The 2022-23 NBA season is well underway and trade rumors are heating up as we approach the trade deadline. Although we are currently in the period where top markets across the league are looking to make major moves to acquire star players, trades can still happen at any moment including at the end of the season. No matter what, general managers of franchises have the time to look for the best deals to make at any given moment.
There are 5 excellent superteams that can be formed this year when looking at the 2023 NBA season. Teams that are in the mix include the Los Angeles Lakers and Miami Heat, as they are franchises in different moments right now as the former might want to re-tool while the latter wants to go all-in while Jimmy Butler is still in his prime. Otherwise, the New York Knicks are always looking to add a star player while Brooklyn Nets are in the same position in terms of wanting to solidify their future.
NBA Finalists from last year, the Boston Celtics and Golden State Warriors, could be looking to make blockbuster moves to get them right back into the NBA Finals in 2023 and place them in better positions to succeed in the future. There could be five major superteams that could be formed in the year 2023, whether it happens right now or at the end of the season, and the NBA landscape could permanently change as a result.
The Heatles Are Back
Los Angeles Lakers Receive: Kyle Lowry, Duncan Robinson, Nikola Jovic, 2023 First-Round Pick, 2024 First-Round Pick, 2027 First-Round Pick
Miami Heat Receive: LeBron James
The Los Angeles Lakers are not a good team, even if they have managed some big wins including the victory against the Milwaukee Bucks earlier in the season and the result against the Miami Heat with LeBron James and Anthony Davis out. Their record is 19-22 as they sit 12th in the Western Conference, without much of a chance to make the playoffs unless they can somehow grab the 10th seed at the end of the year. Based on how the team fails to defend and find offense without LeBron or Anthony Davis, missing the playoffs could be a foregone conclusion.
Instead of trying to find ways to win with a roster that is not championship material, the Lakers might be faced with a very sad situation: LeBron James requesting a trade. The King has been playing well as his offense has been off the charts. James is averaging 29.1 PPG at age 38, when in fact he should be the second or third option on his side. James has seemingly had enough, and analysts have begun to predict that the superstar player will request a trade and move on as he has done in the past many times before even if The King has come to the defense of his teammates. But let’s face it, even if the Lakers are playing better as they went 5-1 over the last 6 games, they aren’t fooling anybody. Specifically, LeBron isn’t fooling us either, he would be better off on a better team.
What would be the best destination for him? South Beach. LeBron won his first two championships with the Heat after he learned how to win in the NBA Finals from franchise legend Dwyane Wade. Now, James can return back to Miami as a 38-year-old veteran with a total of 4 NBA championships and 4 NBA Finals MVPs to his name. The winner of this deal will be the Heat, a franchise that has two All-Stars including Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo, while Tyler Herro is All-Star material. How could Miami lure The King back while giving the Lakers what they want?
Miami will likely offer a host of expiring contracts and first-round picks to strike a deal for LeBron James, as Lowry and Robinson will be off the books after two years and Nikola Jovic is a talented young player. Most importantly, the Lakers receive 3 first-round picks at a minimum to tank and rebuild for a chance to fix their future. Obviously, they can dangle Anthony Davis for more first-round picks and let Russell Westbrook’s $44 million salary expire. Meanwhile, the Heat win it all.
LeBron becomes the new point guard for the Heat alongside Tyler Herro, Jimmy Butler, and Bam Adebayo to create a Fantastic Four. No team has four All-Star players who can each score 20 PPG, and their veteran experience will be enough to dominate the postseason. In a nutshell, LeBron’s return to Miami makes the team immediate title contenders while the Lakers rebuild once and for all.
Knicks Finally Land An All-Star Player
Chicago Bulls Receive: Immanuel Quickley, Obi Toppin, Evan Fournier, 2023 First-Round Pick, 2024 First-Round Pick
New York Knicks Receive: Zach LaVine
The New York Knicks need a star player, even if Jalen Brunson has looked like an All-Star at times by averaging 21.6 PPG, 3.5 RPG, and 6.5 APG as the starting point guard. Brunson is capable of carrying an offense for the Knicks, scoring the ball as required, and creating for others. Alongside Julius Randle and RJ Barrett, Brunson has been a very solid addition. But the team needs more, as they sit 7th in the Eastern Conference with a 22-19 record. To compete with the Bucks, Celtics, 76ers, and Nets, the Knicks need a bonafide star. Their best option is none other than Zach LaVine.
LaVine is averaging 23.3 PPG, 4.4 RPG, and 4.3 APG for the Bulls this year in what can be considered a down year. In the last 3 seasons, Zach has averaged at least 24 PPG and could be back to his best in a big market. In order for the New York Knicks to acquire a go-to scorer of LaVine’s caliber, it might have to come at the expense of a host of depth players and possibly 3 first-round picks. That is because the Chicago Bulls could give up on trying to be anything more than a first-round exit. The Bulls sit 10th in the East with a putrid 19-22 record as they have underwhelmed despite having DeMar DeRozan, Zach LaVine, and Nikola Vucevic on the roster.
Being an average team is deadly in the NBA because a franchise cannot compete for a title or rebuild for young stars in the draft. They must make a move, and it might be to the benefit of the Knicks because Evan Fournier is not a long-term answer although the two other players are young and have the potential to be starters someday. No doubt, the Bulls will be far more interested in the first-round picks.
New York needs to acquire an All-Star perimeter scorer who can create his own offense and score the ball consistently. Clearing the roster of talented, young role players and future assets hands the keys to a massive market to LaVine, a player who has the highlight reel qualities to make a significant impact on the franchise. For Zach LaVine, leading the charge in New York alongside some other talented starters boosts his cache as a top player in the league. Of course, the Knicks will bring excitement back to the fanbase as they have four very talented players who all have All-Star potential in a loaded Eastern Conference.
Boston Makes A Move To Make The NBA Finals
Washington Wizards Receive: Marcus Smart, Robert Williams III, 2024 First-Round Pick, 2026 First-Round Pick
Boston Celtics Receive: Bradley Beal
The Boston Celtics are still the best team in the Eastern Conference this year, even if they have had some questionable performances this season including a blowout loss to the tanking Oklahoma City Thunder. Boston did make the NBA Finals last year, to their credit, but they also lost in a frustrating fashion. For some reason, the Celtics forgot how to keep a handle on the ball and were punished time after time whenever Jayson Tatum or Jaylen Brown did not score. With so much pressure on those two stars, Boston could do better by bringing in a bonafide All-Star to their ranks to form a Big Three.
In the preseason, the Celtics did a great job in bringing in Malcolm Brogdon to fix their point guard play, but they should make an even bigger move to bring in Bradley Beal. Jayson Tatum is absolutely untouchable, because of his elite scoring skill and ability to one day be a bonafide MVP contender every year. Importantly, it has to be mentioned that Bradley Beal is a better player than Marcus Smart, even if the latter won Defensive Player of the Year last season. Beal can form arguably the most talented offensive perimeter trio in the NBA alongside Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. The Celtics can also hold on to other key players such as Al Horford, Derrick White, and Malcolm Brogdon who can be placed around the three stars.
Not to mention, Bradley Beal and Jayson Tatum are very good friends and have made it known that playing with each other could be in their plans. As a matter of fact, it could happen at any point because the NBA has become a league full of friends rather than one full of enemies. But to achieve this, the Celtics need to pry Beal from the Washington Wizards. To do so, Boston will need to meet Washington’s desire for first-round picks and talented young players. Robert Williams III has the potential to be a dominant defensive player and Marcus Smart can be further packaged for more picks down the line. With Beal on a title contender and Washington in tank mode, this could be a win-win deal.
The Most Talented Big Three In NBA History
Los Angeles Lakers Sign Kyrie Irving
Since the point guard asked to be traded earlier in the year, the Los Angeles Lakers fanbase has been anticipating the Kyrie Irving deal. Kyrie has created a great deal of turmoil during his time with the team, although the Nets have remained loyal to their star point guard. In reality, Irving has caused problems wherever he has gone since leaving LeBron James’ team and could be more trouble than he is worth if the Nets go through another difficult patch. They are balling right now, but a bad stretch can happen at any moment. Most importantly, if the Nets do not win it all this year, Kyrie Irving could finally leave as he is a free agent next year.
Playing beside LeBron James, the best leader in the NBA right now is the only way for Irving to maintain his concentration. James and Kyrie would make a strong team, giving Los Angeles a team that has already established itself. Kyrie Irving is averaging 26.0 PPG, 4.9 RPG, and 4.7 APG while shooting 48.8% FG, 36.6% 3-PT FG, and 90.7% FT. Those are superstar numbers from a player who might be the most skilled guard in the league right now. No doubt, Kyrie and LeBron reuniting would mean trouble for the rest of the league, especially with Anthony Davis down low.
The Lakers need to come out ahead in every manner from this deal because they cannot keep the same squad that missed the play-in tournament last season. Davis and LeBron are two of the top ten players in the NBA right now, and Kyrie would form the most talented Big Three in NBA history. Can someone name a trio that can score 30 PPG as easily as James, Irving, and Davis can? Inside and outside, the Lakers would be ready to win it all in 2024 as LeBron finally gets the help he needs to win it all.
Obviously, Brooklyn will prefer not to lose Kyrie Irving for nothing in free agency, but it depends on how well the team plays this year. If the Nets fail to win it, they might not have the time or convincing power to bring Kyrie back on a long-term deal alongside Kevin Durant. With Kyrie seeing a chance to sign with the Los Angeles Lakers alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis before the 2024 season, the point guard might opt against trying to make things work in Brooklyn and form the most talented Big Three ever.
Anthony Davis Joins The NBA Champions
Los Angeles Lakers Receive: Draymond Green, James Wiseman, Jonathan Kuminga, 2025 First-Round Pick, 2027 First-Round Pick
Golden State Warriors Receive: Anthony Davis
The Golden State Warriors probably need to make changes right now because they hold a poor record in the Western Conference at 20-21. But the NBA Finals does not start now, and the Warriors have a ton to prove if they want to compete with the Suns, Bucks, Nets, and Celtics later in the playoffs. Klay Thompson will probably never return to All-Star status, but the duo with Stephen Curry will form the base for a championship side. Adding Anthony Davis makes the Warriors as good on paper as the Bucks, Suns, Nets, and Celtics.
Davis is an incredibly talented offensive player who brings size on defense, replacing James Wiseman and Draymond Green on both ends of the court. Wiseman has yet to impress this season, and Green is getting older. No doubt, acquiring Anthony Davis to complete a lineup with Curry, Thompson, and Andrew Wiggins would be intriguing to watch. Golden State cannot rest on its laurels, and Anthony Davis could create another superteam for the first time since Kevin Durant played his last season in Oakland.
The starting lineup becomes Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins, Anthony Davis, and Kevon Looney. Obviously, the Warriors are going bigger with this deal and will focus more on sharing the ball and feeding Davis on the block. Anthony will also be able to return to his favored power forward position alongside a natural center in Looney who will battle down low and do the dirty work on the boards. With a new system in place that favors an inside game more than before, Golden State can revolutionize its attack.
Meanwhile, the Lakers easily accept this deal because they must win now since they are completely out of the Victor Wenbenyama sweepstakes. The Purple and Gold add a young big man in Wiseman who can develop, and a close friend of LeBron James in Draymond Green. Kyrie Irving could be available next year as well, so he can sign with the Lakers as the lineup gets completed with Jonathan Kuminga as well. Kuminga is a talented two-way player and has the chance to grow under the leadership of LeBron James. If Los Angeles doesn’t look primed for a playoff spot, they could pull the trigger and make a blockbuster trade to change the NBA landscape.
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