If the week leading to the NBA trade deadline has taught us something, it is that no player is safe.
Teams will not be able to roll and manage after 15.00 on Thursday, but the league’s landscape has already changed significantly. Dallas Mavericks sent Luka Doncic to Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for Anthony Davis as part of a blockbuster agreement that sent the sports world to a vanity, while San Antonio Spurs made a splash by acquiring De’aaron Fox from Sacramento Kings.
However, Sacramento did not go empty -handed, as Chicago Bulls were also involved in the trade between Spurs and Kings and sent the latter Zach Lavine.
Here are three more players who surprisingly may be on their way:
Khris Middleton, Milwaukee Bucks
Once upon a time, Middleton was motionless. He received three All-Star elections (2019, 2020, 2022) in a span of four seasons and, together with Giannis Antetokounmpo, brought a championship to Milwaukee 2021.
Antetokounmpo and Middleton were Batman and Robin, and the rest of Buck’s pieces fell into place around that duo.
However, Damian Lillard is now in town as Antetokounmpo’s right man, while injuries have traced Middleton’s career over the past three seasons. The 33-year-old has only played in 111 matches (81 starts) since the beginning of the 2022-23 campaign.
Milwaukee Vader only around the 26-22 mark, and may be moving on from Middleton results in the fresh faces needed to be more consistent. Middleton has increased its trade value by going in at least 20 points in three of its last four matches.
Anternee Simons, Portland Trail Blazers
4 Jan 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Portland Trail Blazer’s guard Anternee Simons (1) takes a picture against Milwaukee Bucks forward Khris Middleton (22) in the second quarter on the Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Pictures Surprise!
Trail Blazers is legitimate one of the hottest teams in the league right now.
Portland is 8-1 in the last nine matches, a distance that has Blazer’s only 4 1/2 matches away from a Play-in tournament in the Western Conference.
Had Portland been deep in the basement in the West at this time of the season, we may have seen a fire sale from Trail Blazers. But now it looks like they can actually have something with their collection of young talents.
Although Portland will not do any title runs yet, it has a solid foundation, one that Simons helped to build. Still only 25, Simons is on average 18.2 points and 4.8 assists per match this season.
Only time will show if Blazers have faith in Simons or if they believe that a potential return for him can do wonders for their bright future.
Jonathan Cousn, Golden Start Warriors
4 Jan 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga (00) dribbles up the court in front of Memphis Grizzlie’s guard Scotty Pippen Jr. (1) During the second quarter of the Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: David Gonzales-Imagn Pictures Kuminga, 22, continues to get better and better during the season, so it would be shocking if the Golden State sends him elsewhere. Do not exclude, especially if the price is right.
Franchise cornerstones Stephen Curry and Draymond Green will not be younger. A deal involving Kuminga suddenly does not seem so crazy. Kuminga will not be able to turn the warriors on their own into legitimate challengers, so the Golden State may exchange him for draft capital which will one day translate to the deep playoffs and hopefully some hardware.
If someone goes out and gets a deal for Kuminga, they have to wait to use him, because he has not played since January 4 due to a ruined right ankle.
