The majority of NBA players who signed contracts as free agents last summer will be eligible for trades Wednesday, December 15.
You know what that means: let the speculation begin.
The NBA season is still young but there are a large number of teams looking to make some major trades and you can expect fireworks in the next few days.
Here are just a few big trades that need to happen as soon as the 15th rolls around.
3. Ben Simmons/Kyrie Irving
These two are paired together because it just seems the drama between Ben Simmons and Kyrie Irving feels similar: both players are not playing by choice, both players still have a lot of talent, both players are weighing their teams down with their absences.
The Philadelphia 76ers and Brooklyn Nets should do what it takes to move Simmons and Irving, even if that means they get less-than-ideal terms for trades.
Recently it has been rumored that Portland Trail Blazers superstar Damian Lillard wants to play with Simmons so that’s a viable option for the 76ers.
Damian Lillard would like to play with Ben Simmons in Portland, per @ShamsCharania and @sam_amick
Acquiring Simmons 'would instantly improve' Portland's 30th-ranked defense pic.twitter.com/YbYbwNF53j
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) December 6, 2021
Meanwhile, Irving could make a good home on multiple Texan teams or perhaps the Minnesota Timberwolves.
There are options for both of these players but it will take a lot of work to make any package fair for both sides.
It’s time to let Simmons and Irving go – in fact, it’s been time for quite a while.
2. Bradley Beal
Things just aren’t working out between the Washington Wizards and Bradley Beal.
Beal was once an All-Star, creating 31.3 points a game (which was second in the league last season) but now he’s only doing 22.5 points a game and is shooting just 26 percent from the three-point range.
It’s not that Beal is suddenly a bad basketball player, there is still a lot of talent there.
Bradley Beal this season:
22.5 PPG (lowest since 2016)
44.2 FG% (lowest since 2015)
25.3 3P% (career low)The Wizards have lost 9 of their last 14 games. pic.twitter.com/QtpeBoYpPN
— StatMuse (@statmuse) December 12, 2021
But it’s time for Beal to move on from the Wizards and find his way elsewhere.
In fact, rumor has it that Beal could be sent to the 76ers for none other than the aforementioned Simmons.
That would be a trade that should make both teams happy, giving Philly a typically good scorer and beefing up Washington’s defensive skills.
If this interview on the Posted Up podcast with Chris Haynes is any indication, it sounds like Beal is ready to move:
“Obviously, my full commitment is to the team. I want it to work. I’ve contributed to being here. I’ve committed to being here twice. Now, I want to see that commitment to me, as well, that we can create a winning team here, a winning environment here.”
1. Myles Turner
Myles Turner of the Indiana Pacers is a name getting thrown around a lot right now and with good reason: he can greatly add defense to any team.
A solid rim protector but a subpar scorer at times, Tuner is on the radar of many teams such as the Chicago Bulls, Los Angeles Lakers, Boston Celtics, or New York Knicks.
Of all those teams, Boston would be the most intriguing: a trade between the Celtics and Pacers could send some shooters to Indiana while sending a strong defender to Boston.
This would help out the Celtics, who are struggling to become a team that isn’t always relying on perimeter shooters.
Plus, the Celtics have a few members they are willing to send away, such as Marcus Smart or Jaylen Brown.
In the end, that would be a trade that would make sense for both sides.
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