Five NBA trades that make too much sense

The NBA trade deadline will be here before you know it, and there’s been plenty of speculation and rumors leading up to the big day in February.

Some of the trades that have been talked about make sense, others not so much. Let’s take a look at some of the trades that make sense for both the players and the teams involved.

Here are five NBA trades that make too much sense.

1. Paul Millsap to the Toronto Raptors

If the Atlanta Hawks are set on rebuilding, then trading Millsap, an unrestricted free agent after this season, is a no-brainer. The soon-to-be 32-year-old power forward is averaging 17.9 points, 8.1 rebounds and 3.9 assists, and he might be the piece the Raptors are missing to get past the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference. In exchange for Millsap, the Raptors could offer a package of players for the three-time All-Star that might include Terrence Ross, Patrick Patterson and Norman Powell.

2. Goran Dragic to the Orlando Magic

The Magic reportedly offered the Miami Heat a future first-round pick and center Nikola Vucevic for Dragic, who is seen as an upgrade at the point guard position over third-year player Elfrid Payton. The 30-year-old Dragic is leading the Heat in scoring with 19.5 points per game, and he might be able to help the Magic contend for a playoff spot before it’s too late. Miami, on the other hand, is trending toward a rebuild with the second-worst record in the Eastern Conference, and the Heat desperately need young assets and draft picks.

3. Nerlens Noel to the Boston Celtics

The Philadelphia 76ers’ front court logjam will likely result in the team parting with one of their starting-caliber centers, and Noel might be the odd man out despite some solid outings this season. The 22-year-old former lottery pick posted 19 points, eight rebounds, five assists and three blocks in Tuesday night’s upset of the Los Angeles Clippers, and he might be what the Boston Celtics are missing down low. The Celtics rank near the bottom in rebounding and blocks per game, two areas that Noel specializes in.

4. Jusuf Nurkic to the Portland Trail Blazers

The Denver Nuggets are reportedly trying to trade the 22-year-old center after the team acknowledged that Nurkic and Nikola Jokic “didn’t click as a pairing,” and the Trail Blazers might be interested in acquiring the seven-footer with Festus Ezeli considering season-ending knee surgery. Nurkic, a former first-round pick, was named NBA All-Rookie second team in 2015 after he averaged 6.9 points, 6.2 rebounds and 1.1 blocks in his first season. The Trail Blazers could offer some of their young players or a draft pick to get depth at a position they seriously lack.

5. Brandon Knight to the Chicago Bulls

The Bulls’ plan to have Rajon Rondo start alongside Dwyane Wade in the backcourt fell through after just 29 games when the veteran point guard lost his starting job to Michael Carter-Williams and Jerian Grant. Now Chicago is reportedly shopping Rondo, and probably looking for another point guard, presumably one that can shoot. The Bulls are the worst 3-point shooting team in the league at 31.6 percent, and neither Carter-Williams nor Grant are helping the situation. One player that might is Knight, who has made more than 100 3-pointers in five of the last six seasons.

The 25-year-old is coming off the bench for the Phoenix Suns this season, but he has been a starter for most of his career and would fit in with the Bulls nicely. And because he is having somewhat of a down year, the Bulls might be able to get Knight for cheap.