Hoops Habit
Fansided

NBA: Teams That Can Realistically Trade for Superstars

By Maxwell Ogden

Dec 22, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (L) and forward Nerlens Noel (R) work out prior to a game against the Memphis Grizzlies at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 22, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (L) and forward Nerlens Noel (R) work out prior to a game against the Memphis Grizzlies at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
1 of 7
Next

We’re all waiting for a massive trade that shakes the NBA at its core. Which teams are actually capable of trading for a superstar?

Dec 22, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (L) and forward Nerlens Noel (R) work out prior to a game against the Memphis Grizzlies at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 22, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (L) and forward Nerlens Noel (R) work out prior to a game against the Memphis Grizzlies at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports /

Chances are, the 2016 NBA Trade Deadline will be centered around expiring contracts, draft picks, and role players. From time to time, including 2015 trades for All-NBA playmaker Goran Dragic and now All-Star point guard Isaiah Thomas, teams aim higher.

It’s rare that household names are traded mid-season, but Dragic and Thomas are examples of how close general managers can come to dealing for such commodities. Carmelo Anthony in 2011 and Allen Iverson in 2007 are two recent examples of that transpiring.

The question is, which teams could actually do the unthinkable and trade for one of the biggest names in the NBA?

Some teams have the complete package; immediate-impact players, promising young contributors, and draft picks. Others are more lopsided in their efforts, but have enough that one could envision them making such a move.

It may or may not happen in 2016, but if it does, the following teams can realistically trade for a genuine superstar.

Next: Return to Championship Glory?