Virus, injuries, standings all factor in NBA trade deadline
By PAT GRAHAM
AP Sports Writer
The basic mantra for all NBA teams this season should be just get into the playoffs. It applies to franchises at the top of the league standings or on the fringe of the playoff race. Given the array of injuries to big-name players and the hour-by-hour uncertainty due to the virus, being healthy is even a greater priority than usual. The impending trade deadline next month could be a dilemma for general managers, because NBA standings may not give an accurate measuring stick of where a team stands. Imagine Jamal Murray re-joining reigning MVP Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets in time for a postseason run. Or Victor Oladipo in Miami, if he continues to progress from the leg surgery. That alters the postseason landscape.Â