NBA Trade Rumors: Latest Buzz Heading into 2013 NBA Draft
It should come as no surprise that the NBA trade market is starting to heat up with the draft just a couple days away. With the Miami Heat crowned champions for the second straight year, front offices can officially start building toward next season.
Although there will be far more rumors than actual deals over the next 72 hours, it's always interesting to see what could be in the works. Since there aren't any actual games for a couple months, the process of retooling and upgrading rosters takes center stage.
The fact this year's draft class lacks top-end star power makes things even more intriguing as teams may be more willing to listen to offers. With that in mind, let's examine some of the latest trade talk as draft day quickly approaches.
Luol Deng
Deng is coming off a season in which his numbers remained relatively constant. While his free-throw shooting improved and his outside shooting dipped, the overall numbers were right on par. But this season, he did it without Derrick Rose feeding him the ball, making it more impressive.
Amid speculation the Chicago Bulls star was being shopped for the No. 3 overall pick, currently held by the Washington Wizards, Michael Lee of the Washington Post reports that two sources say it's not the case. As of now, the Wizards expect to make the pick to add to their young core.
There's no doubt the Wizards could use a wing scorer like Deng. That's probably why the rumors started. But importing a veteran would mean Washington is looking to make a serious push next season. It's better off staying the course with the rebuild by adding another talented prospect.
LaMarcus Aldridge
If Aldridge played in a bigger market, he would be a superstar. He averaged 21 points and nine rebounds with an all-around offensive game and improved defense. He's the main piece of a potent yet still-developing Portland Trail Blazers roster.
His success has apparently garnered the attention of the Cleveland Cavaliers. Chad Ford and Marc Stein of ESPN report the owners of the top overall selection offered it along with No. 19 in an attempt to get him away from Portland. It didn't work.
The Blazers were wise to shoot down the deal right away. They are finally getting all the pieces in place to make some serious noise in the Western Conference. Trading Aldridge now, especially for picks, would be a major step in the wrong direction.
Shawn Marion
Marion, who holds a player option for next season with the Dallas Mavericks, is no longer the explosive, versatile threat he was during his prime. That said, he's still a reliable contributor who can make an impact while providing a veteran presence.
It's the second part of that which probably interests the Cavaliers, who are in the process of building and could use some leadership. The aforementioned Stein reported on ESPN Dallas that Cleveland is interested in the forward, but the Mavericks aren't shopping him. At least not yet.
Small forward has been an area of concern for Cleveland ever since a certain two-time NBA champion took his talents to South Beach. Even though Marion isn't on LeBron James' level, he could at least fill the void. It sounds like the Cavs have some work to do to convince Dallas to trade him, though.
