10 NBA Players Most Likely to Be Trade Targets This Season
The wheeling and dealing that took place over the 2014 NBA offseason dramatically reshaped the basketball landscape.
The 2014-15 campaign could have a similar effect if teams are able to pry these 10 trade targets away from their current clubs.
It takes two teams (at least) to get a deal done, but one having interest in another's assets is sometimes enough to open the lines of communication. Considering the talent level of the players on this list, that interest shouldn't be hard to find.
Whether that dialogue will lead to anything more substantial won't be known for some time. With so many moving pieces just now falling into place at the start of training camp, it could take a while for teams to make the self-assessments needed to willingly part with a promising, productive player.
But that won't keep the phone calls from coming in. Not when teams can bolster their ranks, fill a void or, in some cases, even change their fortune by acquiring one of these coveted commodities.
Harrison Barnes, SF, Golden State Warriors
1 of 10
Even with 178 regular-season and playoff games under Harrison Barnes' belt, the Golden State Warriors still don't know what they have in the third-year forward.
Is he still the same drool-worthy prospect SI.com's Luke Winn dubbed "the rare Kobe Bryant/Tracy McGrady-like player to hit college hoops" in 2010? Or have two solidly unspectacular NBA seasons officially closed off Barnes' superstar ceiling?
Still just 22 years old, Barnes might have a shot at maximizing his potential yet, but his clock is undeniably ticking.
"Upside only holds meaning for those capable of reaching it," wrote Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman. "There's no denying Barnes' NBA ceiling, but sooner or later, unless he finally takes off, we're going to have to rule that his developmental elevator is officially out of service."
The Warriors could opt to keep waiting, but with versatile forwards Andre Iguodala and Draymond Green on the roster, they might be willing to weigh offers for Barnes. If potential trade partners blame Barnes' sophomore shooting slump (39.9 field-goal percentage) on his role in former coach Mark Jackson's isolation-heavy offense, then Barnes' impressive physical gifts could convince them he's worth a closer look.
Maybe a change of scenery could help reveal Barnes' true NBA identity.
Eric Gordon, SG, New Orleans Pelicans
2 of 10
It won't be hard to figure out when other teams target New Orleans Pelicans shooting guard Eric Gordon. Not when his current club sprints up to the league offices to hand-deliver the trade paperwork.
Mitch Lawrence of the New York Daily News reported that Gordon was on the trade block in January. John Reid of The Times-Picayune wrote that dealing Gordon was among the Pelicans' "primary" offseason focuses.
Gordon's contract ($14.8 million this season, $15.5 million player option for 2015-16) and injury history (115 games missed the past three seasons) have motivated the Pelicans to search out potential suitors.
Why, then, would anyone actively target him?
He's only 25 years old, and he has been productive when he has made it out to the hardwood. He is one of only 15 players to average at least 18 points and 3.5 assists over the last four seasons, and he is the seventh-best three-point shooter of that group (35.8 percent). He has averaged 20-plus points twice in his six-year career, a mark cleared by only 19 players in 2013-14.
He isn't worth what he is owed, but a contender might overlook his rate if it can clear enough room to work him into the budget. And considering the way he has to fight for touches in New Orleans, he could easily increase his value on a team capable of giving him an increased role.
Maurice Harkless, SF, Orlando Magic
3 of 10
The Orlando Magic have hedged their bets in the young, versatile forward department. Between Maurice Harkless, Tobias Harris and rookie Aaron Gordon, the franchise has to like its chances of seeing at least one realize his full potential.
Of course, that has left a bit of a logjam for the players involved. Harkless, a raw project after a one-season stay at St. John's, hasn't yet had the opportunity to boom or bust at this level. He logged 26 minutes a night as a rookie and saw that number dip to 24.4 last season.
The jury is still out on his NBA future, but he understands that he needs to help deliver a verdict sooner than later.
"This is the year where I got to make a mark," he told Basketball Insiders' Steve Kyler. "This year pretty much determines what I am going to be in this league, I think. I think this is a huge year for me."
To date, he's a long, athletic defender with an offensive game that needs plenty of seasoning. He was a .476/.400 shooter after the All-Star break last season, so he has the chance to open this campaign on a strong wave of momentum.
But only if Orlando has a spot saved for him at its crowded forward spot. With a possible contract extension looming next summer, he needs the opportunity to earn that money—with the Magic or someone else.
"If Orlando doesn't want him, several other teams would gladly take him off their hands," Kyler noted.
Ersan Ilyasova, PF, Milwaukee Bucks
4 of 10
Bothered by an ankle injury that slowed him in the preseason and never really went away, Milwaukee Bucks forward Ersan Ilyasova nearly played his way off the basketball radar last season.
Following a two-year run in which he put up 13.1 points on .475/.488/.788 shooting and 7.9 rebounds, the Turkish forward managed only 11.2 points and 6.2 boards while shooting just 40.9 percent from the field and 28.2 percent from three. His player efficiency rating, a stellar 20.5 just two seasons ago, plummeted to 13.8.
According to the stretchy big man, his injury problems are now behind him.
"This summer I spent a lot of time fixing my ankle," he told Charles F. Gardner of the Journal Sentinel. "Hopefully this season I start on a new page, with a lot of energy and power."
While the Bucks might like hearing that news, other clubs could appreciate it even more. Considering Milwaukee has incentive to give major minutes to third-year forward John Henson and rookie swingman Jabari Parker, the 27-year-old Ilyasova could be deemed expendable by the rebuilding Bucks.
Given his on-court struggles last season and the fact that he has $7.9 million coming his way both this season and next, his value might be as low as it's been in some time. Look for opposing executives to use that to their advantage as they attempt to buy this in-his-prime floor-spacing big man at a discount.
Reggie Jackson, PG, Oklahoma City Thunder
5 of 10
There are no "for sale" signs in front of the Chesapeake Energy Arena. Oklahoma City Thunder general manager Sam Presti is doing his best Frank Drebin impression trying to usher along the executives hoping to vulture another promising young guard away from the small-market contenders.
In 2012, the Thunder had neither the money nor the minutes to keep James Harden, so they shipped him out to the Houston Rockets. Now, Presti is attempting to assure everyone that history will not be repeating itself with extension-eligible scoring guard Reggie Jackson.
"We don't look at [Jackson] as anything other than a core member," Presti said, via ESPN.com's Royce Young. "We want to invest in Reggie."
When pressed about the possibility of dealing Jackson, Presti said, "That's just not something we've considered."
It's probably safe to say that sentiment is not shared around the league. Teams might not expect the Thunder to trade away their explosive combo guard, but they will surely attempt to convince them pull the trigger on such an exchange.
Jackson posted personal bests in points (13.1), assists (4.1), rebounds (3.9), three-point percentage (33.9) and player efficiency rating (15.4) last season. The career reserve (36 starts in 195 regular-season games) seems ready for an expanded role and the increased salary that comes along with it.
It's hard to say whether the Thunder can give him either one, let alone both. That should be all the fuel other teams need to try to secure his services.
JaVale McGee, C, Denver Nuggets
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It doesn't matter how many Shaqtin' a Fool appearances Denver Nuggets center JaVale McGee makes. Someone with his physical skill set will always have a market in the NBA.
Big (7'0", 270 lbs), long (7'6" wingspan, per DraftExpress), mobile and explosive, McGee's natural gifts are impossible to ignore. They also explain how he was able to score a four-year, $44 million deal in 2012 despite holding forgettable career per-game averages of 8.6 points, 6.0 rebounds and 1.8 blocks at the time.
He is a tantalizing player for the thought of what he could become if he ever capitalized on his massive potential. But the Nuggets, who have found similar production out of far cheaper players like Kosta Koufos and Timofey Mozgov in recent years, may no longer be willing to wait on the 26-year-old.
League sources told Basketball Insiders' Alex Kennedy that the Nuggets had considered moving McGee over the offseason. Perhaps the fact that he's still calling Denver his home is an indication of his value across the league, no doubt warped by the three seasons left on his deal.
However, trade values are always subject to change. Maybe the Nuggets have been asking to for too much in return. Perhaps a potential trade partner could increase its offer once it sees how desperately it needs what he can bring: rim protection, rebounding and above-the-rim finishing.
McGee lost all but five games of his 2013-14 campaign to a stress fracture in his left leg, so his market might not be great at the moment. But it's hard to think that one no longer exists.
It always does for the select few players in possession of his tools.
Nikola Pekovic, C, Minnesota Timberwolves
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Will the trade of one highly productive Minnesota Timberwolves big man lead to the departure of another?
That's a question other clubs might try to answer for the Timberwolves by inquiring about the availability of Nikola Pekovic in the wake of Kevin Love's departure.
The new-look Wolves, led by open-court maestro Ricky Rubio, high-flier Zach LaVine and the uber-athletic Andrew Wiggins, seem like a curious employer for the big, bruising Pekovic. The fact that sophomore center Gorgui Dieng looks ready for the spotlight only adds to the question marks surrounding Pekovic's future in Minnesota.
The 28-year-old Pekovic has averaged at least 16 points and eight rebounds in each of the last two seasons. Only eight other players in the league have matched that production.
If the Wolves had a legitimate chance to win right now, they could use those numbers. But Minnesota is still trapped in the fully loaded Western Conference, where the team couldn't sniff out a single playoff berth during Love's six seasons there. With an influx of young, (largely) unproven players, the Wolves are likely to head even further down the conference standings.
Throw Pekovic's age (28) and salary ($12.1 million) in to the equation, and it's tough to tell how he fits with this team—both for today and tomorrow. Any team in need of steady low-post scoring and rugged rebounding should be helping Timberwolves president-coach Flip Saunders reach this conclusion sooner than later.
Rajon Rondo, PG, Boston Celtics
8 of 10
Timing is everything for the Boston Celtics and their four-time All-Star point guard Rajon Rondo.
It feels like his stay with the franchise is coming to an end. His contract comes off the books at season's end, the Celtics just added his potential replacement in lottery pick Marcus Smart and the 28-year-old Rondo's prime is likely to end before the rebuilding club starts its climb back up the standings.
But this isn't a process that can be rushed. Not with Rondo needing to repair his value after a forgettable 30-game comeback bid last season and certainly not now that the floor general has been lost for the next six to eight weeks after breaking his left hand.
"Multiple league and team sources agree the most likely scenario has Rondo beginning the season in Boston," Comcast SportsNet's A. Sherrod Blakely reported. "Then, depending on how the team does, both sides will mutually agree to either ride it out or part ways sooner rather than later."
The safe money lies on the latter possibility.
The Celtics won 25 games last season and didn't do anything over the summer to greatly improve that number this time around. Rondo might not want to spend his prime with a team that isn't built to win, and the Celtics could have no interest in shelling out the money needed to keep him around when his best days aren't likely to coincide with theirs.
Boston needs Rondo to get his profile back to the level where it would make a trade worthwhile. Rondo must have a strong enough showing to convince a contender he would be worth the risk of a massive midseason shakeup.
Both are distinct possibilities, but only if the Celtics and Rondo time this right.
Iman Shumpert, SG, New York Knicks
9 of 10
Throughout his first three seasons with the New York Knicks, Iman Shumpert has lived in the NBA trade rumor mill.
That isn't likely to change anytime soon for a couple different reasons.
For starters, the 24-year-old is eligible for a contract extension this offseason, but one has yet to be discussed between his representatives and the team, league sources told ESPN New York's Ian Begley. Given how few assets team president Phil Jackson has to work with, the Knicks may try to avoid losing him for nothing in restricted free agency next summer.
There is also the fact that Shumpert is just one of several options on New York's wings—and his future with the franchise could be shorter than those of the guys around him.
The Knicks added perimeter players Tim Hardaway Jr., Cleanthony Early (who may also see time as a stretch 4) and Thanasis Antetokounmpo in the last two drafts. Unabashed gunner J.R. Smith has a $5.9 million salary for this season and a $6.3 million player option for the next.
Rival executives have reasons to believe Shumpert could be had for the right price. Given his two-way potential, they could have equal justification for checking what that price might be.
For Shumpert, this is simply business as usual.
Josh Smith, SF, Detroit Pistons
10 of 10
Before the ink had even dried on Josh Smith's four-year, $54 million contract with the Detroit Pistons last summer, some were looking for ways to get that money off the books.
It wasn't so much a worry over Josh Smith the player, it was a concern with Josh Smith the Piston.
With interior anchors Andre Drummond and Greg Monroe already on board, the Pistons didn't seem to have a spot for Smith—except out on the perimeter, where his stat sheet said he should never venture again. Detroit tried the supersized look, and it flamed out quickly.
"Detroit's attempts to play Smith at small forward last season were an unmitigated disaster," Bleacher Report's Stephen Babb noted. "Asked to do more of his work from the perimeter, the 10-year-veteran made a career-low 41.9 percent of his field-goal attempts, including just 26.4 percent of his 3.4 three-point attempts per contest."
Now that Monroe has returned on his one-year qualifying offer, the Pistons face the same logistical nightmares they endured all of last season. Even with president-coach Stan Van Gundy centering his offseason efforts on adding perimeter shooting, there is only so much offensive space to create with three players incapable of stretching the floor.
Smith desperately needs to get back to the power forward position, where his perimeter stroke isn't needed and his quickness and athleticism can create favorable matchups.
His skill set is strong enough for a team to pay his premium, but only if that team isn't the Pistons or anyone else who couldn't find him time at the 4.
Unless otherwise noted, statistics used courtesy of Basketball-Reference.com and NBA.com. Salary information obtained via ShamSports.com.
