Over the past week, teams that are looking to make a deep run in the playoffs are fine tuning their lineups. With superstars locked into their teams for the remainder of the season, it will be veteran role players that are dealt and signed.

How will these role players fit on their new teams? Will they show signs of younger versions of themselves? These questions will be answered on the court, but let’s make some predictions.

Trevor Ariza to the Heat

My initial thought when I saw this was that the Heat are still trying to fill Jae Crowder’s shoes. Crowder (Suns) was not re-signed after last season even though he played crucial minutes in the playoffs. With Ariza, they look to get the same 3-and-D wing intensity that Crowder provided last year. While Ariza has yet to play this season, expect him to become a rotational player in Miami. He should be good for around 10 points, 5 boards and 3 assists on about 37% from three. If he can produce these numbers for the Heat, they could be a very dangerous playoff matchup.

P.J. Tucker to the Bucks

The player out of these three that I think will play the most is P.J. Tucker. Over the last four seasons, P.J. Tucker has made 380 corner threes with the next best, Danny Green at 281. Bringing him to Milwaukee could be really dangerous for the rest of the league. With a player like Giannis, Tucker will see plenty of open shots from the corner. Tucker has been known for playing 1-5 in his prime. In a great defensive system like the Bucks, I think it will be easier for Tucker to showcase that defensive talent.

For effort reasons, I am choosing to not take Tucker’s stats so far this season into account. It was very known for a while that P.J. was unhappy with management, and his play showed exactly that. Now that he is thrown back into a winning environment, expect around 9 points, 6 boards and 2 assists on 38% from 3 for the 35 year old. If Tucker is able to produce at that rate, it could push Milwaukee over the hump this May.

Blake Griffin Signs with the Nets

Much like every other big NBA fan, I am excited to see Blake Griffin back on the floor with a chance to win a ring. Although this is nowhere near his team, I think a lot of people are sleeping on what Griffin has left in the tank. Much like P.J. Tucker, Blake Griffin displayed frustration in Detroit and his effort showed just that. Now that he is in a new situation, I think we may see shades of the old Blake. Not the high-flyer that was jumping over cars, but the guy that was really starting to develop his overall game.

With the reduced role that Steve Nash spoke about Griffin playing, there is a chance we could see more productive minutes out of him. The last full season Blake played was arguable his best, averaging 24.5 points, 7 boards and 5 assists on 36% from three. In Brooklyn, I would expect around 14 points, 5 boards and 2 assists on 36% from three. If Griffin can do this while being that small-ball big that Brooklyn needs, that first ring will become very attainable.

Final Thoughts

For all three of these teams, I think that they made the right moves on paper. With that said, the best moves on paper might not be the best moves on the court. In years past, it has been these trades and signings of vets that have made major differences for championship teams. Depending on how the rest of their teams play, these three could be that difference.