Trades 2023: Early Exchanges

It's still early on in the 2023 season but we've had some intriguing trades already! Let's take a look!

Trade ID#140:

• SCRM receive James Harden, CHMK 2024 RD3
• CHMK receive Evan Mobley, SCRM 2024 RD1

This was a mega-trade that can not be overlooked. We wondered how long James Harden would be for Chunky-land, as the thirty-three year old was now miscast on an up and coming CHMK team. With the season barely underway, GM Evan answered that question by flipping Harden to SCRM for twenty-one year old Evan Mobley! That now gives CHMK an insane defensive frontcourt alongside Bam Adebayo and Robert Williams III—not to mention Nic Claxton. Mobley’s 14.5 PTS, 8.9 REB, and 1.3 BLK can only improve as time goes on but that’s already pretty solid. Rumors are that CHMK is looking for a seven-foot-two French-sized puzzle piece to complete his rebuild.

Note: With Harden gone from CHMK—after thirteen seasons—it now falls to SOUR’s Steph Curry as the longest tenured SlamNation player. Harden was an original draft pick of CHMK, all the way back in 2020 RD11.2 as a fresh-faced rookie. Thanks Beard, you’ll be missed!

SCRM drafted Mobley with their 2022 RD1.3 pick and it looked like he would be a cornerstone to their rebuild for a decade or more. However, with a fast start to the season and the healthy return of Anthony Davis, GM Jordan decided to go all-in on the 2023 season and traded the potential of Mobley for the win-now of Harden. As of now, the Screaming Eagles are undefeated so that confidence from management isn’t unfounded! Adding Harden’s 22.1 PTS, 11.0 AST, 2.8 3PT and numerous free throw attempts makes for a killer backcourt trio with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Dejounte Murray. While Mobley will be missed, Davis and Jakob Poeltl are plenty in the middle for SlamNation’s current number one team.

Trade ID#141:

• FJUB receive Lonzo Ball
• MELO receive Gary Trent Jr.

When this trade came through, analysts thought it was LaMelo Ball who was traded for Trent Jr.! Alas, it was Lonzo, which made a lot more sense. The elder Ball hasn’t seen the court this season but fits in with FJUB’s defense-first aesthetic. We’re not sure if he’ll return anytime soon but FJUB can afford to have him sit on IR for now.

As for MELO, they exchanged defense for offense, with Trent Jr. quietly averaging 17.9 PTS and 3.5 3PT in Toronto. Pushing toward their first playoff spot, MELO wanted to get productivity onto the court and Trent fit the bill perfectly. With both these teams battling for playoff seeding, this trade was the type of mid-level move that could help both sides.

Trade ID#142

• TRUO receive Wendell Carter Jr., Christian Wood
• SOUR receive Jimmy Butler, Ivica Zubac

The annual Trieu-Thien trade came early this year! And this one involves Jimmy Butler returning to SOUR. Last time around--in 2018 (Trade ID#83)—Butler went from SOUR to TRUO, with Butler and Damian Lillard being the centerpieces. This time SOUR sends out a pair of big men in Carter Jr. and Wood, to return the thirty-three year old Butler.

With Wood—the return for Zach LaVine—and Carter Jr. gone—part of the Bradley Beal trade--SOUR will have to make do at the center position with Zubac, Isaiah Stewart, Bol Bol, and rookie Jalen Duren. Adding Butler solidifies the shooting guard position immensely though, as SOUR was starting the likes of Josh Hart, Quentin Grimes, or Lonnie Walker IV there. Butler may miss a lot of games but he is still an all-around stats maven when he plays, and swipes 2.1 STL a game.

As for TRUO, who are currently headed toward the bottom of the standings, this signals another on-the-fly rebuild, which meant old man Jimmy was no longer needed on the team. Wood is twenty-seven and Carter Jr. is still only twenty-three. Both are well-rounded fantasy wise and the rare big men who shoot well from the charity stripe. Losing twenty-five year old Zubac won’t be too much of a hit, as his growth potential was limited, and now TROU can look to continue building around Jalen Green and Scottie Barnes with his center positions all set.