Los Angeles Lakers
Deadline target: Collin Sexton + Walker Kessler
With everything that has been reported surrounding the Los Angeles Lakers, it would be pretty surprising and unlikely for this team to make a big move for a superstar player at this point. As much as I believe that could end up being a huge mistake, I have to respect their stance. That said, there is another smaller-level move that could make sense for the team. I can't help but think about how a package of Collin Sexton and Walker Kessler could pay dividends for the team. The asking price may be high for Kessler, but if the Lakers could find a way to pry him away from Utah, this is the type of move that could certainly spark the Lakers.
The Lakers probably aren't considered a championship-level roster at the moment but this is the type of mid-season deal that could certainly change the narrative around this team heading into the postseason. This level of talent injection mid-season could be the difference between the Lakers being one-and-done in the postseason vs. potentially making a deep run. At the very least, these are two players the Lakers should explore making a move for over the next two weeks.
Denver Nuggets
Deadline target: Bruce Brown
After a truly concerning start to the year, the Denver Nuggets have absolutely begun to play better of late. However, heading into the NBA Trade Deadline, there are still concerns about this team that revolve around their chances of making a championship run. One potential target that the Nuggets could end up pursuing once again is Bruce Brown. After being away from the team for two seasons, there's a real chance that a reunion could end up helping both sides in a big way. This could end up being the perfect scenario for both sides heading into the deadline.
To be perfectly honest, it could be difficult for the Nuggets to pull off such a move and would likely need the help of a third or fourth team to make it all work financially, but you can't help but be intrigued by the possibility. In this effort, the Nuggets would clearly be trying to find some magic (once again) by bringing back Brown. He was so good and valuable during their championship run a couple of years ago and there's clearly something missing on this team's squad. Maybe there could be something there to help jump-start the team down the stretch.