Four Trade Predictions before the 2023 NBA Trade Deadline

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The 2023 NBA season is a week in and there have been plenty of surprising players and teams. While some teams have shown out, there have been some disappointing players and teams. There have already been trade rumors involving stars and struggling teams. Some of these teams are in a make-or-break season, while some players desperately need to be moved. The following trades move key players, shift focus to the 2023 draft and prepare potential championship contenders for worst-case scenarios this season.

Russell Westbrook Gets Moved Before Thanksgiving

The Los Angeles Lakers have had another horrible start to their season, currently 0-3 (at the time of this writing). While the blame cannot be placed entirely on him, Russell Westbrook has received much of the criticism and blame for the Lakers’ disappointing start. In the three games he’s played so far, Westbrook has shot under 10% from three (not making any threes in two games) as well as scoring two points in one game via free throws. Westbrook is not a fit with the Lakers, something that was being said last season as well. He’s constantly been in rumors since last season and has not been traded, but that will happen this season, maybe sooner than many expect. Being linked to teams like the Jazz, Pacers, and Spurs in the last few months, there are suitors to take on Westbrook’s contract, it will come at a very steep price for the Lakers, more specifically their 2027 and/or 2029 first-round draft picks. The Lakers have already sacrificed much of their immediate future with the moves they’ve made over the last couple of years but will have to further sacrifice to move Westbrook. With the Lakers looking the worst they have in a handful of seasons and both parties wanting Westbrook out of LA, it’s likely a Westbrook trade will happen in the coming weeks.

Kyrie Irving Gets Traded; Brooklyn Doesn’t Let Him Walk for Nothing

Brooklyn is in a tough position. With the Nets disappointing last season and almost losing two of their three stars, Brooklyn is in a do-or-die situation with their big three. While Kevin Durant and Ben Simmons are still under contract for several years, Kyrie Irving is not. At the end of the 2022-23 season, Irving will become an unrestricted free agent. After not being able to come to an agreement with the Nets due to his absence last season, it’s more than likely that Irving will leave the Nets. Irving was linked to the Lakers over the summer as his preferred destination. He could go there in free agency, but the Nets would not be smart if they let him walk for nothing. With the Nets having a rough start to their season and they are big there is at stake, Nets management should focus on pleasing Kevin Durant and making sure he wants to stay in Brooklyn. Ben Simmons could be in trade rumors as well, but Simmons must rebuild his reputation before he can be seen as a valuable trade piece again.

Philadelphia Makes Emergency Trade

Expected to be a championship contender, the Philadelphia 76ers have fallen well below expectations to start the season. 1-4 (at the time of this writing), the Sixers look like a disappointing season is ahead of them. If the struggle continues for Philadelphia, two things will happen: Doc Rivers will be fired, and a trade will be made. Philly won’t trade Joel Embiid or James Harden, but there are two players likely to be traded Tobias Harris and Furkan Korkmaz. Tobias is a reliable starter who can provide 15+ PPG as a starter. He still has $37 Million on his contract this year and $39 Million next year, he is the most likely to be moved on the Sixers roster. Furkan Korkmaz is another potential trade piece. His contract is small and could open cap for a vet on a minimum contract. He has not played a game this season as head coach Doc Rivers has kept his rotation short. Korkmaz could provide help off any bench if traded. With the Sixers in a concerning position, an emergency trade may be imminent.

Charlotte Embraces the Tank, Trades Vets

The Charlotte Hornets have struggled the last few seasons, making the play-in and losing in the first game. This offseason was not particularly kind to the Hornets, with Miles Bridges off the court antics ending his career for the time being and James Bouknight getting in trouble as well. With LaMelo’s ball currently out with an injury, the Hornets are in a tough spot. The team has had two good wins (as of this writing) so far this season, but those wins were over teams that don’t have the highest expectations. With Charlotte not being a preferred free-agent destination, their main way of bringing in stars is to build through the draft and trades. Veteran Terry Rozier has recently been in trade rumors. Most recently being linked to the Lakers, trading Rozier to the Lakers as a part of a package for Westbrook and picks could help the Hornets get promising picks for the future while moving away from their veterans. The team the Hornets have built around LaMelo is not built to contend. Trading their vets may be the smartest move the team could make in the future.