LA Clippers
Most likely move: Adding a rotation player for the stretch run
The LA Clippers have won eight of their last 11 games and could be a team to keep a close eye on heading into the final stretch run before the postseason. Now that Kawhi Leonard is healthy, this is a team that could truly take off down the stretch. With the emergence of the likes of Norman Powell and Ivica Zubac, the Clippers could be quite the dangerous team in the West. If they can make one more addition at the NBA Trade Deadline, the Clippers could be one of the best teams that no one seems to be talking about.
That's why heading into the NBA Trade Deadline, I do believe that the Clippers will be aggressive in hoping to add another difference-making rotation player to the roster. If I had to guess, I'd imagine the Clippers will pursue adding a versatile wing or big that could give the team some added depth. After losing Paul George in free agency, there were many who gave up on the Clippers' chances to make noise in the West. Perhaps we were all a bit premature in burying the Clippers.
Los Angeles Lakers
Most likely move: Acquiring a starting center
The Los Angeles Lakers, in what can only be described as one of the most surprising trades in NBA history, acquired Luka Doncic from the Dallas Mavericks overnight. How this will ultimately alter the team's plans at the NBA Trade Deadline remains to be seen. However, there's no question the Lakers have decided to hand over the franchise to Luka. In the long run, this is a no-brainer move for Los Angeles. It's hard to blame them. Heading into the NBA Trade Deadline, especially after losing Anthony Davis, it would be smart for the team to attempt to acquire a center.
And it may not even be the needle-moving target like Myles Turner, who the team reportedly checked in on over the last week. A few other lower-level targets that have been linked to the Lakers over the last few months are Jonas Valanciuas, Robert Williams III, and Nikola Vucevic. Is their target list limited to those three players? That's unlikely.