NBA Trade Rumors: Analyzing Buzz on J.R. Smith, Jason Thompson and More
The NBA trade deadline has been a bit of a dud in recent seasons. Though game-changing superstars have switched teams in the offseason, recent Februarys have seen buyers hesitant to sacrifice draft picks and sellers unwilling to sell low.
However, teams do not need to wait until the deadline to alter their rosters. In fact, early-season additions are probably more prudent for teams trying to maximize the impact of their acquisitions.
At the moment, there are several potentially impactful names who could be on the move and thus change the complexion of the playoff race. Read on for the latest news and analysis of the most recent trade buzz.
Smith for Copeland?
Since signing a three-year, $18 million contract after a breakout 2012-13 campaign, J.R. Smith has gone back to his erratic ways and brought headaches to the New York Knicks. Now, according to the New York Post's Marc Berman, Smith might have played his way out of The Big Apple:
"One of president Phil Jackson’s big decisions this season is whether to trade J.R. Smith, and the club had recent conversations with the Pacers regarding ex-Knick Chris Copeland, according to a league source. ...
According to a source, Jackson has no plans to make any deals until Dec. 15 — a key NBA date as 2014 free-agent signees and 2014 draft picks are eligible to be traded.
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This would essentially represent an old-school challenge trade, as both Smith and Chris Copeland have hit walls on their current rosters over the past two seasons. Smith continues to struggle from the field, as he is on pace for the lowest field-goal percentage and points per 36 minutes, per Basketball-Reference, of his career.
Moreover, his antics have once again drawn discipline from the league:
Meanwhile, the 6'9" Copeland showed intriguing potential as a stretch forward during the postseason two years ago but failed to carve out consistent playing time on last year's 56-win Indiana Pacers squad. On a depleted Indiana squad this season, however, Copeland is receiving significantly more leeway, averaging 30.6 minutes per game and attempting 15.4 field goals per game, easily career highs.
Having lost Lance Stephenson to free agency and Paul George to injury this offseason, the Pacers' season is about trying to unveil hidden young gems for when they reload for George's return next season. Copeland falls into that category, so while Smith holds a player option for next season, it makes little sense for Indiana to willingly sacrifice arguably its most promising young player.
Thompson on the Block?
Though their arena situation has stabilized, the Sacramento Kings are still very much a franchise in flux in terms of concocting the right on-court formula for sustained success.
As the Kings continue to loiter around in the lottery, Grantland's Zach Lowe suggests that one of Sacramento's most tenured players could become trade bait: "In Gay, Derrick Williams, and even Omri Casspi, the Kings have the tools to play small-ball lineups, but that will be a tiny feature of their rotation as long as Malone starts the Cousins-Thompson duo. The rising cap has renewed interest in Thompson as a bench big, according to several sources across the league."
Jason Thompson is not exactly facing a playing-time crunch, as he has started all five games so far and has not seen his minutes fluctuate from last season. However, with DeMarcus Cousins turning into a post behemoth, it does appear as though Thompson's offensive role has been minimized, as he is on pace to set career lows in field-goal attempts and points per 36 minutes, as well as Value over Replacement Player (VORP).
However, the 28-year-old is a savvy all-around player who has experienced success as a secondary option in past offenses. Though his primary value has been as a post scorer, Thompson has also corrected early-career issues to become an underrated defender:
For a team in need of frontcourt depth, Thompson could be an interesting piece to investigate. With former second overall pick Derrick Williams in need of playing time to spur his development, Thompson could soon be facing a squeeze that necessitates his exit after six-plus seasons in Sacramento.
Clippers Looking for a 3?
The Los Angeles Clippers have had issues getting over the second-tier hump in the brutal Western Conference.
That has partially stemmed from a lack of depth at key positions, and as Yahoo Sport's Adrian Wojnarowski tells The Home Team podcast, the Clips could seek to remedy that issue this year by adding a small forward: "The Clippers have to find a way to get better at small forward. They’re just not good enough there. They’ve scoured the league trying to find a small forward, but I don’t know that they have the assets or players to give up to get that kind of player back in a trade."
Currently, Los Angeles employs a rotation between Matt Barnes, Chris Douglas-Roberts and Reggie Bullock at the 3. The trio has experienced some well-documented issues on offense, which one would expect given their skill sets. However, all have struggled mightily on defense as well, allowing opposing wings to light up the Clippers early this season.
Someone like Boston's Jeff Green, Minnesota's Corey Brewer or Denver's Wilson Chandler could come at varying degrees of cost, especially if and when all three teams fade from playoff contention. Los Angeles possesses the star power to compete with any team, but the drop-off beyond Chris Paul and Blake Griffin must shrink if the Clippers are to seriously challenge for the championship.
*All stats via Basketball-Reference.com.
