NBA Trade Deadline 2018: 5 teams that should be buying at the deadline

Which NBA teams should be actively pursuing upgrades ahead of the league’s Feb. 8 trade deadline?

When sorting out prospective buyers from sellers, both short- and long-term outlooks come into play. In theory, a buyer should fall into one of two categories: a team that stands a chance of making a deep run in the postseason this year, or one that will lack the cap space to splurge on free agents this offseason.

At last year’s trade deadline, the Houston Rockets and Toronto Raptors served as examples of each, respectively. The Rockets flipped a first-round pick to the Los Angeles Lakers for Lou Williams, who they fancied as a microwave scorer to pair alongside Eric Gordon off their bench. The Raptors, meanwhile, acquired both Serge Ibaka and P.J. Tucker in recognition that they wouldn’t be able to lure a big-name free agent this past summer due to salary-cap constraints.

The Washington Wizards are a cautionary buyer tale, as they sent a protected first-round pick and salary filler to the Brooklyn Nets for Bojan Bogdanovic, who was set to become an unrestricted free agent this past July. Bogdanovic wound up departing for the Indiana Pacers in free agency, leaving the Wizards empty-handed after their seven-game loss to the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

Which teams should approach this year’s trade deadline in pursuit of additions? What should they be willing to dangle in negotiations? Let’s dive in.

Next: Honorable mention: Minnesota Timberwolves