We’re just two days away from the 2021 NBA trade deadline, which means that teams have some hard choices to make with respect to adding more players to make a push for the postseason or deal away valuable players in order to stock up their draft picks for future seasons. Such former All-Stars as LaMarcus Aldrdige, Kyle Lowry and Andre Drummond could look very useful to teams that consider themselves just one player away from title contention. Teams like Cleveland and Houston might decide that they will focus on contending next year and deal their top players for draft value. Given that the top ten teams in each conference will have a shot at the postseason, because of the play-in tournament, there will likely be fewer sellers than there would have been previous years.
Let’s take a look at the latest news ahead of the trade deadline as you consider the impact on your NBA betting strategy.
NBA News: The Rumor Mill
Victor Oladipo’s time in Houston is growing short
With that 20-game losing streak turning the Rockets from potential contenders into lottery candidates, the team is likely to shop Oladipo before Thursday. The New York Knicks and the Miami Heat are both interested, but Houston wants a premium package in return. Both teams are likely to have a lot of salary cap space this summer, so they do not want to put any of that at hazard. Among teams that are capped-out for next year, though, there has been a lot of interest for Oladipo despite his reduced production in Houston this year, with the Rockets getting several packages of first-rounders and quality young players to consider.
Clippers clear out a roster spot and cap space ahead of the trade deadline
The Clips have sent Mfiondu Kabengele to the Sacramento Kings, along with a future second-round draft choice and cash, for a protected second-round draft choice in the future. Now the Clippers have a roster spot, along with $2.6 million of space under the hard salary cap before the trade deadline, along with the buyout market.
Miami interested in Kyle Lowry
The problem that the Heat face in bringing Lowry to South Beach is that they cannot trade any of their first-round draft picks unless they are willing to remove protections from the 2023 draft choice that they currently owe the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Derrick Rose back with the Knicks, playing timetable remains unclear
Rose had a serious bout with COVID-19, and in a press conference on Monday he looked tired as he talked about quarantining with his children, who also caught the disease. About COVID-19, Rose said, “They say everybody is different, but with me I never felt anything like that before. I’ve had the flu. It was nothing like the flu. It was that times 10. So like I said, I’m slowly getting back. I’m progressing every day and just trying to get back in the swing of things.” Rose’s last game action came on February 28. He missed eight games as well as the All-STar break. He has cleared the league’s protocols but has to get his fitness and strength back before he can play. Given how well the Knicks are playing right now, they could certainly use his contributions once he’s ready.
Elgin Baylor passes at the age of 86
Elgin Baylor was considered one of the greatest basketball players of all time, with an illustrious 14-season career with the Los Angeles Lakers, spanning from 1958 to 1971. He was the Rookie of the Year for the 1958-59 season, and he also won the MVP at the All-Star Game that season. He averaged a double-double for his entire career, putting up 27.4 points and 13.5 boards per contest. He followed that up as the storied GM for the Los Angeles Clippers, but it was his time as a player that left him a superstar. He went to the NBA Finals with the Lakers (in Minneapolis and L.A.) eight times but never won a championship. During part of his career he was in the U.S. Army Reserves, only playing ball while he was off with his weekend pass. He was the first player ever to score 70 points in a game, putting up 71 against the Knicks in 1960. Knee woes forced him into retirement near the start of the 1971-72 season — the season when the Lakers would win a championship. He was one of the first superstars in the modern NBA, and his passing marks a turning point in the sport’s history.
