NBA Trade Rumors: Detailing Chatter on Miles Plumlee, Robert Covington and More
Akin to the Eastern Conference postseason race, the NBA rumor mill is an odd concoction of old and new.
Some pretenders want away from costly veterans on the hopes of a brighter future. Others stick to their guns and will not deter from a young rebuild despite a lousy record. Contenders have no issue adding or subtracting talent if it means better playoff chances.
Less than a month before the deadline, trade chatter will only continue to experience an uptick as the globe turns its eyes from football to basketball.
For now, the top rumblings are obvious, but also only the tip of the proverbial iceberg.
Robert Covington Not for Sale
The Philadelphia 76ers, that team with less than 10 wins in the not-so-competitive Eastern Conference, continues to stick to its guns when it comes to its rebuilding strategy.
There is an impressive young core in place. Michael Carter-Williams, K.J. McDaniels, Nerlens Noel and Joel Embiid figure to one day make the team a surefire postseason contender.
Robert Covington is part of the equation, too.
According to Shams Charania of RealGM, a number of teams see the former Tennessee State star's upside and would like a crack at him.
No dice: “A few NBA teams have placed interest in Philadelphia 76ers forward Robert Covington, but the 24-year-old sharpshooter has been made largely unavailable from trade inquiries as a core part of the franchise’s long-term plans, league sources told RealGM.”
Really, Philadelphia gains little by shipping away a 24-year-old forward who oozes potential. The owner of a 12.5/1.2/4.3 slash line and a 14.35 player efficiency rating, per ESPN.com, Covington appears to be much more than trade bait for a front office with an eye toward the future.
The 76ers unearthed a gem and do not appear willing to simply ship it away. Who can blame them?
Miles Plumlee Enters the Fray
At 26-18, perhaps the Phoenix Suns need a good trade to score a boost.
Miles Plumlee is the obvious man on the block.
ESPN's Marc Stein broke the news:
Plumlee, the No. 26 overall pick in the 2012 NBA draft out of Duke, continues to ride the bench more and more in Phoenix.
Thank the emergence of Alex Len, among other things, for that. Plumlee averaged 23.5 minutes per game in November, a number that continues to decrease as he now hardly sees 13 minutes of action in January.
Plumlee is a commodity all contenders should seek out. He is an afterthought in Phoenix this year, but a breakout year last season, which included averages of 8.1 points, 7.8 rebounds and 1.1 blocks, show that he can be a force beneath the rim.
The cost is what makes Plumlee's spot on the block so interesting. If a team is desperate enough for his services right at the deadline, a first-round pick and then some may be in order.
Brook Lopez's Developing Market
The fact Brook Lopez is available is no secret.
At 26 years old with averages of 15.2 points, 6.2 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game, the Brooklyn Nets would not mind moving on from their big man if it means more cap space to build for the future.
After all, he represents a $16.7 million cap hit in 2015, per Spotrac.
To date it has mostly been quiet on the Lopez front, at least until Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports came out with an interesting report:
The Houston Rockets, that team with Dwight Howard in the middle and little else behind him.
This is smart all around. At 29-14 in the competitive Western Conference, the Rockets could use a veteran big man to help a title push, regardless of cost. The Nets, by way of flirtation with the idea of a trade, may continue to drum up interest and make this much more than a simple salary dump.
For his part, Lopez sounds as if he wants to stay with his current team.
“I like being here,” Lopez said, per Tim Bontemps of the New York Post. “I’ve been here my whole career, and I’m kind of partial to it now.”
These things happen, though. Lopez may receive a shot at a ring in a new locale, while Brooklyn may actually obtain something in return for his hefty contract.
As great as a potential deal sounds, the clock is ticking.
All stats and info via ESPN.com unless otherwise specified.
