years.
Who the Thunder should specifically pick is basically up to them, as long as they can get the money to line up. The aforementioned draft selections will help align the value, meaning the Thunder can get quite a few key players if they so choose.
It would be interesting to see Thunder target Bulls guard Coby White, who can play with or without the ball from 6-foot-4. Chicago may not want to get involved in trade talk after landing the Alex Caruso/Josh Giddey trade over the summer.
Anfernee Simons of the Portland Trail Blazers is another interesting name, and the Thunder might even be able to get him at a discounted price as he has struggled this year.
Whoever the Thunder identifies, it’s time to pull the trigger and go all in on this season.
Probability of trade: Big
Portland Trail Blazers
Status: Reconstruction
Approximation: Sell, sell, sell!
There’s no reason to beat around the bush. The Blazers aren’t going anywhere and have four centers, the majority of whom will likely be on different rosters 12 months from now.
Robert Williams is a prime candidate to be moved. While injury prone, he is an athletic, defensive-minded center with strong playmaking skills who would fit in well on at least a handful of teams in the league.
Should a good offer come in for Deandre Ayton, Portland should listen to clear the runway for rookie Donovan Clingan.
It’s also time to leave Jerami Grant. He’s good, but he’s approaching 31. There’s no point in keeping him on a team that still doesn’t have a clear franchise player.
These Blazers should enter the trade deadline open for business, and any outcome that ends with them doing nothing would be a failure.
It’s time to streamline, guys.
Probability of trade: Significant
Utah Jazz
Status: Pseudo-reconstruction
Approximation: Salespeople
The Jazz aren’t that different from Portland in that they too have players on their roster who don’t feel like heading into the summer.
Jordan Clarkson is 32 and still as inefficient as ever. He’ll get another $14.2 million next year, so if the Jazz can get him off the books on an expiring deal, they should take it and never look back.
Then there’s the matter of Collin Sexton, a strong, athletic and efficient scorer on a decent contract that the Jazz can get value from. They don’t need to move on him now, especially if they end up moving Clarkson, but he is a card they can play if an interesting situation arises.
John Collins is having a strong season and it would be interesting to see how Utah plays this out. The 6-10 forward has a player option for next season worth $26.5 million, and given his improved play, there is a possibility he declines that option in hopes of locking up money for the longer term. Does that make it more likely that Utah will move him now to avoid that situation, or are they interested in perhaps offering Collins an extension in hopes of trading him down the road while he’s attached to a contract that won’t give him a run? results? risk?
Lauri Markkanen will likely get some attention here and there in the news cycle, but keep in mind that he cannot be traded this offseason due to the timing of when he renegotiated and extended his contract. A Markkanen trade cannot happen before the Jazz finish their season, and even if such a scenario were to occur, it would likely be a late-summer move. The Finn is here to stay, at least for a little while longer.
Probability of trade: Enormous
