Five NBA teams that desperately need to make a trade before the deadline

Pressure and patience don’t mix.

That’s an annual truth in the NBA this time of year, when the on-court results start impacting the off-court business in a way that is almost always tied to the preseason expectations that were bestowed upon your team months before. If all the right marks are being met, then the general manager of that particular squad earns the right to take a measured approach to the looming trade deadline (on Feb. 5 this time around). But if there’s a sizable gap between what your team was supposed to be and what it actually is, with almost a half a season’s worth of evidence to support that unwelcome reality, then the motivation level to upgrade the roster should be sky high.

Cue the Queen and David Bowie banger from way back in 1981.

“Pressure, pushing down on me … pressing down on you … no man ask for.”

Whether the respective GMs like it or not, the teams analyzed below are currently facing the latter challenge. Yet as is often the case, there may be more “buyers” than “sellers.”

The Sacramento Kings are widely known to be open for business, with accomplished players like Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, Domantas Sabonis and Malik Monk all up for discussion but coming with sizable contracts that are deterring potential suitors (the much-cheaper Keon Ellis is known to be a hot commodity). The Chicago Bulls are also believed to be sellers, with a bevy of expiring contracts for players like Nikola Vučević, Coby White, Ayo Dosunmu and Kevin Huerter who could make an impact elsewhere.

All eyes are on the Dallas Mavericks, who fired general manager Nico Harrison last month and must now decide how to maneuver the post-Luka Dončić era that he left in his wake. Ten-time All-Star Anthony Davis — who was the Mavs’ centerpiece acquisition in the deal with the Lakers for the Dončić – is known to be available. Big man Daniel Gafford is on the wish-list of several contending teams. Four-time champ and five-time All-Star Klay Thompson is surely hoping to land with a contender.

The list goes on, with governor Patrick Dumont and Harrison’s interim replacements, Matt Riccardi and Michael Finley, facing crucial decisions on the roster front in the coming weeks. One word of caution on the Davis front, relayed from rival team officials: If the Mavericks’ expectations in a Davis deal are considered unrealistic — perhaps because they’re trying to satisfy a fanbase that saw him inexplicably swapped for Dončić — then a deal will be that much harder to reach.

But back to the should-be buyers.

Any way you slice it, these teams just need more if they’re going to get where they want to go. That doesn’t mean they’ll be wheeling and dealing before the trade buzzer sounds, but — given the current state of affairs — they have every reason to try.

This is the first edition of the pressure-cooker pontifications, with a look at five new teams coming in the next few weeks.

Atlanta Hawks: 15-19 (36-win pace); preseason over-under (BetMGM) was 47.5

Considering how bad it’s been in Atlanta these past few weeks, with the Hawks losing 10 of their past 12 games and seven in a row, it comes as a surprise that they’re still preaching patience with this underperforming roster. Externally, anyway.

But even beyond the lackluster record, it’s the fact that Trae Young’s recent return hasn’t stopped the bleeding that has rival executives — and the Hawks themselves — talking about his possible exit (again). Atlanta, which went 13-9 without Young after he sprained his right MCL in late October, is 0-5 in games he has played since coming back. The fact that fifth-year forward Jalen Johnson looked like such a rising star during that span only underscored the complications that come with Young’s presence.

League sources say the Hawks, who saw so many promising signs during that Young-less stretch, are more open to discussing deals for him than ever. Yet in the absence of clarity regarding legitimate suitors, and with league sources indicating that Young’s market is widely considered minimal, it remains entirely possible that the Hawks will have to handle his situation in the summertime.

A quick reminder for context: The Hawks’ choice not to give Young an extension opened the door for all of this chatter, as he can opt out and skip town for nothing as a free agent this summer (his player option is worth $48.9 million). As one rival scout put it, “Trae is an extremely difficult player to win at the highest level with.”

Add in the fact that he’s looking for a new contract at a star-player level, and you start to see why there’s so much trepidation surrounding the 27-year-old, four-time All-Star, which brings us to the irony of the Hawks’ interest in Davis.

With big man free-agent-to-be Kristaps Porziņģis continuing to deal with the illness that has plagued him since last season — he has missed 14 of the last 15 games — it makes perfect sense that the Hawks would be considering going after the Mavericks’ big man. But like Young, Davis — who is extension-eligible this summer and can opt out in the summer of 2027 — is also looking for another massive payday. And like Porziņģis, Davis has his own long history of health problems that would make this move remarkably risky.

Especially if they gave up a meaningful piece of their future to get him.

Yet while the Mavericks are known to be pushing for young prospects (and expiring contracts) in talks relating to Davis, Hawks sources pushed back hard on reports that they’d be willing to include 2024 No. 1 pick Zaccharie Risacher. While the second-year small forward has struggled in his second season, team officials are quick to point out the highlights from the tail-end of his rookie season that inspired such optimism about his development internally.

Within the Hawks’ walls, there is a desire to see more of this group together before making these sorts of monumental decisions. But the problem, of course, is that the combination of their health woes and the ticking clock is creating the sort of time crunch that might demand a change in course soon.

Or, as they’ve been signaling, maybe they wait it out after all and avoid making any major moves midseason. The latter remains a possibility, but that could certainly change if the struggles continue.

Bucks: 14-19 (34-win pace); preseason over-under was 43.5

As Milwaukee neared its second consecutive win on Monday night in Charlotte — a feat the Bucks had somehow not accomplished since late October — the team’s broadcasters decided to get a little cheeky.

Amid all these months of rumors about Giannis Antetokounmpo’s discontent with the small-market Bucks, they flashed a graphic that featured the first official batch of fan votes for this year’s All-Star Game in Los Angeles. Antetokounmpo (1,192,296) led all Eastern Conference players, with Philadelphia’s Tyrese Maxey, New York’s Jalen Brunson, Detroit’s Cade Cunningham and Cleveland’s Donovan Mitchell shown alongside him to round out the top five.

“A lot of small markets, if you look at it,” former Bucks player and guest analyst Wesley Matthews said. “You like to see that. Look at it. Look at it.”

Play-by-play announcer Lisa Byington then chimed in.

“Isn’t that ironic that a Milwaukee guy, (for) multiple years, would be leading?” she said. “You don’t need L.A. You don’t need New York.”

Cue Matthews again: “You’re good where you’re at,” he said.

If ever there was a sign that the Bucks loyalists have grown tired of this topic, this was it.

Yet while the speculation about Antetokounmpo’s uncertain future isn’t going away anytime soon, they’ll surely be happy to hear that the rebuttal of outside overtures for Antetokounmpo’s services continues. As our Bucks beat writer Eric Nehm reported recently, longtime general manager Jon Horst has been scouring the league looking for impactful upgrades with the hopes of turning around and, ultimately, persuading Antetokounmpo to stay.

It remains to be seen if he can pull off anything of significance, as Milwaukee is (by its own doing) limited when it comes to assets and options. The list of names that are known to be under consideration is likely much longer than what is publicly known, but a few have emerged. The Kings’ Zach LaVine is a confirmed target, as is — according to ESPN — Sacramento’s Malik Monk and Portland’s Jerami Grant. League sources say Brooklyn’s Michael Porter Jr. is a name worth watching as well.

As I wrote on Sunday, the messiness of Antetokounmpo’s market is sure to be a significant factor in what comes next. So long as the 31-year-old can’t see greener pastures elsewhere, then the prospect of him staying put while carrying this current squad remains very much in play. And that’s the wild part here, really.

Even with all their struggles, the Bucks are just a half-game out of Play-In Tournament position (behind Atlanta) and four games back of the sixth spot (Orlando). Want to shoot for the moon, Bucks fans? They’re only 5 1/2 games away from the fourth spot (Toronto) that grants you home court in the first round. And now that Antetokounmpo is back, with a calf strain having cost him eight games before his return at Chicago on Saturday, it’s entirely possible that they keep racking up the wins from here (especially with games against Washington, Charlotte and Sacramento up next).

Clippers: 11-21 (28-win pace); preseason over-under was 49.5

Despite what Oklahoma City general manager Sam Presti might be rooting for, team sources say the Clippers have no plans of hosting a fire sale in these next five weeks. With owner Steve Ballmer continuing his eternal mandate to remain competitive, and no first-round pick in 2026 to incentivize a tank job, the Clippers want to climb out of this massive hole they’ve dug for themselves.

Especially after this recent five-game winning streak that has restored some internal hope.

After starting the season 6-21, and with the reigning champion Thunder in line to get the Clippers’ 2026 first-rounder, there was all sorts of league-wide chatter about the Clippers being sellers. James Harden, in particular, was often discussed in league circles as someone who might want to relocate (again) to a more competitive environment.

The 36-year-old has complete control over his situation, as his Bird rights contract affords him the right to veto any trade this season (he has a player option worth $42.3 million for next season). Still, team and league sources say there are no signs as of yet of Harden wanting out.

Harden, the former MVP and 11-time All-Star who forced his way to the Clippers from Philadelphia back in late October 2023, has certainly been doing his part on the floor. He’s one of just five players averaging at least 26 points, seven assists and four rebounds (Nikola Jokić, Cade Cunningham, Dončić and Maxey are the others).

If anything, league sources say the Clippers are expected to explore the prospect of adding an impact player around Harden and Kawhi Leonard as a way to revive their season in the second half. They can match a star-player level salary with expiring deals, with the contracts of John Collins ($26.5 million), Bogdan Bogdanović ($16 million this season; team option worth $16 million next season), Brook Lopez ($8.7 million this season; team option for $9.1 million next) and Nicolas Batum ($5.6 million this season; team option for $5.8 million next) all potentially handy on that front.

There is this significant hurdle to any such deal: The Clippers have long prioritized salary-cap flexibility starting in the summer of 2027, meaning they’d be very reluctant to take on contracts that extend past that point. In the interim, they’ll continue to get calls about players like big man Ivica Zubac and wingman Derrick Jones Jr., who could be plug-and-play difference-makers in many situations.

If there’s a player or two coming their way in that negotiation who can help with this current challenge, then that’s a discussion worth having. But the idea that the Clippers’ abysmal start would lead to their roster serving as a discount rack for rivals has proved to be off-base — and likely will remain so going forward. As it stands, they’re 2 1/2 games out of Play-In position (Portland is 10th) and 9 1/2 games back from the sixth spot (Minnesota).

Warriors: 17-16 (42-win pace); preseason over-under was 47.5

In the absence of a season-saving deal for Giannis that is clearly unlikely (see above), the Warriors might have to accept the fact that this current group — by and large — is going to be it. Here’s why: Team sources say they’re staunchly against the notion of trading either Draymond Green or Jimmy Butler, which creates quite a predicament when you’re trying to match salaries of high-level players.

Take their reported interest in Davis, for example.

While a league source said the Mavericks do have interest in the Warriors’ Jonathan Kuminga, who can’t be traded until Jan. 15 but is widely expected to be dealt before the deadline, the fifth-year forward’s salary ($22.5 million) comes well short of Davis’ ($54.1 million) and would thus require the inclusion of another big contract — i.e. Green ($25.8 million). Yet as Warriors coach Steve Kerr said publicly last week, and team sources confirmed, a move like that is simply not in their plans.

“My No. 1 goal, honestly, is for (Green) to finish his career as a Warrior with us fighting, metaphorically, not literally fighting and competing together until we’re both gone,” Kerr said after his bench dust-up with Green in a game against Orlando on Dec. 22.

A Butler-for-Davis swap works financially, as the Warriors forward also makes $54.1 million this season, but Golden State has shown no interest in making such a move. While team sources say the Warriors have not completely closed the door on the prospect of doing a Davis deal, it appears unlikely. What’s more, it should be noted that the Mavericks called Golden State about the Davis possibility — and not the other way around.

All in all, the Warriors would be wise to fix the late-game woes that have submarined their season to this point. According to the team’s broadcast, they lead the league in blown fourth-quarter leads (eight). Seven of their 16 losses are by five points or fewer.

Turnovers are this team’s forever issue, with Golden State ranked 28th in the league in that department (16.3 per game, ahead of Houston and Portland). And while it’s clear that they’re nowhere near the title-contending status they aspired to this season, the Warriors’ net rating (plus-2.3; 10th in the league) could be seen as a sign that they’re better than their record reflects. They’re currently eighth in the West — four games back of the sixth spot (Minnesota).

Still, the (continued) greatness of Steph Curry will surely compel general manager Mike Dunleavy to continue looking for upgrades in the coming weeks. The Warriors’ longstanding interest in New Orleans’ Trey Murphy III hasn’t led to a deal yet, but it does show the kind of floor-spreading, rim-running, three-and-D player they have in mind. Kuminga’s diminished value is not helping their cause, of course, as he has now racked up seven DNP-CDs in the last nine games after falling out of Kerr’s rotation (while also missing a game on Dec. 20 due to illness).

Lakers: 20-11 (52-win pace); preseason over-under was 46.5

Rich Paul was right when he said earlier this month on his “Game Over” podcast with Max Kellerman that the Lakers, as currently constructed, don’t qualify as true title contenders. And just because the messenger was unorthodox — he’s the longtime agent for LeBron James, after all — doesn’t mean the message was inaccurate.

Anyone who watched their December decline could see that much.

After starting 15-4 in October and November, with James playing just four games in that span because of his sciatica absence, the Lakers went 5-7 this month while ranking 28th in net rating, 29th in defensive rating and 17th in offensive rating. No wonder JJ Redick has been running so hot of late.

But no matter how mad the second-year coach wants to get at this group, the obvious reality is that the Lakers are in desperate need of young, athletic, rangy wing defenders (preferably who can shoot). To wit: Even with former Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart taking Austin Reaves’ starting spot against Detroit on Tuesday, with Luka Dončić, James, Jake LaRavia and Deandre Ayton rounding out the opening lineup, the Pistons scored SEVENTY-FOUR points in the paint in their 128-106 win at Crypto.com Arena (Reaves is out at least four weeks with a calf strain).

This Lakers problem is as glaring as any you’ll find in the entire Association.

When healthy, the odds of Dončić, Reaves and James providing an adequate line of defense on the perimeter are slim to none. So, can president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka land someone like New Orleans’ Herb Jones (not currently believed to be available), Jones (for the right price) or Ellis (ditto), who could aid this cause? While they’re at it, maybe he can find a way to reunite Dončić with Gafford, the Mavericks’ big man who was such a good fit for him during their Dallas days.

Fixing this defensive issue is vital if the Lakers are going to find a way to join the elite.