Atlanta Hawks: Kent Bazemore Trade Scenarios for Every Contending Team

Not Likely:

Honestly, this is not a great deal for either side, but the Heat had to be included since they should be desperately coveting Baze’s 3-and-D skill set. However, this return for the Hawks on Baze and Prince is less than spectacular. Though Bam Adebayo would be an absolutely amazing acquisition, having to take on Tyler Johnson’s nearly $20 million in salary next year would be unsavory, and it seems unlikely that the Heat would want to give up their big man of the future in Bam.

With the Clippers clearly in the running for some big free agents next offseason (looking at you, Kawhi Leonard), this deal would help them unload Gortat’s salary and allow them to go with a two-man center rotation of the untouchable Boban Marjanovic and Sixth Man of the Year candidate Montrezl Harrell. Though Baze and Prince would help the Clips in the short-term, Baze would definitely impact the team’s cap sheet next season and it’s unlikely that the Clips would want to give up a pick and the 13th overall pick from the 2018 Draft in the same deal. With Ballmer running a tight ship in LA, this one is likely too rich for Jerry West’s blood.

This deal falls right on the line of being fairly likely, as the Kings have not played 17-year veteran Zach Randolph a single minute as the team has pivoted to a young core led by De’Aaron Fox, Willie Cauley-Stein and Buddy Hield. Similarly, both Yogi Ferrell and Skal Labissiere have barely seen the floor with the team’s new core sizzling to start the season. If the Kings are willing to give up a future pick, this deal makes sense as a clear roster upgrade that improves the Kings’ depth considerably ahead of the stretch run of this season.