One player to buy, sell, and monitor for NBA Eastern Conference teams part 1 of 3
Patrick Stoddard
March 3, 2022
We will take a quick glance into each NBA Eastern Conferences teams sports card market for this article. The teams will be listed in the current regular season standings as of the time this article was written. For each of the 15 teams, I will identify a player who is a buy for the remainder of the season, a sell for the rest of the season, and an intriguing player to monitor their card market. This analysis is only for the remainder of the 2021-22 NBA season. Certain players may be listed as a sell for this article but may be a long-term hold or vice versa. This article is purely an opinion piece of how I view each team’s market.
Part 1 of 3
1. Miami Heat
Buy- Jimmy Butler
Butler put on a show in Orlando’s 2019-2020 NBA playoff bubble, putting on a fierce showing against Lebron James and the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Finals. Expect Butler to put on another show and remind card collectors of how good a player he is.
Sell- No one
All Miami Heat players are undervalued currently, in my opinion, if they make a deep playoff run.
Monitor- Tyler Herro
The hobby darling of the bubble playoffs, Herro was once the hottest buy. But after an underwhelming season last year, hype quickly fell off Herro. Monitor Herro’s prices to see if his prices make a sudden jump in either direction and react accordingly.
2. Chicago Bulls
Buy- Zach LaVine
LaVine is set to sign a max contract this upcoming offseason; whether it is with the Chicago Bulls or not, he will most likely gain FOMO this offseason. This year, Chicago can make a deep playoff run, further increasing his hype for next season.
Sell- DeMar DeRozan
This year, DeRozan is a borderline MVP candidate, experiencing a career year and gaining much love in the sports card hobby. However, DeRozan is 32 years old, and this is most likely a career year. Time will tell if this season can move DeRozan into a higher tier of all-time NBA players. But with DeRozan playing better than ever, there is no better time to sell high. DeRozan could sustain this success into next season, or he could be next season’s Julius Randle.
Monitor- Patrick Williams
Williams has spent most of the season injured as the 4th overall pick of the 2020 NBA draft. The Bulls choose not to trade him at the trade deadline. However, do not discount them flipping him around the NBA draft for another star. This scenario is unlikely, in my opinion, but should be monitored.
3. Philadelphia 76ers
Buy- Joel Embiid
The sample size is small of Embiid and James Harden playing together, but they seem to co-exist and play at a high level together. Embiid was already a front runner for the NBA MVP, but with Harden passing dimes to Embiid. Embiid may run away with the MVP if he maintains his stats.
Sell- Tyrese Maxey
Maxey may be a great long-term hold, but with the arrival of Harden. Maxey is definitely the third option in Philadelphia and will be overshadowed by Embiid and Harden. Now could be a great time to sell high on Maxey as he has been gaining steam this season as a potential Ben Simmons replacement.
Monitor- James Harden
Harden has all the regular season statistics to be an all-time great; he lacks postseason success. After asking out of his last two teams in less than a year, Harden certainly has to prove he is not a ticking time bomb for the 76ers. The 76ers are viewed as Embiid’s team. If the 76ers can make a deep playoff run, monitor how will Hardens cards react.
4. Milwaukee Bucks
Buy- Giannis Antetokounmpo
If Giannis leads the bucks to a back-to-back NBA Championship, his card prices will probably hit new floors, leading to less significant dips in the future. Non-Prizm Giannis rookie cards could be sneaky plays, like Panini Hoops, Panini Pinnacle, or Upper Deck SP Authentic.
Sell- Brooke Lopez
Lopez has been out for most of the season with a back injury. At 33 years old, Lopez cannot do much to change the narrative around his career. He will most likely go down in history as a good but not great NBA big man. Fun fact, Brooke Lopez is the Brooklyn Nets’ all-time franchise leading scorer.
Monitor- Khris Middleton
Middleton was briefly gaining hobby love during the Bucks NBA finals run last season; he has not had as great as last year’s season, diminishing his shine in the hobby. However, if the Bucks win the NBA Championship this year, could Middleton be viewed as a Scotty Pippen-lite player to Giannis?
5. Cleveland Cavaliers
Buy- Darius Garland
(I would love to say Evan Mobley, but he does not have enough cards releases yet, and when his Prizm-type cards do release, they will be over-priced).
Garland has been playing phenomenal basketball this year. At 22 years old, Garland should have many good basketball years before him. The Cavaliers roster cornerstones seem to be Evan Mobley, Garland, and Jarret Allen. With Colin Sexton and Lauri Markkanen consisting of an excellent supporting cast. The Cavaliers could act as a foil in this upcoming NBA playoffs, and with Garland being the primary ballhandler, his notoriety could rise significantly in the hobby.
Sell- Lauri Markkanen
The Markkanen experiment surprisingly seems to be working out in Cleveland as he is averaging almost 15 points per game. Markkanen is a big man who can shoot, but his current performance seems to be about his ceiling. If someone has been holding Markkanen cards hoping for a miracle, I do not believe that miracle is coming. Markkanen seems destined for a solid, not great, NBA career.
Monitor- Kevin Love
According to Basketball Reference, Kevin Love possesses a Hall of Fame Probability of 73%, above players like Jimmy Butler, Rajon Rondo, Draymond Green, and Blake Griffin. With Love wasting away in Cleveland ever since Lebron James’s departure to the Los Angeles Laker. Could a potentially deep playoff run with the Cavaliers increase Love’s card prices? Maybe.
Disclaimer: I’m a paying customer of Card Ladder. This content is for informational and/or entertainment purposes only. You should not construe any such information or other material as legal, investment, financial, or other advice.
