The Whiteboard is FanSided's daily NBA email newsletter with different perspectives coming to you from our entire team. Once a week, we get everyone together for a roundtable to answer the biggest questions of the week. Today, we're answering the biggest questions about the rapidly deteriorating situations in Memphis and Orlando, debating an apology to Nikola Vucevic and making our way-too-early MP picks.
1. Which NBA team, that came into the season as an aspiring contender, most needs to blow it up at the trade deadline?
Rucker Haringey: This may seem like blasphemy to some NBA fans, but it might be time for the Golden State Warriors to give it up. Their aging roster has limped to a mediocre start, and it’s hard to envision a scenario where they stay healthy enough to make a deep playoff run. Suspend disbelief for a moment and consider what Golden State might get if they put everyone up for sale. What could the likes of Stephen Curry and Draymond Green garner in an in-season trade to a real contender? It’s a question the Warriors front office should be entertaining.
Eamon Cassels: I don't know how many moves are available at the deadline or if people viewed Dallas as true title contenders, but I'm going with the Mavericks here. They're 2-6 and desperately lack perimeter creation. Trading Daniel Gafford for a perimeter player, especially a younger one, would make sense to me. With this being the last year until 2031, that the Mavs outright own their pick, I see no reason why they shouldn't position themselves for the draft.
Brennan Sims: When Trae Young was tormenting helpless defenses at Oklahoma, leading the nation in assists and points, I just knew he was Steve Nash if Nash took more shots. That's no longer the case. The Hawks were supposed to have an elite offense and defense with their offseason additions and talent influx. Maybe they were never going to be contenders, but they were a trendy pick to shake up the East. With Jalen Johnson healthy and the arrival of Kristaps Porziņģis and Nickeil Alexander-Walker, the Hawks were supposed to catapult up the ladder in the weak East.
That wasn't happening with Young leading the dance. He's out for at least a month, and the Hawks can tinker with some lineups to know what they truly have in these young players. They have the Pelicans' first-round pick, which will be valuable in the 2026 draft. Trading Young at the deadline will signal a true youth movement in Atlanta. The Hawks didn't extend Young over the offseason, and that may have been the biggest signal that they were going to go in a different direction. Is it time to trade Young before his value reaches Ja Morant status?
Bryan Toporek: Is it cheating to pick the Pelicans here? Because you don't trade your fully unprotected first-round pick in the following year's draft if you expect to be bad. The Pelicans got their first win of the season against the LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller-less Hornets on Tuesday, but Zion Williamson is now out for at least a week with a hamstring strain, and they're already at the bottom of the West at 1-6. It's past time for them to admit that they're never going to build a championship contender around Zion and move him before he suffers a more serious injury that submarines his trade value.
Ian Levy: We'll get to the Grizzlies in a second, so let's go with the Hawks. I'll echo what Brennan said — the rest of this roster is fascinating and compelling and competitive. Replacing a shot-creator of Trae Young's caliber is almost impossible, but they don't need a 1-to-1 replacement with all the complementary playmaking they have. They would get pennies on the dollar on his raw talent in any trade, but I think they'll benefit a ton from addition by subtraction.
2. Forget about plausibility and give me your favorite hypothetical landing spot for Ja Morant.
Rucker Haringey: Let’s make a fictional deal that sends Ja Morant to Houston. He’s not the ideal long-range shooter to unlock their offense, but he’d give the Rockets a major upgrade at the point guard position. The sheer thought of watching him run pick-and-rolls with Kevin Durant should be enough to get every NBA fan’s juices flowing. Let’s make it happe,n Grizzlies and Rockets.
Eamon Cassels: I can't quit the Timberwolves as a landing spot for Ja, and I think it's actually fairly realistic, too. The Wolves desperately need a point guard who can attack the rim and create for others, which perfectly describes Morant's skill set. For Ja to rejuvenate his career, I think he needs to land with a team where he's not the franchise player and one with a winning culture, making Minnesota the ideal landing spot.
Brennan Sims: Miami is always in the market for more star power, but reuniting Ja with another free-flowing pick-and-roll-derived offense doesn't sound fun. The Magic still don't have a legit point guard, but adding less shooting to that lineup isn't ideal. A Ja Morant and Devin Booker backcourt won't provide a ton of defensive value, but Ja needs to be paired with a superior offensive player (scorer). Ja needs the ball in his hands to thrive, and Book has demonstrated he can play without the ball and remain productive. I mainly don't want to see Book in basketball purgatory like he was to begin his career. Adding Morant to Phoenix doesn't make them anywhere close to contenders, but at least Book and Suns fans would have hope.
Bryan Toporek: It certainly isn't Sacramento, that's for sure. My two favorite ideas are two challenge trades: Ja for Trae Young, or Ja for Zion. If the Hawks aren't willing to pay up for Trae, they might be similarly reluctant to inherit Ja's max, but a team with Ja, Dyson Daniels and Jalen Johnson could fly up and down the floor. Meanwhile, Trae and Jaren Jackson Jr. could form a deadly pick-and-pop combo. Zion makes zero sense in Memphis, so that might have to turn into a three-team deal–maybe Zion goes to Miami and Pat Riley bets on Heat Culture? -- but Ja could at least give the Pelicans a fresh dose of excitement that they're desperate for.
Ian Levy: I don't know how it would work, but I really like the idea of him in Phoenix with Devin Booker. Such different styles, but I love the idea of them working off each other, interchangeably, as lead ball-handlers.
3. Do we owe Nikola Vucevic an apology? Seriously, stop laughing. Do we?
Rucker Haringey: Let’s tap the brakes on this one. Vucevic’s line on the young season screams small sample size theater. The chances of him continuing to shoot over 50% from behind the arc are minimal, at best. He may continue to be an above-average offensive player this season, but his complete lack of defensive impact will always weigh him down.
Eamon Cassels: In all honesty, I think so. Vučević was viewed as a negative asset, and there were reports that the Bulls would have to buy him out heading into the season. However, the 35-year-old big man is proving that he's not washed, averaging 19.3 points, 12 rebounds, and 3.7 assists. Whether the Bulls continue their hot start or Vučević gets moved to a contending team, it's clear that he can contribute to winning basketball.
Brennan Sims: We do not; he's doing what he's paid to do. Vu is supposed to be this level scorer. This level of efficiency wasn't on my preseason things to monitor list, and that's exactly why the Bulls need to strike now. Cash in on this hot stretch from him and continue to go younger. Vu also shot 40 percent from deep last year, so this year's limited sample size, plus last year, might be enough to convince another GM that he is the piece they need to contend. As an aging non-rim protecting big, Vu isn't the center of the future in the Windy City. The Bulls should be thinking with future lenses. Don't apologize to Vu, trade him.
Bryan Toporek: If Vooch continues to shoot above 58 percent from the field and 48 percent from deep, I'll be the first in line to apologize. Otherwise, I'll wait for his inevitable regression to hit. The 35-year-old is who he is at this point–a nightly 20-10 threat in the regular season who's likely BBQ chicken in the playoffs.
Ian Levy: Would it shock you to know that he's 112th on the all-time scoring list, ahead of Klay Thompson, Kyle Lowry, Mike Conley, Jimmy Butler and Al Horford? Or that he's in the top 50 in career rebounds, ahead of Bob Lanier, Larry Bird or Willis Reed? Or that Karl-Anthony Towns and Brook Lopez are the only centers with more career 3-pointers? We might owe the man several apologies.
4. It turns out that just a lack of shooters wasn’t the problem with the Magic offense. What’s the current diagnosis?
Rucker Haringey: Orlando’s offensive struggles can largely be attributed to their struggles at the point guard position. Jalen Suggs has been in and out of the lineup due to injury. That means Anthony Black is playing far too many minutes. He still can’t shoot, and that allows opponents to focus their attention on Magic players who can actually shoot in the half-court.
Eamon Cassels: Can I zag? It's still a lack of 3-point shooting, in my eyes. The Magic rank 26th in 3-pointers attempts and 28th 3-pointers made. Desmond Bane has shot just 28.6 percent thus far while attempting the fewest 3s since his rookie year. He's a career 40.8 shooter, so this simply won't hold. Tyus Jones has also been unplayable, which is a more real concern. Paolo Banchero has been criticized, and I'll admit his decision-making hasn't been great, but let's not panic; his two playoffs have proven that he is a franchise player.
Brennan Sims: It's like everyone comes to Orlando and leaves their jumpers where they came from. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope shot 34 percent last year in Orlando after shooting 40% over his previous 5 years. Desmond Bane is shooting 28 percent this year after shooting 41 percent in 313 games played in Memphis. Has anyone considered that the Magic are cursed? 2019 was the last time the Magic were a top 10 3-point shooting team.
Jokes aside, their stale offense just doesn't make sense. One may try to point at Paolo Banchero's shot diet, but he's shooting 47 percent of his shots at the rim (career-high). The long 2s are still too much for my liking, but only 9 percent of his shots are coming from there, which is a career low. Franz Wagner has found his jumper. Jalen Suggs is respectable from deep. Maybe this organization is cursed by the basketball gods for being at the forefront of the space and pace get up 1,000 3-pointers era (Dwight's Magic teams). Or maybe it's time to add an offensive coordinator, like the Heat did this offseason.
Bryan Toporek: I'm gonna take a page out of Aaron Rodgers' playbook (pre-Do-My-Own-Research era) and urge everyone to R-E-L-A-X about the Magic. They're hardly the first team to scuffle through a slow start after making a major offseason addition. If Bane continues to shoot below 30 percent from deep — after entering the year as a 41 percent 3-point shooter — the Magic will have some bigger problems to solve. But as Eamon noted, Orlando's 3-point volume may be the bigger concern at the moment.
Ian Levy: More small ball lineups please. I don't know that it solves everything but experimenting with it seems long overdue. The Magic have played just two possessions — not minutes, possessions — with Banchero, Wagner, Suggs and Bane on the court without a traditional big like Wendell Carter Jr., Goga Bitadze or Mo Wagner. Please, Jamahl, just give that group a few minutes with Anthony Black or Jonathan Isaac and see what happens.
5. Who is your pick for MVP of the first two weeks of the season?
Rucker Haringey: While I derive the most pleasure from watching Victor Wembanyama, it’s folly to give the early-season MVP award to anyone other than Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. His Thunder squad has sprinted out to a 8-1 start despite Jalen Williams being out.
He’s a perennial Defensive Player of the Year candidate who is currently averaging over 33 points per game while leading his team in usage rate by a substantial margin. He may not finish the year as the MVP, but he should walk away with the award if it was given out today.
Eamon Cassels: Giannis Antetokounmpo is leading the NBA in points per game (34) while chipping in 13.3 rebounds and 6.8 assists. Oh yeah, the Bucks are 5-e and have looked better than anyone has imagined. With all due respect to Ryan Rollins, who has been fantastic, there's not a single player more important to their team than the Greek Freak.
Brennan Sims: Sometimes "boring" is all you need. Giannis Antetokounmpo has gaudy stats, Luka Dončić is averaging 40, and Victor Wembanyama isn't a human being. It's funny how none of this matters because the MVP today is last year's winner. The Oklahoma City Thunder are 8-01 And Jalen Williams hasn't played a game. Their tenacious defenders have been in and out of the lineup, and none of it matters. Put four players around Shai Gilgeous-Alexander who can do anything, and he'll lead that lineup to a plus-12 net rating.
SGA gets 30 in his sleep; this level of consistency shouldn’t be something we take for granted. He's on pace to average 30 points per game for the fourth straight season. Kobe Bryant and Kevin Durant didn't sniff that (Harden was close; had three straight years). You can say that's inflation tax, but SGA is doing this while racking up W's regardless of who's in the lineup with him. I hope we realize what we're witnessing.
Bryan Toporek: I'm the only one so far taking Victor Wembanyama? Don't mind if I do! Not only is he averaging career highs in points (26.7) and rebounds (13.7), but he's leading the league in both defensive rebounds (11.8) and blocks (4.7) per game. He's also shooting a career-high 52.7 percent from the field, in large part because he's significantly cut down on his three-point volume. He guided the Spurs to their first 5-0 start in franchise history (!) and did so without All-Star point guard De'Aaron Fox, who still has yet to make his season debut. No player in the NBA even comes close to matching Wemby's two-way impact. Frankly, this award may be his to lose every year for the next decade.
Ian Levy: If we're just going on the first two weeks, it's our 6-7 King, Josh Giddey. The Bulls have the best record in the East, the second-best record in the league, and he's averaging 23.1 points, 10.0 rebounds and 9.1 assists per game on a 59.4 true shooting percentage. All due respect to everyone else's suggestions, Giddey is also doing it with a much worse supporting cast than Wemby, SGA or Giannis. He'll probably be out of the race in a week or two, but for now let's give him his flowers.