Five Trade Candidates Who May Be Difficult To Move
While trade rumors generally don’t gain a ton of steam until a little closer to the deadline, several candidates to be moved have emerged in the opening weeks of the 2017/18 season. Eric Bledsoe was the first to be dealt, with the Suns finding a taker for him more than three months before this season’s trade deadline.
However, with Bledsoe off the board, teams may find it difficult to find viable deals involving several of the other players on the trade block around the NBA. Several of the most noteworthy current trade candidates either have undesirable contracts or haven’t shown enough on-court value to make them worthwhile investments — or both.
Here’s a breakdown of five players who teams may have trouble moving – or at least finding fair value for – in advance of the 2018 trade deadline:
- Luol Deng, Lakers: Deng is in the second year of a four-year contract worth $72MM, one of the least team-friendly deals in the league. Deng is unhappy with his lack of a role in Los Angeles, and the Lakers – who want to clear enough cap room to make a run at multiple maximum-salary free agents in 2018, would love to accommodate a change of scenery for the veteran forward. As we heard earlier this week, the two sides are exploring trade or buyout possibilities. But trade interest is unsurprisingly “non-existent” and Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders suggests the Lakers don’t want to go the buyout route at this point unless Deng takes a huge discount, which his camp seems unwilling to do. So this situation remains in a holding pattern for now.
- Greg Monroe, Suns: Although Monroe can still be a productive player, he wasn’t a part of this week’s Bledsoe trade because of his on-court abilities — he was included because of his expiring contract. The Suns are reportedly unlikely to keep him through the season, but flipping him won’t be easy. Monroe is earning nearly $18MM this season, and it’s tricky to move a salary of that size without taking back a multiyear contract, something Phoenix isn’t all that interested in doing. There simply aren’t many teams that have a need for a player like Monroe and would have the ability to match up with what the Suns would want out of a deal.
- Tyson Chandler, Suns: If the Suns can’t find a viable deal for Monroe, finding one for Chandler won’t be any simpler. Chandler is a little more affordable than Monroe, at $13MM this season, but he has one more guaranteed year on his contract for 2018/19. A team desperate for rim protection and veteran leadership could be willing to take on his contract, but the Suns may need to sweeten the deal with a draft pick or another asset. Considering Chandler isn’t unhappy in Phoenix, it may make more sense to just be patient and wait until the offseason to seriously attempt to move him.
- Nikola Mirotic, Bulls: Forced to take sides in the Mirotic/Bobby Portis altercation, the Bulls’ locker room and front office appear to be united — they’re with Portis. It may seem counter-intuitive that the player on the receiving end of a punch that caused multiple facial fractures is now on the outs, but Portis has seemingly said and done all the right things since delivering that blow, and his dedication and work ethic are highly valued in the Bulls’ locker room. Understandably, Mirotic no longer wants any part of the situation, but he can’t be traded until January 15. And even when he becomes trade-eligible, the 26-year-old may not have a lot of value — he’s earning $12.5MM, and has provided inconsistent production throughout his first three NBA seasons. Plus, if he’s truly as culpable in the incident with Portis as the Bulls have suggested, suitors may have personality concerns.
- Jahlil Okafor, Sixers: Unlike the other players on this list, Okafor isn’t expensive — he’s earning just $5MM this season. He also isn’t past his prime, like Deng and Chandler. In fact, at age 21, he almost certainly hasn’t reached his prime yet. For those reasons, Okafor may not be difficult to trade, but the Sixers will have a very hard time extracting what they perceive to be fair value for 2015’s third overall pick. Okafor can’t crack Philadelphia’s rotation, and there are serious concerns about his defensive ability, limiting his appeal. Because the Sixers declined his $6.3MM option for 2018/19, Okafor also can’t receive a contract offer worth more than $6.3MM from the team that acquires him, and he’ll be an unrestricted free agent, meaning he may just end up being a rental. A club is unlikely to surrender much for that.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Suns Notes: Chandler, Triano, Monroe, Jones
In the wake of Eric Bledsoe‘s now-infamous “I don’t wanna be here” tweet on the first weekend of the 2017/18 season, Suns general manager Ryan McDonough received a call from Jeff Schwartz, Tyson Chandler‘s agent, and admitted to ESPN’s Zach Lowe that he was expecting the worst when he got that voicemail.
“Given the way our season had started, it wouldn’t have been shocking if Tyson wanted to be moved,” McDonough said.
However, Schwartz expressed the opposite sentiment, assuring McDonough that his client was “fine” and enjoys mentoring the young players in Phoenix. “It was a breath of fresh air,” the Suns GM said. Chandler remains a trade candidate, since he probably doesn’t fit into the team’s long-term plans, but unlike Bledsoe, he’s in no rush to leave.
Lowe’s deep dive into the Suns – which is worth checking out in full – includes several more tidbits out of Phoenix, including some details on the changes that Jay Triano has made since replacing Earl Watson. Triano, who has been focused on accountability, has impressed the Suns so far and has a chance to earn the head coaching job on a permanent basis, per McDonough.
Here’s more on the Suns:
- Scott Bordow of The Arizona Republic passes along more comments from McDonough, who said after Tuesday’s Bledsoe trade that the move could speed up the team’s timeline. As Bordow details, even though McDonough suggested that Phoenix has the flexibility to make a major roster addition in 2018, he said multiple times that the club is “more likely” to pursue a top free agent in 2019.
- Within Bordow’s piece, McDonough also talks about the newest Sun, Greg Monroe, indicating that he’s open to a trade but that a buyout is less likely. The Suns GM intends to discuss all the possibilities with Monroe’s agent, David Falk.
- The Suns’ vice president of basketball operations, James Jones, is taking many of the lessons he learned during his years as a player in Miami and applying them to his new job in Phoenix, writes Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel.
Cuban: Mavs Not Tanking, Can Turn Things Around
The Mavericks have been the NBA’s worst team so far, with their 2-10 record placing them at the top of our 2017/18 Reverse Standings. However, owner Mark Cuban believes his club is capable of bouncing back from its slow start, as Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News writes.
“I still think we can turn this around,” Cuban said. “We’ve been in 1-9 stretches during various parts of various seasons in the past, so it’s not like we haven’t been here before. It’s just that you never want to start the season like that.”
Dallas’ slow start this season is reminiscent of the first month of the team’s 2016/17 campaign. A year ago, the club opened by losing 17 of its first 21 games, and in the midst of that stretch, Cuban said publicly that the team had no interest in tanking. In May, Cuban admitted that the club did end up tanking near the end of the season, but he added an important caveat to that statement this week
“Not until we were eliminated,” Cuban said, in reference to last year’s tanking efforts. “And until we’re eliminated, we ain’t tanking [this year], either.”
While the Maveericks weren’t expecting to be a contender this season, there was some hope that they could improve upon last season’s 33-49 record. That’s still possible, but the team faces a serious uphill climb. And while president of basketball operations Donnie Nelson says it’s mostly a matter of the Mavs needing more out of their current players, he acknowledges that he’ll be keeping an eye out for potential roster changes, per Townsend.
“I think it’s too early in the game to make any broad, sweeping analyses,” Nelson said. “That being said, as you look across the board, do we have any glaring weaknesses? You can always upgrade. We’re all in the upgrade business.”
Grizzlies’ Ben McLemore To Return This Weekend
One of the Grizzlies’ most noteworthy offseason additions, Ben McLemore, is set to make his debut with the team this Saturday in Houston, writes Ronald Tillery of The Memphis Commerical Appeal. As Tillery notes, Ben’s brother Kevin McLemore confirmed the news on Twitter.
McLemore, who signed a two-year, $10.66MM contract with the Grizzlies in July, injured his right foot during a pick-up game in Los Angeles over the summer. The 24-year-old was diagnosed with a non-displaced fracture of the fifth metatarsal and underwent surgery in early August, at which point the team announced he’d be out for about 12 weeks.
With McLemore set to return, it will be interesting to see how head coach David Fizdale juggles minutes and manages Memphis’ rotation. Other offseason acquisitions, such as Tyreke Evans and Dillon Brooks, may see their roles impacted by McLemore’s return, though Fizdale was noncommittal when asked whether the former seventh overall pick will start or come off the bench.
“He’s coming off a broken foot. We’ll get his feet wet. We’ll see what works and take it day by day,” Fizdale said, per Tillery.
The Grizzlies assigned McLemore to the G League last week as part of his rehab process, and he played 16 minutes for the Memphis Hustle on Sunday, scoring eight points and picking up a couple steals. The 24-year-old will need to be officially recalled in order for the Grizz to activate him for Saturday’s game against the Rockets.
Kristaps Porzingis May Require Offseason Surgery
Kristaps Porzingis may require offseason surgery on his right elbow due to on-going bursitis, which is an inflammation condition. The big man has had the issue for years and might need to have his elbow drained or potentially undergo another sort of surgical procedure on it as soon as this summer, Marc Berman of the New York Post writes.
“When I hit it again it just swells up and it’s sensitive and I can’t stretch my arm,’’ Porzingis said of his ballooning elbow. “It bothers me a little bit, but not that bad. It’s always, I have to get the swelling down and then I’ll be fine again. But I think once the season’s over. I might have to do something about it. I just can’t keep going like this every year.”
Porzingis was absent from Wednesday’s loss to the Magic, but he believes he’ll be back on Saturday against the Kings. In addition to the elbow injury, he’s also dealing with an ankle ailment.
“Sometimes it’s smart when something’s hurting to maybe sit out one game and not later lose four games,’’ Porzingis said. “But in this case, I got to the point with the ankle I needed to give it a rest. Hopefully I’ll be ready next game.”
The injury appears to be the only thing slowing down the 22-year-old this season. In 10 games played this season, Porzingis is averaging 30.0 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks per game while shooting 51.2% from the field.
Latest On Kawhi Leonard’s Return To The Court
Kawhi Leonard hasn’t played since sustaining a serious ankle injury during last season’s playoffs and coach Gregg Popovich said the small forward is “coming along more slowly” than initially expected, Michael C. Wright of ESPN.com relays. Popovich added that “It’s just been more difficult for him to get through the rehab routine.”
The franchise has still hasn’t given a definitive timeline for Leonard to return to the court.
The two-time All-Star was phenomenal for San Antonio last season, scoring a career-high 25.5 points per game and posting a player efficiency rating of 27.6. He trailed only Kevin Durant in Win Shares and while he didn’t win the MVP, he proved he belonged in the conversation.
The Spurs certainly miss his production, though they are chugging along and taking an optimistic approach to the situation. The ageless Manu Ginobili believes that playing without the team’s top star gives the younger players a chance “to step up and gain confidence.”
“I think it’s a great thing for guys like [Bryn Forbes], [Brandon Paul], even [Kyle Anderson] having to be more responsible offensively, have more possessions, make more decisions,” Ginobili said. “So I think it’s going to end up being a great thing for the team in the long term. In the short term, we miss [Leonard]. We need him out there. And when he comes back, we are going to have to readjust. It’s going to take a little bit of time, but at this point, it’s making those guys step up and play a bigger role.”
Northwest Notes: Carmelo, Westbrook, Leonard
During the offseason, the Thunder added two forces in Paul George and Carmelo Anthony to play alongside reigning MVP Russell Westbrook, but the offense has yet to look explosive. The team is scoring just 102.5 points per game, a figure that ranks 23rd in the league.
George, who can become a free agent at the end of the season, believes the team’s struggles are due to playing too much iso-ball.
“We put pressure on individuals,” George said after the team’s loss to the Kings on Tuesday (via Brett Dawson of the Oklahoman). “When we get stagnant, we put pressure on individuals, and we’re too good of a team one through 14 – especially with that starting five – we’re too good of a team to allow ourselves to put pressure on one another.”
According to Dawson, Anthony ranks second in the league in isolation possessions with 6.6 per contest. Westbrook comes in at 3.2 per game (ranked 19th in the league) and George is at 3.0 (21st).
Here’s more from the Northwest:
- Westbrook isn’t concerned about the Thunder’s lack of cohesion on the court, Dawson adds in the same piece. “I’m encouraged by the group of guys we have in that (locker) room,” Westbrook said. “I will be better. I take ownership in how we’re playing. I will be better and we will be better, so I’m not worried.”
- Meyers Leonard could return to the court next week, which is ahead of schedule in his recovery from a right lateral ankle sprain, Mike Richman of the Oregonian relays. The Trail Blazers center sustained the injury on October 25 and was expected to miss four-to-six weeks.
McDonough: Bledsoe Trade Could Speed Up Timeline
The Suns got off to wretched start to the season and they didn’t wait long at all to make changes with an eye on turning the franchise’s fortunes around. Phoenix fired coach Earl Watson, something that upset Eric Bledsoe, and just weeks later, the team dealt the point guard to the Bucks.
GM Ryan McDonough believes the Bledsoe trade put the team in position to make a “compelling offer for a superstar,” as Greg Moore of the Arizona Republic passes along. The executive adds that if the organization wants “to be a player in 2018 and speed up our timeline a little bit, we’re able to do that as well.”
The Suns have could have as many as three first-round picks in the 2018 draft. They will receive Milwaukee’s 2018 first if it falls between No. 11 and No. 16, and they possess Miami’s first-rounder from the Goran Dragic, though the selection is top-seven protected.
If recent history is any indication of the trade market, dealing for a star does not require the kind of haul it has in previous years. Outside of the Kyrie Irving trade, one can argue that nearly every All-Star that switched teams over the past year via trade did so at a discounted price.
The Pelicans brought in DeMarcus Cousins for a lottery pick and a young prospect. The Bulls landed Jimmy Butler for a pair of guards with potential and the ability to move up nine slots in the 2017 draft. The Rockets only had to surrender a few solid NBA players in addition to a first-rounder in the Chris Paul trade. The Thunder landed Paul George for two players who each may never make an All-Star team (though, if Victor Oladipo‘s hot start continues, he’ll make a case for one this season) and they reeled in Carmelo Anthony from the Knicks for an Enes Kanter-headlined package.
Each of those deals had various circumstances to why the price was so low. However, had each of those players not been in their respective situations, the top talent would have likely never even been on the market.
Phoenix had the assets to make competitive offers for each of those stars and stood pat. After the Bledsoe deal, they maintain the ability to get involved should another star become available. However, it’s possible that the string of deals were more situation-based coincidences than a sign that new trend is emerging in the market for stars.
The trade adds to the Suns’ cupboard, though the increased flexibility doesn’t guarantee that the team is any closer to competing for a playoff seed in the West. McDonough’s talk of an improved timeline may be legit or it could simply be him masking a one-sided trade.
Do you buy what McDonough is selling? Let us know your thoughts and opinions in the comment section below and let us know how you would proceed if you were sitting in the GM’s chair. We look forward to what you have to say!
Pistons Notes: Bledsoe, Okafor, Van Gundy
Coach executive Stan Van Gundy is not a fan of the trade that brought Eric Bledsoe into the Pistons‘ division, telling the media today he “would have liked [Bledsoe] to stay in the West because he’s a really good player.”
“Bledsoe’s a hell of a player,” Van Gundy continued (via Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press).“Clearly [the Bucks] wanted another guy to push the ball and run pick-and-rolls, maybe take some pressure off Giannis having to handle the ball all the time.”
SVG adds that while getting Bledsoe helps Milwaukee, the team will feel the absence of Greg Monroe.
“Greg’s a loss,” Van Gundy said. “You don’t get somebody Bledsoe’s level of player without giving something up. I thought Greg last year off the bench as a scorer was huge, huge reason they ended up making the playoffs.”
Van Gundy coached Monroe for one season in Detroit before the big man departed as a free agent in the Summer of 2015.
Here’s more from Detroit:
- Could the Pistons be a fit for Jahlil Okafor? Ellis (separate piece) hears that the front office views the former No. 3 overall pick as a developmental project and they are unlikely to be in the market for that kind of player right now.
- Avery Bradley is exactly the kind of guard the Pistons have always needed, Sean Deveney of Sporting News contends. In the beginning of Van Gundy’s tenure, he targeted Danny Green in free agency, only to see the defensive-minded shooting guard return to the Spurs. With the addition of Bradley, the Pistons are able finally able to get the mix of top defense and spot-up shooting at the two.
- The Pistons started the season wielding one of the league’s deepest rotations, something that was designed through an offseason of adding depth. The plan is allowing the team to play at a high level despite being with Stanley Johnson and Jon Leuer because of various injuries, Keith Langlois of NBA.com writes.“We said that going in. I think it’s a roster where everybody’s capable of playing and so now you get tested,” Van Gundy said. “With having two of your top seven guys out, you get tested on that a little bit so we’ll see how it goes.”
Pacific Notes: Clippers, Deng, Looney, Kings
Chris Paul and Blake Griffin were the Clippers‘ leaders for years, but the two stars weren’t always on the same page, and Austin Rivers acknowledges that the dynamic between the two players was “weird,” as Lee Jenkins of SI.com relays.
“I don’t know why. It was just strange,” Rivers said. “No one knew who the leader was, and if you had something to say, it would turn into an argument. I think people were sometimes scared to say something to Blake, because you didn’t know how he’d react. [Now] he’s a whole different person, more approachable, and I think it’s because we’ve embraced him. We know who our leader is. We’re all-in with Blake Griffin.”
Here’s more from around the Pacific division:
- While the Lakers and Luol Deng are both open to getting a trade or buyout done, actually completing a deal will be difficult, according to Bill Oram of The Orange County Register. The trade market for Deng is “non-existent,” a source tells Oram, and unless the Lakers can convince the veteran forward to give back a significant chunk of money, there’s little incentive for the team to release him.
- After having his 2018/19 option declined by the Warriors, Kevon Looney admits that he wasn’t surprised by the decision, and says he isn’t stressed about it. Logan Murdock of The Bay Area News Group has the details, along with the quotes from Looney.
- The Kings have multiple young prospects capable of playing center, including starter Willie Cauley-Stein, but the team has performed well when veteran Zach Randolph shifts to the five. As Jason Jones of The Sacramento Bee writes, it will be interesting to see whether Sacramento continues to focus on developing their youngsters and only uses Randolph as an “emergency” option at the center, or if he’ll start to play more consistent minutes at the five.