5 NBA players who need a fresh start elsewhere
The NBA has seen players switch from one team to another for different reasons through the years. Two of the biggest reasons why players need a change in scenery is to revitalize a career and to challenge for the championship. LeBron James leaving the Cleveland Cavaliers for the Miami Heat is probably the most popular example of this.
After spurning the Cavs to join the Heat, the NBA saw James win the first two championships of his career. Kevin Garnett also left the struggling Minnesota Timberwolves to help restore the Boston Celtics' postseason glory days. Garnett won his only championship and Defensive Player of the Year award after moving from one franchise to another.
More NBA players could be on the move in search of career renaissance and championship aspirations.
NBA players who need a change of scenery to revive career or contend for the championship
#5 Kevin Love
When LeBron James left the Cavs in the summer of 2018 to play for the Purple and Gold outfit in Los Angeles, the Cavs were in disarray. Instead of rebuilding, they chose to retain some players, including Kevin Love, whose contract was supposed to end in the 2019-2020 season. The team re-signed him for $120 million that will run through the 2022-23 season.
When it was very clear that Love could not move the needle for this team when it came to playoff contention, the move was head-scratching at best.
This year, Love’s salary and fit are putting the Cavs in a ridiculously tight spot. They drafted Evan Mobley as third overall pick and re-signed former Brooklyn Nets center, Jarrett Allen, to a 5-year $100 million extension. Adding Lauri Markkanen to the mix only complicates the situation even more.
Give me just one game of a Kevin Love, Lauri Markannen, Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen lineup https://t.co/a4il4BEU6p
The rumored Kevin Love buyout did not go through, so things are still up in the air. It would have allowed him to sign with a team of his preference. More importantly, he could have chosen to play with a bevy of suitors who are legitimate championship hopefuls.
With the way the Cavs’ roster is constructed and the aim of developing young players the main goal, Love and the Cavs would have to part ways. Love’s value as a contributor is not lost on other teams, with US Men’s National Basketball Team head coach Gregg Popovich asking him to represent the country at the Olympics. A change of scenery could do wonders for his career.
#4 Marvin Bagley III
When Marvin Bagley III entered the 2018 NBA Draft, the Duke alum was considered by many scouts to be a franchise-altering player because of a skill set that is very rare in big men. He could shoot well from deep, averaging 39.7% and 61.4% FG. He was a natural bringing the ball when running the break despite a lanky 6-11 frame. He was a tantalizing talent that the Kings drafted him 2nd overall.
The next two picks, Luka Doncic and Trae Young, are respectively changing their team’s success the way Bagley was supposed to do. Sacramento fans will torment the organization with every Mavs and Hawks playoff success in the coming years. The Kings, meanwhile, continue to deal with uncertainties with the roster and Bagley in particular.
3 teams who could consider a trade for Sacramento #Kings big man Marvin Bagley III. #NBA
nbaanalysis.net/2021/07/30/nba…
The Sacramento Kings are not known for developing young talent and it usually takes big men more time to come into their own. Changing teams could help restore Bagley’s confidence and fulfill the tantalizing potential he displayed in college.
While the trade market is cold, the Kings could lean on his promise and production when healthy to get a decent return.