Sprint to finish line already gains speed
More big trades are likely as teams brace for postseason push.
LeBron James, Stephen Curry and the rest of the NBA have had a chance to catch their collective breath, kick their feet up for a few days and rest up after a frenetic first 3½ months of the season.
The big stars had their fun in New Orleans. Those who weren’t chosen for the AllStar game got away for some beach time. Coaches and executives took the time to engage in self-scouting and trade talks.
When play resumes tonight, a few hours after the trade deadline expires, it will be a breakneck, sixweek sprint to the finish of the regular season.
The eighth seed in the Western Conference is up for grabs, as well as most of the seeds in the East. The jockeying for position could turn the final hours before the deadline into a frenzy.
And though the league has been idle for a week, it does not look the same.
DeMarcus Cousins moved from Sacramento to New Orleans in a stunning trade. Jeanie Buss and Magic Johnson cleaned house with the Los Angeles Lakers. The Houston Rockets have fortified their bench by adding Lou Williams, and stars like Jimmy Butler, Paul George and Derrick Rose are waiting to see if they will be on the move as well.
And let’s not forget Carmelo Anthony, though the Knicks’ All-Star has final say-so in a move.
With all the chaos and uncertainty flying around, James said there is no reason to panic in Cleveland.
Hard to argue with the logic, considering James has appeared in six straight NBA Finals. But that won’t stop the Celtics, Wizards and Raptors from giving chase. Boston is in second place, just two wins behind Cleveland, the surging Wizards have rocketed up the standings and are in third, and the fourth-place Raptors just acquired Serge Ibaka to bolster their defense.
Down the ladder in the East, seventh-place Chicago, eighth-place Detroit and 11th-place Charlotte are teams to watch at the deadline. If the Bulls decide to trade Butler, a full-blown rebuild would be started in Chicago. The Pistons have floundered after a promising start and could look to move struggling point guard Reggie Jackson while the Hornets could try to acquire some help for Kemba Walker to jump back into the chase.
In the West, the top of the standings look a little more stable with the Golden State Warriors the clear favorites. But five teams are within three wins of No. 8 Denver, though the Pelicans pushed themselves to the forefront by landing Cousins.
Suddenly the 11th-seeded Pelicans arguably have two of the top 10 players in the league in Cousins and Anthony Davis, giving New Orleans a huge frontcourt.
“We can wreak havoc on this league,” Cousins said. “Will it happen overnight? Probably not, but our potential is scary.” Wizards acquire Bogdanovic: Washington Wizards added scoring punch to its bench by acquiring swingman Bojan Bogdanovic from the Brooklyn Nets. The Wizards also will get forward Chris McCullough in the deal and send a lottery-protected 2017 first-round pick, Marcus Thornton and Andrew Nicholson to Brooklyn. Bogdanovic, 27, is averaging 14.2 points as a starter for the struggling Nets. 76ers-Hawks trade: Atlanta reportedly agreed to acquire forward Ersan Ilyasova from Philadelphia for center Tiago Splitter and a 2017 second-round draft pick. The 76ers also have continued discussions on trading center Jahlil Okafor, league sources said.