The NBA world has been on fire as recent blockbuster trades have shaken up the league. The first report came in the early minutes of Sunday morning when ESPN’s Shams Charania broke news that the Dallas Mavericks would be sending franchise star Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers in a three-team deal involving Anthony Davis being sent to Dallas.
The following night, Charania reported another blockbuster trade, as the Sacramento Kings would be sending All-Star point guard De’Aaron Fox to the San Antonio Spurs in a three-team deal. The Chicago Bulls, the third team involved, have traded star guard Zach LaVine to the Kings.
The Houston Rockets, a team that has remained quiet ahead of the Feb. 6 trade deadline, still sits as the a top three seed in the Western Conference. However, these moves pose a challenge for a Rockets squad that has found early success with their young core.
The news shakes up the landscape of the league, as multiple teams have made moves to try to further a playoff push. The Lakers have added Doncic, one of, if not the best player in the league to join forces with LeBron James, arguably the greatest basketball player in the history of the sport. The magnitude of this trade cannot be overstated.
In Dallas, Davis is paired with Kyrie Irving to create a one-two punch that could find success in the short term. In San Antonio, rising star Victor Wembanyama gets his co-star in Fox, while the Kings remain somewhat competitive by acquiring LaVine.
The Rockets are expected to clinch a playoff spot as they’re sitting near the top of the West after having played 48 games already. They have the resume to be a competitive postseason team but have no favors playing in a crowded conference.
Houston has a good chance of matching up with a team like the Spurs, Mavericks, or even Lakers in the postseason. Now that multiple West teams have upgraded, the conference got even harder for the league’s most surprising team. The Rockets have been impressive, but the true test is facing teams with playoff experience on the biggest stage.
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