The NBA season is heading toward the All-Star break and before we know it, the playoffs will be right around the corner. For some teams, the postseason won’t be attainable this year and they are already turning their attention to the future.

Plenty of teams accepted the harsh reality of no postseason and made moves ahead of the deadline to put themselves in a better position for years to come. Teams such as the Indiana Pacers and San Antonio Spurs may lose a lot the rest of the season, but have to be happy about the draft capital and young players they have in place.

At the opposite end of the spectrum, some teams are looking to make some noise for the remainder of the season. Playoff berths are likely and they want to make a deep run in the postseason to justify some of the moves the front office has made.

This is the most wide-open the league has been in years as there are numerous contenders in both conferences. Pinpointing a team that is head and shoulders above the rest is not easy, but the Phoenix Suns are the closest thing to that, as they are tied with the Golden State Warriors and Brooklyn Nets for the shortest odds to win the NBA Championship.

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The defending champion Milwaukee Bucks and new-look Philadelphia 76es round out the top-five. There are other intriguing teams in the top-10 that can make a strong case they should be considered contenders as well.

The next few weeks and months could very well determine the direction some franchises go. Could we see another James Harden for Ben Simmons level blockbuster this offseason? If things go awry for some teams we very well could.

Here are three stars to watch in trade rumors if this season ends in disappointment.