Trade Deadline Projections: (NOP Pick Value & Trade Partners)

PHX Suns
Schedule and Projections from 1/1-Trade Deadline

Spoiler

W - 1/2 Sixers
L - 1/4 Raptors
L - 1/6 @ Bucks
W - 1/7 @ TWolves
L - 1/9 @ Spurs
L - 1/11 @ Grizz
W - 1/13 Cavs
W - 1/16 TWolves
W - 1/19 Lakers
L - 1/21 Blazers
L - 1/23 Rockets
W - 1/25 Clips
W - 1/28 Wizards
L - 1/30 Bulls
L - 1/31 @ Warriors
L - 2/2 Grizz
L - 2/5 @ Blazers
W - 2/6 Jazz
L - 2/8 @ Kings
L - 2/10 Rockets

8 wins -12 losses
26-28 Record by Trade Deadline

Schedule and Projections from Trade Deadline to End of Season

Spoiler

W - 2/20 @ TWolves
L - 2/21 @ Bulls
W - 2/23 Celtics
W - 2/25 @ Nuggets
L - 2/26 Thunder
L - 2/28 Spurs
W - 3/2 @ Heat
W - 3/4 @ Magic
W - 3/6 @ Nets
L - 3/7 @ Cavs
L - 3/9 Warriors
W - 3/11 Twolves
L - 3/13 Hawks
W - 3/15 Knicks
W - 3/19 Pelicans
L - 3/21 @ Rockets
L - 3/22 Mavs
W - 3/25 Kings
L - 3/27 Blazers
L - 3/29 Thunder
L - 3/30 @ Blazers
L - 4/2 @ Warriors
W - 4/4 Jazz
L - 4/7 @ Hawks
L - 4/8 @ Mavs
L - 4/10 @ Pelicans
L - 4/12 @ Spurs
L - 4/14 Clips

11 wins - 17 losses
37-45 End of Season Record


OKC Thunder
Schedule & Projections from 1/1 - Trade Deadline

Spoiler

W - 1/2 Wizards
L - 1/5 @ Warriors
W - 1/7 @ Kings
W - 1/9 Jazz
L - 1/15 @ Rockets
L - 1/16 Warriors
W - 1/18 @ Magic
W - 1/20 @ Heat
L - 1/21 @ Wizards
L - 1/23 @ Hawks
W - 1/25 @ Cavs
W - 1/26 TWolves
W - 1/28 @ Knicks
L - 1/31 @ Grizz
W - 2/2 Magic
W - 2/4 @ Pelicans
W - 2/6 Pelicans
L - 2/8 Clips
W - 2/9 @ Nuggets
W - 2/11 Grizz

13 wins -7 losses
29-24 by Trade Deadline

NO Pelicans
Schedule & Projections from 1/1 to Trade Deadline

Spoiler

L - 1/2 Rockets
L - 1/5 Wizards
W - 1/7 @ Hornets
L - 1/9 Grizz
W - 1/12 @ Celtics
W - 1/14 @ Pistons
W - 1/16 @ Sixers
L - 1/18 @ Raptors
W - 1/19 @ Knicks
W - 1/21 Lakers
W - 1/23 @ TWolves
L - 1/25 Mavs
W - 1/26 Sixers
W - 1/28 Nuggets
L - 1/30 Clips
L - 2/2 Hawks
L - 2/4 Thunder
L - 2/6 @ Thunder
L - 2/7 Bulls
W - 2/9 Jazz
W - 2/11 Pacers

11 wins - 10 losses
27-26 by Trade Deadline

Schedule & Projection for Rest of Season

Spoiler

W - 2/20 @ Magic
L - 2/21 @ Heat
L - 2/23 Raptors
W - 2/25 Nets
W - 2/27 Heat
W - 3/1 @ Nuggets
L - 3/2 @ Mavs
W - 3/4 Pistons
W - 3/6 Celtics
L - 3/7 Grizz
L - 3/9 @ Bucks
W - 3/10 @ Nets
W - 3/15 Nuggets
L - 3/17 Bucks
W - 3/19 @ Suns
L - 3/20 @ Warriors
L - 3/22 @ Clips
L - 3/25 Rockets
L - 3/27 Kings
W - 3/29 TWolves
W - 4/1 @ Lakers
L - 4/3 @ Kings
L - 4/4 @ Blazers
L - 4/7 Warriors
L - 4/8 @ Grizz
W - 4/10 Suns
L - 4/12 @ Rockets
W - 4/13 @ Twolves
L - 4/15 Spurs

13 wins - 16 losses
40-42 Record by End of Season

DEN Nuggets
Schedule & Projections from 1/1 to Trade Deadline

Spoiler

L - 1/1 Bulls
L - 1/3 Grizz
W - 1/5 @ Twolves
W - 1/7 Magic
L - 1/9 @ Kings
L - 1/14 Mavs
L - 1/16 @ Mavs
W - 1/17 Min
L - 1/19 @ Warriors
L - 1/20 Spurs
W - 1/23 Celtics
L - 1/25 Wizards
L - 1/26 @ Clips
L - 1/28 @ Pelicans
L - 1/29 @ Grizz
W - 1/31 Hornets
W - 2/3 @ Sixers
W - 2/4 @ Celtics
W - 2/6 @ Pistons
L - 2/9 Thunder
W - 2/10 @ Lakers

9 wins - 12 losses
22-31 by Trade Deadline


SAC Kings

Schedule & Projections from 1/1 to Trade Deadline

Spoiler

W - 1/1 @ TWolves
W - 1/4 @ Pistons
L - 1/7 Thunder
W - 1/9 Nuggets
W - 1/11 Cavs
L - 1/13 Mavs
W - 1/16 Heat
L - 1/17 Clips
L - 1/19 @ Blazers
W - 1/21 Nets
L - 1/23 @ Warriors
W - 1/26 @ Knicks
L - 1/28 @ Raptors
L - 1/30 @ Cavs
W - 1/31 @ Pacers
L - 2/3 Warriors
L - 2/5 Mavs
W - 2/7 @ Jazz
W - 2/8 Suns
L - 2/10 @ Bulls
L - 2/11 @ Bucks

10 wins - 11 losses
23-30 by Trade Deadline

Seeding at Trade Deadline
8th: OKC (29-24)
9th: NOP (27-26) - Projected 14th Pick at Deadline
10th: PHX (26-28)
11th: SAC (23-30)
12th: DEN (22-31)

The remainder of the season for the Suns looks pretty brutal. I've got them around 37-45 by the end of the season (and I think I was favorable to them against certain teams) so even though their playing above .500 ball right now, I can't see them at all making the playoffs with OKC's schedule and getting healthier.

The bad news though is I think the NOP pick looks to be 13-14th barring injury. PHX's own pick will be higher in draft order.

Given this rough estimate and projection, I think PHX ends up around somewhere as the 10-12 seed with DEN right in that range too. My guess is they become sellers this year at the trade deadline unless a Star level player becomes available to them in trade.

I would guess PHX is making enough room in their cap to offer Monroe a contract this summer. A trade of Dragic for expirings, picks and prospects would free up 7.5mm to add to their existing 7mm in cap space. That'd give them close to max money to throw at Monroe + assets left to trade for another star player should one become available.

Curious to see what others here think will be the seeding of these teams and what teams like DEN and PHX do since they're on the treadmill of mediocrity?