6 NBA Teams That Should Pursue Potential Arron Afflalo Trade
Who's next?
That's the question on the mind of NBA clubs desperate for a shot at one of the Denver Nuggets' many veteran role players. With several proven commodities in hand and playoff hopes dwindling, Denver has emerged as one of the more intriguing potential sellers of the trade season.
The Nuggets have already helped the Cleveland Cavaliers fill their massive void on the interior with the recent trade of 7'1" center Timofey Mozgov. If Denver continues down the house-cleaning path, two-way wing Arron Afflalo could be the next domino that drops.
According to ESPN.com's Ramona Shelburne, the Nuggets have been flooded with phone calls regarding the availability of Afflalo and Wilson Chandler. The Miami Heat, Los Angeles Clippers and Charlotte Hornets are among those that have expressed interest in Afflalo, per Shelburne.
The 29-year-old has averaged 15.6 points per game since the start of the 2010-11 season and boasts an impressive .461/.383/.827 shooting slash over that stretch. Add in the fact he can play and defend multiple positions on the perimeter, and it's obvious why teams would have an interest in acquiring him.
The Heat, Clippers and Hornets all have obvious needs on the wing that Afflalo could address. But they aren't the only teams that could use what he brings to the table.
Charlotte Hornets
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The sky hasn't fallen on Charlotte's hopes for a return to the NBA postseason. The Hornets have two things to thank for that: a strong showing of late (nine wins in their last 14 games) and the fact this club still calls the Eastern Conference home.
But this team needs offense in a bad way if it hopes to book back-to-back playoff trips for the first time since 2000-01. The Hornets sit 25th in offensive efficiency, plagued by their inability to shoot with any consistency (27th in field-goal percentage, 29th from behind the arc).
Any team would struggle to overcome shooting woes like those, but they are particularly painful in Charlotte. The lack of long-distance threats means smaller driving lanes for Kemba Walker and less low-post real estate for Al Jefferson.
In other words, the Hornets are limiting the potency of their top two offensive weapons.
Lance Stephenson was signed over the offseason to keep this from happening, but he was having a miserable shooting season (38.6 percent from the field, 15.1 percent from deep) before a pelvic injury forced him off the floor.
To make matters worse, Stephenson has also reportedly clashed with his new teammates, as league sources told Gary Washburn ofย The Boston Globe.
Charlotte needs a player like Afflalo, someone who won't monopolize offensive touches and will help spread the floor. He also holds a $7.5 million player option for 2015-16, so this doesn't have to be a long-term investment unless there is mutual interest in making it one.
The Nuggets, meanwhile, could have the right environment for Stephenson to develop. He thrived under Nuggets coach Brian Shaw when both were with the Indiana Pacers, and there is reportedly interest on Denver's side in reviving that relationship, league sources told RealGM's Shams Charania.
For Charlotte, this would bring back a more consistent contributor, who looks like a much better fit for this offense. For Denver, this would allow it to get five years younger on the perimeter with a player who has excelled in the past under Shaw's watch.
Chicago Bulls
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Swingman Jimmy Butler has been phenomenal for the Chicago Bulls this season, but this team needs more protection behind its surprise MVP candidate.
Despite having missed three games this season, Butler leads the league in total minutes (1,435) and minutes per game (39.9). And he isn't playing any easy minutes.
He is Chicago's leading scorer at 20.9 points per game and top perimeter defenderโif not its best defender overall. Because of his heavy workload and those two-way responsibilities, he covers a league-high 2.8 miles per game.
And it's possible that mileage is starting to show. Over his last eight games, Butler is shooting just 36.4 percent from the field.
The problem is the Bulls have no comfortable options to help buy him a breather. Kirk Hinrich is on pace to have his third consecutive sub-39 percent shooting season. Neither Tony Snell (10.1 minutes per game) nor E'Twaun Moore (7.9) has proved he has the trust of head coach Tom Thibodeau.
At the very least, Afflalo could be an insurance policy for Butler. The two could also pair up together to give Chicago a two-headed monster at the defensive end and multiple scoring options to support Derrick Rose and this fearsome frontcourt at the other.
The Bulls attempted to acquire Afflalo from the Orlando Magic last summer, according to Yahoo Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski. Chicago's interest could still be high given its lack of wing depth.
Actually bringing Afflalo to the Windy City won't be easy, as the championship-dreaming Bulls are using a lot of their young players. But rookie Doug McDermott, who was struggling with his shot before undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery, might be a centerpiece for a potential deal.
The Bulls are in position to value today over tomorrow, and Afflalo offers significantly more win-now ability. McDermott, who was originally drafted by the Nuggets, could allow Denver to flip other veteran wings like Chandler and Danilo Gallinari for future assets.
Los Angeles Clippers
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Despite having problems on both sides of the ball at the small forward spot, Clippers coach-president Doc Rivers has publicly kept his cool about the position.
"In this day and time, I guess every position has to be great. That's just not the truth," Rivers said, per Ben Bolch of theย Los Angeles Times. "Usually, there's a position where guys have to fill for, and that's ours right now."
That's what Rivers is supposed to say.ย But he has to understand how serious this issue is.
Starter Matt Barnes owns a forgettable 11.2 player efficiency ratingโleague average is 15.0โwhich still slots him ahead of reserves Hedo Turkoglu (9.4), Reggie Bullock (8.9) and Chris Douglas-Roberts (3.3).
And the little offensive production these players are providing is being given away and then some at the opposite end. The Clippers have allowed the fifth-most points to opposing small forwards this season at 19.3 per game, via RotoWire.com.
Afflalo could help turn those numbers around almost immediately. He hasn't averaged fewer than 15.2 points per game since 2010-11, and he still grades out as a plus defender. His matchups have shot 2.1 percent worse from the field against him than they do on average this season (41.7, down from 43.8).
Identifying Afflalo as a trade target for the Clippers is the easy part. Things get a lot trickier when shifting the focus over to how he would get to L.A.
The Clippers have an $83.8 million payroll, which greatly restricts their financial flexibility. They also have outstanding draft debits to pay and a lack of rising prospects, so they won't be refilling the shelves of any seller.
They might need to get creativeโand riskyโto pull something off. If they soften their stance on keeping Jamal Crawford, they might be able to move him to a third team that could meet Denver's demands.
Miami Heat
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Miami's lack of perimeter depth is similar to Chicago's but with one major difference. While the Bulls need an emergency option behind the 25-year-old Butler, the Heat have to find someone capable of supporting the oft-injured, 32-year-old Dwyane Wade.
The dynamic 2-guard has already missed eight of Miami's first 37 games. He hasn't sat out fewer than 13 games since 2010-11.
Miami pulled the plug on experimental options Shannon Brown and Andre Dawkins pretty quickly. Mario Chalmers has found minutes at both guard spots, but he's shooting a career-worst 28.8 percent from three.
Rookie James Ennis is better equipped to play the 3, and giving him consistent playing time means living with the volatility in his stat sheet. The Heat have most recently turned to the D-League and called up Tyler Johnson.
If there is any surprise regarding Miami's interest in Afflalo, it's that the Heat have placed phone calls instead of camping out on Nuggets general manager Tim Connelly's front lawn. Miami desperately needs to get this deal done.
Afflalo could space the floor for Wade and Chris Bosh or carry the offense in their absence. Afflalo isn't an elite athlete, but he combines what he has with discipline, poise and intelligence, all of which could make him a fit for Erik Spoelstra's high-pressure defense.
The Heat don't own their 2015 first-round pick and have already shipped out three of their next five second-round selections, so they might need to involve a third team in this transaction.
The Heat could deem Chris Andersen expendable due to Hassan Whiteside's emergence or clear the way for rookie point guard Shabazz Napier by moving Chalmers or Norris Cole.
It would likely require Miami to part with multiple players, but the need for Afflalo is high enough to justify the cost.
Portland Trail Blazers
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If the Portland Trail Blazers haven't hit their ceiling, they should at least be able to reach it.
Portland has the NBA's second-highest winning percentage at .789 and third-best net efficiency rating at plus-7.1 points per 100 possessions. The Blazers have already had five winning streaks of at least four games and only suffered consecutive defeats twice this season.
This is a championship contender by any measure, but that status still feels a bit fragile due to one of the league's least productive benches. The Blazers rank 26th in second-team scoring with a nightly average of 26.4 points off the pine, per HoopsStats.com.
Newcomer Chris Kaman has been solid, but he is Portland's only reserve putting up more than 5.1 points per game. Guard Steve Blake is the team's most utilized bench player at 22.1 minutes per game, but he's shooting just 36.4 percent from the field.
Still-developing prospects C.J. McCollum, Allen Crabbe, Meyers Leonard and Thomas Robinson have all battled inconsistencies.
That's what should get Portland looking at Denver. But the Blazers might see Afflalo as more than a productive reserve.
They might view him as a temporary fix to whatever has bothered Nicolas Batum this season. The Blazers could even see Afflalo as a long-term option in the event that Wesley Matthews' price tag gets too high in free agency. (Remember, Portland also has to pay LaMarcus Aldridge and Robin Lopez this summer.)
Grantland's Zach Lowe linked Portland to Denver for Chandler, not Afflalo. Either would be a good get for the Blazers, but the price tag on Afflalo should be lower given his age and uncertain future.
Rather than parting with a first-round pick, which Lowe said the Nuggets are waiting for on Chandler, maybe the Blazers could build a package around Crabbe.
Denver would get a young, long shooter to replenish its potentially thinning perimeter, while Portland would pick up a more reliable option to strengthen its championship credentials.
Sacramento Kings
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The Sacramento Kings are in the business of buying. At least, they would like to be.ย They have been linked to nearly every name swept up by the NBA trade winds, except the mercurial Lance Stephenson.
The Kings wanted Josh Smith before he landed with the Houston Rockets, per Vincent Goodwill Jr. ofย The Detroit News. They tried to enter the bidding on Rajon Rondo before he was sent to the Dallas Mavericks, perย Sports Illustrated's Chris Mannix.
Yahoo Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski reported Sacramento's interest in Deron Williams, while ESPN.com's Brian Windhorstย linked the Kings to Memphis Grizzlies center Kosta Koufos.
In other words, if a player appears remotely available, Sacramento might be tempted. And Afflalo could have some particular appeal to the Kings, who need more spot-up shooting and a more consistent defensive effort on the perimeter.
"There are nights the Kings struggle to explain exactly whatโs going on with themselves on the court," wrote Jason Jones ofย The Sacramento Bee.ย "Some nights, they are aggressive on both ends of the floor, but too many nights lately, they look as if defense is optional."
The numbers highlight the truth in those words. The Kings have held teams to 98.6 points on 41.2 percent shooting in their 16 wins. During their 21 losses, they have surrendered an average of 107.5 points on 47.6 percent shooting.
The Kings have the talent to compete for a low-level playoff berth in the crowded Western Conference, but their pieces don't necessarily fit well together. Sacramento invested back-to-back lottery picks in scoring guards Ben McLemore and Nik Stauskas, one of whom could potentially headline a package for Afflalo.
One could debate the logic in Sacramento moving a prospect for a player who isn't likely to lift this team's ceiling higher than a first-round exitโif the Kings even qualify for postseason play.
But Sacramento seems anxious to buy something on the trade market, and Afflalo could make an immediate impact for this success-starved franchise.
Unless otherwise noted, statistics used courtesy of Basketball-Reference.com and NBA.com. Salary information obtained via HoopsHype.com.
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