Sport Thoughts

As the NBA trade deadline approaches in two months, it is time to analyze and examine the trade market. There will be several sellers during the February deadline. Teams open for business will include the Chicago Bulls, Brooklyn Nets, Washington Wizards, Portland Trailblazers, Utah Jazz and New Orleans Pelicans. There will be several star caliber players and high-end role players on the move between December and February. Star caliber players potentially on the move will include Zach Lavine, Nicola Vucevic, Cam Thomas, Kyle Kuzma, Brandon Ingram, Cj Mccolum Mccollum and Zion Williamson. High-end role players, include Lonzo Ball, Dorian Finney-Smith, Cam Johnson, Malcolm Brogdan, Jonas Valanciunas, Jeremy Grant, Robert Williams, Anfernee Simons, John Collins, Jordan Clarkson and Collin Sexton. Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler could the wild card of the trade market. Butler remains on an expiring contract with no contract extention talks on the horrizon. All of these potential trade targets ...

The MLB 2023 offseason has seen several teams make impactful changes. The LA Dodgers have had the biggest offseason compared to any team in the MLB. The Dodgers have signed MVP DH Shohei Ohtani, traded for starting pitcher Tyler Glasnow and signed NPB starting pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto. The two big free agent signings of Ohtani and Yamamoto plus Glasnow’s contract extension will cost the Dodgers over 1 billion dollars. To the Dodgers benefit, the money amount has greatly shrunk due to Ohtani’s deferred salary. The Dogers also resigned veteran outfielder Jason Heyward along with acquiring outfielder Manuel Margot in the Tyler Glasnow trade. Adding hitting and pitching depth has been key for the Dodgers. Yamamoto will enter the 2024 season as the ace of the Dodgers pitching rotation. Glasnow will be valued as a number 2 option in the pitching rotation. Glasnow’s injury history may be a concern in the long term. The Dodgers former ace pitcher Walker Buhler will be returning from Tommy Jo...

The Chicago Bulls have begun their 2023-3024 season poorly. They have played 15 games, holding a 5-10 record. The team has struggled scoring the ball and playing defense in their 15 game sample size. A potential rebuild could potentially be in the works if their season continues to spiral. A recent report suggests the Bulls front office willingness to trade All Stars Zach Lavine and DeMar DeRozan. It is strongly believed that Lavine is unhappy playing for Chicago and is welcoming a trade to the Miami Heat. DeMar Rozan is in the final year of his 3 year contract with the Chicago Bulls. He will become a free agent during the Summer of 2024. A rebuild is looking like the best option for the Bulls, who finished last season with a 40-42 record. The Bulls were bad enough to miss the playoffs but good enough to make the Play In Tournament. A rebuild would allow the Bulls to reset, gain draft picks and develop young talent. The Bulls could also look into trading role players Patrick Williams, ...

The NBA 2023-2024 Season is less than a week old and a major blockbuster trade has occured. James Harden has finally got his trade demand  granted to the LA Clippers. The Clippers were Harden’s specific trade destination since his initial June trade request. The Philadelphia 76ers went against their original decision to keep Harden on the team. The 76ers will now prioritize on the development of rising star Tyrese Maxay following James Harden’s departure. The Philadelphia 76ers would receive multiple draft picks, along with third year guard Kenyan Martin Jr. and veterans Robert Covington, Nick Battum & Marcus Morris. The LA Clippers would also acquire PJ Tucker in the James Harden trade. The LA Clippers could be seen as the biggest winner of the blockbuster trade. The Clippers get their third star to pair with All Stars Paul George and Kawhi Leonard. They add PJ Tucker to the bench to improve the team’s depth. They are now ranked the fifth betting favorite to win the NBA 2024 C...

The Jrue Holiday trade biding war has been completed. The Boston Celtics are the winners and now have acquired their new starting point guard of the 2023-204 NBA season. The Portland Trail Blazers traded Jrue Holiday to the Boston Celtics for center Robert Williams, point guard Malcolm Brogdan and draft compensation. Holiday will not only remain in the Eastern Conference but he will rival his former team, the Milwaukee Bucks. Jrue Holiday is a huge upgrade for the Celtics at the point guard position, replacing recently traded, Marcus Smart. The Boston Celtics will now establish a big 3 consisting of Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Jrue Holiday. Their big 3 will have a chance to go head to head with the Milwaukee Bucks new big 3 of Damian Lillard, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton. It is obvious and clear that the Bucks and Celtics improved this offseason. Both teams will be considered in the S Tier rankings, while Eastern Conference teams like the Philadelphia 76ers and Miami He...

The Phoenix Suns are entering the upcoming 2023-2024 season with a very different looking team compared to the roster of their 2023 NBA Playoffs.  The changes made to the Suns could best be described as a team overhaul. The Suns began their Summer offseason by trading All-Star point guard Chris Paul and shooting guard Landry Shamet to the Washington Wizards for All-Star guard Bradley Beal. The blockbuster trade would be the first domino of many to fall in their roster shake up. The Suns would then trade backup point guard Camron Payne to the San Antonio Spurs as a salary dump. They would let multiple role players walk in free agency including Bizmack Byombo, Jock Landale, Torey Craig, Darius Bazley, TJ Warren and Terrence Ross. The Suns recent decision to trade  starting center Deandre Ayton to the Portland Trail Blazers was the final step to finishing the team’s shake up. As currently constructed, only Superstars Devin Booker and Kevin Durant are returning from the previous s...

The Damian Lillard trade saga recently came to a conclusion. The blockbuster trade sending Lillard to the Milwaukee Bucks has now transitioned into a Jrue Holiday trade bidding war. Jrue Holiday is coming off of a All-Star 2022-2023 season with the Bucks. His trade demand is at a all time high with several NBA contenders showing trade interest. Contenders such as the Miami Heat, Philadelphia 76ers and Boston Crltics will need to trade young players, expiring contracts and draft picks to the Portand Trail Blazers. The Miami Heat were the original favorites to land Damian Lillard from the Blazers. Jrue Holiday plays the point guard position just like Diamian Lillard, but he is on a more affordable remaining contract. The Heat would need to include Tyler Herro, Duncan Robinson or Kyle Lowry in a Jrue Holiday trade package. The Philadelphia 76ers are in the position to move on from All-Star point guard James Harden. Holiday would be a great replacement for Harden, who is rumored to avoid t...

The long awaited Damian Lillard trade has finally happened after nearly 3 months of waiting. A three team blockbuster trade was the end result, with two fairly shocking teams in the process. The Miami Heat were heavily favorited as the front runners of the trade talks. The Heat were Lillard’s one and only trade destination. That destination would not longer be the case as the Milwaukee Bucks would become  the real trade partner. The Bucks aqcuired Damian Lillard as their game changing trade, while moving on from All-Star point guard Jrue Holiday and backup guard Grayson Allen. The Phoenix Suns would become the surprising third team trade partner. The Suns moved on from disgruntled center Deandre Ayton, sending him to the Portand Trail Blazers for veteran center Jusuf Nurkic. Trail Blazers role players Nassir Little and Keon Johnson would also included with Jusuf Nurkic and Grayson Allen in the blockbuster trade to the Pheonix Suns. In the long haul, the Milwaukee Bucks are the clea...

It is over two weeks since the MLB trade deadline. There were buyers and sellers at the deadline. The New York Mets were the biggest seller at the trade deadline. The Mets made moves that esentially punted their 2023 season. The Mets are currently 5-11 since the August 1st trade deadline, the worst post deadline record of all 30 MLB teams. The Mets called up several minor league players after moving on from Max Scherzer, Justin Verlander, David Robertson, Mark Canha and Tommy Pham. The constant losing has been become atrocious with fans beginning to speculate tanking. The tanking speculation was more evident when the New York Mets lost 21 to 3 against the Atlanta Braves on Saturday afternoon. The New York Mets could potentially gain a top drafted player if they finish among the 6th worst records in the league. The Mets have become uncompetitive and nearly unwatchable since the trade deadline. The Met fans, who are paying hard earned money to watch their minor league filled team tank ar...

The MLB trade dradline is offically one week old. Several MLB teams made moves in order to improve their current rosters and the future of their organizations. The Los Angeles Angels were in an interesting situation at the deadline. Their best player and MVP favorite Shohei Ohtani is a upcoming free agent after the 2023 season. The front office had an opportunity to trade him for minor league prospects or lose him for nothing in free agency. The Angels chose to keep Ohtani and buy at the trade deadline. The team’s deadline moves included adding starting pitcher Lucas Giolito, reliever Reynaldo Lopez, first baseman CJ Cron and outfielder Randal Grichuk. These trades were expected to keep the Angels fighting for contention. The Angels have now lost 7 straight games since the day of trade deadline. The Angels are currently 2 games under .500. Nothing has gone right for the Angels since the trade dealine. Originally dubbed trade deadline winners, The Angels are in free fall mode. It is unk...

The New York Mets entered the 2023 season as championship contenders. They had the highest payroll in the history of the MLB. The team won 101 games in 2022 and had high expectations heading into the new season. Everything has gone wrong for the New York Mets in 2023. From gut punching losses to injuries to key players to down years from pitchers and hitters, 2023 has gone as wrong as possible for the Mets. They finished the month of June 10 games under .500. The hope was for the Mets to turn things around by the trade deadline. Things never changed for the Mets. They would become trade deadline sellers after putting themselves in a hole too deep to bounceback from. The organization  bid farewell to pitchers Max Scherzer, David Robertson and Justin Verlander. They sent away outfielders Tommy Pham and Mark Canha. The Mets would add to their farmsystem and rebuild for the future. Their remaining schedule does not get easier and they have essentially punted on the final 2 months of th...

The MLB Trade deadline began the month of August. Several MLB teams made big and small moves at the dradline. Several of these trades were winning moves. There were still several losers at the dradline. The Baltimore Orioles, Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees and Minnesota Twins were losers of the American League. The Baltimore Orioles needed to improve their starting pitching rotation and bullpen. The Orioles traded for strugglings starting pitcher Jack Flaherty and disappointing reliever Shintaro Fujinami. The Boston Red Sox also needed to upgrade their pitching staff. Their only trade dewdline move was acquiring infielder Luis Urias. The New York Yankees and Minnesota Twins needed to improve their starting lineups. Both teams would do the exact opposite by trading for relief pitchers Keynan Middleton and Dylan Floro. None of these trade move the needle for these American League teams. The New York Mets and St Lous Cardinals were losers of the National League. Both teams were sellers ...

The MLB trade deadline has come and gone. Every team has made their big and small moves. Some teams made win now trades and others entered rebuilds. The winners of the trade deadline stood out in various ways. The Houston Astros, Texas Rangers and LA Angels were the clear winners in the American League. The Astros improved their starting pitching rotation and bullpen by trading for former Cy Young pitcher Justin Verlander and closer Kendall Graverman. The Texas Rangers improved their pitching staff by acquiring former Cy Young pitcher Max Scherzer, along with starting pitchers Jordan Montgomery and relief pitcher Chris Stratton. The Angels also improved their starting pitching rotation and bullpen by adding former All Star starting pitcher Lucas Giolito and closer Ronaldo Lopez. They then traded for offensive sluggers Randle Grichette and CJ Cron. The Miami Marlins, LA Dodgers and Arizona Diamondbacks were the deadline winners of the National League. The Marlins elevated their pitching...

The Boston Celtics had an interesting but questionable NBA offseason. They were one win away from becoming the first team in NBA  history to win a playoff series while overcoming a 3-0 series deficit. The Celtics  were instead defeated by the 8 seed Miami Heat in a do or die game 7 on their home floor. This elimination would lead to the Boston Celtics taking part in a three team trade. The Celtics would acquire former All Star Kristaps Porzingis from the Washington Wizards. The Celtics would lose former defensive player of the year, Marcus Smart. In order to complete the three team deal, Marcus Smart was traded to the Memphis Grizzles and Tyus Jones would land in Washington. Smart was one of the longest tenured Celtics. He was a leader in the locker room and was considered the heart & soul of the Boston Celtics. He provided great versitility on defense and had improved his game on offense. Porzingis is coming off of one of the best seasons of his career. Pairing Porzingis ...

The Philadelphia 76ers are in the midst of a very complicated NBA offseason. They entered the offseason coming off a blown 3-2 second round exit to the Boston Celtics. They had all optimism in advancing to the Eastern Conference Finals. Things have taken a strong turn for the worst since their elimination. All Star James Harden has requested a trade and MVP Joell Embiid has hinted at leaving the Sixers in the future. As a result, the Sixers have some very tough decisions to make. Harden has not rescinded his trade request and he is rumored to avoid NBA training camp. The Sixers do not plan to give  Harden away and hope to recieve good value for his expiring contract. They have been rumored to be in the mix of the Damian Lillard trade market. It is believed that guard Tyrese Maxey could become the 76er’s second star if James Harden is traded for quality role players. Maxey is also considered a trade chip if the 76ers front office wants to pair Joell Embiid with Damian Lillard. The S...

A full week has gone by since All Star Damian Lillard requested a trade from the Portland Trail Blazers. Lillard has made it clear to the media that he is only interested in a trade to the Miami Heat. It is well known that the Portland Trail Blazers are not interested in the Miami Heat’s trade package. It is believed that a third and fourth team would be needed for a Lillard to Miami trade. Prior to the trade request, the Miami Heat lost several key players in free agency. Gabe Vincent, Max Strus and Cody Zeller are no longer members of the Miami Heat. The Heat also moved Victor Oladipo in a trade to the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Heat would respond by resigning Kevin Love & Orlando Robinson. They followed those moves by adding free agents Josh Richardson and Thomas Bryant. Tyler Herro is very aware of seeing his name float in Lillard trade rumors. He recently removed the Miami Heat from his Twitter bio, preparing for the next chapter of his nba career. While the Heat are still fav...

Damian Lillard has requested a trade from the Portland Trail Blazers. The Blazers will enter a rebuild centered around young players Scoot Henderson, Anfernee Simmons and Shaedon Sharpe. Lillard has played his entire 11 year NBA career with the Portland Trail Blazers. The Miami Heat, Brooklyn Nets, Philadelphia 76ers and LA Clippers have shown interest in a Dame Lillard trade. The Miami Heat is the peferred trade destination for Damian Lillard. The question is what type of trade package can the Miami Heat provide. Players Tyler Herro, Duncan Robinson and Kyle Lowry have been heavily rumored. The Brooklyn Nets are also rumored to be Dame Lillard’s secondary choice. The Nets have plennty of draft assets but lack experienced young players. Could a three team trade be possible as the 76ers search for a James Harden trade package? The NBA offseason is in the very early stages and the hot stove has only gotten hotter.