We are getting close to the home stretch of the NBA season as the calendar has turned to February and the race to the playoffs is on. The All-Star break is fast approaching and while that is a fun event for fans and players of the NBA the more important upcoming event is the NBA trade deadline. The deadline is on Feb. 18th, just over a week away, and with that the rumors have really started to heat up. Around the trade deadline in the NBA there are always too many rumors to keep up with involving almost every player in the league so here is a guide to help you navigate through the week-plus leading up to deadline day.
1. Lower your expectations: Fans of almost every NBA team see their team's name involved in some absurd rumor involving a star player that they might be able to acquire but for the most part these trades are unrealistic. There are a lot of names said to be "available" at the trade deadline but in reality it would take a kings ransom to be able to acquire that star player. For the most part the trade deadline doesn't see many stars moving, those moves usually wait for the offseason, instead you will likely see some role players on the move like a P.J. Tucker or maybe a Jared Dudley. Team's put players names on the block more so to gauge their value then to actually trade them, like in the case of Tobias Harris. The Orlando Magic are likely just feeling around to see what Harris might be able to return in a deal right now but odds are they won't trade him unless they are offered a deal that is impossible to reject.
2. Figure out which trade rumors are realistic and which are pipedreams: As mentioned before if you search the internet enough you can likely find a trade rumor involving your favorite team getting a star player but just because it is a rumor doesn't make it realistic. It isn't easy to decipher which rumors might be realistic and which aren't beause there are a lot of factors involved but here are a few to look out for. In trades teams must make salaries add up in order for a trade to be able to go through, so a player making a huge salary this season will be harder to move than a cheaper player. For that reason Joe Johnson of the Brooklyn Nets likely won't be traded and David Lee of the Boston Celtics is in the same boat. Another thing to keep in mind is that players on expiring contracts are more likely to be traded to a contender than players who have longer-term deals. Of course there are exceptions to these rules but for the most part team's do not want to take on future cap in a trade at the risk of hurting their flexibility down the road. Having said that, players like Rudy Gay and Jeff Teague might be guys that teams feel are worth taking on future cap for.
3. Draft picks over everything: If your favorite team happens to be out of contention and they are looking to be sellers at the deadline, your hope should be that they could add draft picks or very young players. Draft picks are the best assets you can have in the NBA, especially one that is expected to be in the lottery. The chance of having a pick that could turn into a franchise changing player is huge and that is why a team like the Celtics is set up so well for the future. Boston has done a great job of compiling future draft picks so that they have assets should they want to make a big time trade moving forward. Having draft picks makes it possible that the state of your franchise could turn around in an instant. Meanwhile, not having draft picks means that your team could be in bad shape for a long time, see the Brooklyn Nets. If your team makes a trade in which they trade your favorite player for a first-round draft pick or two, it may seem like an awful trade at the time but in reality it likely isn't because you can never have too many assets.
All in all the NBA trade deadline is one of the more exciting times of the year for fans of almost any team. The rumors are plentiful and they make it seem like your team might be able to acquire a huge star fairly simply. The biggest key over the next week-plus is to temper your expectations. It is possible that a big trade could happen but the more likely outcome is that small trades are the ones that are made. If you want to have fun with possible trades before the deadline approaches you can go enjoy the NBA trade machine, but just remember draft picks are a teams best friend.
