The Delicate Game of Selling and Buying in the NBA: Northwest Division
Is your Northwest team walking a tightrope between pushing their chips to the middle versus not pulling the trigger? Read on to find out!
The NBA sets itself apart from the other three major sports in the United States because its players have more power and freedom than the others combined. While these players are seemingly able to go where they want when they want to, their organizations are forced to play a dangerous game. They face decisions on when to go for a championship, when to stand pat and when to sell their pieces. The Northwest division is fascinating because its members embody all three of these ideals, and their moves could decide how power stands in the division in the future.
Image from NBA.com
Minnesota Timberwolves- Chips to the Middle
Minnesota fans have to be honest with themselves here. This team represents their best chance to win a title in the franchise’s history. Anthony Edwards may not be as good as Kevin Garnett(yet), but the front office cannot afford to be complacent. They are going to have to pay both Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns, as well as presumably a near max-deal for Jaden McDaniels, tying the Timberwolves to those three for the foreseeable future. They aren’t far away, with most experts saying they are one backup guard away from potentially making their championship aspirations a reality. They are a team to watch for multiple years for the sole fact that they might have the best wing in the NBA once ANT reaches his peak.
Image from the San Diego Union-Tribune
Denver Nuggets- Stand Pat and Let Jokić take you Home
The Denver Nuggets don’t need to be desperate. They have nothing to prove. Nikola Jokić is the new front runner for the MVP award and the Nuggets are a sleeping giant in the West. There’s buzz around the league that they are looking for a backup wing, but they don’t need to trade for one. Look for them to be active in the buyout market, especially when it comes to one Gordon Hayward, now with the Charlotte Hornets. A lot of people forget that before his horrific injury, Hayward was an All-Star and can still contribute, albeit in a smaller role. Regardless, the Nuggets are looking for someone to be their seventh-best player and understand that there is no other team as playoff-proven as they are. They are the cream of the crop in the NBA and project to stay there assuming health.
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Oklahoma City Thunder- Do a Little Bit of Everything
Oklahoma City has so many draft picks and so many young and promising players that the world is their oyster. General manager Sam Presti continues to salivate his treasure trove of draft picks and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is making his claim for being a bona-fide superstar. They have the ability to consolidate some picks and package them with Josh Giddey for another star with a considerable amount of picks left over. They can also hold off and see what they have once the roster gets a playoff series off their belt. Finally, they can make small changes at the edges without sacrificing their core. Nobody in the NBA is in as enviable a position as OKC is and it will be intriguing to see how Presti, the NBA’s version of a mad scientist, goes about the next 12 months.
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Utah Jazz- Chase Success, Fleeting as it May Be
The fact that the Jazz aren’t receiving more success really speaks to how good the Western Conference is as a whole. Danny Ainge is notorious for getting the most out of his roster, and will look to do the same with this team. Here’s the difference; he doesn’t have top tier talent anymore outside of what Lauri Markannen could be. The Jazz seem to have figured things out of late, and figure to be in the chase for a play-in spot for the rest of the season. That might be their ceiling though. They don’t match up great with a lot of the teams around them and don’t have as much flexibility as they’d like. It’s not a bad season for Utah so far, but the future might look more enticing than the present.
Image from Blazer’s Edge
Portland Trail Blazers- Come One, Come All
The Blazers have accepted that this season is a wash and that Scoot Henderson needs as many minutes as possible. Jerami Grant, Malcolm Brogdon and Matisse Thybulle figure to be headed out, either now or in free agency as the team looks to the future. This is the team that the contenders leap at the chance to find another contributor off their bench or in some stretches, in their starting lineup. There’s no telling where Henderson will end up once he reaches his prime, but one thing is clear; they need at least one more high level player alongside him unless somebody unlocks what we all know Deandre Ayton could be. Give the Blazers a few years, and they might be right back where they were when Damian Lillard was sending teams out of the playoffs and propelling the Blazers to new heights.
