There are plenty of reasons why a young player may be struggling to find his niche in the NBA and not panning out with the team that drafted him. Lack of opportunities is arguably one of the reasons why players don't develop the way they'd want to. They may be sharing the same position with a better veteran in the rotation, making it tough to gain significant minutes that could help his growth. The pressure of high expectations could also play a part as to why a player is struggling to establish himself in the NBA.
Julius Randle, Brandon Ingram, and D'Angelo Russell are just some of the few examples of players who initially struggled early on through their first few seasons in the NBA. Eventually, the three of them saw their careers take off and became All-Star caliber players after moving teams.
Sometimes, like the three former Lakers mentioned above, a new situation is all they need in order to blossom. With that, here are three young NBA players who may need a trade to get a fresh start.
Potential NBA Trade Moves To Freshen Careers
1. Myles Turner
Myles Turner has seen his name pop up in trade rumors over the last couple years. This is mainly due to his fit alongside Indiana Pacers big man Domantas Sabonis. Many analysts are claiming the two are not suitable with playing together on the floor, since Sabonis, who has grown to be an All-Star caliber player, is at his best when playing center, the same position Turner plays.
Turner, likewise, has seen his career plateau and hasn't had the breakout season that could propel his career. While it may look like that the 25-year is already what he is at this point in his career, there is still room for him to grow. Currently, Turner has established himself as a force on the defensive end, becoming one of the most feared rim protectors around the league. He has led the NBA in blocks twice in 2018-19 and in this past 2020-21 season.
Offensively is where Turner could still grow and get better. But as mentioned, playing alongside Domantas Sabonis has forced him to play on the perimeter more, serving as a stretch five for the Pacers. At 6-foot-11 and 250 pounds, Turner could be a force inside the paint. Perhaps going to a situation where he could be the main interior presence could bode well for his career.
2. Marvin Bagley
The Sacramento Kings had high hopes for Marvin Bagley when they took him with the no. 2 overall pick in the 2018 NBA draft. There's no doubting that Bagley has insane talent and could still eventually blossom into a star in the NBA. However, so far the former Duke star hasn't lived up to the billing of being the 2nd overall pick, especially since two of them taken after him in Luka Doncic (3rd overall) and Trae Young (5th overall) are turning out to be superstar-caliber franchise players.
Bagley has shown flashes of brilliance here and there, giving Kings fans hope that he could eventually break out. However, the 6-foot-11 big man has simply struggled to stay on the floor, mainly due to injuries to various parts of his body such as his knee, foot, and hand. Bagley has played in just 118 out of a possible 226 career games through three NBA seasons, including just 13 appearances in his sophomore campaign.
The Kings may just be ready to give up on the Bagley experiment as they reportedly “explored the market” on what they could get for their former 2nd overall pick. Likewise, Bagley stirred up the pot when he liked a tweet suggesting he should bolt Sactown. Bagley is just 22 and has a lot of years to develop and prove that he could be something in the NBA. Perhaps a fresh start with a new team could revitalize his career.
3. Mo Bamba
The Orlando Magic had high hopes for Mo Bamba when they selected him with the 6th overall pick in 2018. However, Bamba has had a very underwhelming NBA career so far. Much like Bagley, the 23-year old hasn't had the healthiest career so far, having played just 155 games through three NBA seasons. In addition, Bamba hasn't been given the opportunity and the minutes that could help him in his development.
For majority of his career, Bamba has played behind former Magic All-Star Nikola Vucevic, drawing just six career starts so far. Orlando traded Vucevic midway through the 2020-21 campaign and this ideally could have been the big break the 7-footer needed. However, the Magic acquired another young center in Wendell Carter Jr., the 7th overall pick in the same draft, in the same deal.
Nonetheless, this could very well end up becoming a positional battle between Bamba and Carter Jr. But the latter getting the starting nod through the second half of the 2020-21 season could be mean that the Magic see the former Chicago Bull as their center of the future. This may leave Bamba as the odd man out, missing out on important developmental minutes early in his career. With that, perhaps a new situation where he could play a bigger role may be what he needs to finally get his NBA career moving.
Follow Us
Subscribe