6 NBA trade ideas we could see happening before the deadline

Buddy Hield to the Dallas Mavericks

The Mavericks could use a shooter, and they'll need one even more should Tim Hardaway Jr. go to another team as a result of his impending free agency this offseason. Adding Buddy Hield from the hapless Sacramento Kings, who are 18-25 and haven't had a winning season since the 2005-'06 campaign, might be the answer. Hield can rip the net from deep — he's shooting 38.4% on more than 10 3-point attempts per game, which is lower than his career 40.6% mark — and would add another outside threat for Luka Doncic and company.

His contract is a big one — $94 million due through the 2023-'24 season — but it's also a descending contract that goes from $24.2 million this season to $18.8 million in 2023-'24. Fortunately for the Mavericks, they have the room to make that happen, especially if they send James Johnson and his $15.7 million salary to the Kings along with some other young players and draft assets. The Kings need to be blown away in order to give up Hield, according to reports, so perhaps Johnson, Josh Green, Wes Iwundu and some draft picks would do the trick. Dallas could also include Hardaway in the deal, though keeping him and teaming him up with Hield would be ideal.

Collins is another name to watch out for here, but as I mentioned above, it's getting a little bit more difficult to envision him being moved.

Lonzo Ball to the Chicago Bulls

The Bulls have an opportunity to make a big splash ahead of the deadline, and they're right on the cusp of a playoff spot. Will they do anything to boost their short-term chances? That remains to be seen.

There are potential suitors for big man Lauri Markkanen, the Athetic reported, and he's a player who could bring back some value. What type of value? Maybe someone like Pelicans point guard Lonzo Ball? Markkanen wouldn't be a perfect fit in New Orleans, seeing as Zion Williamson and Steven Adams make up the front court, and he certainly wouldn't help the team's defense too much. However, he'd help them hit shots from deep (39.6% on 7.2 attempts per game), which is an aspect of the game that they could certainly improve upon. The Pelicans shoot 35.4% on 3-pointers, which ranks 21st in the NBA. If they're not interested in Markkanen, maybe another team could be and a three-team deal could emerge.

Ball would be a perfect fit in Chicago. Defensive chops? Check. Facilitation skills that are currently lacking from guards Coby White and Tomas Satoransky? Check. Someone to help feed Zach LaVine? Check. Ball can shoot, he can defend and he'll likely be a hot commodity this offseason when he reaches restricted free agency. With a trade, the Bulls could then have matching rights on Ball this summer.

"There's skepticism" around the league regarding the Pelicans' willingness to move Ball, Kevin O'Connor of the Ringer reported, but with an 18-24 record and no proven success with Ball at the helm, the Pelicans might be better off getting something in return for him instead of seeing him walk free.

Wayne Ellington to Philadelphia 76ers

The 76ers won't be out of the Kyle Lowry sweepstakes until the clock strikes 3 p.m. ET on Thursday, but there may be some less expensive options for them to pursue.

Pistons guard Wayne Ellington was absolutely scorching from deep early in the season, adding to his proven track record as a 3-point specialist with a 50.5% clip through the first month of the season. He's since cooled off but has still sunk 42.2% of his attempts from deep. He's making just $2.56 million this season, and the Sixers could easily absorb that into part of Al Horford's $8.1 million trade exception while sending away some draft capital in return.

Another possibility is Eric Gordon, though he's currently injured and may not come back until May. The injury puts a real damper on his trade expectations, as Wojnarowski noted.

Gordon was an interesting target for several teams ahead of the March 25 trade deadline, but the injury largely assures Gordon will finish the season with Houston.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) March 12, 2021

Come the postseason, the Sixers could really use a veteran shooter like Gordon for their run. But unloading talent in order to get an injured player doesn't make a trade seem all too likely given the recent injury that will keep star center Joel Embiid sidelined indefinitely.

Evan Fournier to the New York Knicks

Gordon may be destined for Boston, and Fournier could potentially be a part of any package that gets him there. However, Fournier would be a useful fit for a number of teams around the league, and the New York Knicks make a lot of sense.

Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau didn't seem all that fond of a big move, saying on separate occasions that he "love(s) the team that we have" and that "it's important for us to go step-by-step and not skip over things." So adding Fournier, who makes $17 million and would require the Knicks to move a lot of parts, may not fit in Thibodeau's ideal picture.

However, for a team on a playoff path that has already exceeded in making more noise than expected, Fournier might be a good player to take a stab at. The Knicks have more than enough cap room to keep him around past this season, and is anyone in town really all that excited about what Frank Ntilikina and Elfrid Payton are bringing this team for the remainder of the season? Add in a young player like Obi Toppin or Kevin Knox and you might not have to worry about giving away too much draft capital, and both of those young first-round picks are question marks anyway.

The Knicks don't need to win now, but this would help them to do so and may even paint a clearer picture for the future. The Magic, on the other hand, don't want to lose Fournier for nothing and would gain a young, intriguing player in return in this proposal.

Norman Powell to Brooklyn Nets/Golden State Warriors

There are a handful of teams rumored to be in on Raptors scorer Norman Powell, and both of these are interesting to consider for obvious reasons. First off, we need to note that the Raptors could be interested in selling this season. Their loss to the Houston Rockets, who had been on a 20-game losing streak prior to this one, may have cemented that.

The Nets always desire more firepower, as they've shown from their other moves this season, and Powell would slot in at the two to provide some more sweet shooting (43.4% from deep) in pursuit of a ring. The Nets are one of the teams that has shown interest in Powell, Brian Windhorst of ESPN reported (h/t All Raptors Fan Nation). Spencer Dinwiddie, who's injured, could be the primary piece in return, and he could be a dynamic long-term combo guard for Toronto when he returns, seeing as Lowry's future is also in question.

The Warriors could also use Powell's shooting and might be willing to deal Kelly Oubre to Toronto. Oubre joining Pascal Siakam and Fred VanVleet would be intriguing for the Raptors' future, while Powell is a better fit for the Warriors right now and could probably come with a draft pick among the other assets both sides would need to make the salary swap work out.

Kyle Lowry to Miami Heat

The Heat were hot coming out of the All-Star break but have recently lost three straight games. Another piece would help to push the Heat over the edge and thrust them back into top-tier contention in the East.

Lowry is the player for the job. These two parties have been linked a ton, and while there are other Lowry suitors out there — like the 76ers and the Nuggets — the opportunity for a veteran like Lowry to join the Heat and team up with Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo is an exciting one. Lowry's friendship with Butler is a factor that makes Miami his "preferred destination," O'Connor reported in the Ringer, making the landing spot even more enticing.

So too are the assets that the Heat could offer the Raptors in return. One of Duncan Robinson or Tyler Herro would almost certainly be involved, and those are players who have much brighter futures in Toronto along with their other young stars than does Lowry.