Mike Lowry wrote: Wed Mar 05, 2025 8:34 am
Yet to see a deadline deal get finalized, who do you see making a move?
I see the Lakers making a move. They have been shopping Wilkes and Free since the offseason, and it's clear the need for a true power forward is glaring, and Wilkes/Free are getting older and not better. They'll do something about it.
Who should make a move, that won't?
The Knicks. After a hot start, they've cooled off massively and could use a shakeup to get them back into the swing of things. But I don't think the Bucks' draft picks are really that valuable, and that means they don't really have any assets to go add to their core without subtracting a major rotation piece, which, given their hot start may not be a good idea. So I think they'd like to make a deal, I just don't think they have anything they are willing to part with that other teams want right now.
Other teams that probably should make a move - but I don't think any of them have the appetite to make a significant change at this point - are the Cavaliers, Bulls, and Celtics... all three are within 1 loss of each other and only two of the three can make the playoffs. Each of those teams should be worried about what happens if one (or both) of the other teams makes a move and they don't.
What are the playoff implications?
The Lakers are out and the Knicks are in. With Dan Issel out for two months, the Mavericks aren't going to make a run at the #6 spot in the West. So unless the Cavs, Bulls, or Celtics pulls the trigger, I don't see any real playoff implications.