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2021 NBA Trade Deadline: 5 teams who shouldn’t make moves

By Orestis Rantis

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 18: James Harden #13 of the Brooklyn Nets guards LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers during the second quarter at Staples Center on February 18, 2021 in Los Angeles, California, LeBron clowns Durant for Harden trade at 2022 NBA All-Star Draft. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 18: James Harden #13 of the Brooklyn Nets guards LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers during the second quarter at Staples Center on February 18, 2021 in Los Angeles, California, LeBron clowns Durant for Harden trade at 2022 NBA All-Star Draft. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images) /
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Team to stay put No. 5: San Antonio Spurs

The San Antonio Spurs are in a pretty tough and unexpected spot right now. After Gregg Popovich’s 22-season playoff run ended last year, most people instantly wrote them off for the foreseeable future. Quite surprisingly, they are now sitting seventh in the Western Conference and a play-in spot is all but guaranteed.

Here’s where things get complicated for them. DeMar DeRozan and LaMarcus Aldridge are about to hit free agency in the summer and with the franchise going towards a more youthful direction, re-signing these two seems like crazy-talk.

This duo has been catalytic in their recent success and separating them from the young core will most likely result in the team’s plummeting in the standings. As a result, the Spurs are faced with a tough dilemma.

The front office must decide between keeping the pair as is until the summer or trading them away to get at least something in return, rather than be left empty-handed when they depart for good in the summer.

Whichever direction they decide to go with, keeping the veterans along would seem like the wise thing to do. Even though the Spurs possess a fun young core, they are far away from competing for a playoff spot if they were to subtract DeRozan and Aldridge.

The experience that will be implemented on Dejounte Murray, Keldon Johnson and co. will be priceless. At the end of the day, how much of a trade return can two declining veterans get you?