This could be the final Ben Simmons trade column, as the saga potentially nears its conclusion in the most chaotic and NBA way possible ahead of Thursday's NBA Trade Deadline at 3 p.m.
The Athletic reported there's a real chance the Nets and 76ers swap James Harden and Ben Simmons this week, with Brooklyn now engaging Philadelphia in talks, affirming weeks of reports and speculation that Harden could eye Philadelphia as his next team.
A Kyrie Irving-for-Simmons trade that would've solved concurrent availability issues for both teams got suggested repeatedly, without the two sides ever discussing such a swap. Such a star-for-star swap between rivals seemed improbable. That it's come, instead, to a Harden-for-Simmons construct one year after the 76ers originally engaged the Rockets on a Harden-for-Simmons deal, with Brooklyn landing Harden instead for a massive haul of picks, makes the conversation between the two teams itself unthinkable. Much has changed since then that renders a Harden trade the best and most likely Simmons hypothetical yet.
For Philadelphia, Harden meets Daryl Morey's requirement that the player coming back for Simmons is one of the 25 best in the NBA. Harden would immediately create something of a Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal Lite for the 76ers alongside MVP frontrunner Joel Embiid. There would be some stylistic differences to sort out, but Harden averages 22.5 points, 8.0 rebounds and 10.2 assists per game in a down year as one of the more dynamic pick-and-roll creators the sport has seen. He can score out of the facilitating positions in half-court situations where Simmons struggled to generate gravity. Defenses would need to pick and choose between two devastating finishers.
"James tells me all the time, you can make all of your money screening and rolling for him," Nets center Day'Ron Sharpe said earlier this season.
The 76ers, for the first time since the 1980s, would join a shortlist of championship favorites. The Simmons saga would be in the rear view, Philadelphia's status as an east favorite solidified and Harden's relationships with Morey and team governor Michael Rubin would bode well for him resigning. The potential Harden bouncing to Brooklyn this offseason grew serious enough to make multiple teams consider tampering charges, Yahoo reported last week. So why would the Nets reverse a deal they went all-in on last season, empower a division rival and take on an unknown commodity in Simmons? Especially when they have the right to reject a Harden sign-and-trade in July?
First -- Brooklyn has nose-dived in the standings since the new year began, struggling to string together rotations, reverting to their worst selves on the defensive side and missing Kevin Durant's MVP-level scoring security blanket. Harden is struggling immensely to shoot (40.8% FG since Jan. 1) and Kyrie Irving is still a part-time player working his way back, reportedly part of Harden's frustration with the team. Steve Nash's coaching has come under fire, failing to challenge a key late out-of-bounds call on Irving at Golden State, before the team embarrassingly lost to the Kings before a seventh-straight setback in Utah on Friday.
“I think it's an age-old dilemma," Nash said of Harden trade rumors, as the Nets held him out Friday with hamstring tightness. I remember being a player and people sometimes in certain years feel it more than others. A trade deadline is a part of the job. You have to do a good job being a professional and not allow it to affect your play."
Harden denied the rumors of his affinity for Philadelphia, but could the Nets be mulling his future on the team going forward as much as he is? Charania wrote about a clash of styles between Harden and the other two stars, as Brooklyn's approach changes across Harden and non-Harden lineups. Durant signed a long-term extension with the Nets and Harden did not (Irving didn't either). There could somehow be more security with Simmons' long-term deal, one that's inevitably scared other teams off.
"I don't know about any reports," Harden said last week. "There's just a lot of inconsistency for whatever reason, injuries, COVID, whatever you want to call it. It's frustrating, and I think everybody in this organization is frustrated because we are better than what our record is, and we should be on the way up. So that's all it is. I don't know about any reports. If you didn't hear it from me, I don't talk to nobody. I don't have an agent."
Simmons, 25, has an average annual value of $35.5 million until 2025. Harden, 32, could opt-in for $47.4-million next season before adding four years and $223-million to his deal via extension. With Harden showing signs of regression, 41.4% FG, 33.2% 3PT, 22.5 PPG, and governor Joe Tsai facing a $110-million luxury tax bill that'll mount even higher than the over $3-million per $1-million spent they faced this year in coming seasons due to progressive and repeater tax penalties. Durant, Harden and Irving would need to be a championship lock to commit to them at an even higher tax figure for each of the next four years.
Instead, it's been non-stop injuries and hiatuses, in Irving's case, between them across three seasons, amounting to a punted first season and second-round loss a year ago. They've been prolific, 13-3, when all three take the court, which could inspire the Nets to take one last gamble on full health. If not, they do have some leverage on Philadelphia now.
Secondly -- for Brooklyn -- the 76ers need to include a salary with Simmons to make the money work. Kevin O'Connor pointed toward it likely being Danny Green, with most-improved candidate Tyrese Maxey, lockdown guard Matisse Thybulle and sharpshooter Seth Curry probably out of the discussion. How hard could the Nets push Morey knowing Harden is his prize and that he admitted there's some pressure to maximize the season Embiid is having? The Sixers could wait Brooklyn out until Harden's free agency this summer, but they'd need to keep Simmons on ice past the trade deadline, assume all the distraction that would entail and signal to Embiid they aren't all-in on 2022. The Nets could pull more out of the 76ers now than they're able to get this offseason if Harden demands a sign-and-trade.
Joe Harris potentially missing this entire season would open a need for a player like Curry, with the Nets only ranking 17th in three-point percentage. Thybulle would further instill a defensive identity in Brooklyn alongside Simmons. If the Nets got Maxey, averaging 17 PPG and 4.8 APG on 40% three-point shooting, it's a slam dunk. A more likely compromise would be the 76ers sending multiple first-round picks and pick swaps to replenish what the Nets gave up to Houston in the original Harden deal, which the Nets could use in turn on additional help.
Thirdly -- Simmons fits in Brooklyn. While it's hard to tell what he would provide today and when he'd be ready to join the Nets, they've missed size, defense and connectivity since they assembled their big three. Those are the three areas Simmons focused on in Philadelphia, where it needed him to be more and shoot. With Brooklyn, he could fixate on pushing the pace, rebounding, defending across five positions, while setting the table for Durant, Irving and the Nets' shooters to score. Simmons could theoretically have impactful games where he doesn't take a shot with Brooklyn. Nobody would ever ask why he isn't taking threes (though he'd need to hit free throws).
Is that better than Harden's upside? No, but with additional players and assets coming back, assuming Harden could be done with the Nets after this season, it may be a more sustainable, balanced way to the top.
It's a fascinating new wrinkle to a budding rivalry that's already featured Durant and Embiid waving each other off the floor after their respective victories. Both teams would also become more solidified in their quests to knock off defending champion Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks. They'd likely meet in the playoffs in short order after the deal occurs. Embiid and Simmons facing head-to-head. Harden against Irving, Durant and his old team. It'd be one of the craziest trades in sports history, never mind the NBA, and actually translate the league's typical off-court spectacle into an on-court postseason product that could be one of the largest non-NBA Finals viewing events ever for the sport.
Having watched Game 7 up close between Brooklyn and Milwaukee, size and defense became an issue as much as injuries for the Nets. Brooklyn could bet on health improving this year, but would it be worth what they could gain in this deal or avoid this offseason? They're already limited for now by Irving's away-only status that doesn't appear likely to change before next season. The 76ers can wait for Harden to come too, but what if something disrupts that plan in the months ahead? What if Embiid isn't the same in 2022-23, for whatever reason? There's real advantages to doing this now on both sides. It'll simply take haggling.
The trade deadline always leans toward waiting until offseason clarity and opportunity, but this year feels different. With so much unresolved around the league, especially in Brooklyn and Philadelphia, it always seemed like these teams could relieve each other, however awkwardly. Any Simmons deal would inevitably set off a flurry of other activity. This one? An avalanche.
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The Celtics, for now, project to be relatively quiet this week, almost certainly finding some way to move Dennis Schröder's $5.9-million, assuring they'll avoid the luxury tax this season even if Jaylen Brown receives his all-star and games played incentives as a potential Durant replacement. Schröder's removal could net Boston some draft compensation, solidify Josh Richardson as a regular member of the team's closing lineup and open minutes for Romeo Langford, Aaron Nesmith and Payton Pritchard to fight for. Dallas, Chicago and the Clippers theoretically need secondary point guard help.
Richardson is reportedly not easily attainable for teams interested and Minnesota's reported push for Marcus Smart met a heavy asking price in return. Boston, in the face of heavyweight moves like the Simmons deal, could be so far away from contention that marginal moves don't prove worth it for now, especially with the team finding its footing now. Without offers that blow them away to sell Richardson or Al Horford, along with the aforementioned tax restrictions, that all points toward a quiet Celtics deadline. Unless salary facilitating opportunities emerge, which would be difficult to do staying under the tax.
"Every decision we make has to be focused on, does that decision give us the best chance at the next banner," Brad Stevens said this week. "That ultimately is the call. It's not as focused on how your team is necessarily playing in the moment, it's focused on what's the best thing to be able to be in the mix and hang the next banner ... since we started last year, we were 36-36 ... so it's been 13 months where it's been inconsistent, from a results standpoint ... it's a hard thing to (evaluate) ... it has been a difficult time to say this is exactly who each team is ... but I've got a good idea of what we can be when we're at our best ... I knew that we'd be great defensively ... this group has a chance to be unique (on defense)."
Ime Udoka doesn't anticipate tinkering the rotation ahead of deadline moves. Schröder's starting role that provided him 30 minutes per game, nonetheless, has shifted into 18 MPG off the bench over his last eight games.
Elsewhere, C.J. McCollum, Jusuf Nurkic from the Trail Blazers, Myles Turner and the Pacers' core, everyone on the Kings and Knicks, the Magic and Rockets' veterans, along with Hawks consolidation will be the key seller movement to watch for this week. Among buyers, Jerami Grant might be the biggest fish to move, as the Jazz seek wing defense, the Raptors and Hornets try to address longstanding center depth issues, other contenders target depth. Most teams, per usual, will stand pat.
"The one guy whose name you see a lot is Jerami," Dwane Casey said before his Pistons played the Celtics Friday. "I've talked to Jerami, and he understands. He's a pro, he's been through it before, he's been in the league now. He's one of our elder statesmen. So he understands the business of the NBA, and my thing to him is if you see your name mentioned it's a badge of honor. If you don't see your name, if nobody else wants you, that should tell you something, but he understands, there's no change in his personality, there's no change in his approach, he's a pro. That's part of our business ... he's the only guy who's really been mentioned. Usually if it's more than one guy, I speak to the team, but we're so young it's one of those things that's not needed right now ... I don't know if they read Hoops Hype or not ... it's that time of year."
Here's what else happened in the NBA this week...
Atlanta (25-27): The hottest team in the NBA topped the Suns, 124-115, after Phoenix lost only one game in January. Trae Young shined, closing the game with a long three, and is averaging 28.8 points and 9.0 assists per game since the calendar turned, a slightly better than 2:1 assist-to-turnover ratio. They've won 8-of-10, with their lone stumbles coming against the Raptors, which is important ahead of a feasible play-in tournament meeting.
They're firmly back in the east playoff picture after a dreadful start, and don't count them out in the Ben Simmons saga, with Shams reporting they're still involved, with a package built around John Collins, Bogdan Bogdanovic and draft compensation. The Hawks, 23rd in defense in 2022, need the roving help he brings.
Boston (29-25): Look out. The Celtics might have the best defense in the NBA now that they're healthy and clicking. Boston has won 11-of-15, turning their season around and building an identity. Among the wake-up calls, a report that Jaylen Brown could ask out this offseason if the Celtics don't turn it around. This week could dictate how high that ceiling is, with tax adverseness limiting their stomach to buy. Jayson Tatum made his third all-star team, with Brown among the top snubs.
Charlotte (28-25): They fell to 2-5 this season without Gordon Hayward before he returned from COVID protocol to suffer a close loss to the Cavaliers at the hands of Kevin Love Friday upon his return. Their success continues to lean on Hayward's availability, even with LaMelo Ball and Miles Bridges starting to take over the team. Both Ball and Bridges missed the All Star Game, especially surprising in Ball's case. He could be next in line to replace Durant, which would mark only the third Bobcat/Hornet named to the game after Gerald Wallace and Kemba Walker.
Ball's averaging 19.9 PPG, 7.2 RPG and 7.7 APG, posting a career-high 38 points in Boston on Wednesday. The All-Star Game wouldn't feel right without his flashy passing and flare, a ready-made style to boost interest in the game for years to come.
Chicago (33-19): They're reportedly in the market for Dennis Schröder in a deal that would provide the Celtics luxury tax relief and possibly send back Troy Brown Jr. to Boston, which would confuse some Patriots fans. Schröder potentially alleviates Alex Caruso and Lonzo Ball's long-term injuries on a rental. The Bulls remain in first place after a softer schedule allowed them three wins over the Blazers, Magic and Pacers this week.
A former Celtic Javonte Green is already scored double-figures in five of his last seven games since returning from injury to spell Caruso and Ball, shooting 7-of-10 against Indiana. Zach LaVine and Demar DeRozan are all-star bound, joining Jimmy Butler and Pau Gasol, Joakim Noah and Luol Deng, Derrick Rose and Deng, and Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen as Bulls teammates to make the game in the same season.
Cleveland (32-21): Two great stories from their resurgent year, Darius Garland making the All-Star Game in his third NBA season, and Kevin Love making it to the light at the end of the tunnel in Cleveland. Only LeBron James, Kyrie Irving, Mo Williams, Zydrunas Ilgauskas and Garland have been all stars playing on the Cavaliers since the 1990s. Garland, the 22-year-old former No. 5 pick from 2019, is averaging 20.4 PPG and 10.2 APG on 44.3% shooting in 2022 to carry the Cavaliers' offense through multiple injuries. Love, arguably the sixth man of the year alongside Tyler Herro, is averaging 14.6 PPG and 7.4 RPG in the new year, drilling game-winning free throws on Friday.
Jarrett Allen may go down as the biggest all-star snub if Ball is named Durant's replacement. Allen is averaging 16.2 PPG and 11.0 RPG.
Dallas (30-23): They've built a No. 2 defense since 2022 began, and Luka Dončić took down Philadelphia with 33 points, 13 rebounds and 15 assists on Friday, falling down after several difficult fourth-quarter shots. It's hard to imagine they'll move on from Dorian Finney-Smith or Jalen Brunson since they've built something with this collective. They'll immediately become two of the most coveted free agents this summer.
Denver (28-24): They've lost three straight, but their offense remains in the top three since Jan. 1; Nikola Jokic leading Aaron Gordon (injured for Friday's loss), Will Barton, Monte Morris, recent acquisition Bryn Forbes and Bones Hyland into what's become a scoring unit that's regularly posting over 110 points. Their 16th-ranked defense could improve, but they've put themselves in a position to be a playoff pest in spite of injuries. Joel Embiid's ascent makes for a divisive MVP debate late in the season.
Detroit (12-40): There'll be plenty for sale here this week, with Frank Jackson, Cory Joseph, Kelly Olynyk and more all probably fair game to be dealt by the deadline. Jerami Grant is reportedly choosey about his future destination though, making his seemingly inevitable move questionable alongside the Pistons' reasonably high asking price for the star wing. It wouldn't be stunning to see him remain in Detroit. Keep an eye on Utah, if Grant leaves, since the Jazz lost Joe Ingles. Utah would need to send multiple picks.
Golden State (40-13): They're back to their winning ways, rattling off eight straight. Steph Curry, Andrew Wiggins and Draymond Green round out the lone trio of all-stars from one team, a reminder of their own weight in the west as the Suns continue to win every game they play. Green's all-star spot will be replaced, still dealing with a back issue that he won't need surgery for, but could cost him another month.
In his absence, they're leaning on Jonathan Kuminga, Otto Porter Jr. and Damion Lee for front court minutes since Green went down, all three shooing over 50% from the field while the Warriors climbed back into the top-three in defense over that stretch. Golden State appears unlikely to be active at the deadline, with Klay Thompson back, and James Wiseman and Green to follow.
Houston (15-37): Jalen Green, Jae'Sean Tate and Alperen Şengün made the rising stars game, an encouraging statement on their future, along with Josh Christopher dropping 23 points on Friday over San Antonio. As for the present, they could add to their core of future picks and players by trading Eric Gordon, Christian Wood and Daniel Theis. Gordon has drawn Cavaliers, Suns and Pelicans interest in recent weeks. It took several seasons to rebuild Gordon's value, so it'd be surprising to not see Houston cash in.
Indiana (19-35): If they hold on to Myles Turner and Caris LeVert until the offseason, keep an eye on Jeremy Lamb, Torrey Craig and Justin Holiday to move as smaller sales. The Pacers are a deadline swing team, with Philadelphia also controlling much of the activity this week. Turner's foot injury hindered any interest in him that already existed. LeVert scored 42 points in Indy's loss to the Bulls Friday, while Lance Stephenson is officially sticking around for the season after four 10-day deals. You can buy $1 Pacers tickets.
Clippers (27-27): Scored an exciting victory over the Clippers on Reggie Jackson's game-winning shot before trading Eric Bledsoe, Keon Johnson and Justise Winslow with a pick for Norman Powell and Robert Covington on Friday as the deadline's first blockbuster. The deal should give the team an infusion of wing shooting and defense they've missed without Paul George and Kawhi Leonard, who Ty Lue sounded worried about in the context of this season ahead of George's MRI on his shoulder later this month. They'll need a backup point guard after offloading Bledsoe.
"We know Kawhi's probably not gonna come back," Lue said this week. "We don't know the status of PG, but these guys continue to keep fighting. Every single night."
Lakers (25-28): They're sinking without LeBron James, who will continue to miss time until the swelling subsides around his knee. Russell Westbrook hit several clutch shots against the Clippers late, and still ended up part of a defensive lapse along with Austin Reaves on Jackson on the decisive play.
REGGIE JACKSON skipping, spinning, knocking down the game-winner & celebrating with a lot of dancing!
— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) February 4, 2022
The Lakers have now lost 4 of their last 5. pic.twitter.com/FCS1wkm0Qc
The Lakers have dropped 4-of-5, while Carmelo Anthony joined the walking wounded with a strained hamstring. Two trades you'll hear this week: Westbrook for John Wall, and anything involving Talen Horton-Tucker. Don't expect either.
Memphis (36-18): The first sign of LeBron James getting old? How about Desmond Bane and the Grizzlies talking smack about his ability to chase them down in transition?
Ja Morant is a MVP candidate and most-improved front runner, leading a group with an attitude rooted in the young star's liking of a tweet that said "f*** Iguodala" when Andre Iguodala sat away from the Grizzlies following his 2019 trade from the Warriors.
Miami (33-20): They've been deep and resilient all season, until Jimmy Butler's absence led to a 30-point loss in Boston and another setback in Toronto the next night in spite of Bam Adebayo's 30-point night. They've received mildly better play from Duncan Robinson after his slow start, and he'll be an interesting name to watch this deadline given the emergence of Max Strus, who hit nine three-pointers in his return to Boston after the Celtics cut him in 2020 training camp. The Heat will also be in the market for size, given Giannis Antetokounmpo or Joel Embiid being in their way of a Finals run. Miami doesn't have a ton to offer teams, with only first-round pick swaps to offer until 2024.
Milwaukee (32-21): It doesn't feel like we'll ever get a Jokic vs. Giannis NBA Finals that would've been more than likely if not for the Nuggets' injuries last season. Jokic and Gordon knocked the Bucks off by 36 last week, a lone mark on Milwaukee's continued run of solid play. That's amounted to essentially a net neutral rating since the new year, their top-five remaining astounding, with Khris Middleton a surprising all star alongside Giannis. They'll need one of Donte DiVincenzo, Wes Matthews or George Hill to wake up from their shooting slumps soon, since this team doesn't have much deadline flexibility. I'd love a Robin Lopez trade here as insurance for Brook Lopez' back.
Minnesota (27-25): Wins over the Jazz, Nuggets and Pistons rounded out a clean sweep for them this week that moved them within a game of Denver at the play-in tournament line. The Timberwolves boast the best offense in the NBA since New Year's Day, ranking fifth in net rating. Karl Anthony Towns (24 PPG), Anthony Edwards (22.5 PPG) and D'Angelo Russell (19.1 PPG), playing the best two-way basketball of his career, have been joined by Jaylen Nowell, Jaden McDaniels, Malik Beasley, Patrick Beverley and Jarred Vanderbilt as 9-10 PPG scorers in 2022. The Celtics have been linked to Beasley, and the Wolves reportedly want Marcus Smart.
New Orleans (20-32): Their connection to C.J. McCollum and Eric Gordon points toward them wanting shooting and secondary scoring to pair with Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram. While defense continues to elude this group (17th in new year), they've played steady basketball under first-year head coach Willie Green with Friday's victory over the Nuggets their most impressive yet. Ingram dropped 23 points, rookie Herb Jones added 25 on 8-for-10 shooting, Jaxson Hayes hit all nine of his attempts with 22 points and 11 rebounds, while Jonas Valanciunas' strong season continues.
New York (24-28): They've lost 4-of-5, with better defensive play into 2022 also leading them to 27th in offense over their past 16 games. Kemba Walker's frustration is mounting with his non-scoring role, Evan Fournier's scoring is coming and going, while the Knicks' unstable rotation has left Cam Reddish without minutes since coming from the Hawks. This is a mess without a clear path to cleaning it up in any tangible way ahead of Thursday's deadline. Would they dare take on Russell Westbrook and send Walker, Fournier and others west?
Oklahoma City (17-34): Lu Dort led a three-game with streak with heavy-lifting scoring performances over the Blazers twice and Dallas. They'll be facilitators, if anything, at the deadline, but Kenrich Williams has long been a name around the Thunder that's drawn some interest toward padding a winning team's depth. Oklahoma City's asking price has been high, but if it comes down this week there'll be suitors.
Orlando (12-41): Gary Harris, Terrence Ross, Mo Bamba and Robin Lopez should all be names to watch this week with the Magic in the midst of a rebuild and developing numerous young players. Orlando commanded hefty prices for Nikola Vucevic and Aaron Gordon last deadline before relenting on two second-round picks for Evan Fournier. That's likely closer to what's in the cards, at best, for their veterans this time, leading to the potential that several of them stay until the offseason. Harris is on a $20.5-million expiring deal. Ross $12.5-million before $11.5-million next year. Bamba has a $10.1-million player option. Lopez enters unrestricted free agency, making $5-million now.
Philadelphia (31-21): While interest from teams like the Kings and Timberwolves has reportedly waned, and Daryl Morey is focused on fellow former Rocket James Harden as his Ben Simmons target, Morey needs to weigh getting extra aggressive now to pair Harden with Joel Embiid for the big man's MVP push, or waiting until the offseason when Simmons and filler could complete a sign-and-trade. If the Nets don't engage now, other offers like John Collins would be tempting, or the precarious task of trying to reintegrate Simmons for the rest of the season, if he has any interest in that at all. This week could be the finale of a years-long drama.
Phoenix (41-10): They nearly made it 12 straight wins against the Hawks' best, Trae Young's shot halting Chris Paul, Devin Booker and company's one last run. Paul and Booker are headed to the All Star Game, while this roster could only use some minor fine tuning via a bench scorer or big for the right price. They can utilize Dario Saric, Jalen Smith and Frank Kaminsky's contracts to match most medium-sized contracts, which would only appeal to a rebuilding team like the Rockets with multiple first-rounders for Eric Gordon. I don't see it.
Portland (21-32): Anytime a trade makes your jaw drop for one side, they're probably sliding under the luxury tax. After trading multiple first-round picks for Robert Covington, and Gary Trent Jr. for Norman Powell a year ago, they've now dumped both for a second-rounder, Keon Johnson and salary relief. The Trail Blazers need it after multiple years of expensive borderline contending rosters, but being able to recoup even a single first-round pick for their wings is a disappointment.
It's their first important move of their attempt to build around Damian Lillard and Anfernee Simons, with Jusuf Nurkic's future the next question for them as he approaches unrestricted free agency. Eric Bledsoe's second year is guaranteed for only $3.9-million, making him an intriguing buyout candidate now.
Sacramento (19-35): They've lost 8-of-9 and nobody seems to have a clue what they'll do at the deadline. It has to be something though, as they've reportedly pulled out of Ben Simmons talks while making numerous players available. Harrison Barnes and Buddy Hield could help some teams, while Richaun Holmes is an underrated center. It'd be surprising to see them break up the back court duo of De'Aaron Fox and Tyrese Haliburton now, but standing pat on this team for a second straight year would be more unfathomable.
San Antonio (20-34): Dejounte Murray missed an all-star selection in the initial round of voting, but it'd be surprising to hear anyone else's name called to replace an injured Draymond Green, Green even tacitly endorsing Murray during his own announcement to the team on TNT. Murray is averaging 19.6 PPG, 8.4 RPG and 9.2 APG in a breakout campaign on 45.4% shooting, the Spurs finally finding their star within.
San Antonio's flier on Zach Collins finally paid off, with his return on Friday from two years of foot ailments with 10 points, seven rebounds, three assists and two steals in 10 minutes. They're rarely a deadline team, but Derrick White's future becomes interesting following Murray's clear ascent to franchise player.
Toronto (28-23): Their victory over the Hawks was one of their more impressive all season given Atlanta's recent hot streak and win over the Suns that preceded it. Pascal Siakam keeps shining, putting up near-all star numbers with 21.4 PPG, 8.6 RPG and 5.1 APG following a tumultuous past few seasons after Kawhi Leonard's departure. Fred VanVleet became Toronto's first all star since Kyle Lowry and Siakam two seasons ago, while the Raptors have won five straight over east powers to reach a tie with Brooklyn in the loss column on the edge of the bye/play-in line in the east. They'll search for a big man this week, as they have been for over a year.
Utah (32-21): The Jazz already needed wing and defense help, with a group that's been locked together for several seasons in a row. Joe Ingles' torn ACL might be the development that finally initiates action, with his $12.4-million expiring contract now a starting point alongside draft picks to find those same needs. Ingles, 34, vows a return to the NBA, while Utah is eyeing Jerami Grant or Harrison Barnes as a potential replacement on the wing.
Washington (24-27): Are we sure they won't trade Bradley Beal this week before he could potentially enter unrestricted free agency and demand a sign-and-trade?
Beal would forgo a significant contract extension two summers from now and he's constantly affirmed his comfort with the Wizards, but while the team's direction becomes cloudy and Beal sits out at least one week with a left writs injury, Washington could shock the basketball world and deal the 28-year-old if they suspect his patience is waning.