By now, we’re at a point in the NBA season where we can separate the contenders from the pretenders.
Almost. There are exceptions to every rule. Some teams may have struggled early that are just starting to click. They may have good reasons for their early struggles, too.
For example, look at the Los Angeles Clippers. At the beginning of the season, it was hard to get a healthy stretch of games from Kawhi Leonard. Without their best player, the team struggled accordingly.
Recently, Leonard is showing signs of life – and so are the Clippers.
At 21-16, this team suddenly looks like the contender most expected it to be heading into the season. If they made a blockbuster trade, they could be very dangerous.Â
Here’s a deal that has them making one by acquiring DeMar DeRozan of the Chicago Bulls.Â