So much for the NBA being boring.
Over the past 48 hours, the league has seen Luka Dončić, Anthony Davis, De’Aaron Fox and Zach Lavine move — and it’s not even Thursday. Expect more movement between now and the Feb. 6 trade deadline as teams look to position themselves for deep playoff runs, future flexibility or improving their tanking odds.
In the Western Conference, several teams are still looking to make the playoffs. The Houston Rockets and Memphis Grizzlies have remained in the upper tier in the West for months, and the San Antonio Spurs, having recently brought in Fox to pair with Victor Wembanyama, are looking to do the same very soon.
We asked you to put on your trade-machine caps and get busy. Here are some of the offers you came up with. Let’s dive in.
Trade proposal 1: Dillon Brooks and Jabari Smith Jr. to Denver for Michael Porter Jr. — Paul B.
Who says no? Houston. And honestly, Denver, too.
In a vacuum, at least offensively, Porter would be the quintessential half-court solution for a Rockets team that still struggles to score in such situations (23rd in the NBA since January, 94.2 points per half-court play). The 26-year-old is a 92nd percentile floor spacer, shooting better than 40 percent from 3 on roughly six attempts per game, in addition to being an 89th percentile cutter, all according to Synergy tracking data. Having Porter on the floor, especially late in games where Houston has gotten a bit lucky (4-2 record in clutch games over the last 10 matchups despite a minus-12.7 net rating), would make a lot of on-court decisions easier, giving drivers like Amen Thompson and Jalen Green a release valve.
It makes sense that Rockets head coach Ime Udoka would not want to lose two of his most versatile defenders, Brooks and Smith, at the same time. Houston wouldn’t have to commit to any long-term decisions with Porter for another two years (his backloaded contract expires in 2027), but Brooks is quietly shooting a career-best 38.5 percent from 3, and Smith’s absence has been felt on both ends of the floor since fracturing his hand last month. (Porter’s improved defense hasn’t been discussed much this season, but he’s become a suitable team option.)
There’s also the factor of Porter’s injury history, which Houston’s front office would have to think about. He’s been healthy and available for the past two seasons, having appeared in all 49 Nuggets games this season and played a career-high 81 last year, but Porter’s back issues are well-documented and would require constant monitoring.
Trade Proposal 2: Brandon Ingram to San Antonio for Harrison Barnes, Sandro Mamukelashvili and filler* (*Tre Jones was originally in this deal but was traded to Chicago) — Stuart H.
Who says no? New Orleans.
The Spurs did well over the weekend bringing in Fox all while retaining a huge chunk of their draft capital and flexibility (and keeping Stephon Castle and Devin Vassell). San Antonio surrendered four firsts in the Fox trade but still has control of two unprotected firsts from the Hawks, as well as all of its own firsts (outside of 2027) over the next seven years — in addition to multiple swap rights.
A move for Ingram would signal an aggressive attempt from the Spurs, currently sitting two games outside of the 10th and final Play-In Tournament spot, to break into the playoff picture. But taking it a step further, a Fox-Ingram-Wembanyama core (with Castle, as well) is a unique construction. Fox and Ingram alone give the Frenchman playmaking and scoring he has never seen at this level, and the lineup options are endless.
I do think that San Antonio’s front office would give pause to potentially paying Ingram nearly $50 million annually in an extension, and I’m not sure if the Spurs can envision a locker room where Ingram is the highest-paid player of a hypothetical big three. But I also think the Pelicans can extract more value for an efficient Tier 2 scorer/playmaker than *checks notes* Barnes, Mamukelashvili and filler. San Antonio would still have enough flexibility to pivot in another direction if the Ingram addition didn’t work out, but he’s honestly worth more.
Would a deal for Keldon Johnson work? (Ronald Cortes / Getty Images)
Trade Proposal 3: Keldon Johnson and a future first-round pick to New Orleans for Trey Murphy III — Dennis L.
Who says no? New Orleans. Again.
The 12-38 Pelicans have fallen so far off track and have been so unlucky with injuries that they might be forced to rebuild. But Murphy’s value has to include multiple firsts — and he can’t be traded until the summer. We’re talking about a lethal 6-foot-8 floor spacer who’s handled more usage and remained efficient, all while adding to his offensive arsenal and becoming much more than a standstill shooter.
In January, Murphy averaged 25.2 points, 6.0 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game, shooting 37 percent from 3 on nine attempts a night. And he’s not even 25 years old. If Johnson is the centerpiece of a Murphy trade, with all due respect to Johnson and his aggressive, downhill game, then New Orleans isn’t listening to any offer that doesn’t have at least three firsts in it.
Trade Proposal 4: John Konchar and Brandon Clarke to Miami for Duncan Robinson
Who says no? Memphis.
Before the start of the season, Memphis was a team I thought desperately needed an outside shooting jolt. Now that we’re more than halfway through the campaign, I can admit most of those fears have been quelled. The Grizzlies’ offensive tweaks (thanks to a revamped coaching staff) have them fourth in offensive rating, 10th in half-court points per play — as well as top 10 in made 3s and 3-point percentage.
Because of that, I can’t see the Grizzlies letting go of Clarke, a versatile small-ball option vital to their success (Memphis is a plus-6.6 in Clarke’s minutes, 83rd percentile impact) for Robinson, who would still be behind the likes of Luke Kennard and Santi Aldama in the rotation, not to mention GG Jackson II as he shakes the rust off and Vince Williams Jr., who head coach Taylor Jenkins loves.
Now, there’s a world where Jackson finds his rhythm and begins to eat into some of Clarke’s minutes. To add, Jaren Jackson Jr.’s improved shooting — a career-high 36 percent — makes losing Clarke palatable. But if the difference between the second round and a conference-finals run (or the NBA Finals) is Robinson, I don’t think you stir the pot.
Trade Proposal 5: Jock Landale to Toronto for Kelly Olynyk
Who says no? Maybe no one?
I’ve pitched a similar framework to Rockets officials before, and while I’ve gotten some pushback (not because my fake trades suck, but because Houston is wary of Olynyk’s injury history), I still think this is something both teams should consider.
After this season, Olynyk becomes a $13 million expiring contract, and throughout his career, he has been one of the most underrated, minute-for-minute players in the NBA. He’ll never be the level of defender Udoka wants from a big man, but he’s an expert floor spacer, which Udoka desperately wants for in-game advantages. Olynyk is playing a career low in minutes for a Raptors team in flux but also shooting 48.6 percent from 3, the best mark of his league tenure.
It just makes sense to me. The Rockets have mentioned they are listening to offers for Landale and is available for the right price. As my colleague Eric Koreen detailed last week, the Raptors are playing Olynyk less and giving more minutes to their younger talent. Houston would be wise to explore a marginal move like this that doesn’t eat into the rotation, and Toronto would be getting Landale on an extremely team-friendly deal ($8 million annually over the next two seasons).
Trade Proposal 6: De’Andre Hunter to Memphis for Marcus Smart and two second-round picks
Who says no? Atlanta.
Hunter is playing some of the best basketball of his career, averaging a shade under 20 points a game and showing himself to be a proficient outside shooter and multifaceted scorer. He could give Ja Morant some perimeter help, but a move for Hunter would have to involve more than just a perpetually injured Smart.
As it currently stands, the Grizzlies have too many players vying for minutes. And at some point, maybe this week, there needs to be some consolidation if Memphis has its eyes set on making a run in the West. But even if the Hawks are inclined to listen to offers for Hunter following Jalen Johnson’s season-ending surgery, there’s more value in their joint second-highest scorer than an aging Smart and second-round compensation.
If I’m Atlanta, I’m certainly inquiring about GG Jackson II and a first-round pick or two to budge.
(Top photo of Brandon Ingram: Tyler Kaufman / Getty Images)
