RADIO
The NBA Trade Deadline is just two days away, on February 18th. The rumor mill is buzzing, and one young forward -- Tobias Harris -- has already been shipped off by Orlando to Detroit in exchange for Brandon Jennings and Ersan Ilyasova.
As it stands now, the Cleveland Cavaliers, Golden State Warriors, San Antonio Spurs, and Oklahoma City Thunder appear to be miles ahead of every other team in basketball. However, there are a whole slew of teams that could sniff that top tier by adding a big-time player. These four forwards are currently in less-than-ideal situations, and could each provide a new team with a tremendous boost, while improving their own respective fantasy values in the process.
NBA Trade Deadline: Forwards Who Are Better off Traded
Blake Griffin
It's been a disappointing season so far for the Clippers' star forward. Griffin was close to returning from a quad injury in January when he punched a member of the team's equipment staff and injured his hand. He was suspended four games for the incident, and there is still no specific timetable for his return from the injury.
Griffin was an All-Star in each of his first five seasons in the NBA, and has averaged over 20 points in five of his six seasons, including this season, during which he has played 30 games and scored 23.2 points per game. He grabbed over 12 rebounds a game in his 2010-'11 Rookie of the Year, but the emergence of DeAndre Jordan has lessened his need to crash the boards. If he were traded to a team without a dominant rebounder, Griffin would have more rebounding opportunities.
The Boston Celtics are a logical landing spot for Griffin. They are battling for the second seed in the Eastern Conference, and could really make some noise in the postseason with a major acquisition (Griffin is expected back before the playoffs). Amir Johnson -- 7.5 points, 6.3 rebounds per game -- is the team's starting power forward, so anybody would really be an upgrade. The C's are missing a scoring threat inside, and Griffin would add another dimension to an already talented team. Additionally, Jared Sullinger leads the team in rebounds with 8.5 per game, so Griffin could definitely see his rebounding numbers increase in Boston.
A package of Marcus Smart, Kelly Olynyk, Jae Crowder and David Lee would be a favorable return to the Clippers for Griffin, allowing them to still push to win now. The Celtics may be unwilling to part with both Smart and Crowder, so they would prefer to ship a draft pick or two instead. The Clips are 18-5 since losing Griffin, so while they will obviously miss him, they can absolutely get by without him if they can strike a deal with Boston, especially if they add a lot of depth in the process.
Ryan Anderson
Anderson has been incredibly effective when his role is increased -- particularly when Anthony Davis is not playing -- but he tends to disappear from the court in many games. He is averaging 20.5 points in games in which Davis plays fewer than 10 minutes, but Davis averages over 35 minutes per contest and doesn't miss many games. Anderson is not quick enough to play small forward, and his game does not cater to the center position, so he is often left under-utilized. Anderson's name has been swirling around trade rumors, and he could have a new home very soon.
The Clippers have a need at power forward, especially if the aforementioned Griffin is moved. If they could haul in a strong return for Griffin and then grab Anderson from the Pelicans, they could be in a good position to still compete in the tough Western Conference. From an individual standpoint, Anderson would obviously benefit from getting out of Davis' shadow. Without Griffin in town, Anderson would start for the Clips, and would see consistent playing time stretching the floor while DeAndre Jordan dominates the interior. Additionally, playing alongside Chris Paul at the point instead of Norris Cole would surely provide him with a few more wide open looks on the perimeter.
Markieff Morris
Morris appeared to be turning a corner in his young career in 2014-'15, when he started all 82 games, played 31.5 minutes per game and posted 15.3 points and 6.2 rebounds per contest. However, after an offseason full of controversy, he found himself temporarily removed from the starting lineup, and even from the rotation altogether. He missed a ton of games throughout December and January by coach's decision, but has since re-obtained his minutes as a result of Alex Len suffering an injury and (likely) a desire on the part of the Pelicans front office to showcase him for a potential trade.
In September, Morris was fined for publicly demanding a trade, and in December, he was suspended for throwing a towel at then-head coach Jeff Hornacek. Then, in early February, he fought with teammate Archie Goodwin on the bench during a game. Needless to say, it has been a lost season so far for the 26-year-old forward, and he has no future with the Phoenix Suns.
With Chris Bosh potentially out for an extended period of time with a blood clot in his leg, the Miami Heat could be in the market for a power forward. Amar'e Stoudemire (14.2 minutes, 5.4 points an 4.5 rebounds per game) and Josh McRoberts (14.7 minutes, 3.1 points and 2.7 rebounds) are the top internal candidates to assume Bosh's role, so bringing someone in from the outside should be a priority. Center Hassan Whiteside attempts just 8.2 field goals per game, so Morris could see a decent number of looks down low as the team's primary post scorer.
Zach Randolph
Randolph has been an elite power forward for most of his time in the NBA, but is now 35 years old and is not as dynamic as he once was. He is averaging 9.4 boards for his career, and led the league in offensive rebounds twice despite being just 6'9". Additionally, he has scored at least 15 points per game in each of the last 11 seasons in which he played at least half the season. However, he currently sits at 14.2 points and 8.0 rebounds per game through 48 games in 2015-'16.
The Memphis Grizzles are a team that is built on the foundation of defense and they have finished with a winning percentage over .600 each of the last four years. But after all this time, they may be starting to crumble. Marc Gasol is out indefinitely with a broken foot. Mike Conley, Jeff Green, Courtney Lee, Mario Chalmers and Matt Barnes are all nearing free agency. Randolph is aging and has seen his role diminished. Still, the 15-year veteran has a lot to offer in the right environment, and he could be shipped out as the Grizzlies begin the rebuilding process.
The Toronto Raptors' scoring load is dominated by guards -- DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry combine for 44.4 points per game -- and they could look to add a post-presence before the deadline. Center Jonas Valanciunas is a strong two-way player, but the Raptors can use an upgrade from Luis Scola at power forward. Scola averages 22.9 minutes, 9.4 points and 5.3 rebounds. The Raptors have younger pieces they could move to Memphis, including Terrence Ross, Patrick Patterson, Lucas Nogueira, Bruno Caboclo and Delon Wright. This move would help the Grizzlies hit the restart button, and help the Raptors compete with the Cavaliers for the top spot in the Eastern Conference.
