NBA Trade Deadline 2019: 5 buried veterans who could help a contender

3. Robin Lopez — C, Chicago Bulls

All things considered, Robin Lopez might be the most easily movable player on this list.

Not only is he expiring, but it’s doubtful the Bulls would ask for much in return for a big man standing in the way of rookie stud Wendell Carter Jr. He’s also someone that could theoretically help any team he’s traded to, even as a backup big who only sees 10 to 15 minutes a game in a playoff series.

The question is whether this last part is true in reality as well. Two seasons ago, after Lopez dominated the glass in the first two games of the Bulls’ playoff series against the Celtics, Boston switched things up and began pulling Lopez out onto the perimeter. They had the luxury of doing so because of Al Horford’s versatility, but now most playoff teams have their own version of Horford – a big man with some combination of shooting and ball skills.

The trend over the last few years has been for teams to go small in the playoffs, and that only figures to continue. Instead of a traditional backup center, why not just have Giannis Antetokounmpo, Paskal Siakam, Kyle Kuzma, James Johnson, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Jerami Grant, P.J. Tucker, or of course, Draymond Green man the middle instead?

Add it all up, and there may not be much of a market for Lopez, at least not one that would get Chicago to pull the trigger. It’s a shame, because the more Lopez brothers in the playoffs, the better off we’ll all be.