The NBA trade deadline remains over two months away, but this season has been a friendly reminder that the rumors and rumblings never seem to cool off. While teams like the Bulls and Raptors are contemplating potential roster overhauls, there are a number of players fans should keep on the radar ahead of the deadline.
The three names below are all players capable of stepping into roles where they can make an immediate impact for potential playoff teams. Let’s break them down a bit and layout two potential fits for each.
Bones Hyland, Los Angeles Clippers
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The trade sending James Harden to the Clippers resulted in Bones Hyland becoming the odd-man out and falling out of the rotation. Prior to the deal for Harden, Hyland had just wrapped up a four-game stretch in November where he averaged 16.0 points and shot 49% from the field and 46.4% from beyond the arc.
Hyland could provide a team like the Bucks or Nets a second-unit option who can put up solid minutes while consistently putting the ball in the hoop. I’d love to see him land as the backup to Damian Lillard, so that’ll be a spot worth watching.
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Jaden Ivey, Detroit Pistons
Best fits: Cavaliers, Bucks
Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports
The situation with Jaden Ivey, the No. 5 pick in the 2022 draft, has been a bit of a strange one. After averaging 16.3 points, 5.2 assists and 3.9 rebounds as a rookie over 31.1 minutes per game, his playing time has been slashed. Ivey averages just over 23 minutes per game this season—a significant drop in playing time despite posting an improved shooting percentage (49.6% up from 41.6% last year).
With the Pistons in the midst of an 18-game losing streak, it’ll be interesting to see how they approach the trade deadline. A team like the Cavaliers or Bucks would benefit from having a player like Ivey who’s capable of putting up numbers and being a potential focal point of the second unit.
Cam Whitmore, Houston Rockets
Best fits: Mavericks, Warriors
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To be clear, I’d be extremely surprised if the Rockets dealt Cam Whitmore, the No. 20 overall pick in the 2023 draft. But he’s currently stuck behind Dillon Brooks and Tari Eason on the depth chart.
Whitmore’s upside was on full display this week when he poured in 22 points in the fourth quarter alone while playing for the Rio Grande Valley Vipers of the NBA G-League.
And while Whitmore has seen extremely limited minutes for the Rockets this season, he's hardly ever lacking in the box score. During his last showing in Houston, Whitmore logged just three minutes against the Lakers, yet scored five points with three rebounds and one assist.
The forward can do a bit of everything and both the Mavericks and Warriors would benefit massively from acquiring him if the price was right.
