NBA Trade Watch: The Southwest

New Years may have come and gone, but Trade Season is still very young. In fact, the NBA sits under a month away from the February 9th trade deadline. One of the most exciting times of the season, the trade deadline presents the opportunity for teams to improve both in the immediate and or distant future whether they are acquiring talent or accumulating future draft compensation.

In the lead up to the deadline, Basketball Insiders will tackle each division and break down where each team can improve or any trade chips they may have; Dennis Chambers has already covered the Atlantic Division here. While there doesn’t appear to be any major moves or changes on the horizon, the NBA never sleeps and that could change at a moments notice.

Here is a breakdown of the Southwest Division.

Houston Rockets (28-11)

The Rockets sure have fallen on hard times in recent weeks.

Houston has lost seven of their last 10 games, nine of which were played without superstar guard James Harden. Thanks to a dominant early season, the Rockets still sit comfortably at the two-spot in the Western Conference, but the San Antonio Spurs, Minnesota Timberwolves and others are all quickly gaining ground on them. And if they want any chance to catch the reigning champion Golden State Warriors in the standings, the Rockets are going to have to right the ship and do so quickly.

Notable Ending Contracts:

Chris Paul — $24,599,495

Trevor Ariza — $7,420,912

Clint Capela — $2,334,528

Names Worth Talking About:

The Rockets roster is already a fleshed out one; despite their recent struggles, they boast a top-shelf offense and, at the very least, an average defense. However, looking ahead, Houston’s top priority should be retaining talents Chris Paul and Clint Capela.

When healthy, Paul has been his usual dominant self and has formed one of the most dynamic backcourts in the NBA when alongside Harden. Capela, meanwhile, is in the midst of a breakout season for the Rockets and, at just 23-years-old, should continue to develop into an impact player on the floor. It would behoove the Rockets to maintain both their services.

Biggest Area of Need at the Deadline:

The Rockets don’t need much outside of the return of James Harden. They have already fortified their bench with Gerald Green, who has provided Houston with a major spark off the bench in Harden’s absence. Leading up to the deadline, the Rockets should be focused on maintaining the health of the players and trying to lock down the likes of Paul and Capela for the future.

San Antonio Spurs (28-14)

Gregg Popovich has worked his magic again this season.

Despite Kawhi Leonard’s extended absence, the Spurs have managed to a 28-14 record this season, good for third in the Western Conference. LaMarcus Aldridge has rebounded from a poor showing last season, while the likes of Pau Gasol, Danny Green, Kyle Anderson and Rudy Gay have been key contributors for Popovich’s squad.

Notable Ending Contracts:

Tony Parker — $15,453,126

Names Worth Talking About:

Tony Parker is a free agent at season’s end. Outside of the veteran guard, the Spurs don’t have much in the way of trade assets outside of draft compensation. The Spurs don’t look poised to make any big splashes as the deadline draws near; unless it’s swapping bench pieces, don’t expect much from San Antonio.

Biggest Area of Need at the Deadline:

Health. If the Spurs want to remain in contention they are going to need to return some players to the starting lineup. Most notably, Leonard, who has played just eight games this season, would be a welcome addition to a team that needs a reliable scoring option outside of Aldridge. The Spurs currently rank 26th in the NBA in points per game, averaging just 101.6 per contest; Leonard’s return would certainly remedy that situation.

New Orleans Pelicans (20-19)

As they seem to be every season, the New Orleans Pelicans are at a crossroads. Despite their talented frontcourt pairing of DeMarcus Cousins and Anthony Davis, New Orleans sits at just 20-19, good for eighth in the Western Conference; do they forge on ahead or finally hit the button and blow it all up?

Notable Ending Contracts:

DeMarcus Cousins — $18,063,850

Rajon Rondo — $3,300,000

Names Worth Talking About:

While the Pelicans are likely reluctant to trade their second-star, Cousins, it may be in their best interest to do so. Now in his eighth season, Cousins has never been to the playoffs; does he believe the Pelicans — currently the eighth seed in the West — stand a chance to go anywhere against the top teams in the Conference? New Orleans retaining Cousins beyond this season will come down to that, and if they are unable to make any headway out West the team should, at the very least, be taking calls on the All-Star center.

E’Twaun Moore and Rajon Rondo could be interesting pieces as well. Moore is having a career year and could provide a scoring spark to a team either off the bench or in the starting lineup. Rondo, meanwhile, is an experienced veteran, and if his two postseason games against the Boston Celtics are anything to go by, Playoff Rondo can still make a major impact. Both players could be nice chips for the Pelicans should they look to retool or reallocate some assets heading into the deadline.

Solomon Hill, who has missed the entire season to this point with a torn hamstring, is on the verge of returning. He could make an impact for New Orleans as well.

Biggest Area of Need at the Deadline:

Defense may be the missing ingredient in the recipe that is the Pelicans success.

The Pelicans have the makings of an elite offensive team in place despite bucking the traditional trend and rolling with two star big-men — they currently rank sixth in offensive rating, fourth in points per game and second in assists per game — but New Orleans has been unable to put forth the same effort on the defensive end. That needs to change if they want to stay out of the Western Conference cellar and move up and out of the eighth spot.

Keeping Anthony Davis should be a priority as well, through the deadline and for the remainder of the season.

Dallas Mavericks (14-28)

Another year, another down season for the Dallas Mavericks. But down might be where the Mavericks want to be right about now.

While no franchise wants to be losing games, the fact that the Mavericks are so low in the standings provides them with the prime opportunity to add a major impact talent in the stacked 2018 Draft. For a team lacking talent as much as the Mavericks do, it’s almost the perfect scenario to add to build a core for the future.

Notable Ending Contracts:

Nerlens Noel — $4,187,599

Seth Curry — $3,028,410

Yogi Ferrell — $1,312,611

Names Worth Talking About:

The Mavericks won’t be competing anytime soon, but they certainly have some intriguing pieces they can move for assets; Wesley Matthews, Nerlens Noel, Devin Harris and others, veterans who could surely be made use of by contenders. Matthews is one of the more underrated players in the NBA while Noel is a young talent who has simply fallen out of Rick Carlisle rotation and could do with a change of scenery. Devin Harris could certainly provide some experience and knowledge for a younger team while off the bench as well.

Seth Curry and Yogi Ferrell present as two intriguing pieces as well; they certainly are good enough, when healthy, to provide some offense off the bench and could definitely bring in some return should the Mavericks elect to move them.

Biggest Area of Need at the Deadline:

The Mavericks need assets, and they need them badly.

The team has experienced a long fall since its title run in 2011 and numerous on-the-fly retoolings have done little to keep the franchise afloat. As much as Mark Cuban wants Dirk Nowitzki to go out on a winning squad, there isn’t much he can do at this point; the Mavericks are just too lacking in talent. They need to break it all down and build a core through the draft and, while they are certainly on their way with Smith Jr. and Barnes, they still have a long way to go.

Memphis Grizzlies (12-27)

In the absence of Mike Conley, the Memphis Grizzlies have had a horrid stretch. Conley’s absence has coincided with a 5-23 stretch after a promising 6-3 start to the season, and things don’t appear as if they will be turning around in the near future. With Conley on the shelf for an extended period of time, Memphis’ best course may be the one no franchise wants to face; it may be time to cut their losses and rebuild.

Notable Ending Contracts:

Tyreke Evans — $3,290,000

Names Worth Talking About:

Marc Gasol will likely be an oft-mentioned name in the rumor mill, but it will probably take a larger-than-life offer to pry away the face of the franchise.

Rumors have swirled around Gasol for much of the season and they will continue to do so. Memphis’ poor performance certainly hasn’t helped but, with Conley on the shelf, Gasol is the team and that puts the Grizzlies in a terrible position. Memphis truly should consider shipping out Gasol; they desperately need the return he would bring in now in order to jumpstart a rebuild. The longer they wait, the lower the return will be. But what kind of message are they sending to their fan base should they simply admit defeat and subjugate them to potentially multiple years of irrelevancy? It is almost an impossible situation.

Tyreke Evans should be a hot commodity as well, and one much easier to move on from. The Sixth Man of The Year candidate has had the best season of his career and, most importantly, has maintained his health up to this point. Evans will almost certainly net the Grizzlies a first rounder, if not more, from a contender looking to add some scoring punch to their second unit. Signed to a one-year deal in the offseason and playing for a team going nowhere fast, there is no reason for the Grizzlies not to trade Evans.

Biggest Area of Need at the Deadline:

Like the Mavericks, the Grizzlies need draft assets and they need them badly.

Regardless of their decision on Gasol, Memphis is in a position where they must accumulate some talent through the draft after whiffing on multiple first-rounders in recent years. If the season keeps going as is, it shouldn’t be too difficult to get a top-level prospect with their own selection, but every extra pick is just another chance for Memphis to add to their depth and to a talent pool that is looking very thin at the moment.

In the event that they do move Gasol, taking on salary to facilitate some trades and acquire some draft picks certainly wouldn’t be out of the question.

With the trade deadline getting closer with each passing day, rumors will continue to swirl while teams make moves to critique and perfect their rosters.

And Basketball Insiders will be here to break it all down.