Fansided

Pre-Christmas trades to shake up the NBA

By Brandon Jefferson

NEW ORLEANS, LA - DECEMBER 11: Anthony Davis #23 of the New Orleans Pelicans boxes out against Otto Porter Jr. #22 of the Washington Wizards on December 11, 2015 at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2015 NBAE (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/NBAE via Getty Images
NEW ORLEANS, LA - DECEMBER 11: Anthony Davis #23 of the New Orleans Pelicans boxes out against Otto Porter Jr. #22 of the Washington Wizards on December 11, 2015 at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2015 NBAE (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/NBAE via Getty Images /
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NBA Trade season is officially here. These players have been featured in rumors since Opening Night but it’s time to find some deals that work for them.

As we near Christmas, most teams have a good understanding of what they are and what realistic goals they can reach. For some teams, these goals are aligned with what their preseason expectations were for their rosters. For others, they have either exceeded or fell short of where they have hoped to be.

All of this means that with the Dec. 15 deadline in the rearview and Feb. 8 fast approaching, we find ourselves at the onset of NBA trade season. Trevor Ariza was the first domino to fall as the Phoenix Suns shipped the veteran wing to the Washington Wizards for Kelly Oubre Jr. and Austin Rivers — who they subsequently waived.

There are some intriguing names to be had (for the right price) and with the Golden State Warriors not flipping the switch yet, both conferences are as open as they’ve ever been. A shrewd general manager could pounce on the opportunity to fill holes on their roster and see immediate benefits.

Each year there are always buyers and sellers at the deadline and given the sheer number of teams with true playoff hopes this season look for a slew of moves to be made over the next couple of months.

This article isn’t worried about operating as a guide of what to expect during the trade cycle. Instead, what we’ll focus on are the five trades that could best shake up the NBA today. In these deals, there are marquee names changing teams and teams figuring out how to best round out their rosters.

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