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🏈 All or Nothing

🏈 All or Nothing

January 25, 2023

Good morning BTP family! Hope everyone has had a great week so far! Just a little PSA for all BTP subscribers; we are moving to one newsletter a week until further notice. We want to make sure we are putting out the best content for you guys and by limiting our newsletters we will be doing so! From now on look out every Wednesday for your mid-week sports update!

On today's BTP we break down the Lakers newest addition in Rui Hachimura and what it means for them moving forward, our NFL Conference Championship Weekend preview, and the five NBA teams that MUST make moves before the trade deadline.

Happy Humpday!

NEW FACES

What Newest Laker Rui Hachimura Means, More Moves Expected

Rui Hachimura always dreamed of playing in Los Angeles, and on Monday afternoon, his dream finally came true. The Lakers acquired the former lottery pick from the Wizards in exchange for Kendrick Nunn and three second-round picks.

Why do the Lakers make this move? The Lakers get a versatile wing that instantly makes their team better. Hachimura is currently averaging 13 points on 49% field goal shooting and 34% from three while coming off the bench. However, in games where Rui plays 25+ minutes, he actually averages 17.8 points per game while shooting 55% from the field, and 41% from three-point range, respectively. The Lakers need scoring, and Hachimura is definitely capable of getting buckets.

Why do the Wizards make this move? The Wizards did this for a few reasons. First of all, Hachimura was positionally blocked by Kyle Kuzma, which severely impacted his playing time. He was also on an expiring contract after failing to agree to an extension earlier in the season. But make no mistake, the biggest reason they did this move was to improve their draft lottery odds. By now, you know that next year’s draft class is beyond loaded at the top, and the Wizards rightly came to the realization that they’re not good enough to win, so they might as well rebuild and try and hit the draft lottery.

What’s next? Hachimura is a great fit for the Lakers, but he’s not enough of a difference-maker to take these sub .500 Lakers over the top, but he helps them out in an area of need, and most importantly, by not trading one of their first-round picks, they maintain the flexibility for another upgrade. No one knows definitively what the Lakers will do, but this signals to the league that they’re open for business.

ALL OR NOTHING

NFL Championship Round Preview

This weekend’s NFL Championship games are shaping up to be an instant classic. If you’ve been watching football all year, you’ll probably agree that these are the best four teams remaining, but don’t take our word for it; the sportsbooks think so too. According to BetMGM, the Super Bowl odds are as follows: the Kansas City Chiefs +250, the Cincinnati Bengals +260, the Philadelphia Eagles +270, and the San Francisco 49ers +280. It's not often you see this level of parity, so let's break these matchups down.

The AFC

Chiefs vs. Bengals have a rich history these last few years, and we should see another exciting chapter unfold this weekend. In their last three matchups dating back to last year’s AFC Championship Game, Joe Burrow and the Bengals are 3-0, and yet, the Chiefs actually opened up as -1.5 favorites. This line quickly moved in the wake of Patrick Mahomes’ ankle injury, with the Bengals now favored by -1.5 points. The outcome of this game will ultimately come down to Mahomes' health, but the Chiefs will be particularly motivated to win this one for their franchise QB, especially after last year's epic AFC Championship collapse.

The NFC

The Eagles and the 49ers might have the longest odds to win the Super Bowl but bet against these teams at your own peril. The Eagles finished 14-3, tied for the best record with the Chiefs, but likely would have won more had Jalen Hurts not gotten hurt. On the other side of the field, you have the well-oiled machine that is Kyle Shanahan's San Francisco 49ers. Even with a third-string quarterback in “Mr. Irrelevant” Brock Purdy, the 49ers are still putting up points and running the ball at an elite level; combine that with their elite defensive prowess, and they can win games in ten different ways. Both teams come into this matchup with very different momentums, as the Eagles manhandled the Giants last week while the 49ers eked out a win against the Cowboys. However, anything can happen in the playoffs, so buckle up for what’s sure to be a can’t miss game.

MAKING MOVES

NBA Teams Under the Most Deadline Pressure

The NBA trade deadline is rapidly approaching, and there is no shortage of teams under serious pressure to make a move. Here are the top five teams from an urgency standpoint.

The Los Angeles Clippers

Arguably no team is under more stress than the LA Clippers, but thankfully, they’re in a position to make some changes as they have plenty of tradeable contracts and the ability to trade a future first-round pick. The team's biggest area of need, aside from good health to their superstar duo, is at point guard. A sensible trade option might include moving John Wall and some additional assets for Mike Conley, while a blockbuster move could be going after Fred VanVleet from the Raptors. Speaking of Toronto…

The Toronto Raptors

The Raptors are at a crossroads. The Raptors, on paper, have a strong team but are currently in 12th place in the East. Did they underperform this season or overperform last season? Whatever answer they come to will decide how they move forward. The Raptors easily have the most sought-after players on the market, and there’s never been a better time to rebuild with the talent at the top of the 2023 Draft. These names include OG Anunoby, who one team has allegedly already offered three first-round picks for, Pascal Siakam, Fred VanVleet, and Gary Trent Jr. VanVleet (via player option) and Trent Jr. will be free agents this summer, and if they aren’t in Toronto’s future plans, they would be wise to move them. The Raptors need to rebuild or re-tool, but they shouldn’t stand pat.

The Golden State Warriors

It’s unwise to ever write the Warriors off when Steph Curry is on the team, but things in Golden State have not gone according to plan. The team’s defensive efficiency has slipped from second last year to 14th in the wake of Porter Jr. and Payton II’s departure, and the center position remains an area of need. The trouble with the Warriors is that they’re attempting to follow the Spurs' model of sustained success, so trading away former lottery picks for rentals would compromise their future, even though Curry remains an otherworldly player who needs help. Look for the Warriors, who are already paying historic luxury tax payments, to work around the edges and make minimal roster changes, and hope to strike gold in the buyout market.

The Dallas Mavericks

This one is simple, Luka Doncic is amazing, and the team still stinks. ESPN previously reported that Doncic has asked the team for roster upgrades, something that Mark Cuban vehemently denied, but it’s hard to imagine there isn’t some truth there. The Mavs let Jalen Brunson walk in free agency, and wouldn’t you know it, they’re really missing a secondary ball handler. The Mavs don’t have a ton to work with by way of assets, as they still owe an outgoing pick as part of the Porzingis salary dump, but they have some salaries they could wheel and deal with. Luka is young, and his free agency is still years away, but it’s always good business to keep your franchise player happy, and if Luka wants to see upgrades, the Mavs should make it happen.

The Los Angeles Lakers

The Lakers made a good start on this trade deadline by snagging Rui Hachimura away from the Wizards, but there’s still a lot more work to be done. Look no further than LeBron dropping 46 points last night, only to still lose by 18. The Lakers have been reluctant to part with their future firsts for anything less than a package that makes them a legit contender, and so far that kind of trade hasn’t materialized. In a vacuum, the Lakers would punt on the year and re-tool the roster once Russ’ contract is off the books, but good luck selling that plan to LeBron James.