With the NBA’s trade deadline rapidly approaching, teams are evaluating their chances of success over the remainder of the season. The top squads are looking for the final piece to the championship puzzle. Teams at the bottom of the standings are looking to acquire future pieces for their established veterans on the trade market.
The teams in the middle face some tough decisions. Are they just a couple of moves away or do they stand no chance? Here are five NBA teams that are currently in the playoff race, but are better off tanking for the remainder of the year:
Miami Heat
Jimmy Butler’s discontent has overshadowed the Heat’s season. It was to be expected after the two sides couldn’t agree to an extension. They’re currently in the 8th seed in the Eastern Conference and staring at a third-straight play-in appearance. Of course, they’ve made a run to the NBA Finals from that spot before.
However, when Butler eventually gets traded — which seems all too likely following two team-issued suspensions — the Heat will be in limbo. They’re not getting a player as impactful as Butler in the return. Bam Adebayo hasn’t played at an All-Star level this season. The Heat are better off giving their young players all the run — like Nikola Jovic, Jaime Jaquez Jr., and Kel’el Ware — instead of chasing another miracle postseason run.
Chicago Bulls
The Bulls have become a stalwart in the Play-In Tournament. They’ve made it two years in a row despite finishing with a record below .500 in both seasons. That could be the case once again this year. Chicago is sporting a 19-27 record and is currently the No. 10 seed in the Eastern Conference. They failed to earn their way into the playoff bracket each of the past two tries, and there’s no reason to believe they could do so this year.
Several of their players are reportedly available via trade, indicating the front office has already accepted their fate. If Zach LaVine is moved, the Bulls won’t have to worry about employing any sort of tanking tactics. He’s been excellent for most of the year and his scoring ability can shift a game in an instant. The Bulls are 1-7 over their last eight games and should be looking to move off some of their top players immediately.
Sacramento Kings
The Kings fired Mike Brown after a disappointing start and immediately found success under interim coach Doug Christie. A stretch of 10 wins in 11 games propelled the Kings back into the race for a play-in spot. But, is that what this team should be striving for?
A 37-8 Oklahoma City Thunder is running away with the No. 1 seed, but the rest of the West is in a bit of a log jam. The two teams that played in the Conference Finals last year — the Minnesota Timberwolves and Dallas Mavericks — are currently outside of the top 6. These Kings have the offense to upset a team on any given night, but their upside is limited. Changing coaches isn’t suddenly going to make Domantas Sabonis a better defender. We’ve seen the ceiling for a team that offers zero rim protection.
Golden State Warriors
It’s been a steep fall for the Warriors. Their 12-3 start instilled some confidence following an offseason roster overhaul. The team opting for depth instead of familiarity seemed to be a wise choice. And, then the wheels began coming off. They’re 10-20 over the last two months and the team is all out of sorts.
Stephen Curry is 36 years old and is still being asked to carry the team offensively with no legitimate No. 2 option beside him. It’s taking a toll. His scoring average is the lowest it’s been since 2012. Awful shooting nights are a weekly occurrence. He shot 4-for-17 with 13 points in a recent loss to the Lakers, including an 0-for-8 second half. It’s difficult to imagine things turning around anytime soon.
Philadelphia 76ers
The 76ers have the best roster out of this group. They have a top-5 player in Joel Embiid. Tyrese Maxey is an All-Star. You can do a whole lot worse than Paul George as a third option. Guerschon Yabusele, Kelly Oubre Jr., and Caleb Martin have excelled in their roles. Eric Gordon is shooting nearly 50 percent from three this month.
With that being said, this team just can’t get out of its way. Embiid is elite when he plays. He’s played in just 13 games this year and hasn’t suited up since Jan. 4 with knee and foot concerns. The front office wanted to upgrade from Tobias Harris in the offseason, so they dished out a massive four-year/$212 million deal to a 34-year-old George. George’s numbers this season (17.1 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 4.7 APG) aren’t all too different from Harris’ last year (17.2 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 3.1 APG).
The team doesn’t seem to play with force on either end, and that could be a coaching issue. Their best shot is earning a spot in the play-in, and eventually securing the No. 8 seed. With a healthy Embiid, they’d still be a longshot. Without Embiid, they’d stand no chance against the Cleveland Cavaliers or Boston Celtics.
