Even if there are zero trades on Thursday, this deadline will be one of the most exciting in recent memory because of the deals that have already been made. The Luka Doncic/Anthony Davis swap was so surprising that the three-team deal to send De’Aaron Fox to San Antonio and Zach LaVine to Sacramento felt underwhelming. Both were massive deals, but the shock factor of Doncic being moved will be impossible to match for a long time.
Still, it feels like the moves will continue to happen, and teams haven’t been afraid to wait until the day of the deadline. On top of that, rumors continue to swirl, and after the Luka trade, nothing feels impossible. Perhaps we’ll be underwhelmed, but it feels like we won’t be.
Of course, we’ll be using a dynasty lens with the deadline approaching. This isn’t going to be focused on the players who could be silly season winners for two months and then be back to playing 10 minutes per game next year. We’ll be looking at the young players who will have a chance to showcase their upside after the trade deadline. Some will shine. Others will fall flat. Most will end up somewhere in the middle. The important thing to remember is that these players are young. The final two months of the season won’t be indicative of their entire career, whether it’s good or bad.
F Matas Buzelis, Chicago Bulls
The rookie has already started to play a larger role recently, and it should only increase as the season progresses. They traded Zach LaVine as part of the De’Aaron Fox deal, but there are more moves they can still make. Even if they don’t, Buzelis has been made a priority recently. On Tuesday, he scored 24 points on 10-of-10 shooting with two rebounds, two blocks and four 3-pointers. Not many players are able to have a night like that, and it’s even more rare for a rookie to do it. He won’t be able to maintain that level of efficiency often, but it was an impressive performance for him. It was enough for him to earn that start on Wednesday.
G Nick Smith Jr., Charlotte Hornets
Smith Jr. has already been playing a larger role in recent weeks, and the results have been a mixed bag. He had been starting since mid-January, and he scored at least 15 points in three of his first four starts. He followed that up with four straight duds, but the last three games have been some of the best of his career. LaMelo Ball’s ankle injury has allowed Smith Jr. to have the ball in his hands more, and with Charlotte heading towards the lottery once again, Ball’s availability may be limited over the final two months of the season.
G AJ Johnson, Washington Wizards
Johnson was finally able to play a significant role in an NBA game on Monday night, and it went well. He put up a 13/3/4/1 line with two 3-pointers with the Bucks resting their key pieces. Two days later, Johnson was part of the trade package that brought Kyle Kuzma to Milwaukee. Johnson is now one of four rookies on the Wizards, and on an eight-win team, he should have a better shot at minutes than he did with the Bucks. He’ll be competing for minutes with Bub Carrington, but there should be plenty of opportunities for both young point guards.
F Kyshawn George, Washington Wizards
Kuzma’s departure will also open the door for George to take on a larger role, though he has already been part of the starting lineup recently. In their first game without Kuzma, George had one of his best games of the season with 17 points, seven rebounds, three assists, one steal, one block and five 3-pointers on efficient shooting. Fellow rookies Alexandre Sarr and Bub Carrington have already shown what they can be, but there will be plenty of eyes watching to see if Washington was able to hit on three picks in the first round.
G Keyonte George, Utah Jazz
Utah will likely pull the plug on their season once again after the trade deadline, and they have quite a few intriguing young pieces. Where George fits into their future is one of the biggest questions I have. He moved to a reserve role in late January, but he should be back in the starting lineup Wednesday night with Collin Sexton (ankle) sidelined. Regardless, George has had some excellent assist nights, but is he a point guard or shooting guard? Is he a starter or a sixth man? The final two months of the season won’t define his career, but it will help sort out how he fits in Utah heading into next season.
G Isaiah Collier, Utah Jazz
Collier has been starting at point guard for Utah recently, and the assist numbers have been dazzling. He has averaged 10.1 points, 7.9 assists and 4.3 rebounds in 15 starts this season, which would make him 8th in assists per game if he averaged that over the course of a full season. He’s already playing a significant role, and he may not see his minutes increase by much, but it will be interesting to see if he can maintain this production.
F Brice Sensabaugh, Utah Jazz
Sensabaugh has flashed his scoring upside throughout his first two seasons in the league, but he hasn’t been able to play a consistent role for the Jazz. He had 61 points and 12 threes over a two-game stretch in early January, and then he had four straight games scoring in double figures after a three-game absence. Since then, he’s only scored in double figures once and has had some poor performances. He should play a larger role to close out the season, and we’ll get an extended look at how much he has improved and if he can be a consistent scoring option for them.
F Kyle Filipowski, Utah Jazz
The rookie may have slipped to the second round, but he has already shown upside in fantasy basketball. Now, he’ll likely get a chance to shine down the stretch. When he’s gotten the chance to play big minutes, Filipowski has showcased his ability as a rebounder, passer and floor-spacer. He had 17 rebounds in a game in January, and he had two six-assist nights in November. We’ll get a chance to see what he can do when playing a large role every night.
F Cody Williams, Utah Jazz
The Jazz selected Williams with the No. 10 pick in June, and the early results haven’t been good at all. Luckily, he’s a young prospect with time to develop, and he’ll get the chance to prove why he was selected early. He’s seen a handful of starts, but he has only scored in double figures twice, and he has only had a few nights where he was productive in other categories. He’ll need to answer some questions over the final two months to give us hope moving forward. If he can’t flash any signs of growth or upside, the concerns will only grow stronger.
F Karlo Matkovic, New Orleans Pelicans
Everyone’s favorite preseason sleeper has finally been able to see some minutes for the Pelicans recently. He had five points, 11 rebounds, four assists, one block and one 3-pointer on Tuesday night. On Wednesday, New Orleans sent Daniel Theis to the Thunder in a cost-cutting move to get them under the luxury tax. That means that Matkovic should be splitting the center minutes with Yves Missi for the rest of the season. He was able to start next to Missi in the frontcourt on Wednesday.
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