With the trade deadline around the corner and two major trades stunning the league, it is time we take a look at some of the notable moves so far this season. We will focus primarily on the blockbuster trades of last week, involving top names Luka Doncic, Anthony Davis, De'Aaron Fox and Zach LaVine, but we will also take time to review a couple of other trades that have recently changed the landscape.
Doncic to Lakers, Davis to Mavs
On February 2, the Dallas Mavericks agreed to send Luka Doncic, Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for Anthony Davis and Max Christie. The Jazz participated in the deal as a third party, receiving Jalen Hood-Schifino and a couple of picks.
This trade came as a shock to the sports world, as almost no one would have imagined the Mavs voluntarily letting go of 25-year-old superstar Luka Doncic. However, the Mavs seem to be content with the play and makeup of their squad over the last couple of weeks while Doncic has been sidelined, and seem to believe that the addition of Anthony Davis does more to put them in a win-now position than having another go-around with Doncic.
Beyond the grandeur of the trade, there are plenty of fantasy implications to consider. First, Doncic and Davis should not experience much of a change in their output, as both will pick up similar roles with their new teams. On
With the trade deadline around the corner and two major trades stunning the league, it is time we take a look at some of the notable moves so far this season. We will focus primarily on the blockbuster trades of last week, involving top names Luka Doncic, Anthony Davis, De'Aaron Fox and Zach LaVine, but we will also take time to review a couple of other trades that have recently changed the landscape.
Doncic to Lakers, Davis to Mavs
On February 2, the Dallas Mavericks agreed to send Luka Doncic, Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for Anthony Davis and Max Christie. The Jazz participated in the deal as a third party, receiving Jalen Hood-Schifino and a couple of picks.
This trade came as a shock to the sports world, as almost no one would have imagined the Mavs voluntarily letting go of 25-year-old superstar Luka Doncic. However, the Mavs seem to be content with the play and makeup of their squad over the last couple of weeks while Doncic has been sidelined, and seem to believe that the addition of Anthony Davis does more to put them in a win-now position than having another go-around with Doncic.
Beyond the grandeur of the trade, there are plenty of fantasy implications to consider. First, Doncic and Davis should not experience much of a change in their output, as both will pick up similar roles with their new teams. On the other hand, the trade will certainly cause a ripple through both squad's rotations. Beginning with the Mavs, Davis can be expected to take on the starting power forward job, which would move P.J. Washington to small forward, while Naji Marshall and Spencer Dinwiddie will likely have to fall back into bench roles. Klay Thompson will be able to move back over to his natural position at shooting guard and is likely to find a better rhythm, after spending most of his time with the Mavs at small forward. In the frontcourt, Daniel Gafford and Dereck Lively (once healthy) will continue to share minutes at center and should not be overly affected by the changes. Lastly, Kyrie Irving will take full control of point-guard duties and has a great opportunity to deliver increased production as the top scoring option in the backcourt. Looking at the Lakers, Doncic will take over the role as starting point guard, shifting Austin Reaves to a more natural role at shooting guard. The absence of Davis also provides a lot of room for Jaxson Hayes and Jarred Vanderbilt to step up and handle significant playing time. Additionally, Maxi Kleber (once healthy) provides viable depth in the frontcourt, while Christian Wood will also be in line for a major boost when he is able to return to the lineup. LeBron James may experience a slight drawback in overall production, as Doncic will take on the majority of ball-handling and play-making responsibility. Nonetheless, James is also likely to benefit in terms of his scoring efficiency, as Doncic should draw the majority of defensive attention. Markieff Morris should not be expected to take on much of a role right away but could become a valuable presence as another veteran leader in the frontcourt.
Fox and LaVine
On February 2, the Kings traded De'Aaron Fox and Jordan McLaughlin to the San Antonio Spurs, while Zach LaVine and multiple first-round picks went to Sacramento, and the Bulls acquired Zach Collins, Tre Jones and Kevin Huerter.
Fox is set to fill in the starting point guard job for the Spurs and will surely thrive playing with Victor Wembanyama. However, the move will force Chris Paul into a bench role, likely resulting in reduced output, after he delivered significant value early in the season. Looking at the Kings, Zach LaVine is primed to take the job of starting shooting guard but is unlikely to keep up the monstrous production that he had with the Bulls, as he will no longer be the outright best scoring option, as he now must work amongst other high-level scorers DeMar DeRozan, Domantas Sabonis and Malik Monk. DeRozan, Sabonis and Monk should be able to maintain similar levels of production, as the net change is not major from their perspective, with one scorer out and another one added. However, Monk is the most likely of the three to establish increased productivity, as he is now the team's starting point guard and lead playmaker. Fox's absence also should result in a boost for Devin Carter, as he moves up in the rotation as the backup point guard. Additionally, the Bulls' roster will experience a significant shift as the departure of their top scorer leaves a void to be filled, which gives a major opportunity to Coby White to take the next step in his development by becoming the certified offensive leader for the squad. Kevin Huerter is likely to join the rotation and fill in a fair amount of minutes, while Dalen Terry and Matas Buzelis are also in line for a boost. Collins and Jones are both expected to be sidelined through the week but could surely earn themselves significant roles off the bench before long.
Richards for Okogie
On January 15, the Hornets sent Nick Richards and a second-round pick to the Suns in exchange for Josh Okogie and three second-round picks.
In light of fantasy impact, the deal gives a major boost to Nick Richards, who is now rolling as the starting center for the Suns. He has already delivered a few solid performances and should continue to emerge as a strong contributor at the position. Meanwhile, Okogie's role has not changed much as he was slotted into the bench rotation for the Hornets. That being said, he could easily earn more responsibility down the line by continuing to stand out on the defensive end, as he already has five games with at least three steals and two games with two blocks among seven appearances with his new squad. Unfortunately, Okogie is currently sidelined with a hamstring strain and is expected to be out until early-March.
Middleton for Kuzma
Hot off the press, on February 5, it was announced that the Milwaukee Bucks would trade Khris Middleton and AJ Johnson to the Washington Wizards in exchange for Kyle Kuzma.
The deal gives the Bucks another solid scoring threat to go alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard. However, it is unlikely that Kuzma will be able to achieve the same levels of production as he did as a primary option with the Wizards. On the other hand, Middleton has the chance to step into a lead offensive role for the Wizards and could deliver an increased output if he is able to maintain healthy stats and build a rhythm.
