As the temple of top basketball, the NBA has never lacked top stars. In the era of business alliances, the law of survival of the fittest has always been upheld. Whether it is a top superstar with unlimited scenery, or a young and promising fresh force, they cannot escape the shackles of fate and become the victims or appendages of the team.
Today, take stock of the eight biggest stars who are at stake this season.
Eighth place: Genius interior Turner
Nas was selected by the Pacers with the 11th pick in the first round of 2015. As an interior giant tower, Turner was extremely popular in the small-ball era, especially the championship puzzle that the championship team desperately needed.
The Pacers sent Le Vere and Sabonis before the trade deadline this season, and the intention to rebuild is extremely obvious, and the Pacers slowed down the pace of trade due to Turner's injury factor.
This season, Turner averaged 12.9 points, 7.1 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game, as an important puzzle piece of the interior, Turner has always been the focus of the Nets, Lakers and other championship teams.
As a center forward, Turner has solid internal steps, height and long arms, strong physical fitness, excellent rebounding awareness, and is an important blue-collar player of the team, who can become an internal defensive gate and enhance the important comprehensive strength of the team's internal line.
At the end of the season, after Turner recovered from injury, the Pacers are bound to put Turner on the shelves to help the team completely rebuild, and Turner himself has always been positive about the transaction, for this interior giant tower, going to the championship team and fighting for the first championship of his career will be the biggest motivation and appeal at present.
Seventh place: Russell, the top-runner-up show
Russell was selected by the Lakers with the second pick in the 2015 first round. As the son of genius, Russell's career has not been smooth, and Russell's career has been adrift in the Lakers, Nets, Warriors, Timberwolves and other teams.
As a highly talented Russell, Russell has never been able to get the opportunity to play, and Russell's unsociable personality has once become the source of contradictions in the dressing room, which has also become an important factor in Russell's frequent use as a trading chip.
In 2020, Russell was sent to the Timberwolves by the Warriors to form the Three Musketeers, but Russell was not compatible with the 2020 champion Edwards, and the chemistry between the two was almost zero. Even the efficiency of the two-person single-core team is much higher than that of the dual-core team, which also made the locker room conflict between the two break out for a while.
The relationship between Russell's maverick personality and head coach Finch is also extremely delicate, and even the head coach has publicly ridiculed Russell, so that the contradictions between the generals and coaches have been intensified, and the Timberwolves once put Russell on the shelves before the trade deadline, once again starting a wandering career.
As a show-up, Russell had a strong talent, but because of his arrogant personality, he moved between many teams and eventually destroyed his talent and ambition.
The Timberwolves have long been dissatisfied with Russell, and once the Timberwolves have a poor record this season, it is expected to send them away in the offseason, and the extremely talented star will face a wandering career without a fixed home.
Sixth place: Thornhead Wood, the loser
Wood, as a failed draft, lurked in many teams in the league, and in 2020, Wood returned to Houston and played his peak state, and Wood's reverse growth once became a legendary story in the league.
In the 2020-21 season, Harden broke up with the Rockets for the championship, and even took the initiative to apply to leave the team, and the Rockets have recently been in the process of rebuilding. As a rotten team, after Wall was plagued by injuries again and abandoned himself, Wood gradually became the top scorer in the Rockets and gained a foothold in the Rockets.
Once a key target for the Rockets, Wood's growth as a young interior liner surprised the Rockets, but this sentiment did not last long.
Wood's arrogant, aggressive personality was constantly exposed, and he staged locker room conflicts one after another, whether with players or managers, Wood's self-inflated thorny personality and became the Biggest thorn in the Rockets' side, and the Rockets even banned Wood for a time.
Before the trade deadline, Wood was also placed on the shelves by the Rockets, and eventually abandoned the deal because he did not get too many chips.
But the Rockets have no interest in the inside tower that has grown up in adversity, and the frequent locker room conflicts have made the Rockets management already discouraged by Wood, and leaving has become Wood's final destination. Wood will eventually pay the price for his pride and prejudice.
Fifth place: Low pick legend Grant
Grant was selected by the 76ers with the 39th pick in the second round in 2015. Grant has successively tossed 76ers, Thunder, Nuggets, Pistons and other teams, as a low-pick draft, Grant's counterattack path is jaw-dropping.
But this small forward, who came to the Pistons, was not happy, and was even abandoned by the team for a while, becoming a chip for the team's reconstruction.
This season, Grant has averaged 19.1 points, 4.1 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game, and as the team's leading scorer, Grant is not a key target for the Pistons. On the contrary, all the statistics are not as good as Grant's 2021 champion CanningAn, which is the focus of the team's training.
Grant himself is also a positive attitude towards the team's transaction, and has repeatedly revealed that he hopes to go to a team that wins the championship, the Pistons have communicated with the Lakers many times, in addition to the Lakers' chips have not reached the Pistons' demands, Grant's own willingness has also affected the trend of the transaction to a certain extent. As a result, Grant remained in the Pistons before the trade deadline.
But the Pistons' deal with Grant did not end there, both sides have long been tacit, leaving is only a matter of time, once the pistons and Grant's needs can be reached, the deal will also be called out.
It is reported that the offseason Pistons are bound to put Grant back on the trading shelf, because once it is impossible to send Grant away.
The Pistons will offer the team's leading scorer a big contract, which the Pistons do not want to see, and the presence of Grant will also hinder Cunningham's development, the Pistons' motivation to trade it is already very obvious, there is no room for maneuver, it is basically the trend of the times.
For Grant, chasing a big contract and going to a team with a championship to choose at least one of the two, the Pistons' scoring champion must prepare in advance for the offseason, after all, there is no future in the Pistons, the Pistons have no intention of cultivating Grant, to avoid running again, and planning his career in advance will be Grant's most important task at present.
Fourth place: Bench bandit Poole
Poole was selected by the Warriors with the 28th pick in the 2019 first round. As the Warriors' second low-pick draft after Green, Poole once stood up from the bench and became the team's pivotal core star.
In the 2021-22 season, the Warriors returned to the top and once became the top team in the West, and Poole, as an important scoring point within the Warriors, undertook most of the team's firepower output and shared a huge pressure for Curry on the offensive end.
This season, Poole averaged 16.4 points, 3.1 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game, which was once the Warriors' biggest surprise. However, Clay's return once disrupted this rhythm, the fastest improving young man once returned to the bench from the start, this big ups and downs, it was also a huge blow to this young man, Poole even depressed for a long time, the Warriors' record also fluctuated.
Poole can renew the Contract with the Warriors in advance at the end of the season, in the competitive state that Pooler has played before, at least between 20 million and 25 million per year, and for the Warriors, the salary is extremely tight, and it is almost impossible to send Such a large contract with a maximum salary, but for Poole, that is, he cannot play the starter, and he cannot get the maximum salary contract, and leaving has become a natural thing.
If the season ends and Poole tests the free market, it must be quite popular with various teams, and the youngster has begun to plan a new blueprint, after all, in the Warriors, as long as Klay is still there, It is difficult for Poole to enter the starting lineup.
And for the Warriors, Poole still has a final-year rookie contract, and if there is no consensus with Poole, it is also a good way to trade it in advance and exchange it for a more suitable chip. It's up to Poole to plan ahead and maybe leave as the youngster's best bet.
Third place: Mitchell running for his dreams
Mitchell was selected by the Nuggets with the 13th pick in the first round of 2017, as a low-pick star, Mitchell is not the son of the natural choice, Mitchell was traded by the Nuggets to the Jazz, gradually opened the road to counterattack, in 2018 Mitchell replaced Gordon, participated in the All-Star Dunk Contest, and won the championship, the young man's super bouncing ability, and excellent physical talent, made him famous.
Mitchell also led the Jazz back to the league's super team with year-on-year growth, and Mitchell also became the absolute leader of the Jazz and gradually grew into an All-Star player.
Under the leadership of Mitchell last season, the Jazz have been firmly ranked first in the league, but due to mitchell's injury in the playoffs, the Jazz lost to the Clippers in the semifinals and returned home again, losing many playoff losses, which made the young star disheartened.
In the new season, the Suns, Warriors, and Grizzlies have risen one after another, and the Jazz's record has declined, once falling to the fourth place in the West. The Jazz, who have a poor record, have also erupted into discordant voices again.
Mitchell and Gobert, the Utah pair, have always been rumored to be discordant, and even in the game, Gobert has repeatedly asked for the ball on the inside, Mitchell has turned a blind eye, and the discord between the Jazz double stars has also intensified the contradictions in the Jazz locker room.
As the contradictions continued to heat up, Mitchell even vowed to play in the big city, which caused the Jazz to suffer a fierce blow, once a poor record, and the team was also deeply involved in the trade storm.
This season, Mitchell has averaged 26.1 points, 4.1 rebounds and 5.3 assists per game, and Mitchell's departure will also make the Jazz once again a middle and lower team.
Although the Jazz did not make a big move before the trade deadline, Mitchell's remarks have caused dissatisfaction in the locker room, and jazz have long been dissatisfied with the impact of Mitchell's remarks, Mitchell's departure has also entered the countdown stage, the all-Star guard who has grown up will finally be ready to leave Salt Lake City for the dream in his heart, once the Jazz still have nothing this season, Mitchell will be expected to embark on a new journey.
Second place: Lillard the Arrogant
Lillard was selected by the Blazers with the 6th pick in the 2012 first round. As the absolute leader of the Blazers, Lillard has a super explosive scoring power, and the three-point deterrent power of 100 steps through Yang is even more murderous. Lillard time also comes from this.
In the 2021-22 season, Lillard experienced one of the toughest seasons of his career, not only suffering from trading turmoil, but also aggravating Lillard's abdominal injury when participating in the Olympic Games, leaving the top scorer plagued by injuries.
In the new season, Lillard's injuries continue to appear repeatedly, the competitive state after the comeback is not good, and even once openly ridiculed by the new coach Billups, and the locker room contradictions are constantly intensifying.
In the middle of the season, Lillard ushered in a comeback, the overall performance is also a tiger, personal status and team record are declining, the team has also changed from a super team in the West to the bottom team in the league.
In the end, Lillard chose to undergo surgery, which also heralded the reimbursement of this season, and the Blazers who lost Lillard also gave up the season completely and made new plans.
Before the trade deadline, the Blazers sent away Cowington and McCollum in succession, with obvious intentions to rebuild, and because Lillard was in the recovery stage, it was difficult for the Blazers to get a generous chip.
But for the Blazers who have already decided to rebuild, it is only a matter of time before Lillard is sent away, Lillard from the league's hot top star, to being plagued by injuries and being left on the streets, Lillard's experience is also lamenting the impermanence of things.
And Lillard's arrogant, maverick personality is also doomed to his tragic fate, offseason, the Blazers are very likely to send it away, after all, with a team that has begun to rebuild, leaving Lillard has no meaning, and all this is caused by Lillard's own hands, he not only ruined Portland, but also put himself in an embarrassing situation.
1st Place: Young Hollywood Lavin
LaVine was selected by the Timberwolves with the 13th pick in the 2014 first round. As a low-pick draft, Lavine's bounce power is amazing, and he once won the dunk king award in 2015 and 2016.
In the 2017-18 season, LaVine joined the Bulls, and with his super explosive power and amazing bouncing power, he gradually gained a foothold in the Bulls, and once became the future leader of the Bulls.
But all this, in the 2021-22 season, after the addition of DeRozan, will change completely. The already deflated All-Star broke out after joining Chicago, and even played the most explosive game of his career. Relying only on the insoluble long-range shooting, it shocked the league and killed all sides.
DeRozan not only returned to the ranks of superstars personally, but also promoted the Bulls from a fish-belly team to a super team in the league, and DeRozan became the Bulls' well-deserved leader in just a few months.
DeRozan's strong rebound has made LaVine, the leader of the Bulls, extremely embarrassed, and even the top salary contract that has been won will be lost, and at the end of this season, LaVine said that he became a free agent, but the Bulls still have no intention of signing LaVine with a maximum salary.
This also makes LaVine, who has worked hard in the Bulls, extremely troubled, after all, LaVine's best choice when he stayed, but for an All-Star player, LaVine is naturally unwilling to condescend to a salary cut to renew the Bulls.
After all, the position of the boss of the team has been lost, and if the salary is cut again, Lavin will lose more than he loses, which is obviously not the result that Lavine wants.
Lavin has to plan for the future, after all, the Bulls will not keep a top-paid Lavin. Because they already have the top superstar DeRozan for cabbage prices.