D'Angelo Russell, Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers' encouraging start to the season is all gone. That felt like years ago. As the Lakers have struggled recently, having dropped seven of their last 10 games, there is plenty of uncertainty revolving around this team. At this point, it's a consensus that if the Lakers are going to emerge as a contender in the Western Conference this season, they almost have to make an aggressive move at the NBA Trade Deadline. If that does end up happening, D'Angelo Russell would almost have to be involved for salary purposes.
While Russell may not be a player who carries a ton of value for the Lakers anymore, he could be a very useful and productive player for another team. On the trade block, at the right price, there's reason to believe that Russell could emerge as a highly sought-after trade piece at the deadline. In the right role, probably coming off the bench, Russell could still be a truly impactful player in this league. After the Lakers moved him to the bench, we began to see that more and more.
Jonas Valanciunas, Washington Wizards
From all indications, it does seem as if the Washington Wizards are going to move forward with trading Jonas Valanciunas. In a perfect world, there are probably a few veterans that the Wizards would like to move off from at this year's NBA Trade Deadline. However, from their bench group, Valanciunas appears to be the best bet to be moved. That's because of how impactful he's been even in mostly a bench role for the team this season. And as a veteran center, Valanciunas could emerge as a valuable bench player for a contender down the stretch.
Valanciunas hasn't started many games for the Wizards so far this season but is as productive as a starter. In the NBA, that's an incredibly valuable trait to have. In 22 games this season, Valanciunas is averaging 13 points and eight rebounds per game on 57 percent shooting from the field. In the right situation, there's reason to believe that Valanciunas could emerge as a strong contributor to a contender. Whether it's in a starting or bench role, Valanciunas is likely to be one of the most sought-after centers at the deadline.