The NBA Trade Season is almost upon us.
It’s almost December 15th and you know what that means, NBA fans: Trade Season is upon us.
That date marks the point at which most free agents signed or re-signed in the off season are eligible to be traded.
As always, there is some juicy trade bait out there, just waiting for a hungry team to pounce.
Today, we take a look at a selection of players expected to move between the start of Trade Season and the Trade Deadline on February 7th.
Kevin Love
Cleveland Cavaliers
If anyone in the NBA deserves a trade, it’s Handsome Kevin Love.
Toiling for some moribund Wolves teams, Love thought he’d hit the jackpot as LeBron’s handpicked running mate upon the King’s Cleveland homecoming. Love won his ring, putting some haters in their place in the process.
He likely wasn’t prepared for James’ subtweeting and owner Dan Gilbert’s…..Dan Gilbertness. He stuck fat and came through with nary a word of complaint.
Now the leader on a rebuilding team, Love and his $120 million, 4 year deal stick out like a sore thumb. Any team that is looking for a solid B-level star would be smart to call the Cavs.
Portland has often been mentioned as the likely suitor for any deal, but Carmelo Anthony’s resurrection has surely put the kibosh on that.
Who else would be in the market for a sweet shooting, strong rebounding but athletically limited 31 year old?
He’d fit in perfectly in Milwaukee, but they don’t really have anyone to give up.
His hometown Lakers would be interesting with Love aboard. He could allow the Lakers to continue to play big, but would clearly offer more offensively that either JaVale McGee or Dwight Howard.
Keep an eye on Houston. A sharp shooting big is right up GM Daryl Morey’s alley and if there is any man in the NBA creative enough to get a deal done, despite limited assets, it’s Dork Elvis.
Chris Paul
Oklahoma City Thunder
Paul, at age 34 and on one leg, is still an outstanding NBA point guard.
Playing for – at best – a low end playoff team cannot what he’d hoped for at this stage of his career.
Frankly, just about any contending team in the NBA could do with CP3. Imagine LeBron, Giannis or Ben Simmons rolling downhill in a 2 man game with Paul?
The problem, as NBA Players Union President, is one of Paul’s own making. In negotiating the provision in the CBA that allows Paul and others his age to be paid higher levels of the cap than the previous CBA, Paul got his money. He is due a staggering $44.2 million as a 37 year old, but he’s made himself nigh on untradable to the sort of team he’d want to play for. No top 10 team in the NBA has the room to trade for Paul, without giving up significant assets in return.
The only real possibility is Miami, in a deal based around Goran Dragic. However, it’s been reported that OKC won’t engage unless multiple young and valuable players are heading the other way. With the Heat’s hot start (pun intended) it seems unlikely that Miami would include Bam Adebayo or Justice Winslow, in a Dragic/Paul trade. It’s not clear if they would even consider Duncan Robinson or Kendrick Nunn at this stage.
A left field destination? San Antonio. If Pop decides that he’s all in for one more run (suddenly more realistic given their recent form spike) or just wants to shuffle the deck, would a package based around DeMar DeRozan be workable?
Andre Iguodala
Memphis Grizzlies/Parts Unknown
At age 35, Iggy has no interest in holding the hands of his young Grizzlies teammates as they find their way in the NBA. Perhaps his time at Golden State has spoilt him, but Iguodala wants to play on a contender to see out his own NBA journey. To that end, he’s essentially been on gardening leave whilst Memphis find a trade partner. Iguodala is on an expiring $17 million deal, so even if he was playing mentor to the young Grizz Cubs, a trade would be likely.
All that leads to a certain trade – to where is the question.
We expect he’ll be going to a contender and that narrows down the field somewhat: Lakers, Clippers, Bucks.
But there is a bloated 2nd tier in the NBA. The Rockets, Sixers (a Philly return would be a nice story), Celtics, Nuggets, Raptors, Mavs and perhaps even the Jazz can all lay claim to a legitimate shot at the crown.
The second question is what would teams give up for a creaking 35 year old who hasn’t been around an NBA team for 6 months. A 1st round pick seems a bit steep. Would a pair of 2nds get the job done?
If Memphis can’t trade Iggy, it’s reported they’ll do the right thing by the veteran and buy him out.
Goran Dragic
Miami Heat
The veteran Slovenian was thought to be the odd man out at the beginning of this season.
Between his own health (36 games played last season), the ball dominance of the incoming Jimmy Butler, the emergence of Point Justice Winslow and the evolution of play making big Bam Adebayo, Dragic was expected to be more than a touch redundant on this roster.
Throw in his expiring $19.3 million contract and it seemed a matter of time before he was thanked for his services and moved on.
But a funny thing happened: Dragic has thrived as the lead guard on the 2nd unit. The now healthy (touch wood) 33 year old is averaging 15.9 points per game and knocking down over a pair of 3’s a night. He has given Miami’s bench a steady hand, able to continue the flow of Coach Spoelstra’s drive and kick offense.
Yet it’s exactly those reasons as to why he’s on this list.
In adapting to and thriving in a reserve role, Dragic has possibly played his way into the thoughts of plenty of contenders who are looking for some deep shooting and play making, combined with a veterans poise.
That begs the question: Is Miami one of those contenders? Perhaps.
If Grand Poo-bah Pat Riley believes the Heat are in with a legitimate shot at the finals, Dragic will stay put. But if Riley thinks they’re not at that level, we should expect a trade.
In that sense, the status of Dragic come the deadline will tell us a lot about Miami’s expectations.
D’Angelo Russell
Golden State Warriors
In obtaining D’Angelo Russell as a part of the Kevin Durant defection, it was expected that D’Lo wouldn’t be long for San Francisco. He was seen as an asset that could be flipped for a piece that didn’t overlap as obviously with Steph Curry and Klay Thompson.
Injuries to the two back court superstars – as well as seemingly every other Warrior of substance, including Russell himself – has thrust the spotlight upon the former Net.
Whilst his performances have been uneven (not unexpected given the turmoil around his new team) he has put up some brilliant efforts, including a stretch in early November where he averaged around 38 points, 5 boards and 8 assists.
If Russell meshes with Curry upon his return, then it’s conceivable that the Dubs hold Russell and make a run. Given their perfect storm of a season, however, it’s likely the Warriors look to bottom out and D’Lo moves to a 4th franchise.
The Wolves are the obvious landing spot, in a deal for Jeff Teague, a prospect and picks.
Russell’s pick and role dance with Karl Anthony Towns would be a delight. Andrew Wiggins newly discovered play making chops don’t preclude Minnesota from needing top echelon lead guard. Russell’s addition would make for a young and talented core in Minnesota.
The New York Knicks
New York Knicks
This is a speculative pick.
The recent firing of Coach David Fizdale puts the pressure squarely onto the front office pair of Scott Perry and Steve Mills – they’re now out of scapegoats.
Putting the clubs win-loss record to one side for a moment, let’s look at some of their more significant moves.
The drafting of Kevin Knox hasn’t gone well. The #9 pick from last year has regressed to the point that he recently received a DNP-CD.
Dennis Smith Jr, the supposed jewel of the Porzingis trade, looks like a bench sparkplug at best. With Dallas thriving, the picks from that trade don’t appear to be super valuable, either.
The Knicks free agency japes have been well covered. It’s fair to say that none of this season’s class have had the impact the club would have hoped for.
Should Mills and Perry receive their marching orders, everybody on this roster that is not RJ Barrett, Mitchell Robinson or Kevin Knox will be up for trade.
