NBA Rumors: Latest Trade Buzz on Eric Bledsoe, Reggie Jackson and More

Although the trade deadline for the 2017-18 NBA season isn't until February, some marquee names are already popping up in the rumor mill. It could signal an active year of movement after an offseason wherein several high-profile players switched teams.

The early buzz can likely be attributed in part to the lack of championship contenders in the league's "super team" era. It gives more front offices incentive to trade players for future assets when they may be in better position to contend with teams like the reigning champion Golden State Warriors.

Let's check out some of the latest trade talk from around the NBA and break down what it could mean for the players and organizations involved.

Update On Eric Bledsoe Situation

Eric Bledsoe has been the focus of ample trade conjecture in recent weeks after the following post on social media in October caused a media firestorm and led the Phoenix Suns to send him away from the team:

Marc Stein of the New York Times reported the Detroit Pistons are the latest organization to check in on the Bledsoe sweepstakes. It's a crowded group, with the Milwaukee Bucks, New York Knicks and Denver Nuggets among the other teams previously linked to the guard.

Although there would seemingly be a sense of urgency for the Suns since the 27-year-old backcourt playmaker is one of their top assets and he's giving them no value, Phoenix general manager Ryan McDonough told Scott Bordow of azcentral sports there's no timetable for a deal.

"We are open to doing a deal whenever the best offer presents itself," he said. "Any other comments or thoughts from me would be pure speculation at this point."

Bledsoe averaged 21.1 points, 6.3 assists, 4.8 rebounds and 1.4 steals for the Suns last season and ranked 12th among point guards in player efficiency rating, according to ESPN.com.

Alas, the public nature of the situation has diminished much of the leverage Phoenix would typically hold when trying to deal a player of his caliber. It could force the Suns to wait for a while to get true fair-market value for the University of Kentucky product.

Detroit Pistons Downplay Reggie Jackson Speculation

Reggie Jackson is one of the players connected to the Bledsoe trade talks. Michael Scotto of Basketball Insiders reported the Pistons offered a package to the Suns that included the 27-year-old guard and a first-round draft pick, but Phoenix turned down the proposal.

Meanwhile, Detroit head coach Stan Van Gundy said the rumors compelled him to tell Jackson he wasn't close to getting dealt as part of a potential blockbuster.

"It was crazy yesterday," he told reporters Friday. "I left practice yesterday, and there's a rumor out on Reggie and Bledsoe, so I had to get home and call Reggie and say we're not trading you for Bledsoe. I don't usually address all of them, but it's early in the [season]. You can't address all of them at the trade deadline, but I felt the need to address this."

The former Boston College standout is an explosive weapon offensively when playing his best, so it doesn't come as a surprise the Pistons are hesitant to move him with three years left on his deal.

Yet the fact he's a volume scorer does suppress his value a bit, which makes it something of a surprise Detroit was so quick to shoot down the Bledsoe rumors. It further illustrates the difficulty Phoenix could face in trying to move him.

Boston Celtics Interested In Jahlil Okafor?

The Philadelphia 76ers' excess amount of frontcourt players made it clear coming into the season a few were going to get lost in the shuffle. That's been the case for Jahlil Okafor, who's appeared in just one of the team's first nine games—a 10-point, nine-rebound effort against the Toronto Raptors.

Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer reported the Sixers aren't willing to buy out the third overall pick in the 2015 draft. He noted they have been in "constant contact" with Billy Duffy, the center's agent, about possible trades, with the Boston Celtics showing the most interest.

While Okafor hasn't lived up to the hype of a top-five pick, he's been a solid producer to the tune of 14.7 points, 6.0 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game across 104 career appearances. But injury issues and the overcrowded rotation mean he's buried on the bench in Philly.

Getting dealt to Boston would not only land him with a title contender, but he would also be an upgrade for the team behind Al Horford, Jayson Tatum and Marcus Morris in the post. Though it seems like an ideal fit, it's unclear whether the sides have made tangible progress toward a deal.