National Basketball Association

5 Teams That Should Be Sellers At 2017 Trade Deadline

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 5:38 p.m. ET

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Several teams made moves in the summer of 2016 to position themselves as playoff contenders, but some of those franchises would be better off rebuilding. Here are five teams who should be sellers at the 2017 NBA trade deadline.

Nov 13, 2015; Sacramento, CA, USA; Sacramento Kings forward DeMarcus Cousins (15) moves in against Brooklyn Nets center Brook Lopez (11) during the third quarter at Sleep Train Arena. The Sacramento Kings defeated the Brooklyn Nets 111-109. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

The summer of 2016 was one of the most active periods of free agency in NBA history. There were blockbuster moves, like Kevin Durant‘s decision to sign with the Golden State Warriors.

Players like Al Horford, Dwyane Wade and Pau Gasol moved to new pastures, as well.

Some of the more under-the-radar acquisitions were interesting to watch play out, as teams that are far away from contending for an NBA title, just hoping to get to the playoffs, made moves that may or may not work out.

A few of these moves include Dwight Howard‘s choice to go to his hometown of Atlanta, Harrison Barnes heading to the Dallas Mavericks and an influx of three new starting-caliber players to the Houston Rockets.

Those are just a handful of the many changes that have occurred since July 1, and although it’s encouraging to see the front offices of teams doing what they can to improve their rosters, most of these acquisitions will not be enough to reach the top of the mountain in what appears to be a three-way race between Golden State, Cleveland, and San Antonio.

Here are five teams who should be sellers at the 2017 Trade Deadline, whether they want to face that reality or not.

Dec 30, 2014; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Kyle Korver (26) and forward Paul Millsap (4) and guard Thabo Sefolosha (25) on the court against the Cleveland Cavaliers in the fourth quarter at Philips Arena. The Hawks defeated the Cavaliers 109-101. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

Atlanta Hawks

The decision to give Dwight Howard $70 million over three years is questionable to say the least.

The Hawks lost Al Horford to the Boston Celtics. They traded Jeff Teague for the No. 12 overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft.

Paul Millsap is likely on his way out the door. So why would the Hawks make it appear like they want to rebuild and start fresh, but then sign an overpriced, aging big man?

Even if Dennis Schroder proves he is ready to be a starting point guard at the NBA level; even if Millsap continues to play at an All-Star level; and even if Howard averages a double-double; it’s tough to envision the Hawks finishing any higher than fourth in the Eastern Conference.

Best case scenario, the Hawks get the unenviable reward of being eliminated by the Cavs for a third straight year. Good luck with that.

The decision to re-sign Kent Bazemore for $70 million over four years made more sense. He’s only 27 years old and that’s a relatively reasonable price for a starting small forward.

Bazemore could be a part of the Hawks’ core even after Millsap is gone and is a piece to build around, along with Schroder.

Aside from Bazemore and Schroder (22 years old), all of the Hawks’ main contributors are at least 30 years old.

Atlanta acquired small forward Taurean Prince, who figures to be a key part of the foundation going forward, with the first-round draft-pick from Utah.

Assuming Millsap opts out of his contract after the 2016-17 season, he’ll be 32 years old when he enters free agency.

In fact, he turns 32 in February, right before the trade deadline.

If the Hawks can see the writing on the wall, they’re not going to be a realistic threat in the Eastern Conference and their roster is filled with the following veteran players, who don’t make sense in the long-term future of the franchise:

Jarrett Jack (32), Millsap (31), Kyle Korver (35), Thabo Sefolosha (32), Tiago Splitter (31), Kris Humphries (31).

Millsap would be the only player for whom the Hawks could net a significant return, but those other veteran players should all be considered potential trade candidates at the deadline.

Jack, Korver, Sefolosha and Splitter are not guys who could be the second- or third-best option on a contending team, but could all help teams that already have a good shot at reaching the conference finals.

Picture Korver added to the Spurs or Jack on the Clippers as Chris Paul‘s backup.

If the Hawks know what is in store in 2017, it would make more sense to trade Millsap for significant building blocks of the future and deal away the veteran pieces to teams who have at least a slim hope of a deep run in the postseason, like the Pacers, Raptors, or Thunder.

But then again, the Hawks organization doesn’t seem to mind getting swept out of the playoffs annually, and the current regime seems to be setting themselves up for another early exit.

Feb 25, 2015; Sacramento, CA, USA; Sacramento Kings forward Rudy Gay (8) and center DeMarcus Cousins (15) argue a call with the referee during the second quarter of the game against the Memphis Grizzlies at Sleep Train Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-USA TODAY Sports

Sacramento Kings

It’s not much of a surprise that this team made the list and we won’t go too in-depth as to why the Kings are once again expected to be sellers, but the following players have already been mentioned in trade rumors throughout the summer:

DeMarcus Cousins: It seems like it’s a matter of “when” not “if” the center will be shipped off from Sacramento. It’s actually somewhat of a surprise they’ve held onto him this long.

Cousins has emerged as one of the NBA’s bright, young stars and is maturing little by little, easing some of the concerns regarding his attitude and temper.

The concerns are still there, but for the most part, the 26-year-old has everything going for him and might benefit from a change of scenery to a place where winning is the No. 1 priority.

Rudy Gay: Gay is one of those names that gets thrown around every single year and for a multitude of reasons, the rumored trades don’t pan out. He’s not quite a star, but much better than average.

Some teams may propose too little in return for Gay. Perhaps the Kings expect to get a haul for him that is unrealistic.

Either way, if he is not out of Sacramento by the 2017 NBA trade deadline, it would be another “wasted” season for both Gay and the Kings’ organization.

Gay could help a contending team, but the question becomes, what type of package would be fair for all parties involved?

The Kings signed Arron Afflalo and Matt Barnes each to two-year deals, and if Sacramento is out of playoff contention by February, both of those players could be trade candidates.

They also signed Ty Lawson, who will have a chance to start while Darren Collison faces impending punishment for a domestic battery conviction, which could result in upwards of a 20-game suspension.

It’s difficult to predict how the Lawson experiment will turn out, but he and Collison are not exempt from the possibility of being traded in February either.

Collison becomes a free-agent in 2017 and could help a contending team as a backup point guard or fill in for an injured starter.

Perhaps a team could use a guy like Omri Casspi, who is also a free agent in 2017 and could play a role as a backup forward on contending teams.

Apr 18, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Houston Rockets forward Trevor Ariza (1) and guard James Harden (13) walk down the court after the Rockets were called for a foul against the Golden State Warriors in the fourth quarter in game two of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at Oracle Arena. The Warriors defeated the Rockets 115-106. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

Houston Rockets

In another case of “what was the front office thinking?” we present the Houston Rockets.

The two biggest moves that made little sense in the long-term future of the franchise are the acquisitions of Eric Gordon and Ryan Anderson, who each signed four-year deals.

We’ll start with Gordon, who is 27 years old, has battled injuries his entire career, and even when healthy is far from the top of the list when it comes to shooting guards in the league.

The Rockets signed Gordon for $53 million, a relatively affordable contract for an injury-prone player, who might be a solid sixth man if he stays healthy.

Even if Gordon stays healthy, he’s expected to be one of the top two or three scorers on the team, behind James Harden.

That’s not a great second or third option to have.

As for Anderson, the 28-year-old was valuable in New Orleans and would be a great piece to complement a roster that is already filled with above-average starters, but the Rockets are in NBA purgatory heading into 2016-17, with a realistic shot of reaching sixth in the Western Conference at best.

Maybe Harden has an MVP-caliber season and carries the team into contention for a top-four finish, but that’s a long shot and would require some extraordinary circumstances to play out with his supporting cast.

The Rockets signed Anderson for $20 million per season, which is fair, considering what players of his caliber were receiving from other teams.

Aside from Harden, Anderson, and Gordon, who do the Rockets have that they can rely upon as a part of their core going forward?

Trevor Ariza and Corey Brewer both become free agents after the 2017-18 campaign. Michael Beasley and Nene Hilario each signed one-year deals, which will make them free agents after this season.

Patrick Beverley is a below-average starting point guard, who would make more sense coming off the bench on a good team, but is signed through 2019.

Houston owns a team option on 22-year-old center Clint Capela, who is one of the only young players on the roster. Capela has potential to be an above-average NBA center and could be a piece of the Rockets long-term foundation.

Donatas Motiejunas becomes a restricted free-agent after this upcoming season, but has potential to grow and stick around as part of Houston’s core, at just 25 years of age.

Keeping all of this in mind, don’t be surprised if players like Ariza, Brewer, Nene, and Beasley are mentioned as trade candidates at the deadline.

Outside of a monster season from Harden, there’s little hope for the Rockets to contend in the West. Perhaps by February, the front office will face this reality and move some of those veteran players with expiring contracts.

Nov 11, 2015; Dallas, TX, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki (41) and owner Mark Cuban react during the game against the Los Angeles Clippers at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

Dallas Mavericks

Even the staunchest of Dirk Nowitzki supporters would admit the future does not look all that bright for the Mavs.

It seems uncharacteristic of Mark Cuban to admit defeat and start a rebuild, which is why his front office made some head-scratching moves in the summer of 2016, perhaps under the spell of delusion that they actually have a shot in the West.

One of the biggest pieces of news of 2016 free agency was the decision to sign Harrison Barnes to a max deal, making him a cornerstone of the franchise.

Putting Barnes to the side, which made arguably the least sense of all the moves this summer, what do the Mavericks have to work with in 2016-17?

An aging Dirk, who can still play at a high level, despite being 38 years old.

Three solid point guards in Deron Williams (32), Devin Harris (33), and J.J. Barea (32).

They also signed Seth Curry, who showed flashes towards the end of 2015-16 that may indicate a promising career, to a two-year deal.

Dallas traded for 31-year-old center Andrew Bogut, who is still a tough, hard-nosed player, but provides little offensively.

Shooting guard Wesley Matthews has not lived up to his big contract and still has three years left. Perhaps Cuban would not have pulled the trigger on that deal if he knew DeAndre Jordan would bail at the last minute, but regardless, it looks like a pretty bad signing in hindsight.

A few role players in the frontcourt include Quincy Acy, Salah Mejri and Dwight Powell.

Guard Justin Anderson, at age 22, is an up-and-coming player, but still appears far away from being a significant contributor.

All of the pieces of that roster don’t exactly scream top four seed in the West. It may not even be enough to make the playoffs, with teams like Utah and Minnesota on the rise.

Williams and Bogut both become free agents after the 2016-17 season.

Those two are certainly on the list of trade candidates at the deadline. Injuries to starting point guards or centers on contending teams could make either of them valuable in the market.

Harris is signed through the end of 2017-18, but with Curry in the fold, the Mavericks may be willing to move him early in the season or at the deadline.

Maybe Barnes will have the last laugh and turn out to be a star on a contending Western Conference team and help lead Dallas to a respectable playoff run.

If that happens, it would be funny to see national media collectively tip their hats to the former-Golden State Warriors’ roleplayer. but don’t count on it.

If this were an episode of Shark Tank, the advice for Mark Cuban would be to not invest in playoff tickets.

Dec 2, 2014; New York, NY, USA; Brooklyn Nets center Brook Lopez (11) celebrates with Bojan Bogdanovic (44) against the New York Knicks during the first quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports

Brooklyn Nets

It’s no secret that the Nets are nowhere near contending in the Eastern Conference and it would be a surprise if they’re even in the playoff race come February.

The Nets made several moves in free agency, the most notable of which included the signings of Jeremy Lin, Trevor Booker, Luis Scola, Randy Foye, and Greivis Vasquez.

Brooklyn also acquired a few players who would be considered “projects,” like Anthony Bennett, Joe Harris and Justin Hamilton.

It’s a new-look roster with mostly below-average veterans to go with star center Brook Lopez, shooting guard Bojan Bogdanovic, and a couple of young wings in Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and Sean Kilpatrick.

Kilpatrick and Hollis-Jefferson showed some promise in 2015-16 and could be a part of Brooklyn’s future for years to come.

Bogdanovic has proven he can play at the NBA level over the last two years and dominated competition in the Rio Olympics.

Lin and Booker should be solid pieces going forward, as the guard is signed for three years and the power forward signed for two.

The rest of the options leave much to be desired.

Vasquez, Foye and Scola each signed one-year deals and will become free agents in the summer of 2017.

That makes each of those three logical candidates to be traded at the deadline.

Foye had an underwhelming 2015-16 season, but perhaps he can increase his personal stats on what figures to be a below-average Nets team to draw some interest from contenders.

Scola is a savvy veteran and could help add depth to contending teams as they push toward the playoffs.

Vasquez is a solid backup point guard, but injury problems have set him back in his career and will be a hurdle to overcome in 2016-17.

Brooklyn might get a marginal return for those three players at the deadline, but if the franchise really wants to set itself up for a better future, the Nets should strongly consider moving Lopez and Bogdanovic.

Bogdanovic becomes a restricted free agent after the 2016-17 season and could be in line for a big pay day if he plays well.

It’s a different level of competition, but the way Bogdanovic dominated in Rio, it’s not out of the realm of possibility for the Croatian to have a big year in Brooklyn.

Perhaps the Nets could ship him off for a decent package at the deadline before he becomes a restricted free agent.