What would a fictional trade deadline look like in the NCAA?

The NBA trade deadline is rapidly approaching, and some dominos have already started to fall as Serge Ibaka was dealt to the Raptors and Mason Plumlee was swapped for Jusuf Nurkic. We’re here to talk about college basketball, though, a place where players aren’t paid or under contract and can therefore can’t be traded. Watching NBA players find new homes around the league got me thinking, though. What if we lived in a world where NCAA teams could trade players? Would we see much movement? Without much cash or draft picks for filler, what would deals look like?

If collegiate trades were reality, most trades would probably boil down to a couple of categories. The first is something we see fairly often in the NBA or other leagues: a star player on a non-contender gets flipped to a team looking to make a push for some future assets. Like in the NBA, there is plenty of incentive for both sides to make these deals. Teams looking to win would add a great player without giving up much that would affect their team for this year, while a team with little hope of even making postseason play would load up on players they could develop and get ready to lead their team for the next several years.

The second type of trade is not something that happens at the pro level often: two contenders trading with each other to relieve some depth in one area in order to bolster another weaker one. In a league like the NBA, there are only two conferences and 16 playoff teams. Trading a good player to another contender often would mean seeing that player directly impact your championship hopes in a negative way down the road. With dozens of conferences and a massive field of 68 teams in the NCAA Tournament, making such a trade would not be nearly as prone to those kinds of concerns.

So with the table set, let’s take a look at some hypothetical scenarios. Heading down the stretch and toward the NCAA and conference tournaments, how would some teams act in an open trade market? Who would be looking to build towards the future and who would be trying to increase their chances to win it all this year? Here are a couple of fantasy deals I would love to see from each of the two kinds discussed above.

Trade Type 1: Non-contending star heads to the postseason

The two biggest names the jump out in this category are future top-five picks Markelle Fultz and Dennis Smith Jr. Neither is on a tournament-bound team and both are supremely talented players that could help give some lucky squad an extra boost. Aside from them, there are other lesser-known players in this scenario. Players like Marcus Keene and Dallas Moore are some of the top scoring threats in the NCAA, but play on mid-major teams that likely won’t win their conference to get into the NCAA Tournament. So who could be on the move and where would they go?

NC State gives: Dennis Smith Jr.

Marquette gives: Markus Howard and Sam Hauser

Dennis Smith Jr. is set to be a high lottery pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, but has not done enough to get his team into the postseason. NC State is 14-12 and 3-10 in ACC play, firmly off the bubble. This failure got coach Mark Gottfried fired midseason. This deal would give his successor more pieces. Marquette, meanwhile, is currently protected as an 11-seed by Joe Lunardi and are one of his last four in. They are a solid team, but lack the kind of firepower necessary to push their way into certain tournament standing.

Adding Smith to Marquette gives them that kind of firepower. The standout freshman is averaging 18.7 points, 6.8 assists, and 4.4 rebounds per game. Surrounded by the best 3-point shooting team in the nation, he would have plenty of space to use his athleticism in getting to the rim. You can bet his assist numbers would increase as well. The team’s top scorer is big man Luke Fischer, a player who would pair wonderfully with Smith in the pick-and-roll. Adding the dynamic guard would make Marquette just about unstoppable on offense.

What NC State would need to get back, then, are players for the future. Freshmen Markus Howard and Same Hauser fit that bill perfectly. While Smith will leave for the draft, the Wolfpack will return most of their other contributors. Adding a point guard, Howard, to replace Smith would be a great start. He shoots a ridiculous 51.4 percent from deep which would pair will with Maverick Rowan’s shooting touch. Hauser, a forward, also shoots it well from beyond the arc. Adding those two would make NC State a force to be reckoned with next year.

North Florida gives: Dallas Moore

California gives: Charlie Moore

A swap of Moores would be beneficial for both teams. Cal has sophomore Ivan Rabb, a beast in the frontcourt who is likely to leave for the NBA this year. After making the tournament with he and Jaylen Brown last year but losing in the first round, the hunger to make it further is there. California currently has one of Lunardi’s last four byes in the tournament, so an extra push would help them get in for sure as well. Moore is a senior who has been amazing for a North Florida team that will not make postseason play, but he will graduate at the end of this year.

For Cal, this is just swapping a younger, inexperienced point guard for a better, more veteran presence. Moore has tournament experience as his “Birds of Trey” made the NCAA Tournament in 2015 and the NIT in 2016. Dallas is third in the NCAA scoring 23.5 points per game. He shoots a ridiculous 40.6 percent from 3 on 7.4 attempts per game. Adding that kind of firepower to the backcourt while wing Jabari Bird and Rabb continue to play well would make the Golden Bears a tough out come tournament time.

This deal also makes sense for North Florida. Moore has been great to them. Giving him a chance to compete in the NCAA Tournament in his final year is only right. This deal gets North Florida a dynamic freshman point guard to replace Dallas Moore and lead their program. Charlie has shown himself capable of leading an offense, leading Cal in usage this year. The diminutive guard from Chicago would have the chance to fully take over a team and develop with it. With an eye toward the future, maybe North Florida could get back to the tournament soon.

Trade Type 2: Contenders swap strengths to ready for a run

These are going to be the kinds of deals that would probably be unique to the college game. It’s not often you see two teams atop the standings in a professional league agree to give pieces to make each other stronger. Naturally, these trades would be more difficult to negotiate. Because the teams are already strong, changing something may not be the best move. The potential upside if it works out though, could be massive. Getting a little more creative, let’s speculate which contenders would in trade talks down the stretch.

Wisconsin gives: Nigel Hayes

Arizona gives: Kobi Simmons

This one might be a little tough to justify from either side, but I like the respective fits. Arizona has a wealth of guards, especially those with size. Wisconsin has a strong front court, but little depth on the wing. Swapping one of the better players on each side to help fill a need for the other could work out wonderfully. At 6-foot-5, Simmons would step in and be a go-to scorer on the win for Wisconsin. Hayes would fill a void for the Wildcats between guards and bigs.

The Badgers are set at point guard with veteran Bronson Koenig and in the front court with Big Ten Player of the Year candidate Ethan Happ. What they really lack is a go-to scorer when they’re not dumping it to Happ in the post. Simmons could play either wing position for them and is one of the best isolation scorers in the country, at 1.051 points per possession, per Synergy Sports. Khalil Iverson is talented, but not quite polished enough yet to be that player for them. Vitto Brown, meanwhile, is a reliable senior ready to step in and fill Hayes’ shoes.

For Arizona, this deal makes so much sense. They have no meaningful contributor between 6-foot-5 and 6-foot-11. Because of that, they play lots of guard or big-heavy lineups. At 6-foot-8, Hayes would bridge that gap. Losing Simmons doesn’t hurt their depth much either. With Kadeem Allen, Parker Jackson-Cartwright, Allonzo Trier, and Rawle Alkins, they would be just fine at guard. The Wildcats have struggled to guard wings Dillon Brooks and Kelan Martin in losses this year. Hayes would step in and contribute in that area immediately.

Kansas gives: Devonte’ Graham

Purdue gives: Isaac Haas

Devonte’ Graham is a great scorer, but playing with stars Frank Mason and Josh Jackson, is a little under-utilized.  Haas is a behemoth down low, but plays behind National Player of the Year candidate Caleb Swanigan. He would see more time on the floor with just about any other team. This swap allows both sides to add a very talented player who would be able to fully use his skills on a new team.

For Kansas, losing 7-foot freshman Udoka Azubuike was a big blow. It left them without a solid presence inside. Landen Lucas and Carlton Bragg have done a valiant job filling in, but neither brings what Haas does. At 7-foot-2, 290-pounds, Haas is a great defender and can score in the post on anyone. He would provide the Jayhawks with the inside pillar they’ve been lacking. As I mentioned, losing Graham doesn’t hurt as much with Mason and Jackson to pick up the slack. Kansas is in the driver’s seat in the Big 12, but this move would help them even more come March.

Next: Grayson Allen and Duke are finally hitting their stride

This gives Purdue a star-caliber player in the backcourt to pair with Swanigan. Carsen Edwards and PJ Thompson have been good for the Boilermakers, but Graham brings a new dynamic. He could dominate the offense when Swanigan hits the bench and be another go-to scorer when the game slows down. Purdue’s most frequent lineups feature Haas on the bench, so the damage done by losing him would be minimized. Swanigan would step in and play center full-time, which might even benefit the Boilermakers. The pair of Graham and Swanigan would make Purdue the presumptive favorites to with the Big Ten. It may even push them further into title contention.