NBA Draft Trade Rumors: 3 Prospects Who Could Start a Dealing Frenzy
The Charlotte Bobcats' willingness to part with the second-overall selection in Thursday's draft should tell you something:
Absolutely nothing will be sacred, at least after Anthony Davis is off the board.
It should come as no surprise, then, that some of this draft's most promising talent have already generated a firestorm of trade rumors and speculation thereabout.
That shouldn't come as much of a surprise given that after the No. 1 pick, the draft is deep but short on potential superstars. The Bobcats are also looking to make an immediate and certain impact given just how badly the team struggled this year.
Here are some of the players rumored to have suitors who will go all out to acquire them.
Thomas Robinson–PF, Kansas
David Aldridge is claiming on NBA TV that the Brooklyn Nets are looking for a way to sneak into the top five and grab Thomas Robinson. They may have to do business with the Bobcats in order to do so, because Robinson might not last any longer than that.
Robinson would appeal to the Nets as either bait in its quest for Dwight Howard or as another reason for Deron Williams to stick around. Either way, he'd quickly become one of the club's most impressive assets.
Chances are the Nets aren't the only ones with their hearts set on Robinson.
The gritty power forward has one of the most well-developed offensive games in the draft, especially for a big guy. He's explosive, but also capable of stepping outside for some jumpers.
More importantly, this guy is as mentally tough as they come, and that won't be lost on any of his suitors.
Bradley Beal–SG, Florida
The Morning Journal's Bob Finnan reports that the Cleveland Cavaliers are head-over-heels for Beal:
"League-wide, sources are saying the Cavaliers’ organization has a collective man crush on Florida shooting guard Bradley Beal.
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They’d love to add him to what they are building in Cleveland with young core pieces Kyrie Irving and Tristan Thompson.
The problem is that Beal may already be gone by the time Cleveland has a shot at with the fourth-overall pick. The Bobcats or Wizards could take him first, or another team could trade its way ahead to swoop him up.
That leaves the Cavs in a precarious position.
Sure, the club would still be in pretty good shape with either Michael Kidd-Gilchrist or Harrison Barnes. After all, both fill an immediate need at the small-forward position.
However, neither is the elite scorer that Beal appears to be, and that could tilt Cleveland's decision-making.
Harrison Barnes–SF, North Carolina
According to the Chicago Sun-Times' Neil Hayes, the Chicago Bulls "have had discussions" about trading into the lottery in order to land Harrison Barnes, but those discussions appear to be little more than due diligence at this point.
Of course, there's time for them to heat up, and it's unlikely that Chicago is the only team with its eyes on Barnes.
The smooth-shooting small forward out of North Carolina is an especially intriguing target because he just might slip past the top-five selections and into the hands of a lottery team that might be more interested in additional picks or veterans than Barnes.
Barnes also has a unique appeal to clubs outside of the lottery—the kind of teams who wouldn't have much interest in a rookie unless he's prepared to make an immediate impact.
Besides his mid-range shooting ability, the Tar Heel has a solid basketball IQ and spent two years at UNC—a virtual eternity by today's standards. What he lacks in exceptional upside he more than makes up for with his NBA-ready approach.
That may make him a better fit for teams ready to win than those that still have a ways to go.
