NBA trade speculation
Monday marks milestone in deal making
The NBA hasn’t had a trade since the Thunder acquired Chris Paul on July 16. That’s the longest stretch without a trade between free agency and the trade deadline since 1968, according to HoopsHype research.
But Monday marks the unofficial start of the trade season because that’s when a majority of players who signed free agent contracts in the summer can be traded, opening the market for deals. The trade deadline isn’t until Feb. 6, but executives around the league are scoping out potential deals.
A look at teams that could make moves and players who could be traded before the deadline:
❚ The Cavaliers’ practice facility and front office headquarters just outside Cleveland might as well have a “Players Available” sign out front. The Cavs are open for business, and that’s no surprise. They have seven players with expiring contracts, and they’re trying to recoup assets they lost during the LeBron James-era title chases. If you’ve paid attention, they did the same last season. Kevin Love and Tristan Thompson are veterans who could be on the move if the deal is right.
❚ The Magic want to make the playoffs, and the Eastern Conference seems a little deeper this season. Orlando has the eighth spot right now but with a 1214 record. DeMar DeRozan’s name pops up often in possible trade talks with the
Magic. DeRozan is owed $27.7 million next season, though it’s a player option. The Spurs don’t normally make in-season trades, but given where they are, this might be the time to move DeRozan. It’s a new era in San Antonio. R.C. Buford has turned over operations to new general manager Brian Wright, who is thinking about the future for a franchise that has been a playoff mainstay for two-plus decades.
❚ Oklahoma City faces an interesting decision. There is a market for Danilo Gallinari, but the Thunder are a potential playoff team in the Western Conference where a .500 record or even sub.500 record could get a team a playoff spot. GM Sam Presti has been collecting first-round picks in the Paul George and Russell Westbrook deals. Will he try to get more picks?
Sticking with Oklahoma City, Chris Paul remains a fascinating trade topic. He’s owed $41.3 million next season and has a player option worth $44.2 million in 2021-22. That’s an onerous contract to trade and to absorb. Could Paul take the unusual route and agree to waive the option year to make a trade more agreeable for the other team? Seems unlikely he would bypass a $44 million payday. For context, Fred Jones agreed to not exercise his option year to facilitate a trade in 2007. But his final year was worth $3.5 million, not 13 times that. Plus, the Thunder might not be in a hurry to trade him given the playoff situation.
❚ Miami could use another ball handler to give Jimmy Butler some relief, and Paul makes sense, if that prohibitive contract wasn’t in the way.
❚ Andre Iguodala is worth watching. Memphis wants something for him in a trade, and no team around the league blames the Grizzlies even though some are frustrated Memphis just won’t buy him out and let him choose the team for which he wants to play. Contenders want Iguodala.
❚ The Wizards, under first-year GM Tommy Sheppard, are ready to make moves. Davis Bertans is an unrestricted free agent, and his shooting makes him coveted. He will demand a high price in free agency, and the Wizards will try to figure out if they want to try to keep him or get something for him.
❚ It’s not a secret the Celtics would like more interior depth. But at what cost? The Sixers need shooting in the worst way. Hello Bertans?
❚ Minnesota 3-and-D specialist Robert Covington’s name pops in trade talks, and if you’re Timberwolves president of basketball operations Gersson Rosas, you see if you can get value in return for a player on a good contract through 2021-22. But the Timberwolves are also one of those teams on the playoff fringe in the West and keeping him is a viable option, too.
❚ The Pelicans are another interesting situation. Sidelined Zion Williamson changed the outlook, and while New Orleans has depth, too much depth makes finding right rotations and adequate playing time a problem. It might make sense to trade talent and good contracts for assets.
❚ Denver could be in the market with Malik Beasley and Juan Hernangomez potentially available if they can package a deal that nets the Nuggets a contributor.
GMs including Presti, New Orleans’ David Griffin, Houston’s Daryl Morey, Orlando’s John Hammond and Portland’s Neil Olshey are often willing to make deals.
Let’s see what happens over the next seven weeks.